Down on the farm – Rock Hill Farms, Single Barrel Whiskey

This year saw my first visit to the Imbibe trade show, where there were lots and lots of lovely brands to explore. One of the stands that immediately caught my eye upon arrival was the one representing the Buffalo Trace Distillery.

I first tried some of the bourbons made by this American distillery at a wonderful tasting held at The Whisky Exchange in Vinopolis, but that was a good few years ago now, when I was just starting to explore the world of whisk(e)y.

Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel Bourbon is made  by the Sazerac Company in Frankfort, Kentucky and was introduced in 1990.

Nose: This was a deliciously sweet, but rich bourbon nose: I caught distinctive hints of cinnamon, vanilla, and fudge. Despite those notes, it wasn’t overly sweet, with the wood adding a dryness towards the end.

Taste: Wonderful, real, genuine notes of oak, followed by a very pleasant warmth. It had a good body to it, too—I often find some bourbons don’t have much going on in the middle of the taste profile, but that wasn’t the case at all with this one. 

Finish: The same real wood notes, lifted very slightly at the end with sweet, dark sugar caramel and toffee. Lasted for a good while, gradually becoming drier.

In Conclusion

A lovely, full-bodied bourbon, with lots of development of flavour, measured hints of the sweeter whiskey characteristics and genuine notes of oak. A little pricey in the UK, but definitely one of the premium bourbons that I’d be more likely to buy.

Mrs. B