Frank August Small Batch Bourbon has been a mystery. There wasn't much information online about this bourbon, the distillate source, or the company. I saw it online at Seelbach's, but it sold out quickly. I wondered what the fuss was about. It wasn't available in the liquor stores where I lived, so when it appeared at Seelbach's again with its wonderfully sleek and well-designed bottle, fear of missing out took over, and I immediately purchased it. Let's see in this review of Frank August Bourbon if this 100 proof, 4.5 year old bourbon lives up to the bottle design.
Nose
Caramel corn candy and vanilla that morphs into a mild rye spice. Throughout Frank August Bourbon is an undercurrent of hard grape candy. Enough ethanol gives you a slight tingle of the nose hairs.
Palate
Frank August Small Batch Bourbon features a very young oak (aged 4.5 years, but even seems more youthful), corn, a teeny bit of rye spice, and black pepper. The taste is almost a reflection of the nose, with a decent blend of sweetness and spiciness at times and dominant sweetness at other times.
Finish
Moderately long, spiced corn finish.