I am a huge Neil Gaiman fan. He’s my absolute favorite author. And for me, it all started when I read the Sandman. The Sandman is a comic series from the late 1980s that is gruesome, grotesque, heartfelt, moving, beautiful, and just an amazing journey. I love it. Has been my favorite piece of literature since I first read it.
And now it has been made into an amazing Netflix series. If you are a fan of the comic, you should love this. I’m almost through binging the series, and so far, I’m blown away. This is as good of an adaptation as American Gods was bad (American Gods being another series based on a Gaiman work). It’s beautifully shot and well acted. The story is not in the same order as the comics, but I think that was a good choice when adapting to video. They’re different mediums, and the needed story beats aren’t quite the same. Hopefully, I will finish the series tonight. If not, tomorrow for sure.
So let’s get to tonight’s bourbon. I’ve been wandering liquor stores trying to find things to write about that won’t break the bank. As I did, my eyes fell on this bottle of bourbon from Woodinville Whiskey Co, out of Woodinville, Washington. Now I’ve been aware of Woodinville for many years. I featured their bottle design way back when I interviewed the designer of their packaging, David Cole back in 2013. But somehow, I’ve never tasted their whiskey. That has been remedied. But before we get to what I think of the bourbon, let’s see what the producer has to say.
This truly small-batch bourbon starts with traditionally grown corn, rye and malted barley. All of our staple grains are cultivated exclusively for us on the Omlin Family farm in Quincy, Washington. The grains are mashed, distilled, and barreled in our Woodinville® distillery, then trucked back over the Cascade Mountains to our 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. This meticulous process yields a truly hand-crafted spirit with aromas of crème brûlée and spice cabinet, as well as notes of rich caramel, dark chocolate, and vanilla bean on the palate with a sweet, lingering finish.
Woodinville Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Purchase Info: $41.99 for a 750 mL bottle at total Wine, Burnsville, MN
Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.80
Details: 45% ABV
Nose: Hay, mint, and almond.
Mouth: Honey, almond, cinnamon, and if you hold it in your mouth long enough, a capsaicin-like heat.
Finish: Medium length and warmth. Notes of cinnamon, honey, and almond.
Thoughts: This is pretty darn tasty. If you like hot honey, this should be one to pick up. I look forward to trying a few more from their product line. They have a Rye and a Port-finished Bourbon at my closest Total Wine, which I am already planning to pick up. And according to their website, they have Cask Strength versions at the distillery. Well, that seems like a good thing to add to the itinerary for the next time I visit Seattle. I’ve wanted to do that anyway.
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