Eric LeGrand Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review

Eric LeGrand
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Hand Selected Single Barrel
104 proof
MSRP: $59.99
Limited Release
Review

Please enjoy our Eric LeGrand Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review!

Who is Eric LeGrand?

For those who don’t know his story, Eric LeGrand was a defensive tackle at Rutgers University. Tragically, in 2010, he suffered a severe spinal cord injury during a football game. It would be a disservice to him to try to paraphrase his life in a few sentences. Therefore, I will refer you to his website, ericlegrand52.com, which has detailed information about Eric and all that he has accomplished. In March 2023, Eric launched Eric LeGrand Spirits in conjunction with cofounder Brian Axelrod. A portion of all sales of Eric LeGrand Bourbon supports the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.

Eric LeGrand Bourbon

Eric’s bourbon is distilled at the Green River Distilling Company in Owensboro, Kentucky. According to a number of online sources, including Whisky Advocate, the mash bill used is 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% barley. That would make sense, as that is Green River’s standard bourbon mash bill. The bourbon is aged for 4 years, and then bottled at 52% ABV (104 proof). That 52% ABV is no coincidence; 52 was Eric’s jersey number at Rutgers. There’s a 52 on the bottle’s neck label, too.

Availability

Eric LeGrand Single Barrel Bourbon is available online at ericlegrandwhiskey.com ($62.99) and at select retailers in New Jersey. According to Whisky Advocate, 1,920 bottles were produced.

Tasting Notes – Eric LeGrand Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn Glass

👉🏻Nose: Dark cherry, apricot leather candy, medium dark brown sugar, grape candy, light caramel & subtle dry oak; alcohol appropriate for the proof
👉🏻Taste: Cherries, dark grapes or plums, light caramel, mild rye spices, mild white pepper
👉🏻Finish: Considerable white pepper spice; mildly smoky barrel char; long; moderate warmth

The nose of Eric LeGrand Single Barrel Bourbon is a bit difficult to define. As much as I tried to narrow it down to just a couple of classic bourbon notes, I could not. From the start, dark cherries are most noticeable. However, there is a background of a sweet, yet mildly spicy, flavor which is difficult to simplify. It seems to be a combination of medium dark brown sugar, grape candy, apricot leather candy and subtle dry oak, with lightly burnt caramel thrown in for good measure. There’s also some vanilla, too. Nevertheless, these flavors all add up to create quite an enjoyable flavor profile.

Interestingly, my wife felt that the nose reminded her of subtle Amburana-like flavors. I can see that, too. There really is quite a bit going on here.

The taste brings the more classic bourbon flavors of cherries, and a darker fruit like dark grapes or plums, with light caramel, mild rye spices and mild white pepper spice. Additionally, the white pepper spice grows considerably in the finish, and lingers for quite a while. In the end there is a mild smokiness from barrel char, and I am left with a pleasant warmth.

It’s A Complex Bourbon

Eric LeGrand Single Barrel Bourbon is quite complex, particularly up front. I find it interesting that my wife associated Amburana notes with the nose. While I can see some similarities, this bourbon lacks the strong cinnamon toast flavors that exemplify Amburana to me. Therefore, those who don’t enjoy an Amburana finish should not be dissuaded from trying this bourbon. Furthermore, once past the nose, the taste returns to more conventional bourbon flavors, with a nice amount of spice later on.

Conclusion – Eric LeGrand Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review

Overall, I very much enjoy this bourbon. The complexity of the nose is both fun, and a bit frustrating, as I am continually picking out different flavors and trying to align them with a single note. Nonetheless, the more straightforward bourbon flavors in the taste and finish are quite refreshing, after the baffling complexity of the nose. Nonetheless, as this is a single barrel bourbon, different barrels may have different characteristic, so your bottles may not be the same as mine. However, I would assume all the barrels have a somewhat similar flavor profile. If these flavors sound interesting to you, then you’ll want to give Eric LeGrand Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey a try. Have you had it? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Eric LeGrande Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey review! If you would like to hear more from the brand, check out the Eric LeGrand Single Barrel Bourbon Press Release. If you would like to learn more about the distillery where this whiskey was made, then check out our Green River Distilling Company Tour Review!

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

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