Review: I Bourbon

That headline’s not a typo. The name of the bourbon is “I.” In fact, the I isn’t even on the front of the bottle. It’s embossed into the glass on the back. The front just says “bourbon.” This all seems like a difficult thing to brand and sell, but hey, that’s someone else’s problem, no? Nice bottle, at least.

What’s in I Bourbon? It’s a blend of three Tennessee-distilled bourbons (it’s not billed as Tennessee whiskey, however), aged 5, 6, and 13 years, made from a mashbill of 84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% malted barley. Though distilled in Tennessee, it’s bottled in Bardstown, Kentucky.

Let’s give it a try.

The whiskey is worthwhile. The blend clearly leans toward those younger expressions, but there’s enough going on here to merit some mild attention beyond use as a mere mixer. On the nose, peanuts and popcorn are instantaneous, alongside a gentle smear of red fruit jam. Butterscotch and caramel give the whiskey a clear sweetness but none of it is overblown — peanuts and popcorn and Cracker Jack and everything else at the baseball game rumble across the experience well into the finish. On the whole, the palate tells you up front what you’re getting, and it never really diverges from its mission. There’s the lightest sprinkle of rye-driven spice and an applesauce kick on the finish, but otherwise this is a deep dive into the godlike power of corn — and here, that basically works.

The price is a bit high for what I is offering, but as an alternative to boring old mid-level bourbon bottlings, it makes for a perfectly workable, enjoyable experience.

86 proof.

B+ / $60 / i-bourbon.com

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