15 STARS Bourbon – 8 & 15 Private Stock Review

8 & 15
Private Stock
15 STARS Bourbon
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
107 Proof
Age: 8 & 15 Years
MSRP: $139
Review

Please enjoy our 15 STARS Bourbon – 8 & 15 Private Stock review!

A Blend of Kentucky Straight Bourbons aged 8 and 15 years.

Tasting Notes – 15 STARS Bourbon 8 & 15 Private Stock Review

15 STARS, started by the father and son team of Rick and Ricky Johnson, debuted their first bourbon around two years ago. Starting with their inaugural release, I have really enjoyed everything they have produced. Their latest releases are First West Bourbon, the subject of a recent review, and 8 & 15 Private Stock Bourbon, which we will review now.

First There Was 7 & 15 Private Stock, Now There is 8 & 15 Private Stock

15 STARS second release, after their inaugural 14 Year Fine Aged Bourbon, was called Aged 7 & 15 Years Private Stock. Now, a year and a half or so later, it is followed by 8 & 15 Private Stock. As the name implies, this current release is a blend of 8 & 15 year old Kentucky Straight Bourbons, bottled at 107 proof. The source distillery(ies) are undisclosed.

Tasting Notes – 15 STARS Bourbon – 8 & 15 Private Stock Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn Glass

👉🏻Nose: Sweet apples and cherries up front, with plenty of dry oak and hints of cedar and subtle smoke; baking spices and toffee are in the background; alcohol is noticeable and moderate in degree
👉🏻Taste: Brown sugar, sweet black cherries, vanilla, oak
👉🏻Finish: Fairly rapid change in character, with tart plums, tannins, dry oak and white pepper spice being dominant; spice increases over time and lingers, but tart dark fruit, tannins and mild sweetness linger too; very complex and long finish; moderate burn

As the name implies, 15 STARS Aged 8 & 15 Years Private Stock bourbon seems well aged from the start, with sweet cherry and apples, but also plenty of dry oak, complemented by cedar, baking spices and toffee. The alcohol is definitely noticeable, too. The taste is quite rich, with brown sugar, caramel, vanilla, cherry and oak. However, “About face!” says the finish! The rich full taste rapidly changes to tannins, dry oak and black pepper spice. Some sweetness and a hint of tart fruit lingers as well. The finish is quite long, leaving me with a pleasant warmth in my chest.

Conclusion – A Complex Bourbon

15 STARS 8 & 15 Private Stock, like many of the 15 STARS bourbons, is quite complex. This feels like an older bourbon, with rich barrel notes, but yet there is definitely a contribution from the 8 year old component, bringing some brighter fruit and brown sugar sweetness. All in all, it adds up to a very enjoyable pour. This bourbon is one meant for slowly sipping, particularly on a cool evening, while chatting with friends or while contemplating all that life has to offer.

Have you tried 15 STARS 8 & 15 Private Stock Bourbon? What did you think?🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our 15 STARS Bourbon – 8 & 15 Private Stock review! Would you like to learn about more 15 STARS Whiskeys? Then, in addition to the links throughout this article, you can also check out our 15 STARS First West Rye and 15 STARS Kentucky Stars Bourbon reviews!

Thank you to the distillery for generously providing this bourbon for my review!

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