Distillery: Ross and Squibb Distillery —Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Proof: 102.8 (51.4% ABV)
Age: Fifteen Years
Mashbill: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
MSRP: $200
A refined, cask-strength tribute to the legacy of The Great Gatsby
Remus Gatsby Reserve returns for its limited annual release 2025 edition from the historic Ross & Squibb Distillery. This year’s expression marks the 100th anniversary of F. Scott Fitzerald’s The Great Gatsby and continues the emphasis on long-aged bourbon, high-corn mashbill, and cask-strength proof.
Packaged in Art Deco styling with a centennial tie-in to Fitzgerald’s novel, this release represents the upper tier of Ross & Squibb’s aging program. Read on for our sensory dive into how the 2025 edition actually performs in the glass.
Remus Gatsby Reserve (2025 Release) Bourbon Review: Tasting Notes
Nose – 4.7/5
Think corn maze on a sunny fall afternoon. Dry corn grain. Rustic aroma. Gentle rye-cool note. Cherry accent.
Strengths: The Nose leans heavily into corn character with a distinctly dry corn grain quality that feels textured, rustic, and mature. A gentle rye-cool note provides contrast to the corn. A soft cherry accent adds a quiet sweetness.
Why It’s Not Higher: While the Nose is excellent, it remains anchored to in corn-driven core and unfolds into significant additional layers over time.
Rating Justification: An expressive and memorable Nose. Easily one of the release’s strongest features.
Palate – 4.7/5
Dense cocoa. Cool mint. Creamy. Touch of rye spice. Broad, full texture.
Strengths: The Palate is rich, coating, and immediately satisfying. The 102.8 proof feels perfectly calibrated, delivering a saturation and intensity of flavors without any harshness.
Why It’s Not Higher: The profile leans confidently into a chocolate-mint theme but doesn’t significantly develop beyond.
Rating Justification: An indulgent and well-balanced Palate. Leaves you eager for another pour.
Finish – 4.4/5
Medium fade. Chocolate. Deep pipe tobacco. Gentle oak warmth.
Strengths: The Finish lands with a pleasant combo of tobacco leaf with a chocolate edge. Blends naturally into what the Palate established. Gentle warm warmth lingers without any bitterness or tannic bite.
Why It’s Not Higher: A rather muted length for a whiskey with this proof point and age.
Rating Justification: A very good Finish with clean flavors and satisfying warmth. Shorter than one might expect from a long-aged release.
Value – 4.2/5
At $200, the 2025 Remus Gatsby Reserve justifies much of its premium with strong sensory performance, mature age, and extremely limited annual availability. The whiskey delivers a high level of flavor, making the price reasonable for flavor-focused bourbon enthusiasts.
Remus Gatsby Reserve (2025 Release) Bourbon Review: The Verdict
Remus Gatsby Reserve (2025) delivers an exceptional Nose, rich and commanding Palate with a moderate Finish. Altogether, this release is an impressive mature MGP bourbon. A compelling choice for enthusiasts.
Verdict – 4.5/5
We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.
Scoring System:
- Platinum – 4.5 – 5
- Gold – 4 – 4.5
- Silver – 3 – 4
- Bronze – <3
Mike Long is a staff writer at Bourbon Inspector and has an Executive Bourbon Steward designation from the Stave and Thief Society. He’s a former “wine guy” who discovered his love for bourbon years back at a spur-of-the-moment bourbon tasting he attended. He also loves traveling throughout America with his wife of over 37 years, Debby.