Review: A. Smith Bowman Cask Strength Bourbon Batch #5

Virginia’s A. Smith Bowman retired its limited-edition Oak Series line late last year (after only three releases), but it doesn’t look like their annual Cask Strength offering is going anywhere anytime soon. Which is probably little comfort to bourbon fans outside the Commonwealth of Virginia since this latest edition, Batch #5, remains largely a distillery-only release allocated via online lottery. If you haven’t entered said lottery already, you’ll need to hope someone forgets about their bottle (pickup is February 25-March 15) or try your luck at a Virginia ABC store this spring.

Once again, this is a ten-year-old bourbon, originally distilled at Buffalo Trace and redistilled and aged at Bowman from an unspecified mashbill (reportedly not a standard Buffalo Trace recipe). While some of these expressions have approached or even exceeded the so-called “hazmat” proof (70% abv) that gets bourbon nuts really excited, this latest release sits a few points under that. We’ve tasted almost every release, with the exception of Batch #3, and loved every one of them. Let’s see if that trend continues.

A. Smith Bowman Cask Strength Bourbon Batch #5 Review

The aroma is dark and rich with perhaps a softer smack of ethanol than last year’s release. Nosing Batch #4 for comparison, this latest release comes across almost identical otherwise with top notes of new leather boots, vanilla cream, and heavily caramelized sugar. With the ethanol dialed back, there’s a bit less of the furniture polish element, which allows darker caramel to form a solid undertone as it opens, nicely complementing fruitier notes of warm apple pie and dark berry cobbler. With ample time to breathe, the fruits recede, leaving behind gooey S’mores for days.

If there was one flaw in the 2025 release, it was a slightly gingery and oak-driven entry that required a bit of navigating up front. This release has none of that, delivering a seamless, silky rush of toffee, chocolate sauce, and cinnamon sugar that gives way to cocktail cherry and peaches in syrup on the midpalate. An initial note of chili pepper and Red Hots is evidence of the cask strength, but things remain impressively approachable. It’s maybe the easiest drinking Cask Strength yet. The finish doesn’t let up, lingering generously with concentrated dark spices, cola, and milk chocolate. Almost as good as the inaugural release, and, once again, worth the hunt if you’re anywhere near Virginia.

137.6 proof.

A / $100 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

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