Joseph Magnus "Murray Hill Club" Special Release: Batch 4 Bourbon Whiskey 750ml
(Michigan) - [WA 93]

About the Bourbon:

Artfully blended 8 and 17-year-old bourbons distilled from 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% barley malt mash and finished for four months in hand-selected, fresh Calvados casks imported from the lower Normandy region of France. 

111 Proof

Official tasting notes from Master Blender Nancy Fraley: 

For fans of the Jos. A. Magnus Murray Hill Club Special Release Batches #1 and #2, this release shares familiar notes. The color is a burnt sienna to deep mahogany and offers a complex cornucopia of aromas such as apple strudel, gingerbread cake drizzled with white icing, potpourri, old fashioned New England apple molasses (reduced cider syrup), Persian black tea with sugar cubes, and roasted chestnuts. Everything the nose promises is delivered on the palate with further notes of poached pears in ruby red Port, star anise, apple blossom honey, brown butter with cinnamon, roasted coffee beans, dried apricots, brandied cherries, candied walnuts, and aged balsamic vinegar. The finish is extraordinarily long and rich with a tsunami of plum pudding, apple crisp, and citron peels that washes across the palate.

Awards/Reviews:

93 Points - Whisky Advocate

"The aromatic nose is rife with apple crisp, mulled cider, apple-cinnamon muffin, and vanilla frosting. Those notes continue on to the palate, which is chewy, tannic, and incredibly flavorful; in addition to the apple, there’s rich cinnamon spice, cooked berries, chocolate covered cherries, and candied nuts. The finish is bright, with berry coulis at the fore, joined by lemon curd, baked apples, and more hot spice."

Grade: A- (Drinkhacker)

"The nose has exceptional depth, showcasing well-roasted nuts and brewed tea like I’ve never quite smelled before in a bourbon. A wide array of spices spanning ginger, cloves, and nutmeg all fill the bowl of the glass, tempered with lots of vanilla and, to a lesser degree, milk chocolate. It’s sharp with an alcohol-driven punch, so tempering with a little water isn’t a bad idea. There’s plenty to delve into here, much of it in new dimensions. A toasty dark roast coffee note pairs with the aforementioned brewed tea element, with some of the Calvados-driven apple character coming at last into focus. Here it’s more akin to apple chips than the more common fresh or baked fruit, surely the impact of a lengthy period of barrel aging. Sweetness is more molasses, slightly sulfury, with a nod toward brown sugar. Finally, the finish builds toward notes of raisins, cherry, and more chewy, gooey molasses. It’s balanced well between sweet and dry, never pushing too far into fruit territory while also keeping the barrel’s influence in check. Solid stuff as usual from Magnus — and extremely unique."