Review #554 - Frank August Small Batch Bourbon

Written By Me, My Wife & Whisky

The 'story' section on the barebones website of the Frank August bourbon brand begins with the following quote: "Frank. The state of being open, honest and sincere. A philosophy we have built our brand upon." A bit amusing, really, coming from such an opaque new brand, but perhaps that's beside the point. Here's what we do know about this whisky:

  • This is a sourced bourbon from an undisclosed distillery; it's distilled in Kentucky

  • Batches of this 'Small Batch' product are typically made from 10 to 15 barrels

  • It's a straight bourbon, bottled at 50% ABV (100 proof)

There's no mention of age, barrel information, or mashbill; not a lot to discuss, then, other than the physical presentation. To be fair, it deserves some credit there: this decanter-style bottle, with its milled solid metal topper (heavy enough to be a weapon), is gorgeous with its minimalist design.

Frank August Small Batch Bourbon

USA - Bourbon

Price: USD 75 (2025)

Age Statement: NAS

Strength: 50% ABV

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 4 months; bottles at 100%, 90%, and 60% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes

Nose: Oak and caramel, a bit of leather and some butterscotch; there's a nutty character, and the longer it opens up, more corn grain and buttered popcorn appear. There's a 'crafty' note that's a bit hard to describe - imperfect integration of the spirit and oak? Then, soft floral notes, a tiny hint of dark fruit.

Palate: A medium thickness mouthfeel; classic bourbon notes of corn, balanced oak, a hint of caramel and vanilla. That buttered popcorn from the nose returns, and with time, a bit of cardamom and musty leather appears. In the background, we find spirit notes of nuttiness and a mild menthol kick; the late palate brings linen and sage.

Finish: Caramel and toasted oak, more butterscotch and vanilla, and even some coconut. The oak adds some cinnamon, there's a bit of pepper, and the finish has a medium length.

Final Note: This has a classic bourbon profile to it - oak and grain, some baking spices and sugars, maybe a hint of background rye character. It's generally a cohesive, well-rounded bourbon, with similar notes in the nose, palate, and finish; maybe, because of that, it's also not the most interesting pour. Pleasant enough to sip on, but this bottle didn't keep us too engaged over time... it's fine.

Value is okay, maybe just a bit below average, since this isn't anywhere near the entry-level price bracket despite a lot of typical bourbon flavors. There's a lot of competition around $75, and there are a few other bottles that we would pick before this - Russell's Reserve Single Barrel, New Riff 8 Year, and some Barrell products come to mind.

Our Average Rating: 6.0 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating: 5.66

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.

Me, My Wife & Whisky
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