The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
Isaac Bowman Port Barrel Finished Bourbon
BourbonIssue 47

Isaac Bowman Port Barrel Finished Bourbon

Isaac Bowman · A. Smith Bowman Distillery

92 proofNASFredericksburg, Virginia, USA
Isaac Bowman delivers a bourbon that plays two hands simultaneously — fruit-driven and barrel-intensive. The port finish adds genuine depth rather than gimmickry, and the price makes it an exceptional value for what's in the glass.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Ripe cherry and butterscotch lead, followed by a wave of dark cocoa and dried raisins. Beneath that sits a quiet charred oak note that grows as the glass opens.

Palate

Rich and full-bodied. The port cask influence brings a berry-forward sweetness that competes with toasted vanilla and brown spice. A leathery mid-palate emerges halfway through, grounding the fruit.

Finish

Long and warming with lingering cherry, charred oak, and a faint tobacco exhale that stays well after the sip.

Specifications
Mash Bill
Undisclosed
Barrel Type
New charred American oak, finished in port barrels
Bottled in Bond
No
Single Barrel
No
Wheated
No
Serve & Pair

Cocktail Suggestion

Port Authority Old Fashioned — 2 oz Isaac Bowman Port Barrel Finished · 0.25 oz demerara syrup · 3 dashes Angostura bitters · Stir over a large ice cube, garnish with a brandied cherry.

Food Pairing

Dark chocolate torte with raspberry coulis

The Story

Crafted at A. Smith Bowman Distillery in Fredericksburg, Virginia — a facility originally built as a dairy farm in the 1930s and now one of the smallest distilleries on the East Coast — Isaac Bowman is finished in port barrels sourced from the distillery's own wine connections.

Train These Aromas
Comments

Be the first to comment.

Leave a comment

0 / 4,000

First-time comments are reviewed before appearing. Be kind, be specific, no spam.

More from A. Smith Bowman Distillery
Whitley Neill Blood Orange Gin
Gin

Whitley Neill Blood Orange Gin

Whitley Neill

Whitley Neill's Blood Orange expression works because it respects the gin beneath the flavoring. The blood orange is vivid without being syrupy, and the juniper-forward base keeps it honest. It's a gin that makes a spectacular spritz but doesn't embarrass itself neat — a rare feat in the flavored gin category.

86 proof
Rhum Clément Cuvée Homère Rhum Agricole Vieux
Rum

Rhum Clément Cuvée Homère Rhum Agricole Vieux

Rhum Clément

Cuvée Homère is Clément's tribute to founder Homère Clément, and it showcases what extended aging does to quality rhum agricole. The cane character remains at the foundation, but the oak and oxidative aging add layers that rival fine cognac in complexity. This is a sipping rum that demands — and rewards — your full attention.

88 proof
G.D. Vajra Barolo Albe DOCG 2019
Red Wine

G.D. Vajra Barolo Albe DOCG 2019

G.D. Vajra

Vajra's Albe bottling is the entry point to the estate's Barolo range, sourced from younger vines across multiple village plots. It delivers textbook Nebbiolo character — roses, tar, cherry — at a price that makes it one of the best introductions to Barolo available. Give it a thirty-minute decant and watch it bloom.

Domaine Weinbach Riesling Réserve Personnelle 2023
White Wine

Domaine Weinbach Riesling Réserve Personnelle 2023

Domaine Weinbach

The Réserve Personnelle is Weinbach's calling card — a wine that captures the Clos des Capucins terroir with clarity and restraint. The 2023 vintage delivers the crystalline precision that makes Alsatian Riesling one of the world's great white wine styles. Hand-harvested, hand-sorted, and vinified with minimal intervention, it's a pure expression of place and practice.

More Bourbon Reviews