It happened to Vodka. It happened to Gin. It happened to Tequila.
And now, it’s happening to Whiskey.
The influx of celebrity names now attaching themselves to Whiskey seems to increase in multitudes every year. What’s caught my attention more than anything is the number of former athletes with a whiskey or bourbon they’re pushing. NFL Hall of Famer Charles Woodson has Woodson Bourbon. American tennis legend Andy Roddick has Sweetens Cove. Conor McGregor has Proper Twelve. David Beckham has Haig Club Scotch. Stephen Curry has Gentlemen’s Cut Bourbon and Scottie Pippen has Digits Bourbon.
So, let’s hit on arguably the greatest No. 2 option in the history of the NBA first, with a simple question…is Pippen’s bourbon good?
To answer this question, I have procured a bottle of Digits Bourbon from Total Wine for $66. Moreover, I have scoured the internet to find other perspectives on the spirit in question.
In 2021, Pippen linked up with renowned winemaker (The Prisoner) and distiller (The Burning Chair Bourbon) Dave Phinney to produce Digits — a blended Bourbon with barrels sourced from Tennessee and Indiana, with the youngest Bourbon in the blend being five years old.
The blend was then aged at Phinney’s Savage & Cooke on historic Mare Island in Vallejo, California. It’s bottled at 92 proof. The mash bill is 75% Corn, 21% Rye, and 4% Malted Barley.
To determine if it’s good, I sourced intel from Barrel Brothers Whiskey, Drinkhacker and Malt Review. Give them a click to support their expertise in this matter.
The Nose
Barrel Brothers: Smooth scents of vanilla, caramel, and charred oak are the stars of the nose, with hints of cinnamon and maple drifting in and out.
Drinkhacker: A bit doughy, with notes of sandalwood and sesame giving way to an almond cookie character after some airtime.
Malt Review: Surprisingly sweet cinnamon, gingerbread, peach cobbler. Not quite Christmas, as the sweet smells of baking outdoors come to mind.
Sip Mightily: Smells like Kix cereal, toast and leather.
The Palate
Drinkhacker: A mix of molasses and clover honey, hinting at red berries that brighten things up a little.
Malt Review: Mesquite; a flavor I haven’t quite experienced since the Wild Turkey product Longbranch. Burnt apple pie, but in a positive way.
Sip Mightily: More toast. A bit of caramel or butterscotch, like the ones you’d get out of your grandmother’s purse at church.
Barrel Brothers: Vanilla, baked rye bread, oak, and some floral notes make up the flavor profile of this whiskey. The whiskey has a lighter mouthfeel attributable to the proof.
The Finish
Malt Review: The mesquite runs throughout, which is a sign of a good blend to me. Consistent from start to finish, unlike Scottie’s takes. (Editor’s note: Shots fired!) Spices, minerals. The lower proof helps here, whereas a higher proof might be too astringent.
Sip Mightily: Malt Review is wild for calling out Pippen’s takes like that (laughs). I still get toast, along with spice and raisin. Minimal burn.
Barrel Brothers: Short to medium in length with full notes of barrel char, burnt rye spice, and some pepper and goes down very smooth.
Drinkhacker: Ample notes of caramel and vanilla provide a traditional — albeit very mild — trajectory toward the finish, which is lightly sweet and dusted with nougat, more honey, and some light green herb notes.
Final Thoughts
Sip Mightily: This feels like a good purchase to share with friends or someone who really loves the Chicago Bulls. Guaranteed conversation starter, I don’t know if I’d spend $70 regularly for this, though. Score: 82.5.
Barrel Brothers: A flavorful and smooth craft whiskey with a cool back story. It has many standard bourbon flavors and can be enjoyed by anyone. Score: 80.
Drinkhacker: While 70 bucks may be asking a lot for this one, Digits is ultimately a pleasant whiskey that should find plenty of love amongst fans of a softer, less aggressive style. Score: B+ or 88.5.
Malt Review: If this bourbon was released at $40 without the Pippen media machine and just S&C behind it, would it make the top 50 bourbons you should buy? Probably not. With the association to Pippen, does it make for a better story and enjoyment? Yes. Score: 6/10 if you’re a Bulls fan, or 60.
Averaged final score: 78
What does a 78 mean? It means it’s probably good for a one-time buy. It’s the type of bottle I’d buy as a gift for anyone who loves basketball and is into Bourbon for fun.
So is Pippen’s Bourbon actually good? It’s not bad. If it were $33 cheaper, I’d buy this stuff all the time. Instead, I’ll buy it for my friends who are Bulls fans who are sad that their team is quite terrible at the moment. For the love of the basketball gods, please trade Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, ASAPtually.
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