Tasting notes

Blade And Bow

Stitzel-Weller is an epitome of American bourbon culture. The legendary distillery was, until its closure in 1992, the original producer of many well-known bottlings. Diageo reopened the distillery in 2014. Blade and Bow is a tribute to Stitzel-Weller. Matured in the solera process, each bottle has a small part of original Stitzel-Weller in it.

The panel

Marcel
75
Sascha
77

Mean 76.0 · spread 2

Value for money 3/5

Type
Straight Bourbon
Country
USA
Strength
45.5% ABV
Character
delicate

Tasting

Nose

We smell peach, biscuits and vanilla. Behind this we find hints of oak and cream toffee. If you give the bourbon some time in the glass, ideas of cinnamon and a slight alcoholic note develop.

Palate

Not as dull as the smell, the taste is a bit more intense. Vanilla and white pepper are accompanied by a cherry note on the palate. The oak and caramel come through more strongly. The mouthfeel is completed by an almost waxy dryness.

Finish

The finish is rather short. We perceive hay and slightly floral notes. Also, the continuation of pepper and oak.

Verdicts

Marcel

Blade and Bow impresses with its wonderfully soft roundness and a pleasant blend of sweet and peppery notes – a bourbon made for relaxed enjoyment. While it lacks that final kick and a bit of depth, it’s precisely this harmlessness that makes it so likeable. A good choice for a cozy evening when you don’t want an overpowering character.

Sascha

Blade and Bow presents itself structurally clean and balanced, with a harmonious interplay of vanilla, pepper, and oak. However, the bourbon comes across as somewhat pale in terms of intensity and complexity, which limits the overall impression. For connoisseurs who value balance, it offers a solid, if not outstanding, solera construction.

What it is worth

No auction record for this distillery, so we cannot tell you what this bottle is worth. We would rather say that than guess.

Source

Tasting note and scores by WHISKY:EDITION — tasted by Marcel and Sascha, published 2023-05-15.