Table Of Contents
The Details
| Rating | 96 |
| Style |
Bourbon American Whiskey Whiskey |
| Produced In |
Kentucky United States |
| ABV | 50.00% |
| Availability | Limited |
| Price | $99.99 |
| Reviewed By | |
| Review Updated | 2024-05-15 |
Abraham Bowman Oak Series French Oak Review
Virginia-based A. Smith Bowman Distillery has been quietly building acclaim for releases ranging from high-proof cask strength bourbon to finished whiskeys. But perhaps the most exciting releases coming out of the Sazerac-owned facility are its experimental series, limited edition bottlings dripped out semi-regularly since 2010.
Starting in 2024, Bowman is turning its experiments toward exploring different elements of wood maturation. Experimental release number 23 is the first in the Abraham Bowman Oak Series, in this case focused on French oak.
Abraham Bowman Oak Series French Oak is a blend of 12 year-old American whiskeys finished in both charred and uncharred French oak barrels. (So certainly not a bourbon, for those keeping track of labeling!) The liquid streams were distilled on Jan. 15, 2012, and the final blend was bottled on Feb. 29, 2024. Just 2,000 bottles were made available to the public through a lottery system in early April.
What we’re sampling comes from bottle 1038. Let’s dive in and see how Bowman’s latest experiment tastes!
Abraham Bowman Oak Series French Oak: Stats and Availability
As with its sister distillery Buffalo Trace, A. Smith Bowman limited releases can command significant attention and demand. This latest experimental series release comprises just 2,000 bottles. Spoiler alert: they’re already gone! Prospective buyers could enter a lottery that ran from April 4 through April 11, 2024.
Prospective customers across the United States were eligible to enter. However, winners had to purchase their bottles in person at the Virginia distillery’s gift shop within three weeks of being selected. (The retail price was $99.99.) As such, these bottles tend to end up in the hands of whiskey fans in the Southern USA.
Abraham Bowman Oak Series French Oak Review
As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.
Nose
An immediately complex nose hits a wide swath of the American whiskey scent spectrum; it’s heavy on vanilla, tanned leather, tobacco, allspice, white pepper, and freshly ground nutmeg. Salted caramel fudge pairs with a light minerality, that sweetness wafting out of the glass hand-in-hand with damp gravel. Funky, sugary, and a tiny bit salty thus far makes for a fascinating combo.
It takes awhile to build, but eventually fruit surfaces: largely red cherry with a touch of lychee and ripe red raspberry.
There’s a dusty book quality here that reminds me of library stacks; it’s woody, earthen, and lightly astringent. That might not sound the best when describing aromas, but rest assured, that quality works to elevate those already solid and classic whiskey notes to another rung.
Taste
Despite some similarities to bourbon on the nose, as soon as it hits the tongue, this whiskey clearly stands in a very different category. Oak flavor is early and unrelenting, but not overpowering or overly tannic. Instead, the wood elements are intensely, almost saccharine sweet, carried by a syrupy mouthfeel that frankly feels a little unfair given the relatively tame 100 proof.
The palate gains complexity with additional tastes, and I had a very different impression by the third or fourth sip. That pronounced sweetness breaks down into composite elements and flavors. (Great timing, as much more sweetness would become cloying on the tongue.) By the midpalate, that saccharine has shifted to vanilla wafers, cream cheese frosting, and dark molasses. Fruit develops at the sides of the tongue, a baking spiced apple strudel mixed in among all that vanilla.
Abraham Bowman’s latest isn’t overly hot, and it doesn’t benefit from proofing to cut the impact of ethanol. However, a drop or two of water does temper that sweetness enough for fruit to stick around longer on the palate. For me, it’s the relatively rare 100 proofer that both drinks below its 50 percent ABV and still gets better with a tiny bit of water.
Finish
Coming off a vibrant palate, the finish starts off dryer than I had hoped, a small speed bump on an otherwise delicious and memorable pour. That’s a somewhat temporary issue, fortunately. A hefty dose of tart apple and lightly numbing spearmint, both coated in wood tannins that showcase the blend’s age without hitting you over the head with burnt wood. The final act is a return to earthen astringency as the fruit and mint gradually exit down the throat.
Abraham Bowman Oak Series French Oak Rating
96/100
Recap
First things first: This is great whiskey, through and through. If you’re lucky enough to find a bottle or have a friend willing to share, I’d recommend taking full advantage.
I went back and forth when scoring the latest Oak Series release from Abraham Bowman. On the one hand, it’s a fantastic pour bringing bountiful flavor, as well as a nose that stands above the vast majority of contemporary American whiskeys. To be picky — and I really am splitting hairs here — I found a noticeable dip in the first phase of the finish. The whiskey finds a way to right the ship, but it gives me enough pause before scoring this release in the very upper echelons of superlative territory.
That said, Abraham Bowman Oak Series French Oak is delicious and unique, the sort of release worth seeking out for anyone looking to expand their American whiskey palate. And it gets me very excited about future releases in Bowman’s Oak Series lineup.
*Image retrieved from A. Smith Bowman Distillery
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