Doc Swinson’s Offers Rare 16 Year Bourbon Finished In Madeira Casks

Doc Swinson’s, an American whiskey blender we recently highlighted as our first ever Bottle of the Month Club pick, has debuted a rare 16 year old straight bourbon finished in two types of Madeira casks.

The new Doc Swinson’s Exploratory Cask Aged 16 Years “The Forgotten One” Bourbon, according to those behind it, has quite an interesting backstory. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the blender shifted from whiskey to hand sanitizer to help out its community. Dozens of “casks were delayed and stored in our warehouse before being rediscovered. This bourbon was one of those delayed projects, and spent a little extra time in the casks gaining an exceptional array of flavors.

“This release spent 12 years in American oak, followed by 4 years in two very distinct Madeira casks—one sweet and one dry. ”

Doc Swinson’s, an American whiskey blender we recently highlighted as our first ever Bottle of the Month Club pick, has debuted a rare 16 year old straight bourbon finished in two types of Madeira casks. (image via Doc Swinson’s)

Described as a once in a lifetime release, only 273 bottles of it were produced. Bottled at 98.7 proof, the whiskey heralds from an undisclosed distillery in Tennessee, having been distilled from a mash bill of 84% corn, 8% rye and 8% malted barley. After the initial American oak aging, it was finished in the previously mentioned Madeira casks (Ex-Sercial, Ex-Malmsey) before being blended together.

Production notes from the blender indicate “this is not the first release of a Doc Swinson’s Madeira cask finish whiskey, but it is certainly the oldest (by far!) and spent the longest in the casks than any other finished cask we have done. This release is the very last of the Tennessee Bourbon that helped build the Doc Swinson’s name, back before we really had a name to tell about.”

No official price has been mentioned, but some retailers carrying it are pricing it in the hundreds of dollars. Official tasting notes are below.

• Nose: Fruit leather, anabellem plumbs, toasted almond
• Palate: Orange Marmalade, caramel, oak,stone fruits, minerals, and dry mixed nuts
• Finish: A full bodied bourbon with bright upfront notes of citrus that lead into richer stone fruits with a silky texture