Old Dominick Cask Strength
Overall Score: 7.75/10
Overall Value: 4/5
Distillery: Old Dominick Distillery
Classification: Straight Bourbon
Company: Old Dominick Distillery
Release Date: Ongoing
Proof: 123.44
Age: 6-Years
Mashbill: 52% Corn, 44% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
Color: Amber
MSRP: $50 (2026)
The Barrel Bros’ Review
The nose on this Old Dominick is rich and dessert-forward. I get browned butter and burnt sugar, almost like the top of a crème brûlée. Caramel and chocolate come through strong, along with darker fruit notes—plum, blackberry, maybe even raisin. At times it leans into cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting and a custard-like sweetness. There’s also a touch of sweet cedar in the background that keeps it from going full bakery bomb.
The palate hits sweet immediately. Butterscotch, caramel, chocolate, and nougat show up fast and stay front and center. The mouthfeel is warm and buttery, coating the tongue nicely. I also get a deep red apple note—the kind with thick skin—along with a bit of earthy oak. It’s not the most polished cask strength bourbon on the market, but it’s not messy either.
The finish holds onto that chocolate note, almost like a Tootsie Roll. There’s some dry oak that creeps in, and the higher proof shows up with a little burn going down. A few drops of water smooth it out significantly and make the experience more enjoyable. Without water, the alcohol and dry oak can slightly overpower what was otherwise a really strong sip.
This is a really solid bottle. Is it as refined as something like Stagg Jr. or Elijah Craig Barrel Proof? No. But it’s also not trying to be. At its $50 MSRP, this is a very good value in the cask strength category. If you find it on sale, it becomes even easier to recommend. Overall, Old Dominick Cask Strength delivers big sweetness, rich dessert notes, and a bold profile that makes it absolutely worth trying—especially for the price.
If you’re looking for specific notes from our Barrel Bros, read their individual reviews below!
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Individual Reviews
The Rye Guy Says
Score: 7.5/10
Value: 3.5/5
THE NOSE:
It reminds me of a cinnamon roll with raisins and cream cheese frosting.
It really has a richness to it, also getting the custard profile.
Not as center stage, but there are also notes of sweet cedar
THE TASTE:
The mouthfeel is warm and buttery. It tastes like biting into a Red Apple, the deep red ones with the thick skin.
It’s really sweet with a bit of an earthy profile and dark oak.
THE FINISH:
The finish might be the weakest part.
The higher proof starts to show up with some alcohol and dry oak profiles.
BUY OR PASS?
I really like the nose and the palette, but the finish kinda brings the experience back into average territory. I like the flavors presented, but the dry oak finish doesn’t make me want to return to the sip.
There are more highlights here than not though, and I think it's a bottle worth trying especially for the price!
The Hunter Says
Score: 8/10
Value: 4.5/5
THE NOSE:
I get browned butter and burnt sugar. It’s rich and dessert-like.
Caramel and chocolate come through strong, along with some darker fruit notes—maybe plum or blackberry.
THE TASTE:
This one hits sweet fast. Then it settles into beautiful dark sweetness: butterscotch, caramel, chocolate, and nougat.
Basically all of my favorite bourbon flavors show up here.
It drinks bold, not overly refined, but not messy, and the sweetness stays front and center.
THE FINISH:
The finish hangs onto that chocolate note, almost like a Tootsie Roll.
There is a bit of burn going down the throat that can be slightly off-putting at first, but a few drops of water completely smooth it out and makes the finish much more enjoyable.
BUY OR PASS?
Full disclosure—I’m an Alex Castle fanboy, so there’s definitely some bias here. That said, this is a really solid bottle with a flavor profile I truly enjoy.
Is it as polished as Stagg Jr. or Elijah Craig Barrel Proof? No. But at six years old and around $50, there’s honestly not much to complain about. This is a very good cask strength bourbon for the money.
