When it comes to whiskey, not every bottle that graces our shelves is a winner, and unfortunately, Quarter Horse Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey falls into that category. This young, craft-distilled bourbon comes in at 92 proof (46% ABV) and is aged for a minimum of one year. (I've since learned there is a two-year version floating around.)
As we delved into this whiskey, we quickly realized that it was going to be a tough ride. Below, we break down our review of Quarter Horse Bourbon, covering everything from the nose to the final scores.
The following review is taken from our episode "The Prestige / Quarter Horse Bourbon (feat. Bilge Ebiri)." Click the link to listen to this review in audio format.
Nose
Bob: I’ve been letting this kind of air out in my glass for a little while now. When I first poured it out, it had almost an offensively young smell to it. It reminds me of some of those really bad whiskeys we've had. It didn’t quite have that chemical smell, but it smelled almost like artificial coconut hand lotion or something—artificially sweet to mask how young and grainy it is. I don’t like this on the nose, man. I’m going to give it a 4.5/10.
Brad: It smelled like cherry Robitussin to me. You get the corn, the ethanol, and then a note that I’ve never given before, but if you know, you know—it smells like barn. I give it a 5/10.
Taste
Brad: Honestly, the taste is not good. It tasted kind of like cheap red wine, like if you bought a four-dollar bottle of red wine. It was fruity, tasted like sweet corn without any seasoning or butter, and had a strong ethanol presence. 4.5/10.
Bob: I don’t know how to explain what just happened on my palate. It was like the whiskey rushed itself down my esophagus, like the fastest tasting experience I’ve ever had. Sweet, sweet, sweet—honey, vanilla—and then it was gone, leaving behind a little bit of oak. Then, midway down my esophagus, it detonated a bomb of prickly alcohol, mimicking the feel of acid reflux. It’s not complex at all. I’ll give it a 6/10.
Finish
Brad: In the finish, it’s short, grainy, and generically sweet. It’s not the most offensive part of the whiskey, but it’s not good. 5/10.
Bob: The finish doesn’t taste bad, but the alcohol burn doesn’t feel balanced with the rest of the experience. It’s a little harsh. I’m going to give it a 5/10.
Balance
Brad: For balance, I give it a 4/10. I actually think this is well-balanced in the sense that it’s all bad, but I’m not going to give it a good score just for being consistently bad.
Bob: I don’t know if we’re just finally living into our truest selves, Brad, but we’re usually not this curt with our comments on a whiskey. I will give it a 5/10 on balance. I think that with some time, this actually could be a pretty good whiskey. But at one year, which we have it at now, it’s not great.
Value
Bob: We were drinking $1 worth of this from a sample, but a 750 ml bottle costs $30. I’m trying to give it some credit because it’s a craft whiskey, and $30 is really low-tier pricing for a craft distiller. But the whiskey itself isn’t good. I’ll give it a 6/10 on value.
Brad: Bob, this is a 1/10 on value. Thirty dollars for this? Come on. I’m sure their two-year product is better, but this one isn’t worth it.
Final Scores
Bob: I’m coming out to a 26.5/50.
Brad: I came out to a 20/50.
Bob: Oof. So we’re at a 46.5/100 or just a 23.25/50. This is one of the lowest-rated whiskeys we’ve ever had on Film & Whiskey. It feels weird to say that because I know for a fact we’ve had significantly worse whiskeys than this one, but there’s nothing to write home about here. It needs more time—bottom line, end of story.
Conclusion
Quarter Horse Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey is a young, craft bourbon that simply isn’t ready for prime time. With a final score of 23.25/50, it falls well below our typical recommendation threshold of 35/50. While we appreciate the effort of craft distillers, this bourbon needs more aging and refinement before it’s ready to compete in the market. If you’re curious about craft whiskey, there are better options out there. For context, a 40/50 is considered great, and a 45/50 is excellent. Unfortunately, Quarter Horse Bourbon doesn’t come close to these marks.
