Rolling the dice on an age blended MGP bottle from Nevada. What could go wrong?
The Story
Tap. Scroll. Tap, tap. Scroll... The sound of modern day boredom. Tonight I'm deep in the rabbit hole of bourbon bottle searching. On this particular night I'm bored to the point that my thumbs have a mind of their own and they're chasing every Cheshire Cat that smiles my way.
Tap. Scroll. tap, tap. What's this... Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered Bourbon Whiskey. Never heard of it. Uncut unfiltered bourbon, sounds like marketing jargon. A 112.6 proof statement isn't too shabby though. What's the internet say about this bottle... oh my, the internet loves itself some Smoke Wagon and the internet is never wrong. How much is it... $89 plus shipping. That's pretty pricey but the desire of this Cheshire Cat's smile is blinding. Tap, tap. PayPal. What a great decision, definitely won't regret it in the morning.
What's the internet say about this bottle... oh my, the internet loves itself some Smoke Wagon and the internet is never wrong...
That was basically my internal conversation the night I was introduced to Smoke Wagon by the internet. Looking at the $90 plus dollar receipt from PayPal in my inbox the next morning, was a sharp reminder of how dangerous boredom and a bourbon obsession can be. To avoid a looming sense of personal disappointment, I attempted to make myself feel better by googling everything I could about my rather expensive decision. The initial search results were far from promising.
Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered is sourced from mega producer MGP. Not exactly a diamond in the rough sourced bottle of bourbon. It's blended and bottled by Nevada H&C Distilling Company, who's website wreaks of "I have a friend who designs websites". The site is dated, clunky, and there's little to no useful information on it. Undeterred I start looking in random forums and blogs for more information. After a while I start to piece together that Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered is allegedly a blend of MGP barrels aged between 4 and 10 years old, but I'm unable to find anything concrete. Just as I'm starting to feel a wave of bourbon buying remorse roll over me, I decide to go back to the reviews I read the night before. I click a few links and discover I've purchased a bottle that's part of the latest bourbon internet craze... and I over paid by about $30. I'm not going to touch the internet craze around Smoke Wagon. There's a lot of drama involved and I'm done with drama until 2024. I guess Cheshire Cats are mischievous for a reason.
When the bottle of Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered finally arrived a week later, I'd forgotten all about it. As I opened the box a sense of shame started to creep back in remembering how much I paid for it. That's until I saw the bottle... let me just say the Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered bottle is a damn good looking bottle. Now this doesn't make up for the Nevada H&C Distillery website looking like it's stuck in 2010, but this bottle is a great example of brand craftsmanship. Not only is it nice to look at, but it also feels great in your hands. Not a lot of bourbon bottle designs have this type of craftsmanship.
The Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered bottle is a damn good looking bottle. Now, this doesn't make up for the Nevada H&C Distillery website looking like it's stuck in 2010, but this bottle is a great example of brand craftsmanship.
Tasting Notes
In the glass Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered has a pleasant nose, but It's nothing to write home about. Rye spice and caramel dominant your noise with a little heat that creeps out of the glass. The pallet is another story. The mouthfeel is oily and there's a variety of tasting notes that are well pronounced and well balanced. They flow from sweet caramel in the front, to a soft fruity nuttiness in the mid pallet, to rye spice in the back pallet. The finish is about perfect for a 112+ proof age blended bourbon. It's warm, has a sweet spiciness to it, and lingers for just the right amount of time.
Final Thoughts
My trip down the rabbit hole of bourbon internet searching was an expensive one. Luckily, this Cheshire Cat of a bourbon provided a worthwhile experience. Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered comes in a beautifully crafted bottle and the juice almost does it justice. If you have a lot of heart for Bookers, Rare Breed, or high proof MGP brands, Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered is worth the pursuit. Price point wise it should cost you between $60 to $70 a bottle in the wild. I paid $90 (plus shipping) for this review bottle from a reputable online retailer.
Even though I've thoroughly enjoyed Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered, I won't be overpaying for another one. This isn't a bottle I'd go out of the way to find again. If I knew where one could be found easily, I'd being willing to rack up some Kentucky miles to pick it up... but only if it costs $60 out the door. Anything above that feels like you're just paying for a lot of hype in a pretty bottle.
Final Score: 180 out 379 Kentucky Miles (above average bourbon)
Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered Photo Gallery
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