It’s always nice when a celebrity owned and marketed spirits brand doesn’t rely solely on the presence of a famous face to make a case for its own existence. It shows that the person whose name adorns the product cares at least a little bit about where that bottle sits in the market on the day it’s released, and has desired to find at least some niche to call their own rather than simply bulling their way into an already overcrowded space. Because really, it’s a simple matter to go out and source some tequila, or rum, or whiskey, from one of the major producers and slap your name on it, where it can join a host of near-identical products on the shelf. Some credit belongs to the likes of Stephen Curry for not falling down into that particular pitfall. His newly released Gentleman’s Cut Bourbon might look fairly familiar, but this is pretty unusual as far as nationally available American whiskeys go.
As the Gentleman’s Cut bottle proclaims, this is a product distilled and aged in “Boone County, Kentucky.” A quick trip to Google would suggest to most drinkers that this probably means the spirit is a product of one Boone County Distilling Co., and the press release and specs of the whiskey back it up. Already, this is pretty unusual for a celebrity brand in the American whiskey space, which tend to gravitate toward bigger producers, from the old-school stalwarts (Beam, Heaven Hill, MGP) to the newer breed of sourced bourbon kings (Bardstown Bourbon Co.). But it’s really only the start of what conceptually sets Gentleman’s Cut Bourbon apart. For one, this is 100% pot still bourbon, which is still a rarity in the American whiskey market. Boone County Distilling Co. works on 500-gallon copper pot stills, before aging this product for 5-7 years in newly charred oak. One has to wonder how this compares to the company’s own flagship pot still bourbon, which is available somewhat cheaper on the market (compared to the $80 MSRP of Gentleman’s Cut) but doesn’t seem to carry an age statement. Perhaps Curry’s brand is a showcase for some of Boone County Distilling’s oldest barrels?
Regardless, the pot still component suggests a flavor profile that will likely be quite different from so many of the traditional column still bourbons on the market, suggesting that the company is looking to exploit a different niche in the market–perhaps consumers who especially appreciate the grain-derived flavors that tend to be preserved in pot still bourbon. It will be one of only a handful of pot still bourbons in national release, and indeed will be expanding to international sales at the same time. That’s the power of being attached to an NBA legend and future Hall of Famer. At the same time, I find myself wondering if perhaps Curry and co. have theorized that the flavors found here will have more of an appeal than traditional bourbon to Black American drinkers, a demographic that too often goes overlooked in the whiskey world. It’s hard to say, so let’s just get to tasting.
On the nose, Gentleman’s Cut Bourbon is reminiscent of caramel-coasted biscuit with a touch of sweet anise, hinting at licorice. It definitely has some elements of the graininess/doughiness that many pot still bourbons have, though this aspect doesn’t overwhelm on the nose. This grain-forward profile can make pot still bourbons somewhat divisive among American whiskey geeks, as these types of notes have a tendency to be perceived/portrayed as elements of youth in most column still bourbons. Here, those grainy elements are part of a more complex overall profile that also touches on vanilla and roasted hazelnut. The biggest takeaways are layers of caramelized sugar, crisp grain, nuts and touches of spice.
On the palate, this is pretty full flavored for the modest 90 proof, with sweet caramel and sweet oak combining with flashes of cut grass, orange zest, brown sugar and freshly baked biscuits. That wheat bread-like graininess is definitely still present, though it’s fairly mild when all is said and done. I’m getting brown sugar and ginger, along with fresh lumber and a fruitiness that increasingly is pushing in the direction of slightly tart, brambly blackberry. On the back end, it turns a bit more earthy, with a little leather and hints of greater maturity.
For the proof, Gentleman’s Cut Bourbon comes across as pleasantly complex, likely owing to some of those more interesting congeners left in the spirit after its pot distillation. Steph Curry’s company could have gone the easy route in sourcing this, scooping up moderately aged barrels from one of the major Kentucky producers or MGP in Indiana, but they deserve some credit for instead exploring quite a different direction. This style will never appeal universally to all bourbon geeks, but this is among the better pot still bourbon expressions I’ve tasted, one that feels like it’s genuinely rounding into form. In a few more years, this might even turn into something really special. We’ll be keeping an eye out for any more releases.
Distillery: Game Changer Distillery (Boone County Distilling Co.)
City: Florence, KY
Style: Straight bourbon whiskey
ABV: 45% (90 proof)
Availability: 750 ml bottles, $80 MSRP
Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident beer and liquor geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.