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Bourbon Review: Hirsch Single Barrel Double Oak Kentucky Straight Bourbon

We review Hirsch Single Barrel Double Oak, an 8+ year old bourbon that's double barreled in new American oak and finished in used American oak barrels.

OVERALL RATING

7
$99.00
  • Scott Bernard Nelson is a writer, actor, and whiskey reviewer.
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Hirsch Single Barrel Double Oak review

Tasting Notes

About:

Mash bill is a blend of two bourbons; the majority is 72% corn, 13% rye, and 15% malted barley, aged for eight years and seven months; the remaining 10%, is 74% corn, 18% rye, and 8% barley aged for three years and seven months; 127.5 proof/63.75% alcohol by volume; only 251 bottles of this blend released (bottle no. 45 reviewed here); available in 15 states; MSRP of $99.
Appearance:
It’s a dark, brownish amber, courtesy of the 8+ years of aging for most of the blend. The legs on the side of the glass are heavy and thick.
Nose:
My first reaction was surprise at how sweet it smells for a 127.5 proof whiskey. There’s far less ethanol than I might have expected. Instead, I find French toast, nutmeg, caramel, and a strong sense of overripe bananas.
Palate:
The high ABV hits harder on the palate than it did in the nose. I taste Red Hots, creamed corn, baked beans, and nutmeg. Ginger spice lingers in a long finish. Somewhat surprisingly for a bourbon at this proof level, adding a splash of water didn’t seem to make a lot of difference. I prefer it the way it comes out of the bottle.
Finish:
Comments:
First off, let me say that I appreciate the label, with clear mash bills and blending ratios on the back. A lot of whiskey brands could learn from the transparency and simplicity of the information in an age when consumers value knowing where their food and drinks come from.rnrnSecond, this drinks easily and smoothly for such a high-proof whiskey. It lacks the harshness and heavy ethanol you might expect. It’s a little on the pricy end, at $99 a bottle, so I wouldn’t buy it just to make old fashions or Manhattans. But if you like to drink high-proof whiskies straight, Hirsch is more approachable than most others you’re likely to find.

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.

Scott Bernard Nelson

Scott Bernard Nelson is a writer, actor, and whiskey reviewer based in Portland, Oregon. While currently working in higher education, he previously dedicated 22 years to journalism, covering impactful events such as 9/11 in Manhattan, crossing into Iraq with U.S. Marines, and contributing to The Boston Globe's Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of abuse in the Catholic Church, which inspired the film "Spotlight." Since 2019, Scott has shared his insights as a whiskey reviewer for The Whiskey Wash.  

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