After four acclaimed releases of MGP of Indiana’s Remus Repeal Reserve Bourbon, we would imagine that the secret is probably out at this point on the quality of MGP’s own house brand. The creation of the Remus brand made all the sense in the world when it launched a few years ago, considering how many prominent brands were sourcing bourbon from MGP and receiving plaudits in the process. Why shouldn’t the distillery be able to capitalize on the popularity of its own products, after all?
Remus Repeal Reserve, the premium brand in the George Remus lineup, was well-received from the start, being a 100-proof, extra-aged expression that typically combines multiple examples of MGP’s high-rye bourbon recipes. But it’s notable that the series seems to be creeping up in age as it continues, and the response to it has only gotten better and better. Now, as MGP launches its fifth expression of Remus Repeal Reserve, Series V, the brand seems to have taken another big jump forward. Of note: You may see George Remus whiskeys referred to as Luxco brands now, owing to the fact that MGP acquired Kentucky-based Luxco in early 2021, and seems to be using Luxco as its customer-facing entity as a result. The whiskey, however, is all still being distilled and aged at MGP in Indiana.
Remus Repeal Reserve Series V is a bit more complex in its makeup than last year’s Series IV, which was simply a blend of two different 12-year-old bourbon recipes. This one, on the other hand, has five different components, ranging in age from 13 to 16 years, while retaining the same 100 proof that has been a baseline for the series. Perhaps most impressively, despite the significant bump in age statement, the MSRP has risen just a paltry $5, from $85 to $90. That continues to make MGP’s own house brand one of the best pure deals on extra-aged bourbon from Indiana; significantly cheaper than many of the boutique bottlers who sell well-aged MGP juice. Here’s a full breakdown of what’s in Series V.
— 9% 2005 bourbon (21% rye recipe)
— 5% 2005 bourbon (36% rye)
— 19% 2006 bourbon (21% rye)
— 13% 2008 bourbon (21% rye)
— 54% 2008 bourbon (36% rye)
The majority, then, is 13-year-old high-rye whiskey, but there’s still a fairly significant amount of 15 and 16-year-old bourbon in the blend as well. As the company puts it: “Series V exemplifies what our Remus Repeal collection stands for: to showcase the incredible range of medleys and aged reserves we work with in Lawrenceburg. Whether this is your first taste of our Remus Repeal collection or your fifth, Series V represents a particularly special opportunity for us to show you what great bourbon can be.”