Remus Repeal Reserve IX (Batch 9) Review

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Okay MGP, I see what you’re trying to do. You’re finally giving us the one thing we’ve been asking for years – a bump in proof for the Remus Repeal Reserve line. But did you have to be so spiteful by only adding one ABV point per year? If that’s the game you’re playing, then joke’s on you because at the current rate, you’ll have to bottle RRR at 100% ABV by 2073! What will you do then?!

All joking aside, you’ve all probably observed that the proof for the 9th edition of Remus Repeal Reserve has bumped up to 104 proof or 52% ABV. And while I am genuinely happy for this to happen, I had a light bulb moment while doing my research and tasting notes for this review that made me pause – Is MGP is trying to turn RRR into “Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition Indiana Edition?”

Remus Repeal Reserve IX

When you think of Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition what comes to mind? Various recipes and various ages all blended together to make something slightly different each year. And I’ve noticed that for the past 7 years, the Four Roses blending team has been incorporating ultra-aged bourbon into the blend to the tune of around 5% of the total volume. I don’t think is by accident, I think it’s by design.

I liken the addition of that small amount of ultra-aged bourbon to how a chef makes sure a dish is perfectly seasoned. Seasoning isn’t the star of the show, but we recognize if a dish has too little or too much of it. I think Four Roses adds these 15+ year old barrels into their Limited Edition because their blends seem to lack much barrel influence below that age. This helps ensure the seasoning is perfect and the results speak for themselves.

Since the Ross & Squibb Distillery and Four Roses fell under the old Seagrams empire back in the day, their bourbons are fairly similar. The same barrel entry proof, maturation concept, recipes and even yeasts are used. So call it speculation, but I believe the blending team at MGP/Ross & Squibb recognized that adding ultra-aged bourbon into their blends would do for their bourbon what it did for Four Roses. It’s funny how estranged siblings like these two can still look to each other for the inspiration.

Please sir, I want some more (proof)

I think most of us can agree that the best version of RRR was the 2021 release. The thing that made it stand out the most were the inclusion of 16-year-old barrels into the blend. The only thing it was missing to become a truly legendary release was a higher proof to amplify the experience. I imagine there was probably internal debates over increasing it or not, but the bean counters pushed back. Now that we’re in rut of declining bourbon sales, those bean counters are probably singing a different tune and allowing the product development team more leeway to make products that appeal to every kind of consumer, hence the proof bump.

Before, RRR was a tough sell at $80-100 with a proof of only 100, but now that it’s finally gaining some, it’s looking more and more like Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition in terms of composition and proof.

Before I get on with the tasting notes, I want to put into visual perspective where this year’s RRR falls compared to previous years average age and average rye content. It’s something I’ve been tracking with Four Roses SmBLE releases as well. There might be no rhyme or reason with these numbers, but they might give you something to latch onto if you’re wondering what made a particular batch special to you.

Average Age of Each Series

Series V (2021) – Average Age 13.75 Years Old

Series IV (2020) – Average Age 12 Years Old

Series I (2017) – Average Age 11.5 Years Old

Series III (2019) – Average Age 11.12 Years Old

*Series IX (2025) – Average Age 10.83 Years Old

Series VIII (2024) – Average Age 10.63 Years Old

Series II (2018) – Average Age 10.25 Years Old

Series VII (2023) – Average Age 9.94 Years Old

Series VI (2022) – Average Age 9 Years Old

Average Rye Percentage in Each Series

*note: The lowest percentage possible is 21% and the highest percentage possible is 36%

Series VIII (2024) – 31.05%

Series V (2021) –  29.85%

Series VII (2023) – 28.5%

*Series IX (2025) – 28.35%

Series VI (2022) – 27.3%

Series II (2018) – 26.25%

Series IV (2020) – 24.45%

Series I (2017) – 23.25%

Series III (2019) – 22.5%

Once again, I’m not saying that these averages have much impact on how this bourbon rates compared to other releases, but it’s interesting to see the data nonetheless.

Now to get down to the actual tasting notes. A special thanks to Mike over at Mostly Peaceful Bourbon for the bottle he gifted as a birthday present to me. I appreciate it always! As usual, I sampled this neat in a glencairn.

Tasting Notes

Nose: A lovely combination of cinnamon raisin bread and brown sugar lead off the sniff on a sweet note. But one note jumps out right away as being strange to me – I call it “rancio” which is this sort of oxidized, nutty, musty note that is kind of a catch-all. In a way, there’s a part of it that smells almost like an oxidized, fortified wine. But herbal, minty, notes from the rye grain bring my senses back into focus on the bourbon while fruit notes of berry jam, stewed apricots and grilled lemons round it off. Very nice.

Palate: For only 7% of the blend being 19(18?)-year-old barrels, the oak and wet pipe tobacco notes really stand out. They’re both pleasant, not bitter. There are those interesting rancio notes I found on the nose, only now on my tongue. I swear the flavor (as well as the jammy fruit notes) that most closely resembles it would be akin to a sherry-cask finish. Does anyone else get this? A bit of chocolate, more brown sugar and some faint herbal notes here and there.

Finish: Oak and the rancio note dominate on the finish with herbal and a light chocolate note aren’t far behind. Baking spices like cinnamon, clove and black pepper. The spices I just listed really give a nice contrast to the other flavors.

Score: 8.2/10

I’m not going to say that this was the best RRR release yet, but I will say that it is probably my second favorite. Previous versions were all fairly straightforward versions of the standard MGP bourbon profile. They might have highlighted a particular note or two to make them seem different from other batches, but that was about it. RRR IX came out with a whole new feel to it (seriously, what the heck was up with the sherry/rancio note?) that made me sit up and take notice. And while I also want to give a shoutout to the proof bump, it was the blend that made me most impressed.

I also have to commend it on being able to showcase both fruit and oak at the same time. This is not that easy or else MGP would have done it like this more in the past. Typically these releases highlight one or the other. I do think the older barrels have helped a lot.

Final Thoughts

This is going to be pretty blunt, but buy this year’s version of Remus Repeal Reserve. If you’ve been holding off for the last few years to wait and hear if the reviews are good enough to warrant dropping the money on it, then I’m giving you your sign. I do think this year’s is going to be widely considered to be in the top 2 of all Remus offerings. You shouldn’t need any more encouragement than that.