Taste Test: MGP Makes Whiskey for Many Different Brands, But Keeps Some of the Best for Itself
Sometimes it’s better to go straight to the source to get what you really want. For example, you should skip the gas station Dunkin and seek out a standalone location if you’re looking for a cup of thin coffee and a donut facsimile. When it comes to whiskey, there are many different brands made at MGP in Indiana, but in recent years some of the best has been released under its own labels, including the new Remus Gatsby Reserve.
MGP sort of, kind of isn’t really MGP anymore. In 2021, the distillery acquired spirits company Luxco, Inc., and then shifted production of brands under that arm to the name Ross & Squibb—that includes the Remus lineup of bourbon, including the whiskey that is the subject of this review. However, MGP is still the name used when the distillery is contract distilling for and selling barrels to other brands. And that’s a big list which currently includes familiar names like Bulleit Rye, Dickel Rye, Templeton Rye, Brother’s Bond, Oak & Eden, James E. Pepper, Pinhook, High West, Old Elk, Smoke Wagon, Barrell Craft Spirits, Smooth Ambler, Redemption, Belle Meade, Widow Jane, and Penelope Bourbon (which MGP ended up purchasing).
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All of those other brands should not be dismissed—there are some good whiskeys on that list, and sourcing, especially from a distillery like MGP, is nothing to hide. But as mentioned before, some of the best MGP/Ross & Squibb whiskey has been reserved for its own brands. For bourbon, that means George Remus, ranging from the core lineup to Remus Repeal Reserve to the pinnacle, Remus Gatsby Reserve. Last year’s release was a standout of 2022, and while the 2023 release might not have reached that peak it’s still a very good whiskey.
The 2023 edition is a 15-year-old blend of two high-rye bourbons: one a mashbill of 75 percent corn, 21 percent rye, four percent matled barley; the other 60 percent corn, 36 percent rye, four percent malted barley, all bottled at cask strength of 98.1 proof. This is a classic bourbon, with the spice from all that rye really cutting through the sweet and fruit notes. There is baked apple, maple syrup, and molasses on the nose, with a bit of corn in the mix. The palate is indicative of a bourbon this old, unveiling deep notes of red berry, caramel, vanilla pudding, and banana bread, all buttressed by black pepper and a melange of baking spices. There’s also a bit of anise and menthol on the finish, which lingers for a while before fading away.
Ross & Squibb master distiller Ian Stirsman and his team selected some excellent barrels for this expensive limited-edition release. Which brings us back to where we started—if you’re going to pay a lot of money for a whiskey made at MGP, you might as well spend it on one that comes directly from the source and not another brand putting its label on a sourced whiskey. The 2023 release of Remus Gatsby Reserve falls just short of last year’s whiskey, but it’s still a superlative in a world of so much mediocre, and a bottle worth adding to your collection.
Score: 92
100: Worth trading your first born for
95 – 99 In the Pantheon: A trophy for the cabinet
90 – 94 Great: An excited nod from friends when you pour them a dram
85 – 89 Very Good: Delicious enough to buy, but not quite special enough to chase on the secondary market
80 – 84 Good: More of your everyday drinker, solid and reliable
Below 80 It’s alright: Honestly, we probably won’t waste your time and ours with this
Every week Jonah Flicker tastes the most buzzworthy and interesting whiskeys in the world. Check back each Friday for his latest review.
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