Cocktail cherry | Brown sugar | Oak | Cinnamon crumble cake | Rich

Rye spice | Cherry hard candy | Syrup | Allspice | Aged oak | Leather

Rye spice | Cinnamon | Cherry syrup | Baking spices | Aged oak | Rich lingering spice

Terry Bradshaw had one of the most iconic and memorable careers in the history of professional football. Drafted number one overall in 1970, Bradshaw played for 14 seasons as the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He led the team to win four Super Bowls over the span of his career. In 2020, he stepped into the huddle again, this time trying to quarterback a new bourbon brand to market.

While Bradshaw Bourbon has sourced their whiskey from Green River Distilling for their Bradshaw Flagship Bourbon, they pivot for their single barrel product, which is made up of less than 25 single barrels. While the source distillery isn’t disclosed, based on the bourbon's age and the mashbill utilized, all signs point to it being sourced from the Barton 1792 Distillery. While Barton has released their own 12 Year Bourbon in the past, it carries a sub-100 proof. For this particular single barrel, Bradshaw 12 Year Single Barrel Bourbon blows that away, coming in just slightly over 50% higher at a whopping 149 proof.

The richness of the aroma instantly snaps you to attention. Cocktail cherry, brown sugar, oak, and scents of cinnamon crumble cake all meld together in harmony. There’s a surprising lack of ethanol considering the proof; however, its influence is undeniable on the palate. Rye spice, cherry hard candy, syrup, and allspice rush at you with the proof's full force while aged oak and leather showcase the bourbon's age. Spice and a cherry syrup bring the bourbon to a close with aged oak making an appearance before the sip lingers on a spice note.

HAZMAT proof bourbons can be tricky. The whiskey has to try to harness its proof to increase the delivery of its flavors, without being too overpowering. Bradshaw 12 Year Single Barrel Bourbon manages to do this extremely well. While the proof is evident at the midpoint, the flavors still shine through nicely, resulting in an excellent pour. While I found their flagship bourbon to be average, Bradshaw 12 Year Single Barrel Bourbon shows that the company is rapidly growing into their own with the selection of this single barrel.  

The bourbon in review is from barrel #08.