Maple wood | Tiramisu | Coffee bean | Cinnamon dust

Molasses | Rich oak | Stewed apples | Barrel char | Hazelnut chocolate

Heavy stout | Dry oak | Espresso | Mahogany | Cinnamon | Smoke

Two Souls Spirits is an independent bottler headed by James Estrada and Chad Civetti. Known as “The Whiskey Doctor,” Estrada has written for Bourbon Sippers and co-hosts the Whiskey Uncut Podcast. J. Carver Distillery was founded in 2012 and has been producing bourbon, rye, and wheat whiskey ever since, guided by the motto “Spirits of Discovery.” Located approximately 40 miles west of Minneapolis, Minnesota, this grain-to-glass distillery’s whiskey is aged in a cold northern climate that often gives their whiskeys unique attributes.

Two Souls Minnesota American Single Malt “Rich Mahogany” is aptly named, as it tastes like mahogany in a glass. Its dry oak intensity is surprising as it is an American single malt finished in a used bourbon barrel, which often mellows a whiskey, not intensifies it. Distilled from Irish stout malt, this is not an off-the-shelf single malt from J. Carver Distillery. It’s an American single malt that drinks like a barrel proof bourbon, with big, robust notes of molasses, stewed apples, barrel char, and espresso, with a lingering dry oak and smoky aftertaste.

Two Souls Minnesota American Single Malt “Rich Mahogany” is an entirely unexpected pour. It tricks you into thinking it is going to be a delicate tasting American single malt, and instead slaps you silly with its big Irish stout notes. The first pour will likely be challenging, but if you're familiar with a pint of Guinness or (non-peaty) smoky single malts, this hits the spot. At 125 proof, it's hot and has an immediate impact, but its overall richness cannot be overstated.