Butterscotch | Raspberry | Strawberry | Lemon | Mango | Sweet oak

Caramel | Graham cracker | Toasted oak | Orange rind

Burnt butterscotch | Cinnamon stick | Gentle rye spice | Oak tannins | Mixed nuts | Touch dry

Launched in 2012 as Prairie Wolf Spirits in Guthrie, Oklahoma, and now known as WanderFolk Distillery, it became the state's first legal operation after Prohibition. The distillery produces a wide range of spirits, with its main bourbon under the “Same Old Moses” banner, honoring Moses Weinberger, who established one of the Oklahoma Territory's earliest legal saloons in 1891. Tallbird American Whiskey is an expansion of their bourbon line that the company states harks back to “a time when a well-aged bourbon wasn't something you paid a premium for and when quality was something you could expect without a sky-high price tag. Good doesn't have to be expensive."

Value is the key with Tallbird American Whiskey (aka “Tallbird Whiskey of the Golden Age”). Sourced from Bardstown Bourbon Co. and Tennessee Distilling at 7 years old, then aged an additional 2 years in Guthrie, Oklahoma, where average summer temperatures are 94 degrees and winter temps near 50 degrees. The kicker, though, is its price: $25 for a 9 year old bourbon is unheard of in today’s marketplace.

For that price, you get a bourbon that more than satisfies, though this isn’t necessarily a hidden gem, at least on the surface. The bourbon’s aroma is nicely varied, with butterscotch balanced by raspberry, strawberry, lemon, and mango. The palate delivers a nice mix of caramel, butterscotch, toasted oak, and orange rind, leaning sweet. The finish turns a tad bitter and dry thanks to a rise in oak tannins. Burnt butterscotch and cinnamon stick give the taste a slight edge, ending on a mixed-nut note.

It’s hard to complain about any bourbon that delivers a largely satisfying sip with a 9 year old age statement for $25. As long as you don’t go in with overly lofty expectations, Tallbird American Whiskey speaks to a wide range of bourbon drinkers who appreciate high value and an easy-drinking bourbon.