Bourbon Review: Bootlegger 21 New York Bourbon Whiskey

A rounded cinnamon candy bright spiciness is balanced by the expansion of a mouth-filling dark chocolate-covered coffee toffee. There is a pleasant lingering warmth in throat and chest. The final dissipation after a sip left me immediately wanting more. Final Thoughts and Score: This is a simple, and simply good, bourbon. Some critiques have described it as too young or too simple, but I don’t see simplicity as a bad thing when done right — and this bourbon gets it right. It is a bottle of juxtapositions, in some ways — spicy yet smooth, toasty yet cooling. But these contradictions make for a balance that works. Hudson Baby Bourbon, another 100% corn bourbon (and also from New York), offers an interesting side-by-side comparison. While there is certainly some overlap in the “what” of some of the basic sweeter notes — the “how”, or manifestation, is where the two really diverge. Hudson Baby Bourbon has more of a roasted, toasted rich quality, combined with a more prominent viscosity. Bootlegger 12 New York Bourbon Whiskey, conversely, is more marked by its brightness and simplicity, and its balancing spiciness helps make these qualities work in its favor. I prefer the Bootlegger 12 New York Bourbon Whiskey neat, but also found a few drops of some barrel-aged bitters (I used barre-aged bitters by The Bitter Housewife) is a nice addition.