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Bourbon Review: Forbidden Bourbon

We review Forbidden Bourbon, made by master distiller Marianne Eaves from a mash bill of white corn, white winter wheat, and malted barley.

OVERALL RATING

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Forbidden Bourbon review

Tasting Notes

About:

47.6% ABV. Mash bill: Undisclosed mix of white corn, white winter wheat, and malted barley. 95.2 Proof. MSRP 129 USD.
Appearance:
Auburn
Nose:
With its lower proof, I find that the scent engages without burning. It makes the notes vanilla and creme brulee come through with clarity. With time to focus and process the scent, I pick out the marginal notes of cigar and clove accenting the gourmand sweetness.
Palate:
The palate is gourmand, but with a muted sweetness. There’s an understated, woody body with accents of nutmeg, clove, and coffee. A dark oiliness carries the taste and makes the sweetness feel more of molasses than white sugar. There are some fruity notes of orange peel accenting it, but the fruity flavor of esters isn’t strong until the finish. As it fades, I get the flavorful sweetness of a spiced caramel latte, with the permeating taste of orange peel.

This is definitely a whiskey that benefits from a few drops of water, as the muted flavors will really bloom.
Finish:
Comments:
This whiskey feels new, but also familiar. I should unpack that. This is a different taste for bourbon than I’m used to, but at the same time nothing feels shocking or unexpected. Its flavors are familiar, I understand how the techniques used in creating it produced them, and everything fits within my understanding of bourbon as a style of whiskey. At the same time, the way the flavors have been emphasized feels subtly ingenious. The muted sweetness against the heavy body feels like a natural choice, but I feel like I haven’t seen it done so well. Similarly, the fruity orange flavors that intensify into the finish aren’t anything I’ve never tasted before, but I’ve enjoyed a finish quite like this.rnrnSometimes all you need to be novel is to arrange the familiar in an unexpected way, and I’m more than happy to give this arrangement a glowing recommendation.

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.

Taylor Shiells

Taylor is a writer, researcher, and whiskey enthusiast. He came to Portland in pursuit of higher education, and found himself staying to pursue the Pacific Northwest's wide range of olfactory offerings. He's a fan of craft beer, farm to table food, indie perfume, and, most of all, whiskey. While he provides technical research to the entertainment industry by day, the Whiskey Wash gives him the opportunity to explore his passion, hone his palate, and practice a more flavorful form of writing.

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