Virginia Gentleman – Small Batch

$20+, 45%, 6 years, Kentucky, Rating: 5.5, Virginia

As you know, we like to give states other than Kentucky a voice, too. This week’s offering is a hybrid: Virginia Gentlemen, distilled by A Smith Bowman Distillery is distilled three times, twice in Kentucky by the Buffalo Trace Distillery, then again in Virginia where it is aged in charred barrels, officially making it bourbon.

So, does this third distilling across a state border make it any better? In my opinion, not at all. It seems it just misses in almost every way. Straight, it’s too harsh. Mixed, it’s too sweet. The flavors you want don’t seem to stand out in the right ways, or at all, and the flavors you want to be subtle jump to the front. All this being said, it has won numerous awards and has a decent name for itself, but in my opinion, not a great showing. I would suggest sticking with Buffalo Trace’s own label instead of venturing into this line.