It has been about five years since I have had a Remus store pick. MGP d/b/a Ross & Squibb Distillery, makes this Straight Bourbon Whiskey named for a bootlegger during prohibition. I am in New Orleans for a conference, so I went by Keife & Co. to see if they had anything I can’t get at Hokus. The only store pick that had was a Ragged Branch Rye, which I passed on, but they did have a Remus Single Barrel selected by Republic National Distribution Corporation for Louisiana. This bottle cost me roughly $47.00, which is not bad. The proof is 109.1; I tend to think this is barrel proof, even though it is a little low compared to most barrel proofs, and the website indicates as much. The mashbill is listed on the label at 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% barley malt. I would classify this as a high rye bourbon, but the Remus website notes that there are three different mashbills that are used for Remus Single Barrel, and they are only released as retailer picks, although they let Republic, as distributor, do a pick for a single state. This barrel was selected in 2023. Kiefe’s is really more of a wine and gourmet treats shop, and emphasizes scotch more than bourbon in their whiskey selection, and so this really didn’t fly off the shelves.

The color on this is a light copper, indicating to me that it is likely four years old and not likely more than that. On the “swirl” (I didn’t bring a copita with me and am using a hotel wine type glass) there are a lot of oily droplets and legs. The nose is very traditional bourbon, with some herbal rye notes, and a hint of sweetness. The flavors on this bourbon are really nice – lots of caramel, some orange zest, some herbal tea notes, and this one does not have the bitter notes that the previous Remus Single Barrel I had. You can tell this is high rye bourbon, but the rye isn’t overbearing. On the finish there is baking spice and clove in a big way with some herbals notes deep in the background. It lingers nicely but not extremely long.

Overall, this is a very nice and flavorful bourbon, at a nice proof. I normally eschew most high rye bourbons but this one is very well balanced as to the flavor profile. I like this one much better than the previous store pick I had in 2019, which just goes to show you can’t judge a bourbon from one store pick. But, this is also why store picks are so fun.