Review #03: Jacobs Pardon Batch 03 18 Year Old American Whiskey 

This is a bottle that I’ve seen sitting on the shelf for the past several months. I was skeptical of it. A $200 price tag steered me away from it. When I wanted to get a bottle for my future stepfather, I got to talking with a cashier, and he brought up this bottle. Now, to say I don’t trust the recommendations of the store workers is an understatement. I’ve been steered wrong many times on bottles. But I took a chance on this. Plus, it was $80 off. 

Taken: Neat in a Glencairn glass, rested for about 18 minutes.

Distilled in: Indiana (MGP)

Bottled by: Palm Bay International

Proof: 142.7, non-chill filtered.

Batch: #03.

Age: 18 Years

Mash bill: 99% Corn, 1% Malted Barley

Price: $120 (MSRP - $200).

Appearance: Amber.

Nose: The nose on this was not what I quite expected. The whiskey carried one note, and that was some major fruit. A little pear, some apricot. This piqued some curiosity. Why would a whiskey that’s 18 years old only smell fruity? In doing a little research, and the fact that it has such a high proof explains that. Not to go too deep, but high proof alcohol carries esters aggressively, which give off the fruity aromas. Combine that with a corn heavy mash bill, and you get sweet orchard fruits. At first, I was honestly disappointed, but as I continued, the aroma became pleasant, sweet, and a nice change. 

Palate: The first sip was a shock to my tongue. Yes, there was heat, not like you’d expect. It drank like a 120 proof with some numbness. The shock, though, came from the overwhelming fruit sensation this carried onto my tongue. It was like drinking a fruit pie, in the middle of summer, that your grandmother made with love. Under those fruit notes, there was the slightest hint of vanilla followed by butteriness. Saying this is a fruit pie in a bottle would be an understatement. 

Finish: The finish on this was long. Something I’d expect from 142 proof. Through the finish, fruit was ever present. With underlying hints of vanilla followed by the smallest amount of caramel. I expected the oak and woodiness to show up on the finish. But nowhere in the palate did it appear. And to be frank, I’m glad it didn’t. It allowed the fruitiness to shine throughout this pour. The lack of oak at 18 years makes me suspect slower extraction played a role in the surprisingly restrained wood influence.

Conclusion: I took a gamble on this bottle. I had never heard of it, and I didn’t look up anything before I bought it. Am I disappointed? Absolutely not! I would give this bottle a score of 9. The reason it is so high for me is because of the unique fruitiness it delivers without the oak. This makes it refreshing and pleasant on the palate. If you ever have a chance, I encourage you to try it. You won’t be disappointed. 

Rating: 9/10 - t8ke scale

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average.

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite.

10 | Perfect | Perfect.

Review #03: Jacob’s Pardon Batch #03 18 Year Old American Whiskey