Nose: Dried jalapenos | Fresh cut chili peppers dominate | No other scents make it past the wall of peppers

Palate: Chili peppers | Light grain | Dab of smoke | Chocolate | One of the more wild flavor profiles for a whiskey

Finish: Chili peppers | Light dry oak | Slightest touch of vanilla | The finish sticks with you for minutes on end

Adventurous Stills is a craft distillery located in Tempe, Arizona whose motto is “strive to make something different.” The company’s Quinoa Whiskey is the 12th release in their Explorer’s Club. For $250 a year, members have the opportunity to purchase a unique one-of-a-kind whiskey from the company. Unique is the key word here, as this is one of the wildest whiskeys I’ve tasted lately. The nose smells like you’re about to dive into a spicy jalapeno cocktail and the rest of the sip plows forward with bold pepper flavors. It seems a fitting tribute to its origins in the southwest, and if you're a fan of chili peppers, you may gravitate towards this.

That said, this is truly love it or hate it whiskey with many people probably being in the latter camp due to its exotic flavor profile. While I can’t see too many people reaching for a neat pour all too often, I could see this being used as an interesting twist in a cocktail. I found this whiskey to be too chili pepper dominant, but I do have to give Adventurous Stills credit for making something different.

The bottle being reviewed is number 137.

Nose: Caramel | Vanilla | Honey | Citrus | Light overall

Palate: Rye spice | Honey | Sugary sweet | Graham cracker | Thin body

Finish: Amplified rye note | Cinnamon | Touch of oak | Caramel | Medium length

Wiggly Bridge Distillery is an interesting story of a father-son operation in York, Maine - a duo that is not only self-taught, but also built their own distillation equipment. The concept of the name is derived from a Wiggly Bridge that was built in the 1930’s and believed to be the smallest pedestrian bridge in the country. The company’s Small Barrel Bourbon is aged in smaller than average barrels, and while the label states “Under 4 Years” the company website states that it's aged for 4 years. Regardless, the bourbon is developed with an ample rye backbone, yet is still relatively light overall which could be attributed to its proof. What it does offer is pleasant, though it will be most appealing to those who prefer a lighter sip.

Nose: Corn | Grain | Rye spice | Methanol | Crisp peach | Vanilla | Heavy grain forces you to hunt out other scents

Palate: Honey dew | Vanilla | Honey | Syrup | Undertone of rye spice | Hints of leather & oak | Flavorful sweet scents dominate

Finish: Honeyed vanilla | White peppercorn | Syrup | Rye spice | Oak | Medium length

Wiggly Bridge Distillery is named after the original Wiggly Bridge, which was built in the 1930s and is the smallest pedestrian suspension bridge in America. Hailing from York, Maine, this craft distillery is run by father and son David and David Woods, who focus on producing small batch bourbons in their own handmade custom still. Their bottled in bond product may fool you with its grain-forward nose, however diving deeper in the sip reveals a rush of sweet flavors that carry through to the end of the finish.

Nose: Rum | Brown sugar | Mild molasses | Light cereal grain | Succulent

Palate: Vanilla | Brown sugar | Maple | Oak | Pecan | Sweet & savory

Finish: Oak | Leather | Light tobacco | Lingering rum aftertaste

This is Sipes’ is Hard Truth Distilling Co.’s first whiskey release and a bold first choice to go with this particular finish. Rum finished bourbon is a quickly expanding subset of American whiskey, but also a challenging finishing style. Sipes’ is probably what many would expect from a rum finished bourbon, in that it’s sweet and its rum influence isn’t shy. Despite these traits, it doesn't overdo it in either direction either. Its 4 years aging provide it with ample oak notes that nicely play against the whiskey’s sweetness. There are other more complex rum finished whiskeys on the market, but overall Sipes’ is an easy sipper and will provide a satisfying alternative to your usual dram.

Nose: Corn | Rye grain | Lemon | Cherry | Fresh oak | Unassuming

Palate: Corn | Cereal grain | Raspberry | Floral | Soft with a buttery mouthfeel

Finish: Damp oak | Malt | Faint spearmint | Gentle ramp up of heat and spice

New Riff’s Maltster line explores different malted grains used in bourbon mashbills. By malting the rye grain for this release, New Riff softens the usual punchiness their whiskeys are known for. While their trademark spice and heat still come on the tail end of the finish, this malted rye bourbon is quite the catch thanks to its amazing softness and buttery smooth mouthfeel. Its flavor profile nicely complements its softness yet doesn’t forget its heritage either, featuring some nice heat on the finish. This interesting side quest New Riff ventured down has resulted in a winner.

Nose: Earthy note | Port wine | Dark fruit | Touch of ethanol | Aromas explode out of the glass

Palate: Heavy port wine | Clove | Raisin | Light cinnamon | Robust

Finish: Surge of dark fruit | Spice develops and takes over | Long

This release honors Barton 1792 Distillery’s founder Thomas S. More, who built the distillery in 1889. It represents one of three cask finished releases, and according to the company press release, future releases under the newly introduced Thomas S. Moore brand are planned. Described as an “Extended Finish” per the label, while the exact length of finishing time is unknown, the effect is quite potent. Port cask finishing is a more common type of whiskey finishing, with one of the leaders and most notable being Angel’s Envy Bourbon Port Finish. Thomas S. Moore Port Finish offers intense port notes without overdoing it, which will be appealing to fans of this style. With that being said, it doesn’t break any barriers for the finishing style and still feels a bit rough around the edges, a trait standard 1792 Small Batch Bourbon is also known for. Certainly pick up a bottle if you can find it, but don’t overpay for it.

Nose: Peach | Apricot | Tempered oak | Vanilla | Light brown sugar | Bright & sweet

Palate: Black cherry | Plum | Warm spice | Vanilla | Seasoned oak | Enjoyable

Finish: Tannic oak | Bitter | Licorice | Leather | Dry | Poor overall

With the continued popularity of wine finished bourbon, Barton 1792 Distillery expands their portfolio with the introduction of Thomas S. Moore, a line centered on cask finished whiskeys. Of the many wine finished bourbons on the market, Cabernet Sauvignon finished bourbons are far less common. It’s a bit ironic given the dark fruit flavor profile of cabernet sauvignon wine pairs well with bourbon's typical flavor profile. That is on display with this Thomas S. Moore release, as the palate takes to the cask finish quite well. Unfortunately, the finish fumbles rather dramatically as it’s overrun with tannic, dry, and all-around conflicting flavors. These flavors thankfully diminish the more you sip, but never fully dissipates and drags down the rather deserving nose and palate. That’s disappointing for this $70 whiskey as it could have been a true home run otherwise.

Nose: Cinnamon | Caramel | Vanilla | Barrel char | Potent

Palate: Caramel | Brown sugar | Heavy cinnamon | Straightforward

Finish: Rush of spice & heat | Light cinnamon | Long

The third and final Booker’s batch release in 2020, Pigskin Batch is sure to please Booker’s fans who enjoy a robust flavor profile with a heavy cinnamon note. The bourbon is very straightforward, foregoing complexity in exchange for a bombastic flavor profile. Like 2020’s Little Book Chapter 4, Pigskin Batch leans heavily on a cinnamon note, but is a bit more rough around the edges and slightly less satisfying as a result.

Nose: Citrus | Summer berries | Oak | Airy & light

Palate: Caramel | Vanilla | Seasoned oak | Rich intensity with a buttery mouthfeel

Finish: Tannic oak | Nutmeg | Leather | Medium length

I enjoy seeing new Bottled in Bond whiskeys, as it allows me to easily confirm the authenticity of a particular whiskey without having to dig too deep. Founded in 2010, Rock Town Distillery is located in Little Rock, Arkansas and claims to be the first legal distillery of any kind in Arkansas since Prohibition. The mashbill is derived from grains that are grown within 125 miles of the distillery. The bourbon takes you on a ride that includes fruit, traditional caramel and vanilla, and even leather notes. While there is some developed intensity in the palate, the bourbon is still somewhat light overall in delivery. Now that I’ve become more familiar with this distillery, I am excited to try some of their other offerings.

Nose: Sweet corn | Baked bread | Marshmallow | Raw grain | Light oak | Hint of ethanol | Flashes of sweetness through youthful scents

Palate: Oak | Brown Sugar | Vanilla | Light caramel | Green peppercorn | Leather | A balance of sweet and earthy flavors

Finish: Oak | Brown Sugar | Vanilla | Light caramel | Green peppercorn | Leather | A balance of sweet and earthy flavors

Rock Town Four Grain Bourbon is a home-distilled product from the Rock Town Distillery out of Arkansas. While still containing hints of youth, the short time this bourbon has spent in the barrel has surprisingly treated it well. It strikes a good balance of sweeter flavors with more earthy ones, all the while keeping more youthful flavors at bay. This is a company I’ll be tracking as it will be interesting to see what doubling or tripling the time in a barrel does for their bourbon.

The bottle being reviewed comes from Batch 13.

Nose: Sweet caramel | Vanilla | Toasted oak | Fresh marshmallow | Syrup | Light and sweet

Palate: Sweet vanilla | Toasted oak | Baking spice | Sweet bread | Caramel | Sweet flavors prevail to the top

Finish: Dried bitter oak | Dried leather | Light spice | Underlying hints of tobacco leaf | Dried earthy notes dominate

Wheeler’s Raid Original Blend 01 is a sourced bourbon that aims to be in the 3-4 year old range. The company then finishes it with hand-selected double toasted American oak staves. This finishing process really pulls through in the delivery of intense sweet flavors. However, it has the opposite effect on the finish, pulling forward drier and earthy flavors to end the sip. Even with the finish not meshing with the rest of the sip, Original Blend 01 is an easy-sipping bourbon that will please those looking for a sweeter whiskey.

The bottle being reviewed is from Batch 3, Bottle Number 961.

Nose: Big rye spice | Anise | Apricot | Ethanol

Palate: Baking spices | Apricot | Brown sugar | Medium body

Finish: Surge of rye spice | Summer fruit sweetness | Short

Founded in 2016 by Ryan Thomas and Anthony Amico, the distillery takes its name from a Civil War battle in which soldiers raiding a wagon wheel supply line discovered some of the wagon’s stocked whiskey. Original Blend Rye 04 is a straightforward rye that few will find fault with. It offers enough rye oomph to let you know it’s a rye, but strikes a nice balance with sweeter fruit notes. At about 90 proof, it offers enough flavor to avoid feeling watery, but forgoes an effort to be truly memorable. Its $40 price tag is a fair ask for an up-and-coming distillery, and if you’re seeking an easy-to-sip rye whiskey it fits the bill.

Nose: Fresh nuts | Oak | Underlying spice | Dried raisins | Tingle of ethanol | Bold & inviting

Palate: Baking spice | Cinnamon sticks | Oak | Burnt caramel | Syrup soaked raisins | Delicious layers of flavors

Finish: Leather | Dried cherry | Oak | Light rye spice| Rye toast | Earthy & lingering

Prohibition Craft Spirits (PCS) was founded in 2016 and has become known for their sourcing of barrels for and private barrel picks for bourbon clubs, along with distilling other craft spirits onsite. Their Nulu Single Barrel line is sourced MGP bourbon that is bottled unfiltered at cask strength. The resulting bourbon provides a rich, layered bourbon that punches in above its short time in the barrel. While single barrels can always vary, if this barrel is any representation of their abilities to source barrels, color me impressed. Bottled being reviewed is from Barrel #42, Bottle #12.

Nose: Honeycomb | Melted caramel | Sweet corn | Apricot | Nut | Touch of cinnamon

Palate: Orange marmalade | Peach | Kettle corn | Toffee | Mild oak | Light herbal

Finish: Sweet dark fruits | Chocolate malt balls | Light oak | Lingering orange marmalade aftertaste

Pursuit Spirits has released 39 single barrel releases up to this point, and Pursuit United marks their first forte into blended bourbon. Perhaps they learned a lot during their previous releases, as United is an excellent first showing. Pardon the pun as Pursuit Spirits founders Kenny Coleman and Ryan Cecil are also the co-creators of Bourbon Pursuit Podcast. Any doubt that two guys that talk about bourbon wouldn’t know the first thing about blending is proven dead wrong with this first United release.

As many will attest to, blending bourbon is more art versus a science. And those who create art rarely say it's easy. What jumps out immediately is how its flavor profile clicks and is able to find a very drinkable middle ground between not too sweet and not too robust. As the brand’s tagline states, “An adventure in bold flavors,” a better tagline for this particular release might be, “We dare you to hate this.” Perhaps a bit too bold for marketing purposes, but that taunt is founded on the whiskey’s incredible savory flavor profile that is unique yet immediately likeable.  

A bit offbeat but still familiar, United’s flavor profile is less bold as it is devilishly lighthearted. Drinkable and distinctly bright, its blend of three unlikely sources (Bardstown Bourbon Company, Finger Lakes Distilling, and an undisclosed distillery in Tennessee that is undisclosed but officially not George Dickel), have proved to be daring and advantageous. The three distilleries’ whiskeys come together to form a whiskey Voltron and might even prove to be better than the sum of its parts. When I wrote about Fistful of Bourbon, I assumed it was a blending of five different distilleries that came together to create something new and exciting. I was wrong. In Pursuit United’s case, that’s exactly what it is. The three featured distilleries’ best attributes are presumably on display, and work off one another in the best possible way. Chalk it up to beginners luck if necessary, but I don’t doubt that this first batch of Pursuit United will remain a whiskey highlight of 2021.

Nose: Cranberry | Dark cherry | Butterscotch | Graham cracker | Hint of spice

Palate: Creme brulee | Butterscotch | Dark cherry | Cinnamon | Baking spice | Nice mouthfeel

Finish: Rye spice | Caramel chews | Toasted marshmallow | Long

Like O.H. Ingram River Aged Whiskey, River Aged Rye ages on a first-of-its-kind floating rickhouse - a moored barge on the riverbank of Ballard County, KY. The company more fully explains their aging process on their website, with a focus on the unique aspects of motion, temperature, and humidity that impact how the whiskey ages differently than it might on land. Also like their whiskey, River Aged Rye showcases a viscous mouthfeel and lack of any youthful notes, which is especially notable considering its age. River Aged Rye errs on the sweeter side, with flavors of creme brulee, butterscotch, and hints of dark fruit leading the charge. It’s a more unique flavor profile than their flagship whiskey, but not necessarily better per se. With that being said, this experiment in river barrel aging continues to provide satisfying results making me excited for what is yet to come.

Brown Water Spirits’ O.H. River Aged Whiskey derives its name from Proprietor Orrin Henry “Hank” III. The company lays claim to aging their whiskey in a floating rickhouse. The first-of-its-kind, the rickhouse is built inside a barge that floats on the Mississippi River moored on the riverbank of Ballard County, KY. The company more fully explains their aging process on their website, with a focus on the unique aspects of motion, temperature, and humidity that impact how the whiskey ages differently than it might on land.

Adorned with its barge number, IN068518, River Aged Whiskey makes an enticing case for the idea of river aging. While Jefferson’s Ocean bourbon ages, or more accurately finishes, at sea for an unknown number of months, River Aged Whiskey barrels spend just about their entire life span aging on the Mississippi River. At only about three years old, youth is entirely missing from the flavor profile. Instead a sweet, more fruit-forward flavor profile with a velvety mouthfeel is present. A mouthfeel much like Jefferson’s Ocean Batch 2, which was believed to spend more time aging at sea than more recent batches, which don’t offer the same noticeable mouthfeel. While the concept is still largely unexplored, I’m excited to see how river aging impacts different base whiskeys on a go-forward basis.

Nose: Rye bread | Fresh cut grass | Touch of lemon | Malt

Palate: Rye grain | Light cinnamon | Young oak | Touch of an herbal & mint notes

Finish: Rye spice | Pepper | Oak | Malt

Based in Colorado, Axe and the Oak create their Incline Rye with grains sourced from the state before cutting it with Rocky Mountain water. Interestingly, they also blend a small amount of Indiana sourced rye with their own distillate, making you wonder why more young distilleries don’t do the same. The whiskey is a largely straightforward affair that lacks necessary depth, but offsets it with herbal and mint undertones. It will be interesting to see how this whiskey develops over time and they remove the Indiana whiskey from it. Their use of local Colorado grains and water in conjunction with malting the rye grain is as interesting as it is promising.

Nose: Walnut | Orange | Toasted oak | Faint coffee | Light grain | Quite nice

Palate: Walnut | Cocoa | Cedar | Pomegranate | Slight clove | Dark brown sugar | Grain

Finish: Syrupy Oak | Mixed Nut | Coffee | Cocoa powder | Flavors stick with you

A bit of graininess comes off this four grain bourbon at first sip before being enveloped by a rich tapestry of dark flavors. These flavors are the result of being finished in used Nocino barrels. Nocino liqueur is traditionally produced in Italy and is created with unripe walnuts that are still soft in their husks. Watershed Distillery creates their own version of Nocino and finishes it in their used bourbon barrels. These barrels are then used to finish their barrel strength bourbon and there is certainly the assumption that finishing bourbon in used Nocino barrels would be overpowering. Instead, this Nocino finished bourbon brings the perfect amount of intensity. Watershed Distillery is really onto something here. This one-of-a-kind finished bourbon is not only delicious, but manages to create something exciting and quite dramatic too.

Nose: Cherry | Light brown sugar | Clove | Raisin | Syrup | Sweet

Palate: Dried oak | Baked spice | Creamy vanilla | Sweet & dry | Mellow

Finish: Soft cinnamon | Leather | Toasted dry oak | Introduction of heat & spice

If a soft and sweet whiskey sounds appealing to you, Huling Station Straight Wheat Whiskey will take the cake so to speak. Intensely mellow in its delivery of baking-related flavors makes this whiskey all-too-easy to sip. A flash of heat on the finish adds some welcomed spice, but this whiskey doesn’t try to offend. Its flavors work well together creating a cohesive flavor profile that doesn't quite reach great heights, but is quite satisfying nevertheless. Wheat whiskeys typically have the reputation of being sweet and easy drinkers and Huling Station Straight Wheat Whiskey might be one of the best examples of just that.