Review #: 536
Description: Smooth Ambler Old Scout Single Barrel Bourbon: Gomers Fine Wine & Spirits
Spirit: Bourbon
Background: 30 for 30: Day 30. We reach our conclusion and for better or worse, nothing super crazy. We come back to Smooth Ambler for a single barrel of bourbon. Aged 5 years and selected by Gomers (which I believe is based around the Kansas City area if my memory is correct).
Distillery – MGP
Bottler – Smooth Ambler
Brand – Old Scout
Selection – Gomer’s Fine Wine & Spirits
ABV – 58.7%
Age – 5 Years
Nose – Peach rings, cherry popsicle. Lots of sweet candy fruit notes and even the oak has a sharp sweetness to it. Kettle corn is there and that’s about the most savory you get.
Taste – A sharp turn from the nose as you get a very dark caramel, milk chocolate, buttered popcorn
Finish – Jumps even more to some burnt caramel, very sour cherry, hot oak
Score: 4
Would I buy a bottle? No
Thoughts: This pour is a bit erratic. Super fruity nose, sweet taste, and bitter/hot finish. I bit exhausting to try and breakdown, but if you are just enjoying a pour it probably sits a bit better. While anticlimactic, it’s a fitting end to this series. A few “disappointments” but ultimately even the worst ones were drinkable. If you can find a brand you trust that’s bottling MGP, they will probably be decent and if they really know what they are doing, they can be great.