Oaklore Story Series: Oloroso Sherry Cask Finished Four Grain Bourbon
47.5% ABV
$100
Website
We would like to thank Oaklore Distilling Co. and Raptor Communications for sending us a sample to review.
What the Distillery Says
For this Story Series release, we start with Oaklore’s traditional four grain bourbon, which is crafted by our sister distilleries in North Carolina. Distilled on 24-inch Vendome all-copper column stills, the Four Grain Bourbon uses “the big four” American Whiskey grains (corn, wheat, barley & rye). The whiskey combines the best five- to six-year-old barrels of wheated bourbon and rye bourbon mash bills, which are aged separately, hand-selected, and then batched together – producing a final mash bill of 70% corn, 10% rye, 10% wheat, and 10% malted barley. Then, our master blender transferred the whiskey into Spanish Oloroso Sherry Barrels where it rested for 12 to 18 months – picking up the gorgeous Mediterranean flavors and influence inherent to Oloroso Sherry Casks.
NOSE: Dried Fig, Raisin, Vintage Wine
PALATE: Cherry Bark, Cocoa, Apricot
FINISH: Medium Dry Sherry Finish
What Gary Says
Nose: Caramel, sherried fruit with raisins and figs, oak, and chocolate-covered cherries.
Palate: Cherries, raisins, chocolate, honey and cinnamon.
Finish: Moderate in length, drying with honey, cherry and chocolate notes.
Comments: The sherry finish is fairly pronounced here; not what I’d call overbearing but definitely on the heavier side. Good news for me is I like sherry maturation and finishing, but the downside for me is the underlying bourbon doesn’t get to shine through. The nuance of the wheated and rye mashbill bourbons mingling, with a respectable amount of time in the barrel, is unfortunately covered up. Although if you’re a fan of sherry, this likely won’t miss.