Pinhook’s 2023 Flagship bourbon is a delicious and complex everyday sipper that belongs on your shelf. Read the full review – Tasting, palate, finish, info, and Bourbon Dose rating.
Pinhook Flagship Bourbon Mashbill, Age, and Proof:
- Mashbill: 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% barley
- Age: 3 years
- Proof: 101.48
Coming in at 15% rye, Pinhook’s Flagship Bourbon is right on the border of the rye-heavier side of bourbon. It is 3 years old and comes in at 101.48 proof, yielding a decent punch and youthful age.
Distilled under contract at the acclaimed Castle and Key distillery (which was actually built by legendary bourbon pioneer Col. E. H. Taylor), Pinhook is also among the newer bourbon brands (it was founded in 2010).
Pinhook Flagship Bourbon Review:
The bottle is very cool looking, and features an image of a racehorse. It’s sealed up with orange wax, Maker’s Mark-style.
Apparently the Pinhook owners are from Kentucky and really into horses. This particular bottle sports the hourse “Bourbon Resolve“. Nice-looking horse. It looks like Bourbon Resolve won around $85K in cash prizes in 2023, which is good?
Pinhook also owns a horse named “Bourbon Resolution”, which appears about as intuitive as a family that would name both of their kids “Jonathan” and “John.” Bourbon Resolution has earned around $325K over its career, so I guess we all know which horse is the favorite these days.
Now for the nitty gritty.
Nose: The nose on Pinhook’s 2023 Flagship comes on strong with butterscotch, brown sugar, and rye. There’s also a hint of orange peel and clove. It smells very sweet, almost like creme brûlée.
Score: 8.5/10
Palate & Finish:
The palate on Pinhook’s 2023 Flagship is very rye-heavy and oaky. The flavor comes across very strong at first sip… which is something that could be mellowed out with age – but at 3 years, this bourbon is a child. Pinhook’s 2023 Flagship is also a 101-proof bourbon, and definitely succeeds in being strong without overpowering.
The finish is very citrusy, but the oak & rye is harsh and takes away from some of the more subtle flavors in this bourbon.
Overall, this was delightful to drink, and there’s a lot of complexities in this bourbon.
Score: 8.3/10
Value:
At $42.99, this bourbon is on the pricy side for blended pours, HOWEVER it comes in at a robust 101.48 proof. With another year or two of aging, this bottle could have a completely different flavor profile. This is a fantastic pour for easy drinking and introducing some core bourbon flavors.
Score: 8/10
Bourbon Dose Final Score:
Pinhook’s 2023 Flagship is delicious and easy to drink. This bottle would be a great everyday drinker, or as a premium ingredient to add complexity to a cocktail.
All in all, this would be a good bottle to introduce to friends who are new to Pinhook – and definitely brings a unique flavor to the table. I look forward to reviewing move of their lineup in the near future.
Final Verdict: 8.3/10 – Horses are fun. Would buy again.
