Until I saw a post on the Usquebaugh Society forum about Old Mork bourbon, I had never heard of it, and as it turns out that’s not really strange. Old Mork was a ‘medicinal purposes only’ whisky distilled by distillery No. 17 in Louisville Kentucky.

The sample I bought is from a bottle distilled in 1916 and bottled in 1933. An 18 year old bourbon, from almost a century ago. I just had to get myself a sample of it, and it wasn’t even too expensive!

The math doesn’t make sense. 1916 to 1933 can’t be 18 so some info on the label is wrong…

This review will be seriously biased, by the way. The simple fact that this was distilled before even my grandfather was born made it just too incredibly cool to be ‘objective’.

Nose:
Warming with spicy caramel and butterscotch. Grilled fruits and a certain soupy scent. There is a floral hint as well, I think I am getting burdock.

Taste:
The feel is quite fierce initially, but the flavour is quite smooth. Quite some wood and spices with cinnamon.

Finish:
The finish just screams “BOURBON” at me. Everything you expect from a good one is in there and it lingers for a long long time. Wood and just a little bit astringent.

The flavour is a little thin, the finish a bit better. The nose, however, is nothing short of sensational. Truly a gem!

Old Mork bourbon, 1916-1933, 50%/100 proof, 2.5cl samples at €12.40 at Rare Whisky Site.

Nose: 10
Taste: 7
Finish: 8
Overal experience:10
Price/quality: 2

Total: 37 points

Slight update: A post by Chuck Cowdery on 30 June 2014 explained the brand a bit and it appears to be called Old Mock instead of Old Mork. Read more about this here.

Slight update #2: The front label apparently says ’18 summers old’ instead of 18 years. This could be correct if it’s distilled before summer in 1916 and bottled after summer in 1933. That would make it 18 summers old, but 17 years. Clever Americans!