Whiskey Review: Almost Old Bones Bourbon

Introduction

In this week’s review, we’re diving into Almost Old Bones Bourbon, a 9-year-old whiskey from Backbone Bourbon Company, sourced from Bardstown, Kentucky and bottled at 110 proof. Despite the cheeky name, this isn’t a young whiskey—it's a high-rye bourbon aged just shy of a decade and meant to bridge the gap between Backbone’s standard offerings and their 10+ year “Old Bones” line.

Batch No. 1 of Almost Old Bones was released at an MSRP of $89, and it caught our eye thanks to its bold labeling and generous proof point. We poured it neat and let it ride—here’s how it fared.

This review is taken from our episode "Prisoners (2013) / Almost Old Bones Bourbon." Click the link to listen to this review in audio format.

Nose

Brad:
This is just a really beautiful honey, caramel, apple peel, brown sugar. It has all sorts of deep, rich bourbon notes going on. But the honey is what stood out to me—there’s a little bit of a lightness that accentuates all the rich notes. I get really beautiful on the nose. I give it an 8/10.

Bob:
I'm going to give it a 9/10. It's been a minute since I've had a nose that reminds me of some of those great classic full-proof bourbons from the big boys. This reminds me of 1792 Full Proof—super spicy on the nose. I think that 15% rye is really coming through. There's almost a saline thing here too—not quite salted caramel, but more like a salted maple. I really, really like this.

Taste

Brad:
It gets a little bit oaky, but in a really beautiful, enhancing type of way. There’s tons of brown sugar, there’s apple, the creaminess and vanilla. I feel like I just had a big scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream at the county fair. It almost gets spicy enough that it feels like a fall apple cider. There’s a little bit of cinnamon. I like this a lot. I’m going to give it an 8.5/10.

Bob:
I don't find that it has quite enough sweetness to be a Bob Book staple. It really stays on the spicy side, and it’s super prickly on the tongue. You probably could have convinced me this was higher proof than 110. That said, I think this is right in line with those single barrel picks we love at Kentucky Bourbon Festival—barrel-strength Bardstown whiskey. I do wish it was more viscous and sweeter, but I can't go any lower than an 8/10 on the palate.

Finish

Brad:
The finish has a little bit of oak char going on. It’s got brown sugar, the vanilla sticks around, and it definitely gets more spicy on the back end. I still like it a lot. The palate is the real all-star here, but I’ll give it an 8/10 on the finish.

Bob:
This gets a little bit of that mineral water quality again for me—not quite irony or metallic, but it kind of tips into that. Maybe some salt, maybe some limestone. It’s a little oaky and loses all sweetness on the finish. It's not my preferred thing, but it’s not out of character. I’ll give it a 7.5/10.

Balance

Bob:
Even though this isn't my favorite kind of bourbon, that doesn’t mean the kind of bourbon it is is out of character. This is a very cohesive drinking experience. I like this a lot. I’m at an 8/10.

Brad:
I’m also at an 8/10 on balance. I think they put together a really great grouping of flavors. If I tasted this out of the barrel, I also would be like, ‘We can’t wait any longer.’ I’d be nervous about it becoming too oaky if left in the barrel any longer.

Value

Bob:
So the MSRP on this is $90. I get that it’s nine years old, and it reminds me of some of the Hardin’s Creek bottles—those more premium Jim Beam releases. But man, you really have to knock my socks off to charge $90. This is still like a $70 bourbon to me. I’m going to give it a 5/10.

Brad:
Initially thinking it was $110, I felt it was $20–$30 too expensive. For me, I think $80–$90 fits for this product. It's not an all-star value, but I don't think it's a 5/10. I'll give it a 7.5/10.

Final Scores

Bob: 37.5/50

Brad: 40/50

Average Score: 38.75/50

Conclusion

With a combined score just shy of 40, Almost Old Bones Bourbon lands in the “strong recommend” category for us—especially for fans of traditional, high-rye, high-proof Kentucky bourbon. Brad crossed the 40/50 threshold and would gladly suggest this to anyone seeking a richer, spicier pour. Bob’s slightly lower score still reflects a thumbs-up, with value being the biggest sticking point.

As always, we consider anything over 35/50 worth trying at a bar or picking up if it hits the right price. And if you're a fan of 1792 Full Proof, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, or similar flavor profiles, you’ll likely find a lot to love here.

Looking for your next sturdy sipper? Almost Old Bones may be exactly what your shelf is missing.