So, I happen to have a number of Jos. A Magnus samples from different single cask bottlings that I have acquired over the course of months. So I figured a quick side by side would be of my own interest. Majority of these should be MGP but it’s not a 100% guarantee I’m able to make. The usual single casks being different disclaimer applies for this entire post… Their additional bottlings have been previously covered here: https://www.aerin.org/?x=entry:entry200627-145031
Joseph Magnus. Wine and Whiskey Cellars SP. #1374, 106 proof
A private bottling that I could find very little about of online, other than this is for sure 13 year old MGP, single cask store pick.
Nose: Woody MGP spice, with a touch woody varnish and dark caramel. Little on the intense side.
Palate: Maybe it is my palate tonight, but tastes slightly soapy. For the most part it is a fit to MGP profile. Like a very woody SAOS 5 year old. The intense flavors continue… Notably not too sweet, but everything else is dialed rather up there including wood which makes for a somewhat bitter sip.
Aftertaste: Mostly same as the plate with wood fading last with a tiny bit of charry bitterness in the very end.
Overall: A little too woody and a little too bitter for my taste. Not offensive by any means but not my first pick of the night for sure. Certainly a take on a less sweet and woodier MGP but for me it leaves it unbalanced. With water opens up a bit, but nothing too major happens other than becoming easier to swallow. Definitely try it, and if you like that char-forward wood, it will be up your alley! For ~$99 this is a very hard bottle sell for me.
Score: B-
Joseph Magnus, K&L Wines SP, #1384, 103 proof
Here’s a link to the product page: https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1449232. Another 13 year old Magnus Pick and only fitting to have it side by side with its sister cask.
Nose: The wood on the nose seems better balanced, and spices and caramel are coming through nicely.
Palate: Burnt caramel and wood but much MUCH better balanced than the #1374 above as far as wood-to-spice-to-sweet goes.
Aftertaste: Genly and predictably fades from the palate. Still slightly charry in the very back but not overwhelmingly so.
Overall: A good example what a difference cask makes on balance and overall enjoyment. Pretty solidly enjoyable… Yet not much more than a B in my book. Just not my style of a bourbon here. I wish it was a little bit sweeter and then it’d be awesome.
Score: B
Joseph Magnus, Nasa Liquors. “Tiramisu”, 115 proof
Nasa Liquors is in Houston Texas. Some info here: http://flightclubict … ection-announcement/. Little proofier than it’s sisters. Seems like an 11-some year old MGP. Let’s see how it compares.
Nose: Almost perfume-like. The proof, surprisingly, helps itself out here. Still mostly same general flavors, but this one seems to be lightest in wood of the 3, but it could simply be the proof talking. Solidly tasty on the nose at least. Slightly singe-y but not terribly so.
Palate: Yes! Finally a sweeter version of the Magnus. Wood is now offset by the sugar and it’s great. Strong and proofy and punchy but great.
Aftertaste: Still very slight bitterness at the very back but it doesn’t distract too much from enjoyment as sugar continuously offsets the wood notes. The proof is solid and very present through the experience.
Overall: Of the three I’ve tried so far, this is the one I liked the most. After not too long of a contemplation, it’s the balance of sugar to wood on the palate and the aftertaste. WIth a few drops of water it opens up into a fantastic drink by scaling the wood char slightly down without losing sugar. It’s not perfect, but it is near close to it. I’d be pretty happy to nip at a bottle of this. Many thumbs up on the selection, there’s not much to fault here.
Score: A-
Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend, Batch 28, 122 proof
This is a blend of bourbon barrels ranging from 12 to 20 years in age, finished in cognac, sherry & armagnac casks. Batch 28 is notably a combination between Batches #24-26 and those are a secret blend of ratios of mentioned cask types. In short, this is a blend of blends.
Nose: Mix between sherry sweetness and MGP spice and wood. Pleasantly deep and slightly musty.
Palate: Nice sherried and sweet but a tad too woody to be subtle so a lot of fruit from brandy is lost under the spice and the wood primary flavors.
Aftertaste: Continued from the palate into a gently fading but yet still too woody aftertaste that lasts for quite a while and FINALLY more subtle flavors appear at the very end.
Overall: For near-$200 price tag I’ve expected something more ‘amazing’… What i got is certainly tasty but not worth the price and the hype in my opinion. Very complicated and multilayered to say the least but perhaps too astringent of the batch which throws it off balance. The sherry and cognac definitely help it though and an argument could be made that this would be awesome with a cigar. I don’t smoke though. I do keep sniffing the glass and as I do like sherry finished bourbons and want to like it, but as is the balance is just a tiny bit off. If you like woody MGP and got some money that need to be spent in your pocket then by all means you’re not going to be dissapointed. It is what sherry finished bourbon should taste like with the fine example of MGP profile and works well enough.
Score: B+ (possibly higher)
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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown