Traverse City Whiskey Co. Port Barrel Finish Straight Bourbon Whiskey
50% ABV $60 Website We would like to thank Traverse City Whiskey Co. and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.
What the Distillery Says
Our five year aged straight bourbon whiskey has been carefully finished for an additional nine months in massive 300L Ruby Port wine barrels. The dryness of the casks meld perfectly with the sweetness of our bourbon for a deliciously balanced spirit.
Nose: Very light, stone fruit and buttercream, hint of orange
Body: Sweet and silky; tart cherries, vanilla, sweet fennel, hint of toasted marshmallow
Finish: Tannic but slightly sweet, burnt sugar and toasted orange peel
What Gary Says
Nose: Caramel corn, plums, raisins, cinnamon, port wine and molasses. Palate: Sweet, heavy port influence, raisins, berries, black cherry, cinnamon and honey. Finish: Moderate in length with berries, touch of caramel and pepper. Comments: The port influence on this one is heavy given the finishing time. I’m a fan of port finished and matured whiskey. Coupled with this being the highest proof of the three Traverse City Whiskey Co. Finished products – I had expected that this would be my favorite, and it was actually my least favorite of the three. Disclosing this as it may be that I had higher expectations for this one given those facts, as there aren’t any ‘off-putting’ notes; just heavy on the port and not as balanced as I was hoping for.
Traverse City Whiskey Co. Cab Franc Barrel Finish Straight Rye Whiskey
48.75% ABV $60 Website We would like to thank Traverse City Whiskey Co. and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.
What the Distillery Says
100% Rye Whiskey is a difficult spirit to distill. It requires patience and close attention to detail. After aging it for more than five years, we then finish it an additional nine months in cabernet franc barrels from an artisan northern Michigan winery.
Body: Dry and lightly buttery; caraway seed, toasted sesame, and a hint of bitter orange
Finish: Tannic, whole grains fading to 100% cocoa nibs
What Gary Says
Nose: Lemongrass, mint, ginger, grapes and pink grapefruit. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, orange bitters, vanilla, honey, red grapes and cinnamon. Finish: Moderately long, drying with grapefruit, oak tannins and pepper. Comments: I’m not a big cab franc fan, so I expected this to be my least favorite of the three Traverse City Whiskey Co. Finished products. Turns out this was my favorite! Really nicely done, well balanced with the cab franc influence there but not heavy handed. The rye whiskey stands up really well to the finishing, and still shines through.
Oak & Eden Whiskey Customizer Whiskey Apostle Selection: Rye Whiskey (114 Proof) Finished With A Port Wine Soaked American Oak Spiral
45-57% ABV $65-80 Website We would like to thank Oak & Eden and Champlin PR for sending us a sample to review.
What the Producer Says
DALLAS, February 16, 2023 – Today, indie whiskey brand and spirits innovator, Oak & Eden, unveils a project it’s kept under wraps for nearly three years – Whiskey Customizer. Living within the brand’s Anthro Series line of whiskey collaborations with artists, musicians, actors and creators, Whiskey Customizer enables the customer to be the creator, crafting their own whiskey bottle from the comfort of their home using one of the Oak & Eden’s four finished whiskey bases and over eleven infusion options. Whiskey Customizer is exclusively offered online at OakandEden.com.
Oak & Eden’s proprietary In-Bottle Finishing technique was just the start of the founders’ vision. Rooted by the innovative spire, the brand developed Whiskey Customizer, becoming the first national spirit brand to offer single bottle customization for the masses. Whether you’re an avid whiskey fan wanting to experiment or looking for that perfect gift for a loved one, Whiskey Customizer has a little something for everyone.
“Five years ago, we embarked on a journey to revolutionize the spirits industry and bring something unique to the market. The wooden spire and patented finishing process were simply the tools that led us to Whiskey Customizer – the true innovation,” comments Oak & Eden Co-founder and CEO Joe Giildenzopf. “Today, as we celebrate its long awaited debut and our anniversary, we are paving the way for a new era of personalization and experimentation within the spirits industry.”
To kick off the experience, customers are invited to build their custom bottle by selecting a desired whiskey base out of Bourbon, Four Grain Bourbon, Wheated Bourbon or Rye. Each base has been aged a minimum of three years. All four whiskey bases are available in 90 proof ($64.00 / 750ml bottle) and 114 proof ($79.00/ 750ml bottle).
After selecting the base and proof, builders may then choose the preferred wooden spire to be infused or inserted into the base with no infusion. Wood options include an American Oak spire, lending a sweet and toasty finish, or a French Oak spire, lending a floral and peppery finish.
Builders can also select their spire to be infused with Coffee, Vanilla, Grapefruit Liqueur, Orange Liqueur, Pineapple Liqueur, Blackberry Liqueur, Cabernet, Port Wine, Rum, Honey, or Maple Syrup which is then inserted into the bottle. Oak & Eden plans to add to its infusion options, introducing seasonal and limited l-batch options quarterly, making the possibilities with Whiskey Customizer truly limitless.
As a final step, customers can make the bottle theirs by personalizing the label.
Each customized bottle is available for shipping nationwide and ready to drink following the recommended six-week In-Bottle Finishing process.
As a part of its education efforts, Oak & Eden shares popular bottle creations, describes the characteristics and notes associated with each selection and provides cocktail recipes that best accompany each bottle.
“The launch of Whiskey Customizer allows our customers to unleash their creative spirit, one bottle at a time, in a way that has never existed before,” says Oak & Eden Co-founder & CMO Brad Neathery. “As important as making the new experience seamless on our site was providing visual and educational tools on building a whiskey, an often misunderstood and intimidating spirit. We are a whiskey for the people, inviting and empowering anyone to be a creator.”
Check out oakandeden.com for more information on Whiskey Customizer as well as the brand’s full lineup of whiskies.
What Gary Says
Nose: Orange marmalade on rye toast, heavy port, cinnamon, nutmeg, mint, oak and hints of dill. Palate: Rich and thick, plums, raisins, orange bitters, honey, cinnamon, demerara sugar and pepper. Finish: Moderate in length, damp and syrupy with port and chili spice. Comments: I was offered the opportunity to create my own, so of course I picked what I thought I would enjoy the most (or at least what I was the most interested in trying). And I was right – I do really enjoy this! As a whiskey geek, I enjoyed the experience of making my selections, and anticipating the bottle’s arrival – enough so that I’ve ordered another (will share that review later!) Is this identical to finishing a whiskey in a used port barrel? No, but I’m not a purist when it comes to that. I’m all about what’s in the bottle, and the enjoyment I get from that – and I really enjoyed this combination!
One note (which I emailed them a few weeks ago on, so hopefully has been fixed) – I received an email about a week AFTER I received my bottle, and that email instructed me to wait three weeks AFTER receiving the bottle to open and enjoy. I’d already opened and made a couple of passes (within the first week). I did set it aside for a few more weeks, and found that I hadn’t changed a ton – but I’d also taken the bottle down about 1/3 in that time. So when you order yours, have a little patience.
UPDATE JUNE 2023: In ordering a second bottle I found that the issues mentioned above have all been addressed, which is great! Kudos to Oak & Eden for addressing quickly!
Smooth Ambler Founders’ Cask Strength Series Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Bourbon Mashbill 2 2022 Batch 4 6 Years old
61.4% ABV $55 Website We would like to thank Smooth Ambler and Cork + Knife for sending us a sample to review.
What the Distillery Says
We love sharing our homemade liquid because we get to let y’all taste what makes our part of the world so perfect for making whiskey. With this Bourbon recipe, we add a modest amount of rye to play well with our casks in the Appalachian climate. It’s a surprising meddling of flavors and geographical super powers that just work effortlessly.
Didn’t know we made a rye-backed Bourbon? Yeah… we didn’t but now we do. You’re welcome. So please enjoy this newly minted convergence of flavors from our home to yours.
SUBTLE SPICE? IT’S NICE UNIQUE BATCHES? YOU BET LOW RYE BOURBON? COOL HUH! CASK STRENGTH? ALWAYS
Graham Cracker, Dark Chocolate, Cherry, Allspice
DISTILLED IN WEST VIRGINIA
71% CORN 21% RYE 8% MALTED BARLEY
What Gary Says
Nose: Caramel, vanilla, charred oak, fall leaves, dark chocolate, smoke, orange zest, cherries and a hint of root beer. Palate: Chewy mouthfeel, caramel, dark chocolate, walnuts, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, orange bitters, cola, graham crackers and a bit of molasses. Finish: Moderate in length, drying with nutty caramel and pepper spice. Comments: I’ve been a fan of Smooth Ambler since the ‘old days’ (in fact, I still have some of their sourced barrel proof rye stashed), but didn’t love Contradiction (which blends sourced whiskey with their own make). So I was excited for the opportunity to try something that is all their own whiskey. This is a really nice, solid, straight down the middle of the plate bourbon. Well balanced, just a bit of spice and not too much oak. In my opinion, 6 years is a really solid age for bourbon (not that I don’t love a four-year old bottled-in-bond, but I find 6-8 years old to be right in my wheelhouse). Also appreciate the price point given the age and proof. While a smaller distillery (have heard some refer to them as one of the ‘original craft distilleries’), this is doesn’t come across like a small distillery “figuring things out”. This takes water well, bringing out notes of fresh tobacco on the nose and rice putting on the palate.
UNIQUE among the family, Redbreast Pedro Ximénez edition is a SINGLE POT STILL WHISKEY, tripled distilled, initially matured in BOURBON AND OLOROSO SHERRY CASKS before being re-casked in delectable PEDRO XIMÉNEZ HOGSHEADS for a sweet finish.
Mixed FRUIT compote with a squeeze of ORANGE ZEST combined with LIQUORICE and WOOD SPICES.
* No mention of this offering on Redbreast’s website, so above details are from the bottle/packaging itself.
What Gary Says
Nose: Rich fruit with blood orange, cranberry, honey, raisins, nutmeg, cloves, caramel, dates, cinnamon and a hint of balsamic. Palate: Thick and syrupy, sweet fruitcake with plums, candied orange, caramel and nutmeg. Finish: Moderately long with dark fruit jam and spices. Comments: I’m a fan of Redbreast and PX finished (or matured) whiskey, but this is borderline ‘too sweet’ for me. It doesn’t cross the line, but it inches right up to it (and I’ve been told I like sweet whiskey; so if you find things ‘too sweet’ that your friends think is fine – this may be much for you). A bit of water opens it up nicely. I think back to the days when Redbreast 12 Year Cask Strength were on the shelves for $60 and think this is probably overpriced – then remember those days are long gone. I really enjoyed this, but it isn’t as complex as others (no age statement, so not sure how old).
