Bourbon

Bourbon Review: 15 Stars Sherry Cask Finish Bourbon

We review 15 Stars Sherry Cask Finish, a blend of straight bourbons (13 year Kentucky, 10 year Indiana) finished in ex-sherry casks.

OVERALL RATING

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15 Stars Sherry Cask Finish review

Tasting Notes

About:

A blend of straight bourbons (13 year Kentucky, 10 year Indiana) finished in ex-sherry casks; 115 proof; $179.
Appearance:
Typical brown-orange range seen with slightly older bourbons, though the sherry cask finishing give this a deeper amber color. Nice viscosity, nice leg action inside the glass.
Nose:
Sweetness right away, a type of candy corn and warm brown sugar. The higher proof does not play into a burn in the nostrils, likely from the sherry cask mellowing. Faint hint of nuttiness.
Palate:
This opens up nicely right away, with warm butter notes, sweetness from the corn of the bourbon and some nuttiness from the sherry cask interchange. It holds long on the tongue, providing for a nice decadent finish with a subtle burn that makes it an appealing offering to sip slowly and deliberately. It isn’t overly complex, buoying its core flavors with hints of taffy, slight spice, brownie and a very subtle jab of toasted oat.
Finish:
Comments:
15 Stars Sherry Cask Finish is a well rounded bourbon, with sherry cask finishing notes that are pleasant to enjoy. I liked it, but wasn’t deeply in love with it. The price tag in particular for me is a sticking point, as I’ve had a decent number of other sherry cask finished bourbons over the years tasting just as good but at a lower price point. Still, if you don’t mind stretching your wallet a bit it might be worth having a bottle on your shelf.

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.

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti is the founder of The Whiskey Wash, an award-winning whiskey lifestyle website dedicated to informing and entertaining consumers about whisk(e)y globally. As a whisk(e)y journalist, expert, and judge, he has written extensively about the subject, been interviewed in various media outlets, and provided tasting input on many whiskeys at competitions.

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