I first read about Black Saddle on Caskers’s website. Aged for 12 years, this bourbon was named the “Best Small Batch Bourbon” at the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition winning a Double Gold Medal. It’s spring horse racing season. And, even though it has a western saddle on the label, I felt it follows my spring racing theme.

I love Black Saddle’s label and bottle graphics. The seal over the cork is also very well done with an embossed saddle on it. Open the bottle and you immediately smell the spice. – it’s a wonderful aroma. Upon tasting it, I immediately got vanilla and a lot of other spices. The distiller’s notes say crème brulee, pepper, and toasted cinnamon. You can taste and sense all of those.

At 90 proof it grabs your attention in a good way. It definitely says I am going to impress you and hold my intensity and your attention. You get a lot of flavors for the whole experience from first taste to finish. For dinner tonight we had kielbasa simmered in onions and beer served over extra wide egg noodles. I tasted the bourbon prior to dinner, during dinner, and after dinner. It was a “trifecta” and worked all evening.

This is definitely a bourbon I would suggest giving a try. It is a very good bourbon worth you attention and the $50 price tag.

BTW – If you aren’t subscribed to Caskers, you should (you can register here).  They get some very good, unique, hard to find bourbons.

Aged: 12 years
Proof: 90
Color: Dark Amber
Aroma: SPICES, lots of spices!
Taste: Vanilla
Price: $55.99 at BevMo