Reveries Murder of Crows Bourbon

Jay West just flipped the script on finishing barrels with his latest passion project. Murder of Crows takes a meticulously crafted foundation—a bespoke, Raven-style blend of Kentucky and Indiana bourbons aged between nine and sixteen years—and subjects it to an audacious recasking experiment. The base spirit undergoes a secondary maturation across an array of spent, newly charred American or dense French oak casks. This pivotal resting period lets the mature distillate interact with the wood differently in every vessel. The results are staggeringly varied. You get a profoundly robust expression that completely rewrites expectations.

Each barrel yields a wildly idiosyncratic profile that demands your undivided attention. I genuinely love how this powerhouse expression drinks completely below its formidable proof, delivering intense density without an aggressive ethanol burn. The oak never overwhelms the confectionery sweetness inherent in the older stocks. Instead, it acts as an architectural framework, elevating the deep chocolate and dark fruit tones to spectacular heights. This is blending done right.

Diving into this complex pour reveals exactly why meticulous sourcing remains paramount in modern whiskey. The craftsmanship shines through the underlying specifications:

• A bespoke blend of 9- to 16-year-old bourbons.
• Secondary maturation in carefully selected oak casks.
• Bottled at a formidable 127 proof for maximum intensity.

This whiskey commands immense respect. Securing one of these twenty-four rare barrels guarantees a spot at the forefront of modern blending, rewarding you with an endlessly fascinating dram that shifts dramatically across your palate.

Nose: Marshmallow and fresh caramel surge upward immediately, layered over a dense core of old leather and blackberry.

Palate: An oily, mouth-coating wave of rich oak transitions seamlessly into striking notes of cinnamon-sugar doughnut, espresso, and chocolate buttercream.

Finish: Dessert-forward and remarkably long, fading slowly into pie crust, coffee cake, spicy tobacco, and a lingering dark oak presence.

Pair this dense bourbon with a rich espresso-rubbed ribeye steak. The heavily charred crust expertly mirrors the dark oak and subtle smoke in the whiskey. You could also serve it alongside a slice of dark chocolate flourless cake. The decadent buttercream notes interlock beautifully with the intense cocoa. It’s an unforgettable combination that elevates both components.