David Nicholson Extra Aged Reserve Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey
A bourbon that has complexity and stunning character for less than $35? Yes, please. Brimming with flavor from the opening aromas, this shows a balance of classic bourbon characteristics and a savory, herbaceous tone. Caramel, sage, pepper and oak with a lasting finish and intense mouthfeel, this is one that will have you coming back to it over and over.
As whiskey legends tend to be passed down it’s sometimes hard to wade through what is fact and what is fiction. We don’t know a lot about David Nicholson, but what we do know is a start. Nicholson was a 19th century St. Louis grocer who began producing bourbon in the back room of his store in 1843. The whiskey became a local treasure and during subsequent decades its legend grew. At some point those folks in bourbon’s spiritual homeland of Kentucky took notice, got their hands on the recipe, and in 1893 a couple of folks (names of Van Winkle and Weller) began producing the ‘1843’ whiskey. We’re not sure what happened over the next one-hundred or so years, that part is pretty foggy, but what we do know is the Van Winkle and Weller families’ reputations for quality bourbon soared. In 2000, Luxco purchased the brand from the Stitzel-Weller company and began producing ‘1843’ and introduced the ‘Reserve.’ For most of the last 20 years these have only been available in the St. Louis area. With a taste-per-dollar that is off the charts, these are a welcome new addition to your collection!