Introduction

A friend of mine stumbled upon this bottle at the Tobacco Plus in Marksville and picked it up for me knowing my affinity for barrel strength selections and limited releases. The Clover Barrel Strength bourbon from the Louisiana Bourbon Collective selection coordinated by Grande Krewe in New Orleans immediately caught my attention, not just for the barrel strength proof, but for the backstory behind the Bobby Jones Collection and the heritage of this bourbon. After cracking it open and spending some quality time with it, I found myself with a genuinely unique pour—one that doesn’t follow the typical bourbon playbook, and frankly, one that surprised me in the best possible way.

Background: Bobby Jones and the Origins of The Clover

Before diving into the tasting notes, it’s worth understanding where this bourbon comes from and the story behind the bottle. The Clover whiskey is part of the Bobby Jones Collection, created by Piedmont Distillers in Madison, North Carolina, in partnership with Bobby Jones’s family. The legend goes that Bobby Jones’s mother gave him a four-leaf clover medallion on St. Patrick’s Day—a talisman he wore on a pocket watch during every golf match for good luck. The four virtues of the four-leaf clover—hope, faith, love, and luck—are embossed into every bottle of The Clover, honoring both the golfer and the symbolism embedded in his personal history.

What’s interesting about The Clover is that while Piedmont Distillers manages the brand from their North Carolina headquarters, the actual bourbon is sourced from Indiana—specifically, it appears to come from MGP Distillers in Lawrenceburg. This is not uncommon in the bourbon world; many craft brands source from established distilleries while bringing their own brand identity and barrel selection expertise to bear. The standard bottling is aged a minimum of four years and comes in at a modest 92 proof, but this particular barrel strength selection from Grande Krewe’s Louisiana Bourbon Collective offering represents a more robust and complex version of The Clover’s profile, aged for six years and two months at a robust 115.08 proof. This costs just shy of $80 with tax.

The Louisiana Bourbon Collective Selection

The Louisiana Bourbon Collective has been conducting private barrel selections since at least 2020, working with retailers like Grande Krewe in New Orleans to identify exceptional barrels that represent the group’s collective palate preferences. For this particular pick, Grande Krewe coordinated the selection process, which typically involves tasting through multiple barrels to identify a standout. The barrel strength format preserves the whiskey’s natural bottling strength without the water addition used in the standard 92-proof expression, allowing for a more nuanced and complex flavor experience.

Tasting Notes

Appearance

The color on this pour is pretty straw-like despite the six years and two months of aging—something that immediately tells me this barrel was stored in a cooler part of the warehouse. I’ve seen this phenomenon before with bourbons aged in different microclimates within a rickhouse; slower maturation results in lighter color but often more interesting flavor development. On the swirl, there are big, thick oily legs—the kind that coat the glass and move slowly down the sides. This viscosity is a welcome indicator of quality and full-bodied character.

Nose

The nose leads with a lot of vanilla and sweet corn—the kind of generous, approachable opening you’d expect from a sourced bourbon. Beneath that initial sweetness, there’s a little herbal rye note that adds complexity, with a hint of oak lurking in the background. It’s not an aggressively oaky nose, but rather a well-integrated one that suggests careful barrel selection and appropriate aging.

Palate

Here’s where this bourbon gets interesting. On the palate, the vanilla note from the nose carries through, joined by butterscotch and citrus notes that emerge mid-palate. There are also baking spices present—cinnamon, nutmeg—that add depth and structure. The mouthfeel is substantial without being overly syrupy, and the 115.08 proof is well-integrated into the overall experience. The citrus note is particularly compelling; it’s not the typical lemon or orange you get from some bourbons, but rather a more nuanced citrus character that plays beautifully against the vanilla and butterscotch. Trying it again after it being open for twenty-four hours this bourbon mellows a bit and becomes more integrated on the palate; a welcome development.

Finish

The finish is where this bourbon truly distinguishes itself. The citrus mingles with the baking spices and clove, creating a finish that lingers and lingers. It’s not aggressive or hot despite the barrel strength proof; rather, it’s warming and complex. The finish fades gradually rather than abruptly, with the citrus and clove persisting through the entire fade.

Overall Impression and Comparison

This is a very interesting bourbon with a very unique flavor profile. The closest thing I have ever had to it is a Rare Character release I reviewed on the blog—that same unconventional layering of flavors, that same commitment to a distinctive palate rather than chasing the typical bourbon profile that dominates the category. Yet, the Rare Character was from 1792 Barton and this is from MGP. It’s not a crowd-pleaser in the sense that it doesn’t deliver the expected dark fruit and cherry notes that have become bourbon orthodoxy; instead, it offers something different. The straw-like color combined with the complex flavor profile suggests a barrel that aged slowly but thoroughly, developing character in unconventional ways. And that is what is truly fun in trying all manner of bourbons as I do to write this blog. Bourbon, as a category of whiskey, is complex and extremely diverse. You never know what you might find next.

The Louisiana Bourbon Collective made an excellent selection here. This is a bourbon that rewards contemplation rather than rushing through. It’s the kind of pour you come back to multiple times in an evening, discovering new layers with each sip. For those willing to step outside the typical bourbon box, this one is absolutely worth seeking out. That, and how a bottle ended up in Marksville and I ended up getting it makes this quite the find.