My contribution to a tasting last Friday night was Yellowstone’s 2020 Limited Edition Bourbon Release, which, this year, was finished in Marsala Superiore casks. Consistent with prior limited edition releases, this is 101 proof. The group really enjoyed this bottle, and was picked as either the or a favorite at the tasting. The blend of bourbons includes a 7 year old, a 15 year old, and a 16 year old. Marsala Superiore is a hearty Italian dessert wine. This bottle costs about $130.

Color is a nice amber, but not terribly dark, reflecting that the seven year old bourbon is the largest component of this whiskey. Very nice film and legs on the swirl. On the nose are notes of vanilla and caramel, but also grape/brandy notes. On the palate, the caramel notes mingle with the sweet grape notes, with some sweet vanilla and tiramisu notes in the background. On the finish, the grape notes become more assertive and some drying oak notes come into play, with some mild baking spice notes on the fade. Excellent mouthfeel.

Stephen Beam has done a nice job with this limited release. It is less sweet than a lot of other bourbons and would pair well with a sweet dessert to balance the sweetness and cleanse the palate. Really nice.