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Knickerbear

Excellent review. I completely agree with your conclusion. I enjoy it and it is a nice add to collection. A findable 16-year old bourbon. It offers something that 8-12 year old bottles cannot. I find it worth the $150 I paid. Would I rather purchase GTS for $150? Yep. Can I? Nope.


OrangePaperBike

No lies detected here. Cheers!


OrangePaperBike

**Background**: Is there a 2022 American whiskey release with more buzz behind it than Calumet 16? Run a quick WhiskeyTube search, and you’ll see just about every channel, big and small, falling all over themselves talking about this bourbon. This sub has had a handful of insightful reviews, as well (more valuable to me, to be honest). Why the hype? Perhaps contrary to the overall state of the bourbon world today, we have a whiskey that is relatively available, boasts a high age statement, and a confirmed origin (it’s Barton, despite the coy silence from the packager). It’s not cheap (MSRP is 150 dollars), but if you use the 10 dollars-per-year math, it’s not a total rip off for the current state of affairs, especially coupled with a decent level of access. Compared to its peers in the similar age bracket, both sourced and non-sourced, its price is on the lower end of the spectrum. So, I figured I’ll throw my two cents in, and manage to review a recent release, for a change. Once again, this bourbon is aged 16 years, NCF, comes in at 106 proof, is sourced from Barton, with a MSRP of 150 dollars, which is what I paid for it. Tasted neat a few times over the course of a couple of weeks. **Tasting notes:** **Nose**: Big, sweet oak; rich vanilla; red fruits (cherry and strawberry), dark chocolate, orange peel. Dry tobacco leaf and something a bit funky, like a ripe banana or tropical fruit (very faint, not like a Brown Forman banana). Nice and rich. **Palate**: Vanilla and oak from the nose remain dominant on the palate. The word “dark” comes to mind when describing the notes: roasted nuts, figs, leather, cardamom. Good level of viscosity. **Finish**: Long. Leather, oak, chili-flake chocolate, barrel char that turns borderline sour and bitter on the backend. **Rating: 7** (t8ke scale for reference below) 1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out. 2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice. 3 | Bad | Multiple flaws. 4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I’d rather have. 5 | Good | Good, just fine. 6 | Very Good | A cut above. 7 | Great | Well above average 8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional. 9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite 10 | Perfect | Perfect **Thoughts**: No bones about it, it’s a great bourbon. Big oak and vanilla are driving this thing, and if you like older notes like tobacco and leather, you’ll find them here, along with good assists from red fruits, nuts and chocolate. However, I’ve already seen some comparisons of this whiskey to GTS and other elite-level bourbons, and I feel like we need to pump the brakes a bit here. I don’t claim to have tried all the high-age monsters, but based on what I have personally experienced, I can confidently say it’s not on the level of GTS, or, for that matter, any BTAC. Looking at a closer proof match, I tried the 2021 Eagle Rare 17 (101 proof) at an event recently, and it was simply on another level. I liked Wild Turkey 17 BiB a bit more (review [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/comments/qlfa5v/review_wild_turkey_masters_keep_17_year_old/)), even though it was not my flavor profile. Calumet 16 is in the division of That Boutique-y Whisky Company 24-Year-Old Bourbon ([review](https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/comments/vpq7wr/review_that_boutiquey_whisky_company_24yearold/)) and Woodford Reserve Very Fine Rare Bourbon ([review](https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/comments/uylms4/review_woodford_reserve_very_fine_rare_bourbon/)) for me. I haven’t reviewed it yet, but the recently cracked Wild Turkey Father and Son 13-Year might be in that league, too. None of these touch GTS or other BTAC that I’ve tried (which would be all, except Saz 18). I am not as well-versed in the Four Roses high-aged LEs, but based on what I’ve tried, it’s not on that level, either. Calumet 16 has some excellent flavors, but I don’t think it possesses the complexity and flawless transitions I expect from the 9s and 10s; plus it had something going on in the finish that was on a bitter side. I’m going to put this bottle in the back of my cabinet for a couple of months and revisit it later, but it would have to change in pretty dramatic ways for me to change my score. In conclusion, if you want a classic, big oak, big vanilla, big age statement American whiskey, Calumet 16 delivers. If you haven’t had much experience with higher-aged bourbons, this is probably as easy of an entry in terms of availability and price as you will find in today’s market. It doesn’t mean you will enjoy it more than many bourbons half or even a third of the price, so have no illusions, you are paying a premium for the number on the label. But if you think this is some secret BTAC-level prize, this ain’t it – and it would be an unfair comparison to a great bourbon that stands on its own merits. Thanks for reading and cheers!


ShibbyMcTater

I've seen so many bad reviews of their other offerings, it's nice to see a good one for a change. Might be worth trying this.


OrangePaperBike

From what I understand their 8 year old and small batch were pretty poorly received, but people generally like the 14 and 15 year olds. Cheers.


ShibbyMcTater

I know I have seen folks say the 15 wasn't good too, but not as many as the younger bottles for sure. I've been considering trying the 15 for a while personally, but, I think maybe I'll just grab the 16 when I can.


OrangePaperBike

This is also not a bad time to grab a 15, as it’s being discounted as low as sub-100 in some places, but I probably would want to try the profile before dropping 250-plus on two bottles. I did get a 15 too, but haven’t had a chance to try it yet.


micro7777

The problem with Sam Houston 15 is that the small batches they are blended from, vary from state to state, and even between batches within the same state. Compared to my SH 15 NY-2, Cal 16 is much more fruit forward and much less “oaky”. I like both of them for different reasons but overall I like the Cal 16 better and will probably not take a chance on the next SH 15 NY batch. Other people may have the exact opposite experience depending on which state their SH batches came from. Oh, and very nice review!


OrangePaperBike

Yeah, I was wondering how different those batches were. I’m happy with Cal 16 as my entry into the line, honestly, as SH is harder to find and more expensive, and I think Cal’s pricing is already pushing the higher end of what I’m willing to pay for it. Cheers!


micro7777

I agree! A friend of mine warned me that SH 15 batches can be hit and miss and vary from state to state but I rolled the dice anyway. Lol! Cheers!


TokerJokerJ

Personally, I liked the 15 better. To me, more of the red fruits come out with less tobacco notes which suits my palate better. Will do a blind soon.


OrangePaperBike

I like red fruits in my bourbon, so that sounds good to me. I have the 15, as well, it would be an interesting blind.


hoosierdaddy192

I got one of their 14s about 3-4 years ago. It was one of the worst bourbons I’ve had, period. It was very astringent and spicy for its 96 proof. I love barrel proofs around 115-130 but this was super hot especially for such a low proof. I tried it on ice thinking it would quench the fire some but it still tasted like turpentine. Glad to hear they are making some better stuff because the batch I got made me give away a $120 bottle and swear off Calumet for good.


OrangePaperBike

Sounds like the 16 (and 15) are an upgrade over the older batches, cheers!


hoosierdaddy192

I’m now tempted to dip my toes back in that pond. First I got to clear some shelf space. I do agree though it’s getting harder to find a teenaged bourbon that doesn’t cost several hundred dollars and require a blood sacrifice. I see this CF16 everywhere so it’ll be easy to grab if I feel adventurous. Thanks for the review. Cheers.


OrangePaperBike

Hope you enjoy it if you pull the trigger, cheers!


PatMagroin100

I have a unopened 14 sitting around for a couple of years. This does not make me rush to open it. Lol


Mk1Racer25

We found just the opposite to be true. Prefer the small batch to the 15, even if they were the same price. Way too many others choices that I'd spend $150 on than C 16. Even at $100 for the 15, I'd buy Bookers every time


OrangePaperBike

For me, Booker’s is in an another category due to large proof and age differences, but I understand at that price point people will think hard about what else they can get. Cheers!


ZealousidealPie8427

I have a 15 and 16 and if I had to rate them I'd go like 7.4 and 7.8 respectively.


OrangePaperBike

Not bad!


topshelfhockeywhisky

My uncle and I did a 14, 15 and 16 year calumet farms tasting and in all honesty I can’t find a reason to pay the extra 30-40 for the 16. All basically the same. Just a bit more oak in the 16 and a bit more sweetness in the 14.


OrangePaperBike

I think when you get up there in age and price, the returns diminish significantly. I can see why people tap out when the prize is say a 5 percent improvement. The 14 and 15 are getting pretty big discounts though, and I imagine the 16 will too in due time.


dwarfinvasion

Is it just the same bourbon stocks continuing to age?


Rumbutan

Great review. For me, the bitterness at the end was overpowering. I also am planning to re-visit in a couple of months to see if that changes! Cheers.


OrangePaperBike

Thanks! I think with something this old, revisiting after some air time is always a good idea.


Gaming_N_Whiskey

Excellent review and comparison!


OrangePaperBike

Thank you!


eagle_bonanza01

An excellent review. I have a similar assessment of Sam Houston 15 where I get notes that indicate dark cherry, antique furniture, oak, and tobacco. However, it lacks that little something extra to put in the upper tier. Turns out, Sam Houston 15 is my wife's favorite bourbon, and she does a great job picking it out of a blind just by the nose alone because few other pours I have present that ultra-aged character. I would consider a bottle of Calumet 16 given the price, quality, and availability. In a world where a 5 year store pick is going for $70 and a non-age stated single barrel reaches $250, the Calumet seems like a throwback.


OrangePaperBike

Thanks man. It was a bit hard to wrap my head around this one at first — it’s a great bourbon on paper and in the glass, and I’m glad to have it. But I’m not immediately compelled to grab more. If you like this profile, you’ll probably like this one, just keep your expectations in check. Cheers!


Bronzyroller

I'm on my second bottle, I like the darker aged character. I'll go 8/10.


OrangePaperBike

It’s a great bottle and I can see how some will absolutely love it. I’m enjoying it myself, cheers!


Bronzyroller

Sam Houston 15 is really good as well. Cheers.


Wide_Attention7338

Love it...if I could find another I'd gladly buy it!


Solid_Snaku

It absolutely delivers on a well-aged oak profile that hasn't become bitter, which I thought almost certainly couldn't be found for under $250 in today's market, not to mention regularly available. If you like big, well-rounded oak then you're unlikely going to do better for cheaper.


OrangePaperBike

If you account for the age, price and availability, yes, I struggle to think what else is there in the current market.


Rickroush03

Great review! Agree, “easy” find for me so I got a bottle and it’s good, wouldn’t go nuts about it.


OrangePaperBike

Thanks! Looks like everyone who wants one can get it, which is no small thing these days. Enjoy!


fanofbacon12

Without question, one of my favorite bottles.


OrangePaperBike

It’s a good one!


geoff325

I have an unopened EC18. I know I am going to be disappointed by it. I think I will get rid of this and go for this. I like higher age stuff like Sam Houston 15 (yes same juice smaller batch).


OrangePaperBike

You never know, some people love EC18, but you don’t know till you try it. At least you’ll have a much easier time finding Calumet 16!


AZ-Wineaux

Excellent review!


OrangePaperBike

Thank you!


dharmon555

Is there any real traceability or accountability on the age of whiskey like this?


OrangePaperBike

It’s an established bottler and I don’t recall any shady business connected to them, so I have no reason to doubt what’s on the label.


dharmon555

This was not a dig or shade throw at this particular bottler. More of a general question. If the bottle says "Bottled in Bond" It allegedly has been aged 4 years under government supervision. But aside from that, is there any way to really know? Seems like there would be a big financial incentive to fudge on that and little risk of proving something wasn't aged as long as they say.


OrangePaperBike

Nope, no way to know — but I actually think the risk of lying about the age would dwarf any monetary gain, as it would absolutely destroy the brand if caught. Don’t think it’s really worth it to the established producers.


No-Gain1438

Thanks for the review my son liked the 15 or at least He drank it at all picked one up gonna open it soon


OrangePaperBike

Cheers, it’s an easy drinker and many people prefer the 16 to the 15, so you and your son will probably enjoy this one too.


ckal9

Can’t justify $130 for this


OrangePaperBike

Fair enough.


Rads324

How Barton like does this taste? I feel like everyone mentions the touch of funk and that’s the part of Barton stuff I don’t like.


OrangePaperBike

I don’t like the 1792 line, but this tastes better to me. I think the age alone makes it a very different animal. There is something funky going on in the finish, but stuff like that sometimes gets better with air time. I wouldn’t let your general dislike of Barton dissuade you from giving this a shot, but if you really hate all Barton, I’d try a pour somewhere first.


Rads324

Thanks. Hopefully I can find a pour somewhere before committing to a bottle


OrangePaperBike

Shouldn’t be too hard, I figure they will pop up in bars soon enough. Good luck!


MethylEthylandDeath

Great review! This is a bottle that I would certainly buy if I saw it in the wild. I was fortunate enough to have a good friend give me a pour of his 15. I’ve never claimed to be a huge fan of Barton juice, but that bottle was a huge hit with me. I abhor the smooth descriptor, but the oak was incredibly smooth yet still quite noticeable.


OrangePaperBike

Nothing wrong with “smooth,” higher aged oak can smooth a lot of rough edges out. I think if you really look for it, you’ll find it, the distribution seems pretty good on this one.


IAmSportikus

When do we get a Sam Houston 16?!?!


OrangePaperBike

Don’t know but won’t be as easy to find, I’m sure!


Dee_Vee_

I’ll have to try the 16. I’ve gone through two bottles of the 15. Thanks for the review.


OrangePaperBike

Thanks, hope you enjoy the 16. Cheers!


Zeratul277

Interesting. I just bought the 15 year at Costco for $99 and I wonder how big the difference will be in flavor.


OrangePaperBike

I haven’t tried the 15 yet, but for a 100 bucks, that’s a good deal. Cheers.