Charles Goodnight Texas Bourbon Review

Charle Goodnight
Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Oak Aged 6 Years
115 Proof
MSRP: $79.99
Review

Please enjoy our Charles Goodnight Texas Bourbon Review!

Charles Goodnight Texas Bourbon is produced by Foley Family Wines. According to the brand, Bill Foley, the founder of Foley Family wines, is Charles Goodnight’s Great Great Nephew, and this bourbon is a tribute to his legacy. So, who was the man behind the brand? He was a Texas cattleman who lived from 1836-1929. During that time, he had many accomplishments including the invention of the chuckwagon and the creation of the Goodnight-Loving Trail, a cattle trail used in the large-scale movement of Texas Longhorns.

The Specifics – Charles Goodnight Texas Bourbon Review

Charle Goodnight Texas Bourbon was distilled and aged in Texas. The mash bill consists of 60% Texas Corn, 36% Rye and 4% Malted Barley. In addition, it is triple distilled in a copper-lined Vendome pot still with no column still distillate. Following distillation, the bourbon was aged in char 3 barrels for 6 years in the harsh Texas climate. After aging, the bourbon was bottled in Mira Loma, California.

Tasting Notes – Charles Goodnight Texas Bourbon Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

👉🏻Nose:  Butterscotch, brown sugar, solvent-like wet cardboard box, hint of milk chocolate, cherry jam, cinnamon and wintergreen; burnt caramel later on; spicy dry oak; alcohol vapor appropriate for the proof
👉🏻Taste: Butterscotch, dry wood, burnt solvent-like wet cardboard, dried apricot, hint of cherry, mild mesquite bbq sauce
👉🏻Finish: Spicy dry wood, growing capsaicin spice, mild mesquite barbecue sauce, barrel char later on; lingering wet cardboard solvent; fairly long with lasting spice; moderate burn

Complex Flavors With A Dominant Overtone

The nose has quite a few flavors, that seem to change a bit with each sip. There’s butterscotch with brown sugar up front, a bit of fruit from cherry jam, spicy dry oak, as well as hints of milk chocolate, cinnamon and wintergreen. Later on, burnt caramel becomes evident. However, all of those pleasant notes are on a background of a flavor that is quite a bit noticeable, difficult to define, and not particularly pleasant.  It’s something like a very wet cardboard box or brown paper bag, like a package that was delivered but sat outside in a heavy rain for days, with a bit of a solvent-like character, as well. The alcohol vapor is appropriate for the proof.

The taste has butterscotch, along with dry wood and a hint of dried apricots, cherries and mesquite barbecue sauce. Unfortunately, the solvent-like wet cardboard flavor is even more intense, with an added burnt character. The long finish has growing capsaicin spice and mesquite barbecue sauce. It becomes increasingly dry, with some spicy dry oak and barrel char, later on. The spice lingers for quite a while, with quite a bit of deep down warmth. While the intensity of the flavor is decreased from earlier, the solvent-like cardboard lingers on, as well.

An Unusual Flavor

Charles Goodnight Bourbon has many pleasant flavors, but they are unfortunately overshadowed by one that is not. I have now tasted this whiskey multiple times over the better part of a week to try to more precisely define the flavors, and to see if they change with time. Unfortunately, they do not. I generally try to suggest who might enjoy a particular bourbon, knowing that we all have different tastes. However, I am having a difficult time with this one.

Where Is The Flavor Coming From?

It is hard to know what exactly is going on here. Charles Goodnight Texas Bourbon was distilled and aged in Texas, but we do not know by which distillery, or exactly where in Texas the aging took place. In addition, six years is quite a bit of time to age a bourbon in Texas. The flavors can get very concentrated and take on unusual characteristics, there can be very high evaporative loss, and less than desirable barrel flavors can become dominant. Or possibly, the issues arose earlier on, with too wide a cut, as this was distilled on a pot still. As my wife is from Texas, I have visited many times and have tried many Texas whiskeys. There are many that I really enjoy. However, I have never encountered an overshadowing flavor quite like this one.

Conclusion – Charles Goodnight Texas Bourbon Review

So, who might enjoy this bourbon? Well, not really me. Possibly it might appeal to fans of bold, unconventional flavor profiles. However, I would recommend trying it in a bar before investing in a bottle. Just in case. Have you had this bourbon? What did you think? I would love to know! Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Charles Goodnight Texas Bourbon Review! If you would like to read about a couple of other Texas whiskeys, check out our Balcones Cataleja Single Malt Review and our Balcones Texas Single Malt Whisky Review.

This bottle was graciously provided by the brand for my review.

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