If you set me down and asked me to name my favorite bourbon of all time, I would have a quick answer. If you were to ask my wife or my father-in-law, I bet they could answer it too.

Straight up – My favorite bourbon of all time is OCD #5 by Glenn’s Creek Distillery.

There is an amazing list of other bourbons (Bookers, Old Forester 1910 and 1920, Heaven Hill, EH Taylor, etc), but nothing constantly ranks at the top of my list like OCD #5.

Why Do I Love OCD #5?

Honestly – It’s because it’s a small distillery producing some amazing bourbon. And they have a great story.

I’m a sucker for the craft and small places. My craft beer days taught me that I need to value those who put their heart and soul into what they love. And that’s one reason I love Glenn’s Creek and their OCD #5.

If you walk into the place, you will see just a handful of guys making good bourbon. That’s it. Not a big gift shop or fancy tour. You’ll see their converted soy sauce fermenter made still and you will you walk into their cooler and see the fermentation in action. I’m not sure their is a more authentic place to see bourbon in action that at Glenn’s Creek.

And no. I’m not paid to say this. I just freaking love the place.

What’s The Story Behind OCD #5?

Ok – So I did a little search on OCD #5 and this was the review I saw.

I was a little sad because it really missed the boat in terms of the story and the taste. If I would have read that review, there was a chance I would have passed on my favorite bourbon.

Let’s start with the story (I feel like an ethnographer with this bit):

I have no idea why, but these crazy folks from Kentucky decided to make some bourbon and one drunk night they thought it would be a good idea to grab some free yeast from the Old Crow Distillery (on the property where they reside). I might be elaborating a little, but I swear I was told they took 5 buckets of yeast starter into the old distillery and tried to see if they could harvest some yeast.

One bucket tipped over and was lost.

One bucket met a friendly raccoon and might be used for a raccoon/bourbon collaboration in the future (just kidding).

I’m pretty sure they told me that one bucket had a bunch of bird shit in it. I could be making this up, but I don’t know why I would make something like that up.

One bucket grew mold. Or something like that.

And one bucket actually picked up some yeast and that’s what makes OCD #5.

And if you haven’t caught on, the yeast was picked up from the Old Crow Distillery Vat #5. Thus the name.

The essences of the story is: These good old boys from Kentucky decided to use history to make bourbon. They had some failures, but then captured the history of Old Crow Distillery and make their version of the bourbon in today’s world. And they kick ass doing it.

And if you don’t believe the story, just ask them about the story of Sotit’s Vodka. I might not have the right spelling, but the story is quite funny.

What Can I Expect To Taste With OCD #5 From Glenn’s Creek?

Simply put: Some of the richest bourbon you will ever put in your mouth.

It’s sweet, a little corn forward, and an oak, caramel, and vanilla bomb. If I had to describe it, I would say it’s like drinking rich brown sugar that had been aged in an oak barrel and the guy kinda forget to water the final product down. And I’m not mad about it.

This isn’t a bourbon for the faint of heart. It’s for someone who loves the intense flavor of oak and brown sugar and who isn’t afraid to put a little water (or ice) in their cup while they are sipping this wonderful creation.

They swear they have “removed the hangover causing ingredients,” but I cannot confirm nor deny that claim. I might need to have a few bottles and find out (I have a hypothesis)…

Should I Stop By The Distillery When I’m In Frankfort, Kentucky?

Yes. If you are still questioning this while you are reading this far, you might want to read the first few paragraphs again.

Honestly, if you enjoy the authentic experience, you need to stop by Glenn’s Creek. These are great guys and they make some great spirits.

If you can make it down the winding road to hit this distillery, you won’t be disappointed.

And if you are military, fire, or police, bring a badge to share. They will put it up at the distillery and they love to have you visit.

PS: If there is some OCD #5 Premium, don’t buy it. I want it to be there when I show up. It’s an amped up version of the OCD #5 and it’s extremely limited. So forget I said anything.

If You Like It So Much, Why Don’t You Marry It?

First off, I’m happily married to my wife.

Second, I can’t keep enough of it in stock to be married to it. I can’t find it in Indiana and I have to make special trips to Kentucky and Ohio to find it.

So it’s like a treasure to me. One I can’t wait to drink.

Conclusion

I’ll stand by this.

Throw a bottle of Weller in my hand and I would hand it over to you (with $20) to get a bottle of OCD #5.

That’s not a joke. I love this stuff.

If you see a bottle, grab it. Drink it. And let me know what you think.

Cheers!