Thomas S. Moore Extended Cask Finish Bourbons, 2022: Part 2

I’d like to thank the folks at Sazerac for providing these review samples with no strings attached.

This is the second part of a two-part series. In part one we discussed background information on the Thomas S. Moore line and reviewed the Merlot Cask and Cognac Cask versions. Tonight we are going to pick up where we left off by diving into the two bourbons that were finished in fortified wine casks.

Fortified wine is a style of wine that has had a distilled spirit, often brandy, added to it. Styles you may have heard of include Port, Marsala, Vermouth, and the ones we are interested in for tonight’s whiskeys: Sherry and Madeira. So what are Sherry and Madeira?

Sherry is a fortified wine made in the area near Cádiz, Spain. If you are a Scotch drinker, you’ll know that Sherry casks are often used for aging that style of Whiskey. Along with used Bourbon barrels of course. It probably isn’t surprising to find Bourbon producers following along with that practice. My main use for Sherry is in cooking. I have recipes for Sherried Potatoes and a Sherry Cake that I love.

Madeira is a fortified wine made on the Portuguese island of, you guessed it, Madeira. It is a bit less common in America today than it was in the past. Pre-Revolutionary War America was awash in Madeira. It was very possibly their favorite alcoholic beverage. In fact, George Washington was such a fan that he had copious amounts brought on campaign with him in the War. And he ended up enjoying it the rest of his life, literally on his deathbed. According to Atlas Obscura, the style ended up falling out of favor rather quickly after the War when the Federal government tried to pay off the war debts by levying a high import tax on it.

So now that we know a little about the finishing barrels, let’s see how these taste!

Thomas S. Moore Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Madeira Casks

Purchase Info: This sample was graciously provided by the distillery for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $69.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: 48.25% ABV. A variety of different types of Madeira barrels were used.

Nose: Caramel, vanilla, oak, and a faint note of lemon zest. After a few minutes "husky" notes of sandalwood and crème brûlée take over.

Mouth: The adjective that first popped into my head was "Round.” There are no sharp edges to this. Notes of cinnamon, crème brûlée, and oak.

Finish: Medium to long. Notes of caramel, citrus zest, vanilla, and cinnamon.

IMAGE: A smile because I like this!

Thoughts: Sweet with a well-integrated influence from the fortified wine. It's quite lovely. I'm really enjoying it.


Thomas S. Moore Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Sherry Casks

Purchase Info: This sample was graciously provided by the distillery for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $69.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: 49.35% ABV. The Sherry casks used previously held Oloroso Sherry.

Nose: Caramel alternating with butterscotch, nutmeg, and fresh mint.

Mouth: Caramel, chocolate, coffee, and bright cinnamon.

Finish: Medium in both warmth and length. Notes of caramel and coffee linger.

IMAGE: A smile because I really like this!

Thoughts: This reminds me so much of a fancy caramel coffee drink or a high-end caramel coated in dark chocolate and sea salt. It's delicious. Big fan!

Thoughts on the entire line: I'd buy any one of these. Sure, they have a different flavor than straight bourbon, but that's kinda the point. Bourbon with a bit of "something else" to complement it. And these finishes all complement the bourbon flavor very nicely. Which is something you can't always say about other finished bourbons. All of these are tasty, well-integrated spins on the traditional bourbon flavor profile.

Like I said earlier, I'd buy any one of these. If forced to choose, I'd go with the Sherry Cask. I'm really digging the candy/ coffee thing it has going on.


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Thomas S. Moore Extended Cask Finish Bourbons, 2022: Part 1

I’d like to thank the folks at Sazerac for providing these review samples with no strings attached.

Back in late 2020, Sazerac released the first “ultra-premium brand” from the Barton 1792 Distillery. It was named Thomas S. Moore to honor the man who built the distillery that is now known as Barton 1792. It was, and still is, a line-up of bourbons that were aged for five to six years and then placed in a finishing barrel for somewhere between one to four additional years. Quoting the press release (2022 edition):

To create these whiskeys, Barton 1792’s signature high rye recipe bourbon was aged for five to six years in new charred oak barrels before filling other casks that previously matured various wines or spirits from around the world. These whiskeys are then left to age an additional one to four years. This extended cask-finishing method results in elegant whiskeys, each displaying a distinct flavor profile, reflecting nuances of both the bourbon and the finishing cask.

The initial release featured Port, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon finishes. Well, Thomas S. Moore is back for 2022 with a new set of finishes. These include two versions that have been finished in fortified wine barrels (Madeira and Sherry), one version that has been finished in Cognac barrels, and one that was finished in Merlot wine barrels. Back in early 2021 when I reviewed the initial releases, I thought it was an interesting concept that actually performed better than I had anticipated that it would. As such, I was excited when Sazerac announced that they were going to be releasing a new batch. And even happier when they agreed to send me a taste of each of them so that I could let you know if they were worth buying.

Tonight we will be looking at two of the four as I didn’t want this to get too long. The second set will come in Part 2.

Thomas S. Moore Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Merlot Casks

Purchase Info: This sample was graciously provided by the distillery for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $69.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: 46.65% ABV. The merlot barrels are from wineries in the Napa and Sonoma areas.

Nose: Oak, cinnamon, red fruits, and a touch of mint.

Mouth: Strong wine presence on the initial sip which fades to the background in subsequent sips. Lots of cinnamon and oak after the wine fades.

Finish: Long and not too warm. Very flavorful. Strong notes of Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and oak.

IMAGE: A Smile because I like this one.

Thoughts: I don't care for wine-finished bourbons generally. So when I got the strong wine presence on my initial sip, I was worried. I shouldn't have been. After that initial sip, this is full of bright and lively baking spice notes. Which are very tasty. I like this one. Surprisingly. I had guessed that I wouldn't.


Thomas S. Moore Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Cognac Casks

Purchase Info: This sample was graciously provided by the distillery for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $69.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: 46.7% ABV. The cognac barrels used generally held cognac for six or more years previously.

Nose: Brown sugar, oak, and nutmeg.

Mouth: Dry with vibrant spice. Notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla, and a mild—but noticeable—Cognac influence.

Finish: On the shorter side of medium. A burst of cinnamon that fades relatively quickly.

IMAGE: A Smile because I like this one.

Thoughts: This one has a subtle influence from its finishing barrel. If I was handed this blind, I'm not sure I would have known it was barrel finished. That said, it is delicious. Vibrant is the first word that came to mind and it stuck with me throughout the tasting.

As stated above, check out part 2 for the Madeira and Sherry Cask Finished editions.


Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.