Augusta Distillery Old Route 8 Single Barrel Cask Strength 8 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

This is Augusta's flagship label. The name originates from Kentucky’s 'Old Route 8', which connects historic river towns to larger cities and ports. Tasted from a low-fill bottle, the nose is PX-sherry-like, with vanilla extending to dates and light molasses cake. At natural strength, the palate is superbly soft, achieving excellent weight and balance as the initial sweetness dovetails into chewy vanillin oak, the finish hinting at sweet pipe tobacco and fresh sawn oak. This shines straight or over ice, and there are also gorgeous notes of ripe peach and orange-infused dark chocolate that emerge with water, though some of the finer nuances are lost. Founded in 2018 on the banks of the Ohio River, Augusta has since moved on from sourcing Bourbon to distilling their own whiskey. Expect to see more single barrels in the near future. ABV may vary from batch to batch. Non-chill filtered.

Other reviews... [120.2 proof batch tasted] The bourbon is a full-flavoured affair from start to finish. Baking spices, cinnamon, and pie crust on the nose as tempered with juicy stone fruits, which transitions the bourbon into the sip. Loads of brown sugar help lay a sweet base, with intense baking spices, a hint of fennel, graham cracker, green grape, and vanilla custard combine to form a complex midpoint. Tempering baking spices in the finish reveals apple, brown sugar, caramel, and vanilla cookie. The brand’s website states it delivers a “Kentucky hug,” a term used to describe the lingering after-effect of the warming intensity a bourbon can have when you sip it. While that can be said of many bourbons, Old Route 8 is particularly good at it. - breakingbourbon.com

Notes from the producers... The hints of favor and complexity created upon nosing are reinforced on the palate. Flavors of brown sugar, vanilla, and a dash of oak are balanced and revealed in smooth, cascading layers that only time and great liquid can deliver. Finish: Long, smooth and lingering, the finish extends the joy of this pour, delivering a classic “Kentucky hug.” Oak, baking spices, with a touch of sweetness are reminders that this is a traditional straight Kentucky bourbon that deserves further exploration.