Distillery: 7 Jars “Ava Gardner” Select BiB Bourbon Whiskey
Proof: 101
Age: NAS (4+ Years)
Mashbill: Undisclosed
BACKGROUND: 7 Jars Distillery’s roots run deep into Southern American history, getting their start moonshining from Sparta to Charlotte NC during the prohibition. The story dates back to when the older days of the mafia bootlegger, Frank Radcliffe was a successful casino owner and connoisseur of all things alcohol, starting businesses in any field that he saw an opportunity. One of those businesses owning golf courses. Opening up Paradise golf course in Charlotte NC.In 1977, Frank died unexpectedly leaving a message for his family “in case times got tough, that message was that if times get tough, dig under the course.” After 7 years and the course being sold, Frank’s son, Del decided he was going to find out just what the treasure was. After nights and nights of digging, 7 Jars were found, and thus 7 Jars distillery was born. Almost 40 years later 7 Jars is now distributed to 14 different countries.
NOSE: The nose opens with a delightful combination of spice and sweetness. Notes of sweet maple syrup and sawdust mingle with an underlying layer of spice and ethanal. As your senses come around, a graham cracker small takes over commingling with floral notes of dried fruit, apricot, and a light green apple. (21/25)
PALATE: The palate follows right along with the nose opening up with that strong caramel & graham cracker flavor, mixed with notes of toffee and green apple. The whiskey itself coats the inside of your mouth with an oaky, spiced, and dry mouthfeel that goes along delightfully with the sweeter notes. (34/40)
FINISH: The finish takes a turn loading your mouth with spice and a dark roasted barley flavor almost comparable to dark chocolate. For such a bright, sweet whiskey, the finish surprises you in the best way, bringing back the strong hot notes that are too often missed by whiskeys with a palate range like this. (22/25)
VALUE: Ava Gardner BiB retails at $65, which is a steal for the price. For a whiskey this rich, if you get the chance to purchase one on the east coast, jump on it & you will not be disappointed. (7/10)
Overall: 84/100
FINAL THOUGHTS: I was delightfully surprised by just how rich this whiskey was coming from the Carolina’s, which by no means are known by their whiskey. After going through the distillery I was not sure what to expect, but man was I impressed with what they could produce out of 1 600lb copper still.
Similar & Slightly Better Whiskey: Blanton’s Single Barrel
Similar & Equal Whiskey: Old Forester 1910
Similar & Slightly Worse Whiskey: 1792 BiB
Tell us what you think and give us some feedback!Scoring Legend:
96-100: The perfect dram, juice of the gods
90-95: Near perfect, truly incredible whiskey
85-89: Amazing whiskey, will always try to keep a backup bottle of this
80-84: Very good, some minor flaws here or there
75-79: Good, quite enjoyable to drink, Will try and keep a bottle on the shelf
70-74: Solid, wouldn’t go out of my way to get this
60-69: Decent, would offer this up to non whiskey drinkers
50-59: Not my cup of tea
Below 50: Give away