Raisin | Oak | Mixed berries | Strawberry | Faint vanilla

Incredibly dry oak | Raisin | Mixed peppercorn | Leather | Ripe berry

Dry oak | Baking spices | Raisin | Short

Conviction bourbon is distilled by Southern Grace Distilleries, which is located in the small town of Mount Pleasant, North Carolina. Southern Grace Distilleries was founded in 2014 and was initially located in Concord, North Carolina, before moving to Mount Pleasant in 2016. The distillery operates out of an abandoned 1929 state prison, which they refer to as “Whiskey Prison.” They distill onsite and age their barrels in the prison cell block dormitory.

Amarone Della Valpolicella is a wine varietal that isn’t often utilized to finish bourbon. This rich, dry red wine hails from Verona, Italy, and consists of grapes that have been rack dried prior to fermentation. The wine is aged for several years in uncharred oak casks before being bottled. Southern Grace Distilleries states they fill these used Amarone casks with their straight bourbon and finish it between 1-2.5 years.

Right from the get-go, there’s no denying that this is a wine barrel finished bourbon. It starts with a nose that poignantly highlights raisin, mixed berries, and strawberry scents. Moving on, things take a wild turn as the midpoint presents two different faces. It whips back and forth between juicy and incredibly mouth-suckingly dry. It’s a wild dichotomy of flavors. The finish, however, settles right back down, focusing on dry oak, baking spices, and raisin before quickly fading away.

The fun part about finishing a bourbon in used wine casks is that the varietal chosen, along with the base bourbon mashbill, produces something entirely unique by comparison to other wine barrel finished bourbons. Southern Grace Distilleries produces a number of wine finished expressions, and in the case of Amarone Cask, the wine influence is noticeable throughout. The palate brings pause, however, as you go back for more, hoping the dryness tampers down, yet it never does. It comes across as unique but also flawed. For many, this will be their first Amarone cask finished bourbon, and it will satisfy those looking for an intense, dry wine-influenced sip.