Boss Molly Bourbon Finished with Amarone Staves Review | 98 Proof

Boss Molly
Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Finished with Amarone Staves
98 Proof
SRP: $59.99
Review

Please enjoy my Boss Molly Bourbon Finished with Amarone Staves Review!

Boss Molly Background

Boss Molly was created by three whiskey-loving women who wanted to build a brand that felt like their own. The name comes from a ranching term for a stubborn female mule – the one who leads the pack, doesn’t spook easy, and kicks down a fence if it gets in her way, according to the brand. That independent spirit carries through the brand and the whiskey itself.

A Wheated Amarone Stave Finished Bourbon

Boss Molly Bourbon Finished with Amarone Staves is a wheated bourbon made from a mash bill of 70% corn, 16% wheat, and 14% malted barley. One unique aspect of this bourbon is that it is proofed down to 100 proof before entering the barrel. That is well below the maximum allowed barrel entry proof of 125. After aging, the whiskey is finished using toasted Amarone wine staves. Rather than using a traditional finishing barrel, the staves are removed from the barrels, cut, drilled, and toasted, and added directly to the bourbon, with the finishing time determined by taste.

A note about that wheated bourbon mash bill: you might recognize it as the same mash bill used by Maker’s Mark for their bourbon. It is also the mash bill that Southern Distilling uses for their Paragon Bourbon, which might be a clue to which North Carolina distillery distills Boss Molly Bourbon.

Details – Boss Molly Bourbon Finished with Amarone Staves Review

• Distilled In: North Carolina
• Bottled In: Clarksville, Tennessee
• Expression: Boss Molly Bourbon Finished with Amarone Staves
• Type: Finished Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Proof: 98
• Age: 4 Years
• Mash Bill: 70% Corn, 16% Wheat, 14% Malted Barley
• Finish: Amarone Wine Staves
• MSRP: $59.99

Tasting Notes – Boss Molly Bourbon Finished with Amarone Staves Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested: 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass

👉🏻 Nose: Sweet dark berries and simple syrup; buttery light caramel, rye spices like cloves, wine soaked oak; alcohol vapor is appropriate for the proof
👉🏻 Taste: Mildly sweet, dark berries and red wine notes, buttery caramel, honey
👉🏻 Finish: Sweet berries and sweetness continue but fade; mild white pepper spice grows; subtle cloves; later on, more evident dark red wine notes with some tannins; increasingly dry with lingering mild char, wine soaked wood and spice; fairly long; pleasant warmth

Dark Berries, Wine-Soaked Oak, and Spice

The nose of Boss Molly Bourbon Finished with Amarone Staves is full and moderately sweet, with simple syrup and sweet dark red berries. I wish I could be more specific about the type of berries, but let’s call it mixed dark berries. Presumably, they are from the Amarone, although some could be from the base bourbon itself. There is also buttery light caramel and a hint of rye spices, like cloves. Light oak, with an empty red wine barrel character, is in the background. The alcohol vapor is appropriate for the proof.

The palate brings similar flavors, which flow into the finish, where there is a bit of a change. The character becomes drier, with increasing white pepper spice. The red wine notes continue along with some tannins and mild barrel char.

The red wine finish is evident, but not overpowering, and is complementary to the flavors of the base bourbon. What I find interesting is the sense of empty red wine barrels with wine soaked wood, notes that I do not usually get in bourbons with similar finishes. I tasted this bourbon before reading about it, but now that I have learned how it is made, I suspect these notes are coming from the use of staves from deconstructed Amarone wine barrels, rather than staves that have simply been “seasoned” with wine.

A Well Done Red Wine Finished Bourbon

I am finding this to be quite an enjoyable bourbon. To be honest, red wine finished bourbons are not what I generally reach for. However, I have tried quite a few of them and have seen what people who favor these finishes enjoy. Therefore, I feel that I can recognize ones that are well done, and Boss Molly Bourbon Finished with Amarone Staves is one of those. If you are a fan of red wine finished bourbons, this is one that you will likely enjoy. Have you tried Boss Molly Bourbon Finished with Amarone Staves? What did you think? Cheers! 🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Boss Molly Bourbon Finished with Amarone Staves Review! Next, read a couple of our other wine finished bourbon reviews: Woodford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Finish Bourbon Review and Ampersand Opimus Review.

Note: This sample was graciously provided by the Brand for my review. I appreciate it!

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