Review of Two Bitch Spirits - 9-Year-Old Pack Leader Reserve Straight Bourbon

by Colonel Steve Akley

Two Bitch Spirits (t wobitchspirits.com) Eureka, Nevada

Age: 9 Years

Bottle Size: 750 ml

Price (Suggest MSRP): $83.99

Proof: 101.4

Run: 600 bottles

Interesting Note: Third offering of bourbon from Two Bitch Spirits following Batch #1 and #2 of their flagship 100 proof bourbon.

Buy It: The good news is this one can be bought online. LoveScotch.com has it available for sale. Here is a direct link to it on their site: Buy Two Bitch Pack Leader Here!

The Review - I knew Joe & Lauren Luby before they ever had bourbon on the market. This is my saving grace here. This is hopefully why we will continue to be friends moving forward, but they are about to enter a different stratosphere with their latest offering and if I didn't know them "from way back when," they sure as heck wouldn't be returning my phone calls now that they have this offering in their portfolio.

I love it when everything comes together with a brand. Their first two batch offerings of their flagship bourbon were amazing. Really solid bourbon offerings and you could see the commitment Joe and Lauren had to their brand when those two bourbons came out.

This one, though... this is a whole new world. This one's going to be on the shortlists next year for Bourbon of the Year. It literally has everything going for it. Before I get into some tasting notes, let me point out a few small details before we even get to that.

The first standout is this is a 9-year-old Straight Bourbon. Nine years old! Where are the Lubys finding nine-year-old bourbon? It's just about impossible to get at this point since all the distilleries who produce are holding onto the aged stuff for themselves because the bourbon category continues to expand and we aren't to the point yet where supply is meeting demand. The start of this conversation has to be a congratulatory tip-of-the-cap to Joe and Lauren for securing some amazing bourbon.

The other details come in the proof and the bottle. Joe and Lauren could easily decide to drop the proof way down to stretch the production of what they were able to buy. Instead, they elected to appeal to the bourbon fan and keep the proof up. A 101.4 proof is a solid offering that will not disappoint anyone.

The last thing to note, before beginning the process of tasting, is the look. This covers everything from the bottle to what's inside. Again, Pack Leader Reserve hits every mark. The bottle is simply amazing. The cut of the bottle just feels good in your hand when you are pouring it. The hand numbering (I got bottle #200 of batch #1) is always a nice touch. The back label features a nice mountain scene and the toast, "For the love of dogs, bourbon and good times!" The top of the bottle's cork features a medallion with the Two Bitch logo. The bourbon itself is beautiful in color. Deep, orange in color reflecting its 9-years in the oak.

Visually, this one hits every single mark.

The second sensory experience in enjoying bourbon comes from nosing it. Once again, highest marks for this category. I want to live in a world that noses like this bourbon does. Brown sugar, orange, oak, baked goods, plum. Where in world do you ever get a plum note in a bourbon? It's there. It's so complex, you can pick up something different each time you tip your glass to your nose.

The taste hits the tip of your tongue with a sweet caramel/toffee note that picks up some spice by the middle of your tongue. The 101+ proof then kicks in and it's going to heat up as you pick up notes of citrus, oak, cherry and baked goods. The finish leaves you nice and tingly.

Perfection. Add this one to your collection while you can and enjoy bourbon how it was meant to be made!