Must Try

Woodinville Bourbon Sauternes Finish
Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Sauternes Casks

52.5% ABV
$70
Website

We would like to thank Woodinville Whiskey for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Woodinville, WA – This fall, as part of its annual Harvest Release, Woodinville Whiskey will introduce Woodinville Bourbon Sauternes Finish, a grain to glass offering, priced at $69.99 per bottle. Woodinville co-founder and distiller Brett Carlile describes it as having “notes of raisins and ripe plum on the nose that give way to vanilla-soaked pears and kiwi on the palate, with a creamy toffee finish, complimenting the traditional Bourbon characteristics.”

This spring, Woodinville Bourbon Sauternes Finish earned Double Platinum in Fred Minnick’s 2024 ASCOT competition. This truly small-batch spirit starts with traditionally grown corn, rye and malted barley. All of Woodinville’s staple grains are cultivated exclusively on the Omlin Family farm in Quincy, Washington. The grains are mashed and distilled in the Woodinville, WA distillery, then trucked back over the Cascade Mountains for barreling and aging in their private barrel houses, where Central Washington’s extreme temperature cycles promote the extraction of natural flavors from the oak. Prior to being coopered, the barrel wood is seasoned in open air, rain, wind, sun, and snow for eighteen months, softening the wood’s harsh tannins. The barrels are then slowly toasted and heavily charred to further enrich the wood’s desirable flavors. After the whiskey was fully mature, it was transferred into freshly emptied Sauternes casks.

The first 500 numbered bottles of Woodinville Bourbon Sauternes Finish will be released exclusively at the distillery’s Harvest Release on October 19 at $69.99 per bottle (105 proof). The Harvest Release will also feature Woodinville Whiskey’s Founder’s Find, priced at $129.99 per bottle (107 proof). The first 500 numbered bottles of this whiskey will also be available that day, when Brett and Orlin will be joined by Fred Minnick to taste the whiskeys and sign bottles. Both Harvest Release whiskeys will be available online at a later date.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Fruity, apples and pears with caramel drizzle, vanilla, raisins, soft oak, honey with a hint of green grapes.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, caramel, vanilla, fruit salad with pears and cherries dusted with cinnamon, brown sugar, and a hint of cloves.
Finish:  Moderate to long finish with toffee, pepper spice and a bit of coconut.
Comments:  This is really lovely whiskey! I had tried Woodinville previously, and honestly wasn’t impressed. Now I’m second guessing if the sample I had was just off, or if my palate was off. This is just a stellar bourbon. It doesn’t need water, but rewards you if you give it just a couple of drops, thickening up even more with notes of chocolate fudge, as well as bring out a bit of cherries on the nose. Don’t see a lot of Sauternes finished bourbon, so hard to compare it to something else – but this is a whiskey that is delicious to just sit back and sip on, or if you want to ponder the nuance it can go there as well. Very well done!

Rating: Must Try

Wild Turkey Jimmy Russell’s 70th Anniversary
8-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

50.5% ABV
$50
Website

We would like to thank Campari Group and Allison Worldwide PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Commemorative bourbon release honoring Master Distiller Jimmy Russell’s 70th Anniversary with Wild Turkey making him the longest-tenured spirits Master Distiller in the world.

To honor Jimmy’s incredible impact on the bourbon world, Wild Turkey is proud to present the limited-edition Wild Turkey Jimmy Russell’s 70th Anniversary 8-Year-Old Bourbon.

This collector-worthy release is an 8-Year-Old, 101-proof bourbon, with an additional blend of 8- to 9-year-old whiskeys, hand-selected from a few of Jimmy’s favorite Rickhouses. Best enjoyed neat or over ice, this bourbon is a true tribute to Jimmy’s legacy.

A LIFETIME OF PASSION

From his earliest days at the distillery sweeping the floors at age 18 to rising through the ranks to become Master Distiller, Jimmy has remained committed to crafting bourbon one way, the right way, even when it wasn’t popular. In the 1970’s and 80’s when the bourbon industry was close to collapse, Jimmy stayed the course.

When many began favoring lighter spirits, Jimmy refused to dilute his bourbon or change the distilling process at all. Embracing the pre-prohibition style that he learned from his mentor and predecessor Bill Hughes, Jimmy “didn’t change a damn thing.” This approach helped propel the popularity of many of the distillery’s classic bourbons, including Jimmy’s favorite, Wild Turkey 101. He knew bold Kentucky bourbon would always have a place on the bar, a legacy that endures today.

“In my eyes, I’ve never worked a day in my life. The day I do, I’ll retire,” jokes Master Distiller Jimmy Russell. “Until then, I’m going to continue making the bourbon I love.”

TASTING NOTES
AROMA: Vanilla, oak, and honey with notes of cinnamon, brown sugar, tobacco, and orange peel.
TASTE: Sweet cream, vanilla, butterscotch, stone fruit (dates), pecans, and black tea.
FINISH: Warming with notes of caramel, dark cherry with a long lingering finish of oak, burnt sugar, and bitter chocolate.

PROCESS: 101 proof, 8-Year-Old bourbon with additional blend of 8-9YO whiskeys from Jimmy’s favorite rickhouses.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Turtle brownies (caramel, chocolate, slightly nutty), vanilla, a bit of cinnamon, honey, slightly sour oak note, and orange zest.
Palate:  Round mouthfeel with caramel, toffee, hazelnut, cinnamon, nutmeg, oak, pepper spice with black cherries and a hint of orange marmalade.
Finish:  Long and wet with vanilla, cocoa, honey, leather, and oak.
Comments:  Damn, this is just delicious. I can see why this is how Jimmy Russell likes his Wild Turkey! Comparing this to Wild Turkey 101, this is more refined, nuanced, and complex. It is (dare I say) a bit softer than Wild Turkey 101 – but that is NOT “smooth”. Don’t go thinking that they tamed the Turkey, because Jimmy wouldn’t be having that – but this trades that biting edge for a more viscous mouthfeel and depth of taste that is just scrumptious. A bit of water doesn’t hurt it, but it absolutely doesn’t need it either – this sips beautifully neat. The whiskey is just lovely, and I appreciate Wild Turkey putting this out at an accessible price point and enough volume to allow their fans the chance to get one.

Rating: Must Try