Reviewed as part of my participation on Distiller.com‘s Tasting Table. You can see my official tasting notes and rating plus enter your own using the website or Distiller app.

Did you know Jimmy Russell takes credit for making the first bourbon liqueur with the 1970’s Wild Turkey honey-infused spirit? I don’t think he can take credit for the ‘spiced bourbon’ idea; as has been mentioned elsewhere, this is basically the bourbon take on spiced rum.

Production: From the bottle: “A bold blend of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey with Spice & Other Natural Flavors.” Presumably, the bourbon is Wild Turkey at least 2 years old. Maybe older, they don’t disclose. (Side note: there are basically no laws about what a producer can put into a “whiskey flavored” or other type of liqueur …)

Color: It looks pretty much like a dark bourbon, except the legs drip as slow as molasses (or high fructose corn syrup) in January.

Nose: A little hot. Kind of reminds me of fake maple syrup on pancakes for some reason. There’s maybe some spice in there under all of the sugar.

Palate: It really has more of a sweet oak/maple syrup thing going on than anything ‘spiced.’ There’s corn, a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg, and a fake vanilla flavor. It’s very sweet, as you would expect. There’s not much depth to it.

Finish: Short and sweet. For 86 proof – which is high for a liqueur – it has very little burn. Not much flavor, though, either.

Verdict: Meh. For a ‘spiced’ bourbon it could really use more spice. I’ve had spicier Four Roses bottlings.