John J. Bowman Single Barrel – The single, single barrel bourbon from the A. Smith Bowman Distillery.
Out in Fredericksburg, Virginia, the A. Smith Bowman Distillery is brewing up some pretty great things. The company itself is historic, dating back to the 1930s, but the family-owned company has only been operating out of Fredericksburg for the last few years. So far, the distillery has rolled out spirits including rum, vodka, gin, bourbon cream, and apple brandy. But of course, bourbon remains the star of the show.
The Abraham Bowman line is the experimental collection of whiskies ranking from coffee finished whiskey to gingerbread beer finished bourbon. However, the distillery has a few slightly more traditional whiskies like Bowman Brothers Small Batch Bourbon, Isaac Bowman Port Barrel Finished Bourbon, and the John J. Bowman Single Barrel. We were absolutely huge fans of Bowman Brothers the first time we had it, and although these two bourbons share the same mashbill, they couldn’t be more different.
John J. Bowman bourbon lures you in with an alluring medley of chocolate, freshly baked bread, and oak. At the start of the taste, there are a few notes of cherry and chocolate that are immediately overpowered by blasts of oak and toffee. The finish is nice and long with a heavy-handed dollop of baking spices and peppercorn. In contrast to Bowman Brothers Small Batch, John J. Bowman is a bit more bold, brash, and spicy.
At the time of this review, A. Smith Bowman was still sourcing most of their bourbon, despite the fact that they were acquired by the Sazerac Company in 2003. A few people have gossiped that the Bowman bourbon source may come from inside the Sazerac family like Buffalo Trace or Eagle Rare, but no hard evidence says one way or the other.
Either way, we’re certainly not complaining. John J. Bowman Single Barrel bourbon is an experience you don’t want to miss.
STATS: John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon
- Price for us: $50 for 750mL
- Proof: 100
- Aged: NAS (But believed 9-10 Years)
- Distillery: A. Smith Bowman Distillery, Owned by Sazerac Company
- Recommendation: Neat
