Country: USA
Region: Kentucky
Brand: Noah's Mill
Type: Kentucky Bourbon
Age: 15 Years
ABV: 57.15%
Date: 07/12/2012
Colour: Dark Amber/Reddish Brown. Probably the darkest Whisky or Bourbon I've tasted so far.
Nose: Very strong Nose with Sweet Corn, (Charred) Oak, (Rye) Spices, Maple Syrup, Raisins, Brown Sugar, Toffee and Vanilla. Hints of Banana, Glue, Cherries and Peanut Butter. The Alcohol is quite present which was to be expected of course at over 57%. The Wood is very dominant and that's no surprise either after 15 years.
Taste: Strong and hot but still remarkably smooth. First impression is a Walk in the Forrest with Woody and Earthy Notes followed by Toffee, Vanilla, Maple Syrup, Rye, Cinnamon, Brown Sugar, Pepper, Red Fruit, Licorice and Mint.
Finish: Middle-Long and Hot with Charred Oak, Brown Sugar, Pepper and Slightly Bitter Orange.
I added a small tea-spoon of Water and that softens up the Nose and brings the sweet components a bit more to the surface. Some Leather appears as well. Palate and Finish become quite smooth on the one hand but the Wood seems to become even more dominant. You can experiment with a bit of Water on the Nose but better sip it neat. My sample was too small to try it on Ice as well but I think that that might taste quite good!
Rating: 84 (out of 100)
Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 21- Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 21
There are those who think Noah's Mill is produced here!
General Remarks: The Noah's Mill 15 Years I review today is a Small Batch Bourbon. In this case it's Batch # 02-71, distilled on November 2nd, 1987 and bottled on November 1, 2002. This whiskey is bottled by KBD (Kentucky Bourbon Distillers) of Bardstown, Kentucky. Although they are now operating the Willett Distillery in Bardstown, these Bourbons will only be available to the market in a couple of years after maturation. But until now, KDB has been an independent bottler, quite common in Scotland but not so much so in the USA. They are bottling Bourbons a.o. under the following Brand Names: Willett, Noah's Mill, Johnny Drum and Rowan's Creek. Other than in Scotland however, KBD does not reveal where their Bourbons are distilled. Noah's Mill's Mash Bill consists of Corn, Rye and Wheat spirits. Recently the 15 Years was replaced by a Bourbon with age between 4 and 20 years. It's good to bear in mind that Small Batch Bottlings may vary significantly!
Drinking Experience Neat: Good
Conclusion: Noah's Mill is a quality Bourbon with a very powerful Nose that would have scored even higher if not for the abundance of Alcohol. I think this is the first time that I believe that a slightly lower ABV of say around 50% would have benefited the spirit. The Palate is hot and strong but still manages somehow to maintain a certain smoothness. The Wood is very dominant here and this is something you either like or don't. The Finish is decent but not spectacular. I recently reviewed the Knob Creek Small Batch 9 years Knob Creek Small Batch 9 and if you like that one, you can't go wrong with Noah's Mill. If you like your Bourbon soft, smooth and sweet however, Noah's Mill might not be your cup of tea!
Jan van den Ende December 2012
