Hancock's President's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon (750Ml)

Hancock's President's Reserve is a single barrel Kentucky straight bourbon. Every bottle comes from one barrel, so each one can taste a little different. It is made at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, which is owned by the Sazerac Company.

The recipe is said to be Buffalo Trace's high-rye Mash Bill #2, with roughly 12–15% rye. The distillery makes three other single barrel bourbons as well: Blanton's, Elmer T. Lee and Rock Hill Farms. Hancock's first came out in 1991.

It is bottled at 88.9 proof, or 44.45% ABV. There is no age statement, though many fans believe it is around eight years old. The name honors Hancock Lee. In 1775, he and Willis Lee founded Leestown on the Kentucky River, where the distillery now stands.

The nose is gentle, with vanilla and light oak leading the way. On the palate, cinnamon and vanilla meet black pepper and oak. The finish is dry and spicy, with oak, pepper and a little caramel sweetness.

This is a lighter, drier bourbon rather than a big, sweet one. Enjoy it neat first. Then add two or three drops of water and see how the spice opens. A crisp Manhattan works too. Serve it with grilled steak or dark chocolate.

If you collect Buffalo Trace single barrels, this bottle belongs on your shelf next to its better-known siblings.