Rising Tide Spirits Old Swagger 12 Year Old Straight Bourbon

Stride into bourbon brilliance with Rising Tide Spirits Old Swagger 12-Year-Old Straight Bourbon. Released in 2024 by Rising Tide Spirits, founded by master blender Ed Bley in Northern Kentucky, this 100-proof (50% ABV) bourbon is a Bottled-in-Bond expression, crafted from 12 barrels of 12-year-old bourbon sourced from MGP in Indiana and bottled in Kentucky. Adhering to Bottled-in-Bond standards, it’s distilled in a single season, aged in new charred oak barrels, and bottled unfiltered for transparency and depth. The mashbill, likely MGP’s standard 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley, delivers a bold yet elegant profile. Non-chill filtered, it embodies Bley’s meticulous palate. Sip it neat for a rich, spicy-sweet experience, with water to open fruit notes, or in an Old Fashioned for a classic kick.

Mose: Caramel, vanilla, and toasted oak lead, with bright orange zest and a hint of rye spice. Subtle cherry and brown sugar deepen the aroma. It’s a warm, inviting tease.

Palate: Full-bodied and smooth, with toffee, dark cherry, and cinnamon spice. Oak, vanilla, and a touch of leather balance the sweetness, offering a refined complexity.

Finish: Long and warm, with lingering baking spices, oak, and a soft caramel sweetness, fading into a bold, elegant glow.

Pair this bourbon with smoked brisket—the caramel notes love the char. Want a bite? Try aged gouda; it lifts the toffee. For dessert, a cherry pie echoes the palate’s fruitiness. Feeling bold? Grilled lamb with a pepper rub ties the finish into a Kentucky feast.