It is always a gamble to name something after a legend. Expectation and skepticism turn the bid for approval into a treacherous climb. When the legend happens to be your father, this can be dangerous ground, indeed. Surely something Ethan Wayne and the other founders of Duke Spirits knew when they evoked the legend of Ethan's legendary father John in naming their small batch Kentucky bourbon.
Fast-forward to this decade, when Ethan discovered his father's long-crated spirits collection with some bottles dating as far back as 1967. Envision the friends enjoying The Duke's passion for good whiskey, dreaming of creating a range of spirits worthy to bear his name. It's quite a story,
and lends a compelling credence to the endeavor. Our skepticism is softened. But does the whiskey live up to the legend On the label is a quote from an early John Wayne film, 'A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. ' Well, why not?
The whiskey, for the curious, is described as a selection of 5 to 10 year old whiskies that were blended from sourced whiskey rumored to have been taken from Wild Turkey bourbon stock.
The color of Duke Kentucky Straight Bourbon in the bottle is red-gold, like new saddle leather, lightening in the glass to The Duke said it best, 'cornsilk, all gold and tawny. '
Bottled at 88 proof, the nose is soft, with a hint of leather, honey and vanilla, and an undertone of smoke and maple syrup.
On the palate, honey and heather notes add complexity, as smoke pulls forward through ginger and burnt sugar.
The finish is medium in length and pleasantly full of vanilla flavors.
| ABV: |
44.0% |
| Distillery: |
- |
| Vintage: |
- |
| Region: |
- |
| Size: |
750 ml |
| Availability: |
In Stock |
| Distributed by: |
BHW |
