In ready-to-drink cocktail world, Old Fashioned’s and Manhattans tend toward the sticky sweet, as a number that I have sampled have been. With Thomas Ashbourne, this deviates a bit. Their version is not sticky sweet (it does have a moderate amount of sweetness) so it’s much more drinkable than most. But what gets lost here is the bourbon. The bitters and simple syrup all do their job, but the whiskey is underwhelming. Granted, there are any number of straight bourbon whiskies you could use when making your own, but a properly constructed cocktail should exhibit definable bourbon quality. Here the bourbon seems watered down, and therefore the key component is muddled. This is fine if you want something simple and easy – just open the bottle – but it loses its way towards a true Old Fashioned cocktail. 88
Reviewed by Michael Cervin
Brand – Thomas Ashbourne
Spirit Type – Bourbon whiskey
Other Designation – Ready-to-drink cocktail
Country of Origin – USA
ABV – 25%
Bottle Size – 375ml
Price – $15
Score – 88
Date Reviewed – 8/10/2023