As every bourbon with a bit of self esteem this is another Small Batch (which more or less means that it is bigger than 1 barrel, and smaller than an incredible lot). Its more or less a hype to do, and not only in the USA.

Nose:
Less sweet and heavy than an ‘average’ bourbon . Makes me think of a certain style of Single Malt. The lightness also makes this dram bit more crisp. More summery. I also pick up some banana.

Taste:
The taste is more spicy and a bit heavier. Also some cereal with pear and pineapple. Also that crispness is returning here. Its a tad more typical than I expected after the nose with some tabacco like herbs and a bit more sweetness.

Finish:
The finish is pretty long and has a somewhat warmer taste than I initially expected. There is some fruitcake and the expected bourbon flavours of vanilla, caramel and honey are all present.

I find this a very nice bourbon for multiple reasons. One of them is the surprisingly full and unexpected taste, and because there is more to taste than in some others at this price. Its very easy drinking, and that makes it a bit of a dangerous whiskey!

What you should keep in mind is that Hirsch is not only a distiller but also a bottler so not all whisky has to come from the same distillery! Hirsch is also available as a Corn Whiskey, an American Whiskey with no further specification and as a bourbon.

There is a 16 year old Hirsch that has been distilled in 1974. This has only been released a couple of years ago which means there are a couple of years missing! It has been dumped in 1990 and from then on stored in stainless steel tanks, air tight of course. That means it no longer ages!

Hirsch Selection Small Batch Reserve 46%. Limited availability (from The Whiskykoning at the moment) for 37,50 euros.

Nose: 9/10
Smaak: 8/10
Finish: 8/10
Overal experience: 9/10
Price/quality: +2

Total: 36 points