Remus Volstead Reserve 14 Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey unboxing and review
Channel: DOPE STUFF
Date: 2020-08-07

Average Price $ 200 / 750ml

Summary
Average Price (ex-tax)
$200
User Rating - All Vintages

5 Stars - Excellent
1 ratings
Producer
George Remus
Region/Appellation
Indiana

Country Hierarchy
USA
Grape/Blend
Whiskey Bourbon
Notes
100th Year Anniversary Colstead ACT Commemorative Edition. Bottled in bond. Individually numbered bottle.

Remus Volstead Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey retails for a suggested price of $199.99 per 750-ml. bottle. The packaging is designed for collectors with a high-end glass bottle and commemorative box.

Bottled-in-bond and 100 proof, this limited 2005-aged reserve bourbon has rich aromas of dried candied fruit and caramelized pecans to balance the robust flavors of rich oak and barrel char that intensify the tasting experience.
Simply put, Remus Volstead Reserve is the ultimate tribute to the law that began George Remus’ legendary bootlegging empire.

REMUS VOLSTEAD RESERVE

DISTILLER: George Remus Distilling Co. (MGP Ingredients)
MASH BILL:Remus Volstead Reserve is a mingling of several bourbon batches with a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley mashed and distilled during the Fall season of 2005.
AGE: 14 years
YEAR: 2019
PROOF: 100 Proof (50% ABV)
MSRP: $199.99

NOSE: Sweet Leather | Sour Fruit | Fudge | Oak | Spiced Oranges

TASTE: Salted Caramel | Oak Spice | Orange Zest

FINISH: Long finish of sweet leather, baking spices and a hint of orange peel.

SHARE WITH: This is an easy sipper for bourbon lovers but best enjoyed with folks you know who have a palate that can tease it apart and appreciate the balance of it all.

WORTH THE PRICE: It’s priced as you’d expect for a limited, one-time release. When compared to similar releases, I would recommend hunting down a bottle if you can afford it.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: For those with the budget, this is definitely a bottle. If $199 is too steep, I would do what you can to try a glass at your favorite watering hole.

OVERALL: The first time I smelled my sample of Remus Volstead Reserve, I thought my nose had gone wrong. What I was smelling just didn’t compute in my brain. I took a walk to settle my mind and tried again. Same thing. Next, I smelled my arm (a tried and true method of resetting one’s sense of smell) and no change. “What the hell is going on?” I asked myself.

I finally decided that what I was smelling was not something “off,” but instead, a very unique combination of aromas. I was picking up the sweet aroma of wet leather mixed with sour fruit (almost like sour candy). A bit jarring at first, I started to enjoy the unique clash of scents accompanied by hints of fudge, oak, and spiced oranges. While it wasn’t what I’ve come to expect from older MGP releases, it had my attention and beckoned me to dive in further.

The first sip brought salted caramel, oak spice, and orange zest wrapped up in a nicely balanced mouthfeel. It didn’t have the bold and intense flavors other mature MGP bourbons typically exhibit. Still, it made up for that by bringing together very nuanced flavors with good balance. The balance continued into a long finish of sweet leather, baking spices, and another dash of orange peel.

Overall, I really enjoyed my sample of Remus Volstead Reserve. I continue to be impressed by the blending work being done by David Witmer and his team at MGP. I once wished MGP would release their own single barrel products (in line with the flavor profiles of single barrels released by Smooth Ambler and Belle Meade), but now I can honestly say I’m glad they’re focusing on bringing something to the market that others can’t. In my opinion, MGP’s experience in blending is a huge differentiator. I’m enjoying the ride as they continue to bring new products to the market like Remus Volstead Reserve and their annual George Remus Repeal Reserve Series releases.

If you have the budget, and luck of finding a bottle, make sure to grab it and share it with friends who can appreciate the subtle nuances that master blending brings to the party. I will be putting out my feelers for my own bottle as well since my sample didn’t survive this review.

Whiskey: Remus Volstead Reserve 14 Year Old Bourbon
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Volstead Act - and King George’s “creativity” in finding loopholes in that Act - we are proud to introduce Remus Volstead Reserve. This ultra-premium bourbon is a one-time release that has been aged for 14 years, in honor of the 14 years of Prohibition.

Size: 750ML

Proof: 100 (50% ABV)

Age: 14 Year

Origin: USA

Distillery: MGP

APPEARANCE
Light amber.

AROMA
The initial wave of honey sweetness, exotic spices and citrus is followed by fruit cake and bitter chocolate. Over time gentle undertones open up with hints of fresh vanilla and sticky toffee pudding. A truly indulgent whisky on the nose enriched and fabulously balanced by the long maturation.

TASTE
Full bodied and bursting with attitude. This exceptional dram is sweet and spicy and quickly develops a range of signature Old P