Reviews: Blade and Bow 22yr

I recently had the chance to share a dram of Blade and Bow 22 year with a friend and a stranger. It was one of those situations that come once in a blue moon and a month of Sundays. I struck up conversation with a man drinking Belle Meade Mourvedre, and we became fast friends.

The man was a collector from Texas and is constantly traveling and buying bourbon. We discussed limited releases, everyday drinkers, dusty bottles, and barrels of Texas bourbon exploding due to constant heat expansion. As conversation moved forward he suggested we all have a pour his treat. He asked if we’d had the Blade and Bow 22 year. Upon discovering neither of us had, he ordered three pours. I protested.

“You can’t take it with you, and this is a thing that is meant to be shared.”

So there we all were in a slow bar on a Monday night as glencarins were being filled with a masterfully distilled group of bourbons blended for what felt like our sole pleasure.

Nose 3/5

Super heavy vanilla with mild allspice clove and cinnamon. After two drops of water the baking spices overpower the vanilla and steal the show. While inviting, the nose leaves a little more to desire.

Palate 3.75/5

This whiskey has an incredible mouthfeel that is round and the note of allspice and vanilla follow through the nose to palate perfectly. However, there’s still something missing.

Finish 5/5

This is where this bourbon shines. As the flavors from the palate begin to dissipate, there’s a plethora of tertiary stone fruit flavors that tickle the entire mouth with oak tannins heavily coating the tongue, inner cheeks, and gums. As the oak tannins roll away the entire tongue is coated with a heavy pipe tobacco note.

Price 2.75/5

As if rating whiskey wasn’t subjective enough, this is where thing get super subjective. While the finish was one of the best bourbon finishes I have ever experienced, the nose and palate didn’t live up to creating a well rounded mind blowing experience. If you have the money to spend it’s certainly worth trying. In Nashville, it’s priced around the $60 mark.

I wanted to share this story this week because it really spoke to me. It sometimes feels as if the bourbon community is putting so much value into bottles such as CYPB that we forget that we’re supposed to enjoy each other’s company.

As always, if you have any comments, concerns, or snide remarks you can find me on Instagram.

Matthew Leonard