The other day in at the beginning of our sales meeting, our manager turned to us and said, “so what mark are we going to leave as a sales team?” This caught us all by surprise, as most meetings start with facts and figures, but instead we were being asked about our legacy and how we will be remembered as a team.
I honestly think there is a point in every gentleman’s life when he thinks to himself; ‘ok, this is all fun, but what happens when I’m gone?’
The bourbon I am sharing my thoughts on this time is Elmer T Lee Single Barrel Bourbon, named after the master distiller at Buffalo Trace Distillery. Before he passed, Elmer would hand select the barrels that would bear his name, as he had very specific tastes in mind, and wanted nothing but the highest standard of bourbon to bear his name.
On the nose there is a very deep vanilla, with a touch of old leather as well. I specifically use ‘deep’ rather than ‘strong’, as the words ‘strong smell of vanilla’ remind me of the candle shop where I bought presents for every female birthday I attended in high school. ‘Strong’ vanilla makes me think of thick heavy, artificial vanilla. It has its place, in teen rooms and toilets, but not nice in a drink. This is a deep vanilla, one that tells a story to your olfactory senses, rather than just attacking them.
I have to say, even at a modest 45% the whisky had a strong mineral note and it was hard to pick out any individual flavours. Adding a drop of water does wonders for me, that vanilla nose has exploded into full blossom, and is found on the palate too. Other tastes are some spiciness, some salted caramel and just a drop, a very slight tickle, of honey. Not much to comment on the mouth feel, just normal, straight down the hatch type of drink.
I do like the finish, there is a dryness that you get from a slightly tannic wine, and that vanilla lingers around for quite a while. Even breathing out through your nose after a sip brings out a new wonderful layer of this aspect of the Elmer T Lee.
So, how’s that for a legacy? Not only does Elmer T Lee have his name (and face) on a bottle, it is on a bottle of one of the most loved bourbons in the world. A good friend of mine, with impeccable tastes in cigars and thus fine taste in spirits, said that Elmer T Lee is his ‘desert island bourbon’. And he’s right, the flavours are very deep, very likeable and, although I’ve never thought of flavours this way, very comforting. I’ll be honest with you, this tipple was so relaxing and calming, that instead of focussing on the task at hand, I found my mind wandering, imagining what kind of legacy I would leave. Which was only slightly problematic, just meant I had to pour a second one!
I think this would pair nicely with a Cuban of a lower ring gauge that has light and smooth flavours, like a Bolivar No. 3.
To Sum up
Nose: there is that deep, lovely, natural vanilla. It is definitely my favourite thing about this drink
Tastes: to me there was no one dominant ‘flavour’. The vanilla mixes with a salted Carmella, a spice and a miniscule pass of honey
Mouth feel: not much to report on this one sorry. Straight up liquid to me
Finish: I think the finish is fantastic thanks to that vanilla scent. It hangs around like your best friend that stays to help clean up after the party
Accompanying tracks: the comforting sounds of Vance Joy
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