Brown sugar | Caramel | Nutmeg | Cinnamon | Light oak | Cherry cordial

Creamy caramel | Vanilla frosting | Cinnamon spice | Honey stick | Light oak | Cinnamon swirl pound cake | Pleasant mouthfeel

Bold cinnamon spice | Dry oak | Baking spices | Light leather | Lingering prickly cinnamon spice

Frank August is led by CEO and Co-Founder, Johnathan Crocker, the former denim and fashion executive for AG Jeans and BLDWN. Frank August’s concept isn’t an elaborate backstory, instead allowing the bourbon (and bottle) to speak for itself. The minimalist and contemporary designed bottle is meant to live on long after its contents are empty, as the back label peels off along with the sticker on the bottle neck, producing an elegant reusable decanter.

The bourbon opens with a classic aroma that has a slight twist, thanks to a scent of cherry cordial. It transitions to a really pleasing midpoint that starts with a creamy caramel note to set the tone. Vanilla frosting, cinnamon spice, and honey stick pile one, while light oak and cinnamon swirl pound cake add intrigue. Shedding away its sweet notes, the finish focuses on bold cinnamon spice, dry oak, and baking spices, leaving a lingering prickly cinnamon spice.

It has been a few years since we first tried a Frank August Single Barrel Bourbon, and the company has stayed consistent in its approach to the single barrels they release. While the state of distillation has stayed the same, the age found on these bottles has slowly increased. Overall, this is a great bourbon. While I would have liked to see the finish be a little less spice-forward to match the creaminess and overall composition of the palate, there’s no denying that Frank August has a knack for releasing really great bourbons.

The bourbon in review is bottle number 32 of 176 from barrel #0150.