Today I will be taking a look at John J. Bowman Single Barrel. While there isn’t much official information about this bottle published online, there are some widely accepted rumors regarding the origins and age of this bourbon. It is commonly held that this begins as Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 which is twice distilled by Buffalo Trace before moving to the A. Smith Bowman Distillery in Virginia. From there, it is distilled a third time in A. Smith Bowman’s unique copper still before aging at their facility in Virginia. While there is no age statement on the bottle, or the A. Smith Bowman website, it is believed that these single barrels are aged between 9 and 10 years. 

I have seen multiple sources claiming this is a cheaper, easier to find alternative to Blanton’s with a similar profile. That was enough to pique my interest, and I was excited to find one of these at a very small, rural liquor store for a great price. So without further ado, let's dive into the review. 

**Review:**

Bottle: John J. Bowman Single Barrel

Proof: 100

Age: No Age Statement

Price: $55.00

Nose:

Sweet, fruitiness jumps out of the glass immediately. There is a distinct caramel and vanilla note as well as an artificial grape note. In this case, artificial is not a negative, it just smells more like grape soda than it does the fruit. There are more subtle nuts of fig and blackberry, and a dry sweetness that reminds of powdered sugar. Oak is present as you would expect with a rumored age of 9+ years. Over time, the caramel and vanilla transition to a toffee note. This is a great smelling whiskey.

Palate:

Toffee carries through from the nose to the palate and is joined by some cherry. There is a syrupy, jammy note that combines with the cherry to make me think of cherry pie filling. There is a slight black pepper note on the palate and chewing brings forward some leather. Oak is a common note throughout, but really shines on the finish.

Finish:

Oak is the dominant note throughout the medium finish which lasts 20-25 seconds. Black pepper is stronger on the finish than the palate, and the cherry note carries through without the jamminess. There is a subtle orange zest note that appears at the end of the finish which brightens things up in a great way.

T8ke Rating: 

7.5

This is a great, approaching excellent bottle. The nose is interesting and has plenty of complexity to keep you coming back for more. The palate has a great combination of sweetness, spice, and the oak impact you would expect to find on a 9-10 year old bourbon. The last minute appearance of orange on the finish is a really pleasant surprise and just adds to the overall experience of this great bottle. For the price, you cannot go wrong.



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 #11: John J. Bowman Single Barrel