Bourbon Review Round Up: Joseph Magnus and Murray Hill Club Bourbons

The orange on the nose comes through on the palate, bright yet smooth. I definitely taste the cognac finish. Normally I’m not a fan of cognac—I find it a little harsh—but this isn’t at all discordant. A non-smoky caramel char emerges, then finishes warm and toasty. Definitely warming like a higher-proof whiskey should be, but it tastes like lower proof. A compliment. Final Thoughts and Score: I like everything about this whiskey. Truly. All of it. More, please! Out of the gate, the 2017 bar has been set very high. Tasting Notes: Murray Hill Club Bourbon Vitals: This came out in July 2016, and is a blended bourbon made from whiskeys ranging in age from nine to 18 years, as we reported. More specifically, 11-year-old bourbon makes up the majority of the blend, followed with an 18-year-old bourbon and a nine-year-old light whiskey. It’s 102 proof and a bottle costs about $80. Color: Toad-in-a-hole toast. Nose: Caramel popcorn, blueberries, currants, hot chocolate with a bruleed marshmallow on top of it, oil paint, pine cones. Palate: The nose is sweet, but on the palate this has a savory, tingly, spicy quality. Although it’s a bourbon, it reminds me more of a rye. Black pepper. Vanilla. This is more alcohol-forward than the Magnus. Longer flavor profile, tip of my tongue and lips burn a touch. Final Thoughts and Score: After the Magnus, honestly, anything is going to pale. Sorry, Murray Hill! Also, the thing is, this isn’t that different from so many of the other whiskeys I’ve tried. I’m looking for a differentiator…and not finding much. It might open up with a little ice or time in the glass, but honestly, I find it like the whiskey equivalent of the following conversation: “Honey, how do I look?” “Fine. Can we go now?”