Joseph Magnus
Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Bourbon Pursuit & Keg N Bottle Selection
“It’s Almost Too Easy”
I have wanted to try one of Jos. A. Magnus & Co’s bourbons for quite a while. So early this year, when the guys at Bourbon Pursuit picked a 13 year old barrel, I figured it was the perfect time to jump in. This Joseph Magnus Bourbon – Bourbon Pursuit Selection did not disappoint!
To be perfectly honest, I don’t know all that much about Jos. A. Magnus & Co. So feel free to correct me if I say anything wrong and please also share what you know because I always want to learn. One day I will visit them and do a write up for BourbonObsessed.com, but unfortunately the current COVID-19 climate is not conducive to that.
As far as I know, Jos. A. Magnus & Co. bourbon is sourced from MGP. The flagship brands are: Murray Hill Club, which is a blend of 18 and 11 year old bourbon with 9yr old light whiskey; Joseph Magnus, which is bourbon finished in Sherry and Cognac Casks; and their sought after Cigar Blend, which is 11 & 18 year old bourbon finished in Armagnac, Sherry and Cognac casks. (My wonderful wife recently found me a bottle of the latest Cigar Blend, and I am looking forward to trying that soon!) The distillery is located in Washington, D.C. Nancy Fraley is the Master Blender.
Mash Bill
53% ABV (106 proof)
75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley
~13 years old
Tasting Notes
🛏 Rested for 20 minutes in a Glencairn
👉🏻Nose: Cherry (like cherry candy, not the fruit), leather, caramel and oak. Noticeable but relatively subdued alcohol.
👉🏻Taste: Caramel, cocoa, oak, apple, maple syrup.
👉🏻Finish: Those same flavors continue, but the maple syrup changes to a subtle yet noticeable fruity syrupy sweetness, like House of Pancakes boysenberry syrup. The subtle sweet berry syrup continues, and barrel char and some astringency become more noticeable further out. The finish is fairly long with a medium burn. A sort of dry coolness 😎 appears at the very end.
Summary
This bottle of Joseph Magnus Bourbon – Bourbon Pursuit Selection is freshly opened, so I suspect the flavors will mellow and blend a bit with time, but this is pretty excellent right from the start. I am a huge fan of older MGP bourbon, and this 13 year old MGP goodness, distilled back in 2006, is tough to beat! Stay safe you all! Cheers!🥃
Want to read about another bourbon picked by the guys at Bourbon Pursuit? Check out our write up on the Pursuit Series Episode 5 14 year old Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us?🙂 If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!