Corner Creek 10 - Kentucky Straight Bourbon
$65.99
Corner Creek 10 – Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Proof: 88
Age: 10 Years
Distillery: Corner Creek 10 Distillery (Sourced?)
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Mash: Undisclosed – Corn, Wheat, Rye
Website: Corner Creek Bourbon
(Website isn’t much help)
*Disclaimer: A score of 5 is the midpoint for my reviews. Above 5 I like it. Below 5 I didn’t for some reason. Most of my reviews are between 4-7. It takes something really really special to go above 7 or below 4. See the methodologies for rating at the end of the article
Nose: If you like port and/or sherry wine… Then this is for you. The nose has a Tawny Port essence to it. I had a recently opened bottle of Sandeman 20 Year Tawny and compared. Yes, very similar. This Bourbon is very sweet on the nose. You get your standard Vanilla and some Baking Spice, but I keep going back to Port Wine. Very Mild Oak.
Taste/Palate: Once again, Port. Extremely smooth. Berries, Cherries, and other Dark Citrus on the palate combined with Vanilla and Caramel. It was light on the spices, but you can pick some up in there. White Pepper.
Finish: Ahhh there it is, bourbon. After a few seconds of believing you’re sipping on a well aged port your sip rounds out quickly and the alcohol comes through and reminds you that you’re drinking a whiskey. It finishes with a Vanilla and a little more Pepper Spice.
Verdict: Listen, I LOVE port. This bourbon “had me at hello”. For 88 Proof it’s complex and delivers. Many serious bourbon drinkers might lift their nose up at this for many reasons. It’s sourced?. It’s low proof. Who the heck makes it? Etc. I don’t care. For me it’s always about the taste. I like the taste. Now is that taste worth the $65.99 I paid? I think so, but to be honest you can get a solid pour of Eagle Rare for half the price. If you have both bottles in your hand go for the Eagle Rare. If you have a collection of bourbon, this is a nice change of pace addition.
The Story: I enjoy gathering with my friends and family and I also enjoy brining something with me when I do. This time around I was heading on a snowmobile trip to Northern WI. The crew that was going likes whiskey so I brought this bottle with me. After a long day of riding we sat down at the end of the night and I brought out the Corner Creek 10. We also had Smoke Wagon and Buffalo Trace with us. The Corner Creek 10 was the crowd favorite. Every single person that tried it agreed that it had similar qualities to a stronger port.
So how did I come across this bottle? I have 4-5 stores that I like to visit and peruse the collection. I’ve seen this bottle on the shelf many times (in one store and only one store, ever), but usually passed at $65 and bought something else instead… Like, maybe buying something I’ve heard of. I finally pulled the trigger at the suggestion of the store owner. I was told that “Corner Creek is a small distillery on the Kentucky bourbon trail that isn’t big on the map and probably why you haven’t heard of it”. Ok, I’ll bite. As it turned out, Corner Creek is not on the Bourbon Trail. At least not that I can find. But, I’m glad I bought it and tried it. I’ve wasted $100 on a bottle that I’ve wanted to pour down the drain. I enjoyed this and will probably buy it again in the future.
Last but not least… The research. I obviously didn’t buy this bourbon for the marketing. Who are these guys? If you happen to click on their website link, their site doesn’t give much. It doesn’t even mention Corner Creek 10. Only their reserve product. I type Corner Creek 10 in the old Google machine and it gives me their outdated website, reviews, reddit reviews, and lastly an article of a company out of Miami, FL (Espiritus, LLC) that purchased Corner Creek in 2016. That’s all I got.
Methodologies for Rating:
1. Dump it down the drain or regift it to someone you don’t care for.
2. This doesn’t even belong in a mixed drink. Use in case of an emergency.
3. It’s really not for me, but I heard some people like it.
4. Its only good when I’ve had too many and it’s decent in a mixer.
5. Solid. It hit all of what’s expected.
6. Above average. Good to bring to an event and you wouldn’t expect any guff from it.
7. Buy two if you see it to make sure you have one on reserve.
8. Very Very good. Constantly a GREAT POUR.
9. Superb. If I were to drink this and only this from now on I’d be a happy person.
10. Perfection is impossible. But this really comes as close as you can possibly get.
Reviewer: David S
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