Review: O.H. Ingram Flagship Bourbon (2024)
In the whiskey industry, “flagship” bottlings tend to refer to entry level expressions offered by a distillery. Flagship offerings typically have much wider distribution and availability than other whiskeys in a distillery’s portfolio. In order to meet demand for wider distribution, flagship whiskeys may not necessarily utilize the best barrels in a brand’s inventory. Experienced whiskey enthusiasts often have a tendency to quickly pass by flagship expressions on the shelf at the liquor store due to assumptions that they are boring or mundane compared to limited expressions. O.H. Ingram River Aged 2024 Flagship Kentucky Straight Bourbon seeks to flip that notion on its head by applying a different meaning to “flagship.” And well they should: Speaking in nautical terms, the flagship is the ship that carries the commander of a fleet and flies the commander’s flag. The commander’s flagship is the finest and most important ship of a fleet. O.H. Ingram applies the nautical concept of “flagship” to this 2024 release by selecting six of its most choice barrels for blending to create its finest and most important bottling of the year.
O.H. Ingram adds a wrinkle to the typical whiskey equation by fully maturing its whiskey in a floating barge rickhouse docked on the Mississippi River in Columbus, Kentucky. When the brand launched, many whiskey enthusiasts offered a gentle roll of the eyes at the concept of aging whiskey on boat, much in the same way that Jefferson’s Ocean has. The belief is that the rocking of the boat in sync with the movement of water provides for agitation of whiskey inside the barrel, increasing interaction with the wood. While this concept is definitely not the norm in modern American whiskey, it could be argued that aging bourbon on a boat upon the Mississippi River is the most historically accurate representation of early bourbon on the market today. In the early days of distillation in Kentucky, small farmers typically sold their whiskey without aging or with very little maturation. The concept of extended aging of bourbon largely originated when barrels of whiskey were loaded onto a flatboat to float down the Mississippi River to the New Orleans market. After spending a lengthier than normal period of time in barrels as the flatboats slowly made their way south on the Mississippi River, it was discovered that the whiskey was generally an improvement with more character. O.H. Ingram’s river aging on a boat on the same river is a nod to this history.
O.H. Ingram initially purchased whiskey from MGP in Lawrenceburg, Indiana that was immediately entered into their floating rickhouse after barreling. Rather than sourcing mature whiskey, these barrels are fully matured on a boat on the Mississippi River. The brand first opted to source the familiar mashbill comprised of 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barely from Indiana. However, O.H. Ingram eventually decided to switch to contract distillation with Green River Distilling in Owensboro, Kentucky. Adding to the intrigue, they kept the same mashbill. The six barrels in this blend are distilled by Green River, but with one of MGP’s standard mashbills. It must be noted that running the MGP mashbill in Owensboro doesn’t produce the same exact whiskey, of course: These Owensboro barrels are not produced with the same yeast or on the same still. As such, O.H. Ingram offers consumers a fascinating display on the intricacies of contract distillation. What can two different distilleries do with the exact same mashbill?
O.H. Ingram River Aged 2024 Flagship Kentucky Straight Bourbon is a blend of 6 barrels matured for 6.5 years. The barrels are coopered by Independent Stave Co. with a #4 char. Following suit with the early MGP tradition, the Green River distillate is entered into the barrels at 120 proof before loading onto the floating rickhouse. Let’s dive in.
The nose opens with rich buttercream frosting, quickly followed by black cherry soda. Dried orange peel and nutmeg soon find their way into the aromatic bouquet. The combined nosing experience draws visions of hot mulled wine consumed in the cold of winter, but no single scent overwhelms another.
Burnt honey meets a pleasing floral note to open the highly viscous palate. Matching the nose, dried orange peel and baking spices combine with anise in transition to the midpalate. The anise note gently mingles into the equation without dominance.
Toasted black walnuts and nutmeg lead the way on the finish. Unsweetened cocoa powder and a touch of eucalyptus conclude this beautiful pour. In a fitting nod to history, the memory of this bourbon lingers longer than a trip in Kentucky from Paducah to Pikeville.
There is nothing mundane, boring, or typical about this bourbon. Where else can you find Green River’s take on MGP combined with aging in a similar manner to the early years of bourbon distilling? The storyline is interesting, but even without it, the bourbon is simply excellent.
117.7 proof.
A- / $80