Based on
4 categories
Lucky Seven Holiday Toast
Background: Lucky Seven founders Michael Lahalih and John Palis have been getting a lot of attention in recent years for their high-quality, thematic bourbon expressions. The brand’s bottling immediately sets it apart on the shelf with its nod to the American cinema, and striking color contrasts. Their product has been consistently strong and the company has quickly gained a strong base of fans.
The Holiday Toast is a limited release double oak expression, finished in heavily toasted oak barrels. It is a straight bourbon with no age statement, so we know the bourbon is at least four years. The Auburn color whiskey shows well in the bottle, and the bottle used in the tasting was part of batch seven.
Nose: On the mark with the name holiday toast, the medium intensity nose is nutmeg, vanilla, and cinnamon, with some underlying gingerbread and new leather aromas. The nose on this really sets the table for the rest of the tasting experience.
Palate: Baking spices, brown sugar, and Carmel on the palate. Gingerbread and maple syrup are complemented by well-balanced oak. The holiday toast has big flavor and the sweet notes are nicely balanced with classic holiday time spice notes. While heat is there at 115 proof, it is not overwhelming and drinks like a lower proof bourbon.
Finish: The finish is long and lingering with more cinnamon and brown sugar, and well balanced oak.
Conclusion: There is a lot to love about Lucky Seven’s Holiday Toast, and the flavor should appeal to double oak lovers and non-double oak lovers alike, i.e. the oak is well-integrated and does not dominate the overall flavor profile. The proof to flavor balance is spot on — the heat doesn’t overwhelm the taste experience and offers a solid backbone for the whiskey. At $75 MSRP this bottle is worth picking up. The author suspects that as more fans discover Lucky Seven, prices will likely trend higher in years to come for high-quality limited release Lucky Seven bourbons, like the Holiday Toast. It offers a complex pour that that is well balanced from start to finish.
