Old Stubborn Batch 2 Review

The brainchild of renowned bourbon barrel picker, blender, and whiskey celebrity Ed Bley, Rising Tide Spirits is the manifestation of a pursuit to become a world-class non-distiller producer. Established in 2018, the name of the company comes from the adage that “a rising tide lifts all boats” and reflects Ed’s personal philosophy as well as his love for the bourbon industry’s traditions of inclusivity, community, and collaboration. Having quickly risen to fame for his uncanny palate, whiskey blending talent, and skills in picking world-renowned barrels of whiskey, Ed’s Midas touch not only put his previous employer Cork N Bottle on the global map, but drove demand for his picks, blends, and talents to the point where his releases became more sought-after than many limited releases. As such, the logical next step was to break off on his own and start an NDP with a focus on quality, taste, and transparency where he could play a greater role in choosing the stocks coming in, the further ageing of the barrels, handling all aspects of blending, and creating unique and innovative releases.

When news broke in late November 2023 that Rising Tide Spirits were preparing to launch their long-awaited first release, the bourbon community went wild and their initial release quickly became one of the most sought-after bourbons of the year. Not long after, Old Stubborn announced that those who missed Batch 1 would soon have Batch 2 to look forward to. Fast forward to the end of April, and Ed introduced us to Old Stubborn Batch 2, described as “a premium hand marriage of 10, 11, and 12-year-old pot still straight bourbon.” Rising Tide’s website further revealed that Batch 2 is a high rye bourbon, limited to just 1,400 bottles. Like Batch 1, Old Stubborn Batch 2 is a non-chill filtered blend of 10, 11, and 12-year-old pot still straight bourbon, bottled at 123.8 proof in a bespoke decanter. This batch comes from an extremely limited cache of whiskey that is no longer produced by the source distillery. While the source remains undisclosed due to Non-Disclosure Agreements, the state of distillation is listed as West Virginia. This hints at Smooth Ambler, the only distillery producing pot still bourbon in West Virginia 12 years ago, although this remains unconfirmed. This release also features a decorative tube similar to Batch 1 but with a gold accent indicating high rye, as opposed to the purple accent for wheated bourbon in Batch 1. The tube protects the bottle and provides additional information without obstructing the view of this majestic, dark bourbon. Let’s taste!

Vital Stats:

Name: Old Stubborn Batch 2
Age: Blend of 10, 11, and 12y.o. whiskies
Proof: 123.8 Proof (61.9% ABV)
Type: Straight Bourbon
Mashbill: Not disclosed (minimum 51% corn and containing rye)
Producer: Rising Tide Spirits
Website: https://www.risingtidespirits.com/
Glassware: Glencairn

Review

Nose: The nose opens thick with black cherries stewed in rich dark caramels, earthy baking spices of clove and cinnamon, warm peanuts, and a touch of leather. As you nose deeper the complexity continues to build as the caramels, fruits, earthy spices, and roasted nut notes all gain intensity and depth.

Palate: The palate opens with big red and black fruit notes which turn a touch tart as dark caramels, near burnt roasted peanuts, and dark chocolate wash across the palate bringing tingling spice which elevates the fruit and caramel notes. As the spice fades you’re left with earthy charred oak spices, lingering oily grains, rich dark chocolate, and deep caramels edged with red and black fruits.

Finish: The finish is long, opening with lingering peppery earthy charred oak notes, dried red and black fruits, a touch of barrel smoke, dark chocolate, cloves, and fire-roasted peanuts, leading into a long and faintly herbaceous aftertaste with dark chocolate and barrel spices.

Overall 

This bourbon is excellent. It’s viscous, densely layered, deeply complex, well-balanced, and jam-packed with quintessential bourbon flavours like rich fruit, dark caramels, and herbaceous charred oak. Every sip of this whiskey reminds you that it is a craft whiskey distilled with care while aged to perfection. Being a craft whiskey distilled via a pot still, it also delivers a well-rounded drinking experience even at barrel proof and without filtration, giving a buttery mouthfeel, faintly spicy edges, and flavours ranging from soft and nuanced to bold and robust. With a few drops of water, more of the caramel notes come through on the nose, whereas the palate keeps its herbaceous dark oak and chocolate notes whilst losing some of that spice. The finish remains mostly untouched and again gains increased caramels. Personally, I prefer this uncut, but for those new to barrel-proof bourbons, a few drops will benefit your drinking experience, and this bourbon takes it very well – which is another good sign!

Now past their second release, those who held fast in Ed Bley’s ability to deliver blends worthy of his reputation have once again been rewarded for their faith and patience. My understanding is that batch 2 hails from the same undisclosed distillery as the wheated bourbon from the previous Old Stubborn release, and the result is a release that is so delicious and well-balanced that you would be forgiven for wondering why any rational distillery owner would allow stocks of this quality to roll away. My guess is Ed’s personable nature, the lasting relationships he’s built over the years, and his uncanny ability to spot something unique and blend it into something remarkable. As promised from day one, this release continues to be non-chill filtered and barrel-proof to maintain all those nuanced flavours, textures, and the overall experience you get from drinking a well-made, well-aged, and carefully blended whiskey. This ongoing dedication to releasing something unique and of the highest possible quality further reflects Rising Tide’s raison d’être which is stated on the back of Old Stubborn’s ornate tube as being: “Unyielding commitment to quality and character. Uncompromising dedication to tradition and taste. Unrelenting pursuit of the perfect whiskey.” Even the name Old Stubborn was reportedly derived from Ed’s stubborn attitude towards releasing anything before he personally deems it ready, and from packaging to bottle to the whiskey itself it’s clear that every detail has been carefully contemplated by the Rising Tide team. Word on the grapevine is that Old Stubborn is just the start of a very exciting journey for Rising Tide Spirits with more releases planned to follow soon and featuring a mix of single barrel bottlings and more bespoke blends curated by Ed. I for one cannot wait to taste these!

Try or Buy?

The inevitable price tag is the only downside of releasing a meticulously crafted, limited-edition double-digit blend. With an MSRP of $250, this release was never going to be in the sub-$100 range. True to form, Ed’s latest offering has sold out at most retail outlets. To get your hands on a bottle now, you’ll likely need to turn to auctions, private collectors, or shops selling at a premium above MSRP. Therefore, I highly recommend trying it before buying it. However, if you’re already familiar with Ed’s work and have seen the glowing reviews, you’ll know this bourbon is worth the investment.