Review #117: Rebel Yell 10 Year Single Barrel

I didn’t even realize I was doing a series on some of my favorite wheated bourbon until I was 3 parts in! We started with Old Rip Van Winkle 2018 then hit Maker’s Mark Private Select and finally Old Fitzgerald 9 year. At the request of u/NorthernBourbonite I’ll wrap this series up with Rebel Yell 10 Year side by side with the Old Fitz and then get back to all the scotch I brought home from my anniversary trip. Rebel Yell 10 year is a single barrel wheated bourbon from Lux Row Distillers which is distilled at Heaven Hill. SO let’s see if it stacks up well against the Old Fitz 9 year!

Rebel Yell 10 Year

Age: 10 years

Abv: 100 proof

Color: A darker amber

Price: $59.99

Barrel: #5083222

Neat

Nose: All sweetness with warm butterscotch, honey and a hint of oak

Taste: Dominated by warm, sweet butterscotch with a supporting oak note, solid mouthfeel though I was hoping for a little more viscosity.

Finish: Short finish with more warm sweetness and a bit of bitter oak

2 Stars - Very good whiskey: I would want to have a bottle

Conclusion

Overall I really enjoyed this whiskey even though the finish was a bit disappointing. It hit on that warm, sweet butterscotch note I love in good wheaters, had a solid mouthfeel and was aged long enough to have clear oak notes. I’ll definitely be on the look out for another bottle now that this one is getting perilously low. A single barrel, 10 year old 100 proof tasty wheater for $60 is a great deal to me.

All that said compared to Old Fitz 9 it came up just a bit short but given that it is cheaper and easier to find it wins out on that front. Both whiskies were same color, to my eye at least, though the Rebel Yell was a little thinner with less nuttiness, more butterscotch and more bitter oak on the finish. While this wasn’t the barrel to do it I could certainly see a honey barrel of this eclipsing the Old Fitz.

Quick note that I did the review and tasting notes first and then did a quick blind side by side and was able to tell them apart primarily by the mouthfeel and finish. Had I done the blind tasting cold it would have been harder for sure.