Bourbon

Bourbon Review: Trail’s End Bourbon

Trail's End Bourbon, a sourced seven to eight year old Kentucky bourbon that's finished with staves of Oregon Oak, is the focus of this review.

OVERALL RATING

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Trail's End

Tasting Notes

About:

Appearance:
Dark, warm brunette with fast-moving legs
Nose:
Very welcoming, with rich, nutty spice and strong tannins – almost like an oaked red wine. There’s a bit of grassiness and a suggestion of bananas foster.
Palate:
Creamy crème brulee and caramelized plantain in the entry, but the midpalate dries out considerably. Notes of walnut, hazelnut, and nutmeg stand out as well as vigorous spice. Finish: Dry and spicy without astringency or sourness. The finish is quite warming with a faint – but welcome – sweetness. Conclusion This is a wonderfully rich, spicy bourbon that manages to avoid astringency. It’s neat to see the new relationship between HRD and Clear Creek already yielding dividends, and I’m happy their newest offering is a (big) step up from plastic jug vodka. At $50 for a 750ml bottle – a price that’s looking more and more affordable in the bourbon world – it’s worth picking up if you get a chance. FINAL SCORE: 90/100
Finish:
Comments:

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Margarett Waterbury

Margarett Waterbury is the author of "Scotch: A Complete Introduction to Scotland's Whiskies" and a full-time freelance writer and editor specializing in the beverage industry. Her work has graced the pages of numerous publications, including Whisky Advocate, Food and Wine, Spirited Magazine, Artisan Spirit, Edible Seattle, Sip Northwest, Civil Eats, Travel Oregon, and many others. She also boasts editorial experience as the former managing editor of Edible Portland and as a co-founder and former managing editor of The Whiskey Wash. In recognition of her talent, Margarett received the Alan Lodge Young Drinks Writer of the Year award in 2017 and was awarded fellowships for the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers in 2017 and 2019.

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