Hancock's President’s Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon

Every family has at least one member they don’t acknowledge publicly. For what’s said to be the mash bill number two bourbons made by Buffalo Trace, that unacknowledged member is Hancock’s President’s Reserve single barrel bourbon. Other brands of the mash bill number two family include Blanton’s, Elmer T. Lee, Rock Hill Farms, and Ancient Age.

The relationship between mashbill number two bourbons and Buffalo Trace is a bit convoluted. While Age International Inc. owns the labels, Buffalo Trace makes the bourbon and distributes it in the United States. However, Buffalo Trace only acknowledges Blanton’s, Elmer T. Lee, and Ancient Age on its website.

So, the information scarcity on Hancock’s President’s Reserve should not surprise. The only information provided regarding Hancock’s is that it is named after Hancock Lee, co-founder of Leesburg, Kentucky. While Hancock’s is not a limited-release bourbon, finding it may present a challenge simply because many stores and bars are unaware of its existence.

Nose: Vanilla, apple, honey, and soft tropical fruit (mango/papaya), plus gentle oak.

Palate: Caramel, light cherry, corn pudding sweetness, rye-driven pepper spice, and toasted oak.

Finish: Warm but not hot — clover honey, dry oak, faint vanilla, and a mild peppery echo that lingers without bite.

tart savory: smoked pork loin with cherry glaze or pepper-crusted roast chicken matches the honey, cherry, and peppery rye edges. The proof is low enough that it won’t bulldoze the dish.

Then go sweet: try strawberry shortcake, pecan praline, or vanilla panna cotta. Those desserts mirror the vanilla, fruit, and soft caramel tones people love in this bourbon.

For cheese, a nutty aged cheddar or Gouda plays beautifully against the gentle rye spice and oak, giving structure to an otherwise very easy-drinking pour.