I’d like to thank Tamworth Distilling and their PR partner for providing this sample with no strings attached.
Hello again, friends! It’s another bonus post. And tonight’s is one that, well, let’s just say that I’ve never been more apprehensive to put a whiskey in my mouth before.
You see, I come from a long line of deer hunters. Growing up, venison was one of our primary sources of protein. And while I don’t partake in the hobby myself, at every family gathering I am surrounded by folks who do. And I gladly accept whatever they would like to share when I visit. A venison taco is by far my favorite kind of taco, and I am always down to have another taco.
So yes, I like venison. And it’s pretty well known that I like whiskey as much as, or more than, the average person. And yet, I’ve never once thought of combining the two. There hasn’t even been one time when I was drinking a whiskey and thought to myself, “You know, this could use a bit of venison.” Or conversely, I’ve never been opening a package of deer meat and thought, “I should put some whiskey on this.”
But honestly, I’m glad that there is one spirits mad scientist out there who has had those thoughts. And as you may have guessed, that person is Steven Grasse of Tamworth Distilling. We’ve looked at a few of their products in the past. I fell head over heels in love with their Napoleon Apple Brandy. I’ve enjoyed a few of their cordials. And I even liked their mosquito-repelling cocktail spray. But never in my life did I think that I’d be looking at the…weird side of their portfolio.
But here we are. I got the email informing me that The Deer Slayer Venison Flavored Whiskey was now a permanent part of their portfolio and now available in 500 mL bottles in addition to the original 200 mL ones they sold previously. And I just had to reach out and request a sample. It seemed to me that if it was good, it would make a good story. And if it wasn’t something I liked, maybe we’d at least get to have some fun with it. I mean, this has caught on enough to make it more than just an odd experiment. So there had to be something going on here. Right?
Now, before we get into the tasting notes, let’s let the producer talk a little bit about what this actually is.
The distillery team sources red deer meat, hand-chops it, and combines it with small amounts of cranberries, porcini mushrooms, juniper berries, and green peppercorns — each chosen to evoke the flavors and aromas of the New Hampshire forest. Juniper lends an evergreen, piney note; green peppercorn brings a bright, snappy spice reminiscent of a young branch breaking in the woods; while porcini mushrooms add a deep, earthy and grounding undertone.
“Originally, we were painstakingly making Deerslayer one bottle at a time, preparing ingredients, and smoking the venison by hand,” Grasse commented. “As its fanbase has grown, we’ve been able to refine and streamline the production process by acquiring a larger and automated smoker. It’s exciting to now be able to make more of it, without losing the hands-on spirit behind it.”
After fermenting overnight to accentuate the venison’s gaminess, the mixture is slow-smoked over seasoned branches from New Hampshire’s boreal forests before its final distillation in a rotary evaporator. Aged rye whiskey provides a bold, spicy backbone that complements the venison and forest botanicals. The resulting whiskey is savory and smoky, with subtle spiced fruit on the palate and a lingering finish.
“The juniper, porcini, green peppercorn, and cranberry are used in small amounts to build this woodsy, autumnal character around the venison," said Matt Power, Distiller and Biochemist of Tamworth Distilling. “Fermenting and smoking the venison brings out those savory aromas, while the rye gives us a spicy backbone that can stand up to them. The goal is for it to taste like the New England woods in the fall — not just like a piece of venison in a glass.”
Soooo…let’s see how this one tastes.
The Deer Slayer Venison Flavored Whiskey
Purchase Info: This bottle was provided at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $45 for a 500 mL bottle.
Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.50
Details: 49.5% ABV.
Nose: Strong notes of juniper and peppercorn with just hints of smoke and rye underneath.
Mouth: Nice spice. Notes of juniper, peppercorns, cedar, and a hint of smoke.
Finish: Medium in warmth and length. Notes of juniper, smoke, and cedar initially, with an odd savory note that appears after a few moments.
Thoughts: This is much better than I had feared. Still, I can honestly tell you that it’s not for me. I’m just not a big juniper fan. And for me, the juniper is the major flavor note here. If I were handed this while blindfolded, I’d initially think you had played a prank on me and handed me a gin. And I don’t really enjoy drinking gin neat.
Of course, after you spend some time with it, the cedar notes do bring you right back to the rye whiskey base. The venison mainly seems to add the savory note at the tail end of the finish. Like the man said in the quote above, this doesn’t just taste “like a piece of venison in a glass.” It is very reminiscent of a walk in the woods. I may not care for it, but honestly, I can see why this has caught on. Some people will straight up like it. And for others, the concept is "scary" enough that folks will get a thrill out of trying it and then saying, "Oh! That ain't so bad!"
And just so you know, that's how I plan to use it. All the deer hunters in my life will get some, and all I'll tell them is that it's venison-flavored whiskey. So yeah, this isn’t for me. However, I do plan to have a lot of fun with it over the holidays. I’m giving this a neutral rating, not for me, but I expect that others may like or even love it.
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