Diageo’s Orphan Barrel series of well-aged bourbons, rescued from the ancient aging racks at the old Stitzel-Weller Distillery outside Louisville, KY, are “prestige whiskeys” by any definition. The mere fact that the Stitzel-Weller juice is finite, and can’t be reproduced exactly the same again, is a major draw—there will be Stitzel-Weller Orphan Barrel releases for a few years to come, but eventually they’ll have to come to an end. And if it’s tough to get, you’d better believe it’s going to be expensive. The question with every Orphan Barrel release, then, is whether the contents of the bottle justify the price.
Rhetoric might be considered the flagship of the Orphan Barrel releases, given its progressive aging nature. First released as a 20-year-old bourbon, each release of Rhetoric has spent one more year in oak, up to the current 24 years, and at least one more future release at 25 years old. Beyond that, it’s not known for sure if the series will continue, but after tasting the 24-year-old, I can only assume that Diageo would want to keep it going as long as possible. Because frankly, as it stands, this is some pretty delicious bourbon.
Rhetoric 24 is an old-school mash bill that is heavy on corn, with only small amounts of barley and rye for flavor and balance. Clocking in at 45.5% ABV (91 proof), in this case it’s the 24 years in the wood that have clearly done the heavy lifting.
On the nose, Rhetoric 24 hits with the big, wet oak that you would expect, chased by molasses cookie richness. This gives the impression of a whiskey that is quite rich, with red berry and flamed orange fruit notes, brown sugar, anise and cinnamon. The color is a deep, deep amber-brown, as would also be expected after so much time in the barrel.