Impressions: Star Hill Farm Whisky 2026

I’d like to thank Maker’s Mark and their PR team for sending these samples with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Three still-sealed half filled sample bottles with hand written and abbreviated labels.

Hello my friends! It is time for another Bonus Post. Today is a little different than usual. Normally, even in a bonus post, you get full tasting notes, maybe an anecdote that sorta connects to the whiskey, and some info about the release. Well, as you can see above from the unopened sample bottles, Maker’s Mark didn’t really send enough for us to do a full tasting. In fact, it wasn’t even enough for one of us to do a proper tasting. Not that I’m complaining or anything. I still get the opportunity to share my impressions with you so you can see if it is worth spending the money on when compared to the two standard bourbons the company puts out. First, I’ll post the press release, and then we will get into my impressions of the Star Hill Farm Wheat Whisky as compared to Maker’s Mark and Maker’s 46.

LORETTO, Ky., April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Maker’s Mark® today announced the highly anticipated second release of Star Hill Farm Whisky, the brand’s first new mash bill and first wheat whisky in 70 years. Awarded World’s Best Wheat Whisky 2026, Star Hill Farm Whisky celebrates the role regenerative agriculture plays to create healthier soil and better flavor. The annual release will be available in Japan and Duty Free this year, as well as in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.

“My grandparents built Maker’s Mark on the belief that when we invest in the land, it gives back in flavor,” said Rob Samuels, eighth-generation whisky maker and managing director of Maker’s Mark. “Star Hill Farm Whisky extends that vision by embracing ingredients sourced from regenerative agriculture. As a proud B Corp and Regenified-certified distillery, we’re helping to define leadership in sustainability for the industry, while working to make Star Hill Farm the most endearing, culturally rich and environmentally responsible homeplace in the world.”

While Maker's Mark has always used the same mash bill to create a consistent and balanced bourbon, Star Hill Farm Whisky evolves each year, revealing how nature impacts flavor. The inaugural release spotlighted soft red winter wheat—the signature grain in Maker’s Mark’s mash bill. The 2026 release introduces hard red and hard white wheat types, demonstrating how grain diversity translates into greater depth of flavor through distillation, maturation and expert blending.

Star Hill Farm 2026 is crafted from two mash bills: one composed entirely of malted wheat, and another of 70% wheat and 30% malted barley. The final blend—27% wheat, 62% malted wheat and 11% malted barley—delivers a darker, more layered aromatic profile, with a rounder structure and amplified fruit notes compared to that of 2025.

“The first release of Star Hill Farm Whisky was bright, approachable and straightforward; this year we’ve dialed up the complexity,” said Dr. Blake Layfield, master distiller at Maker’s Mark. “The 2026 release is a balanced blend of seven and eight-year whiskies bottled at cask strength, evolving from first sip to finish. It opens with aromas of molasses, fig and delicate baking spices, followed by notes of zesty citrus, ripe pear and buttery shortbread, and lingers with a soft cinnamon finish.”

In 2025, Star Hill Farm Whisky became the first to earn Estate Whiskey certification—a designation Star Hill Farm Whisky 2026 will carry from the Estate Whiskey Alliance® (EWA), established by the University of Kentucky to highlight local sourcing and sustainable production, and recognize whiskey produced entirely on the distillery estate, using grains grown on estate-owned or controlled land.

Star Hill Farm Whisky expanded Maker's Mark’s ambition to advance regenerative agriculture with last year’s launch of the Maker’s Mark Regenerative Alliance, whose mission is to foster healthier farm ecosystems through education and hands-on support—already helping convert 58,000 acres of conventional farmland to certified regenerative practices. Extending its impact to consumers, the Alliance invites farms, bars and restaurants to adopt regenerative sourcing and operations, and to bring the story to life through menu storytelling and consumer engagement, with more than 14 partners already signed on.

Bottled at 58.2% ABV (116.4 proof), Star Hill Farm Whisky 2026 will be available for a suggested retail price of $100 USD. In the United States, the limited release will be available at select retailers nationwide and at the Maker’s Mark Distillery with a bookable experience that includes a guided tour of Star Hill Farm paired with cocktails highlighting flavor from nature.

For more information, visit www.starhillfarm.com or www.makersmark.com.

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Star Hill Farm Whisky 2026

Purchase Info: This sample was sent at no cost for review purposes. The suggest retail price is $100 per 700 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $7.14

Details: 27% wheat, 62% malted wheat and 11% malted barley. 58.2% ABV.

IMAGE: A hand-drawn neutral face. IT denotes that I don’t like it, but it isn’t objectively bad. It’s just kinda meh.

Impressions and Comparisons: The nose is a bit nuttier than either of the two bourbons. As it is a higher proof, it is showing a bit more alcohol as well. My first sip was a bit astringent, but that faded after a couple of minutes. You can see what corn brings to the table while doing the side-by-side. The 2026 wheat whisky has a thinner mouthfeel and less sweetness than the bourbons, even though it is a higher proof. The proof bump does give it a hotter mouth. At the end, I’ll see if I have enough to try it with a little water. It’s very dry when compared to either of the Maker’s Mark bourbons, almost mouth drying in its dryness. Honestly, with as big of a fan as I am of standard Maker’s Mark, I kinda wanted a little more from this. It is very interesting, but really isn’t aligning with my palate at least not neat. A little water does bring down the heat level and allows more of the flavors of the mouth to come through. There is a little more sweetness and some mint. But it is still quite nutty. I like it a lot better with a little water, but I’m still going to give this one a neutral rating. It’s interesting and it isn’t like I want to spit it out, but I probably wouldn’t drink it for pleasure either. Not sure I can recommend this one unless you are a whiskey geek like I am and want to taste a different whiskey with some of the same DNA as Maker’s Mark without it being bourbon and don’t mind spending over seven dollars per pour to do so.

If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.

Penelope Bourbon Cooper Series: Riviera

I’d like to thank Penelope Bourbon and their PR partners for providing this sample with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Close-up of a bottle of Penelope Riviera American Whiskey finished in rosé wine casks. The bottle features floral artwork and a pink label, photographed outdoors on a wooden deck with a softly blurred backyard in the background.

I love being proved wrong. In fact, I embrace it. Especially when it comes to opinions. The main reason for this is that I love learning. Especially things about myself. I love grinding my preconceived notions under the boot heel of truth.

Case in point, I used to think that Light Whiskey was no good. You distill it to such a high proof that there is barely any flavor left? Who wants that? Flavor is the major point of differentiation between whiskey and vodka. But then I had an aged Light Whiskey sourced from MGP that was one of the more delicious things I’d tasted that year. I used to think that blends of different styles of whiskey were somehow lesser whiskeys. But then I made an infinity bottle of 2 ounces of every whiskey I reviewed in a year. It was amazing. Rosé wine used to be my favorite style when I was young. Then I found that I much preferred fruity, crisp whites and dry, robust reds and no longer really liked the sweet rosé wines I had enjoyed previously.

Of course, there are a lot more things I learned about myself and my tastes over the years, much more important things. And each of these things replaced ones that I “knew” about myself. Ones I struggled to give up on. They were strongly held beliefs that I had a hard time coming to terms with changing. But the more I learned about things, the more I learned about myself, the happier I was. Until now, if I can learn something new that upends my worldview, I get excited. I love that. Inject that shit right into me. Make me the Captain America of self-reflection. Just super serum and strange radiation and new learning muscles and …

What were we talking about? Oh yeah, whiskey somehow…

So, yeah, that got a bit odd, but I mention those learning experiences specifically because of tonight’s whiskey. Penelope Bourbon Cooper Series: Riviera is a whiskey created by blending a straight bourbon and an eight-year-old Light Whiskey and then finishing that in rosé wine casks sourced from Spain. According to the press release, “designed with spring and summer in mind, Riviera brings a coastal-inspired, lighter take to the lineup while continuing the brand’s focus on innovative cask finishing.”

So all good. While I don’t necessarily like rosé wines, I know enough about how whiskey works to know that what I like in a barrel finish isn’t always what I would like on its own. Just like I know enough about cooking to know that while I may not want to eat an ingredient like, say, black pepper on its own, a little in my meal just hits right.

So let’s see how this one tastes. At the end of the day, that’s the most important thing to learn about any whiskey.

Penelope Bourbon Cooper Series: Riviera

Purchase Info: This bottle was provided to me at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $79.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $5.33

Details: 8-year-old Light Whiskey and straight bourbon finished in Spanish rosé wine casks. 47% ABV.

Nose: Floral vanilla, a little mint, red fruit, and baking spice.

Mouth: Floral, with notes of vanilla, cotton candy, cinnamon, leather, and oak.

Finish: Warm and long. Notes of cinnamon candies, vanilla, caramel, and oak.

IMAGE: A hand-drawn smiley face denoting that I like the product.

Thoughts: I'm going to level with you. When I realized that this was finished in rosé wine casks, I figured that I would not like this one. I was already trying to soften the wording I thought I’d be typing below (because I really dislike being a dick, not because I would have felt the need to lighten the “score”). But honestly, this is delightful. It is really quite good. It's got a delicate sweetness that isn't cloying. It's floral without being perfumy. Lots of baking spice without being hot. Honestly, this is just a masterful job of blending and finishing. I am very pleasantly surprised, and gladly so. I like this one.

If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.

Remus Master Distiller Experimental Series No. 2: Straight Wheat Whiskey

I’d like to thank the folks at Ross& Squibb and their PR teams for sending this bottle with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Close-up of Remus Master Distiller Experimental Series No. 2 Straight Wheat Whiskey bottle showing label details (distilled in 2017, 113 proof) on a wooden deck, with rich amber-red whiskey color and BourbonGuy watermark visible

Spring has sprung here in Minnesota, and you know what that means. Yep, it was 80 degrees last weekend, and it’s looking like there’s a chance of snow this coming weekend. In spring, Minnesota gets a taste of all the seasons at once: summer, winter, mud, road work—even football if you follow the NFL Draft or the spring game for the local college. You don’t get to experience all of them in their full force (for example, even at 80 degrees, I didn’t turn on my AC for more than a test run, and the Draft/Spring Games are poor substitutes for real games), but you do get the opportunity to remember what you can look forward to and what you are leaving behind.

It seems that, much like living through a Minnesota spring, MGP—producer of tonight’s whiskey—is also currently trying to decide what to leave behind and what is coming in the future, as they announced the “temporary idling” of the stills in their Lux Row and Limestone Branch facilities, affecting 33 employees. Not something you ever want to read if you are a fan of American whiskey. They will, however, still be bottling and running the visitor centers at each location.

However, we aren’t here to do economic reporting. We are here to discuss the products that are actually in front of us. And tonight, that is MGP/Ross & Squibb’s first wheat whiskey. It was created using their 95% Wheat Whiskey mashbill. The liquid was finished in a combination of Tawny Port, White Port, Oloroso Sherry, and Ruby Port casks before being bottled at 56.5% ABV, or 113 proof, as the second release in the company’s Master Distiller Experimental Series. Here is what they have to say about the series:

Building on the acclaim of Experimental Series No. 1, including its gold medal win at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the second installment continues the annual limited-edition program. Originally designed as an outlet for creative exploration, the series gives Master Distiller Ian Stirsman a blank canvas to push beyond traditional boundaries by exploring new heirloom grains and unique barrel finishes. The result each year is a one-of-a-kind expression defined by unconventional flavor profiles, depth, and innovation that is made for adventurous whiskey connoisseurs and collectors.

The whiskey is available in limited quantities nationwide for $69.99 for a 700 mL bottle.

Remus Master Distiller Experimental Series No. 2: Straight Wheat Whiskey

Purchase Info: This bottle was provided at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $69.99 for a 700 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $5.00

Details: Distilled in 2017. 56.5% ABV. Wheat whiskey finished in a combination of Tawny Port, White Port, Oloroso Sherry, and Ruby Port casks.

Nose: Wintergreen, stone fruit, caramel, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Mouth: Spicy, hot, and sweet. Cinnamon, caramel, vanilla, red fruit, honey, and oak.

Finish: Hot and long. Notes of cinnamon, mint, honey, oak, and red fruit.

IMAGE: A hand-drawn smiley face denotes that I like the product.

Thoughts: Hot, sweet, with a great mouthfeel. That sums it up neatly. It is really delicious, especially neat. Unlike most whiskeys of this proof level, you want to be judicious with adding water. It really doesn’t take it very well, bringing out more grain notes and suppressing many of the rich notes. Even so, I really like this one. It is much more complex and satisfying than other straight wheat whiskeys I’ve had, probably due to the proof and the barrel finishing. If you see it for around the suggested retail, it’s a decent splurge, should you be able to swing it.

If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.

Columbia Creek Tennessee Whiskey

I’d like to thank Columbia Creek and their PR partners for providing this sample with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Columbia Creek Tennessee Whiskey bottle, 6-year, 95.6 proof, 47.8% ABV, 750ml, on an outdoor deck railing with bare trees and a red building in the background.

The sun is coming out here in Minnesota. The snow is melted, or at least it was. We are in that time of year where you don't know if you need to shovel the driveway or if you can sit on the deck in shorts. And no, I don't mean you folks from more southern climates. In Minnesota, it isn't unusual for folks to be in shorts as soon as the temp hits the 50s in the spring. And by "folks" I mean me. Of course, I tend to wear shorts all year long. I'm not going to let a little thing like the outside weather keep me from being comfortable in my house. That's what blankets are for. I'm stubborn like that.

Which leads me nicely to tonight's whiskey. Columbia Creek Tennessee Whiskey is a sourced whiskey out of Columbia, Tennessee, which the press release says is "where mules outnumber stoplights and pride runs as deep as the creeks." They also use the mule as a mascot on the bottle. The company that has released this particular Tennessee Whiskey is SNL Alcohol Beverage Group who, according to their website (SNLCapitol.com), specializes in buying ingredients, making new make whiskey, aging it, and then selling it to other producers at a profit. Not a bad idea as long as you can keep finding buyers. Here is what the press release has to say about the whiskey:

“Inspired by the legendary mule — Columbia’s enduring symbol of strength and persistence — Columbia Creek moves to its own tempo. Made with a classic Tennessee mash bill of 80% corn, 10% rye, and 10% malted barley, then distilled in a traditional column‑and‑doubler system, every drop balances purity with bold, full-bodied flavor.

Before barreling, the whiskey undergoes the slow, time-honored Lincoln County charcoal mellowing process, giving it a smooth, refined edge that separates Tennessee whiskey from bourbon pretenders. The spirit then rests — not rushed, not disturbed — in heavy-charred new American oak, soaking up six long Tennessee years of heat, cold, and honest change.”

Let’s see how they did, shall we?

Columbia Creek Tennessee Whiskey

Purchase Info: This bottle was provided by the producer at no cost for review purposes. It is available on the ColumbiaCreekWhiskey.com website for $49.95 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.33

Details: 47.8% ABV. 6 years old. Mash bill: 80% corn, 10% rye, 10% malted barley.

Nose: Delicate on the nose with notes of dried grains, apple, caramel, baking spice, and oak.

Mouth: Spicy with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, bubblegum, vanilla, fruit, oak, and a mineral note.

Finish: Medium in both length and warmth. Lingering notes of minerals, bubblegum, and cinnamon.

IMAGE: A hand-drawn smiley face denoting that I liked the product

Thoughts: I wasn't expecting that kind of spice on the palate after such a delicate nose. Quite tasty, though. Good flavor on the mouth and finish. I can honestly say that I would have walked past this on the shelf, being a sourced Tennessee whiskey, but I like it. I will happily finish the bottle. If you see it and have an extra $50 in your pocket, it is worth trying.

If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.

High West Bourye 2025

I’d like to thank High West Distillery and their partners at Lippe Taylor for sending this sample with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Bottle of High West Bourye whiskey on a wooden deck, featuring a jackalope on the label, with a backyard scene and bare trees in the background.

Hello friends! I hope everyone is having an amazing day today. I’ve been hobbling around on an injured foot after my deck bit me last night. I ended up with a five-inch-long sliver of wood stabbed about an inch into the ball of my foot. I was able to get it out just fine—just a little self-surgery with a sterilized X-Acto blade. It ended up looking like a cut. Not too bad... if it were anywhere but exactly where all my weight lands with every step. But hey! That just means I’m done with yard work for a little while. Not going to complain about that.

Especially when there’s whiskey in my glass.

Tonight’s whiskey is one from High West Distillery out of Park City, Utah. I’ve met some of the folks there a few times and always walk away impressed with their operation. In fact, what I love most about them is their willingness to let the consumer know exactly where the whiskey comes from—even if it wasn’t originally distilled by them.

For example, if you take a look at the press release for this particular bottle of Bourye (a blend of bourbon and rye whiskey), you’ll see the following:

Mashbill:
• Straight Rye Whiskey: 95% rye, 5% barley malt from MGP; 80% rye, 20% malted rye from HWD
• Straight Bourbon Whiskey: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% barley malt from MGP; 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley from MGP; 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley from KY

That’s pretty cool for a whiskey nerd like me. Plus, this particular release is over 10 years old. So, double-digit age and transparency? Yes, please.

The only thing I don’t love is the price. Trying to sell a $125 bottle of whiskey when folks are trying to figure out how to buy their groceries is... certainly a choice. But I wouldn’t doubt that their suppliers charged them an arm and a leg as well. And as a guy who sells things I make to people (see below), I get needing to make money on the things you’ve made.

One thing I did find odd: they specifically called out that this doesn’t do well with ice. And as someone who usually likes his whiskey with a small piece of ice, I can confirm—it doesn’t really take water well. Of course, at only 92 proof, it doesn’t really need it either.

So let’s dig in before I give everything away.

High West Bourye 2025

Purchase Info: This bottle was sent at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $124.99 per bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $8.33

Details: 10 years old. 46% ABV. Mashbill: A blend of whiskeys that include: Straight Rye Whiskey from MGP (95% rye, 5% barley malt), Straight Rye Whiskey from High West (80% rye, 20% malted rye), Straight Bourbon Whiskey from MGP (75% corn, 21% rye, 4% barley malt and 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley), and Straight Bourbon Whiskey from and unnamed Kentucky Distillery (78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley).

Nose: Ripe banana and red fruits, sweet vanilla-caramel, and dusty oak.

Mouth: Caramel, vanilla, red fruit, black tea, ginger, and oak.

Finish: Medium in length and warmth. Lingering notes of floral vanilla, black tea, barrel char, and ginger.

IMAGE: This is a hand-drawn smiley face. It denotes that I like the whiskey.

Thoughts: This is a good whiskey. I’m really enjoying it. There’s very little chance I’ll be purchasing it—not at that price, and not in this economy. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a good product. I dig the spicy and oak notes. I just wish it had a bit more proof. The mouthfeel is a little thinner than I’d like for something that runs over $8 a pour. Overall, I like the whiskey—it’s just that I’d like it a lot more at about half to two-thirds of the price.

If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.

Bernheim Barrel Proof Wheat Whiskey, A225

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for sending this sample with no strings attached.

IMAGE: A bottle of Bernheim Original Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey (Batch A225) sits on a wooden railing outdoors, with a blurred rural background.

Looking at that image above, you’d think that Spring had sprung here in Minnesota. And you’d have been forgiven for thinking that. Until today, we hadn’t had any measurable snow that actually stuck around this year. Heck, I was wearing shorts outside for most of the last month (don’t read too much into that—I just seem to be well adapted to the cold).

That all changed this morning when nearly a foot of heavy, wet snow dropped overnight. And I mean heavy. I fired up the big snowblower, and even that wasn’t enough to handle it in one pass. The plow ridge at the end of the driveway was a solid 18 to 24 inches high and about three feet deep—pure heart attack snow. But I can’t complain too much. Before today, that big snowblower had only been used once in the last couple of years.

What I can do, however, is sit down with a late-afternoon whiskey to recover from the physical labor of clearing the driveway and sidewalk. And if that whiskey happens to be tonight’s pour, I certainly wouldn’t be upset.

Bernheim Barrel Proof is, as the name suggests, a barrel-proof version of Heaven Hill’s Bernheim Wheat Whiskey. The mash bill is 51% wheat, 37% corn, and 12% malted barley. This batch was aged between seven and nine years before being bottled at a hefty 125.4 proof. The A225 designation means this is the first batch (A) of 2025 (25), released in February (2). The suggested retail price is $66.99.

Let’s dig in, shall we?

Bernheim Barrel Proof A225

Purchase Info: This sample was provided at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $66.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.47

Details: 62.7% ABV. Mash bill: 51% wheat, 37% corn, 12% malted barley

Nose: Caramel, mint, oak, vanilla, cinnamon, and cocoa.

Mouth: Hot and spicy, with notes of cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, mint, and cocoa.

Finish: Long and hot, with lingering notes of cinnamon, toffee, and cocoa.

IMAGE: A hand-drawn smiley face. This means I like it.

Thoughts: Whooo-boy! This one is hot! But it takes water well—adding a splash tames the heat and lets the flavors open up without losing complexity. Speaking of complexity, this might have the most layered nose I’ve ever found on a Bernheim product. I really like this one.

Comparison to Last Time: A225 is more complex on the nose and sweeter overall. On the palate, while B924 was still rich and hot, it had more grain-forward notes, whereas A225 leans more into barrel influence. Between the two, I much prefer A225.

If you want to support our work at BourbonGuy.com, please consider a one-time donation at ko-fi.com/bourbonguy or paypal.me/BourbonGuy. Or you could buy some merch that I’ve designed and/or built (tasting journals, t-shirts, stickers, pins, signs, posters, and more) at BourbonGuyGifts.com. Use code BOURBONGUYREADER at checkout for 5% off any order of $50 or more.

Woodinville Bourbon Sauternes Finish & Woodinville Founder’s Find Whiskey from a Bourbon Mash

I’d like to thank Woodinville Whiskey Company for providing these review samples with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Two limited-edition Woodinville whiskey bottles side by side: Founder’s Find 12-Year Whiskey (107 proof) and Sauternes Cask Finished Bourbon (105 proof), both set against a fall foliage background.

Writing this in the morning is a weird feeling. I look outside, and the fog is deep as the sun comes up. There’s coffee in my cup. I’ve finished feeding the dogs but haven’t fed myself yet. I’ve read the news, checked my email, and gotten a good start to the day. But here I am, trying to write about whiskey at a time of day when I’m normally not even thinking of it.

And why? Because I have plans. Like, outside-the-house plans. It’s okay, you can be shocked that the hermit is leaving his cave. It’s very strange for me, too. But the tattoo artist I like is in a different state, so I need to leave the house if I’m going to get more work done. So here we are: talking about two different whiskeys when I usually think about coffee.

That’s right, we’ve got another two-fer on our hands. These two whiskeys were both sent to me by the Woodinville Whiskey Company to help promote their upcoming release. If you are a Woodinville fan who was at their distillery a couple of weeks ago, you might already have tried/purchased them at their annual Harvest Release party. But if you aren’t, here is a little background info on them.

These are both limited releases. You can preorder them now on the Woodinville website. Both are over 100 proof, and both have deviated from the standard aging process in various ways. The Sauternes Cask Finish is pretty self-explanatory. Woodinville took the bourbon that they make and finished it in casks that previously held a sweet dessert wine from France. We’ve covered a few whiskeys that have used casks from this wine as a barrel finish in the past.

The Founder’s Find, though, is a little more complicated. First off, they did not distill this one; it was sourced from a distillery in Tennessee. Secondly, it isn’t a bourbon—well, at least not entirely. This is what is known as a “Whiskey from a Bourbon Mash,” which means that if it had been poured into a new, charred oak barrel, it would have been a bourbon. But in this case, the barrels weren’t new; they were reconditioned. This means that the previously used barrel was scraped clean of the char and burned again to make a new char layer. Some of the flavor of the barrel would have already been pulled from it due to the first use. The other unusual thing about this whiskey is that it’s a blend that happened partway through the aging process. About six years in, a small amount of 15-year-old bourbon that had been distilled in Indiana was added to it before it finished the last six years of its rest. Quoting the press release now:

Years ago, a group of renowned distillers proposed the use of these [reconditioned] barrels and began experimenting, only to be rebuffed by lawmakers. Which is how [Woodinville founder] Orlin uncovered this forgotten barrel in the back corner of a legendary rickhouse, patiently waiting for someone to notice and appreciate it.

So now that we’ve learned a bit about them, let’s jump into the tasting notes and see if these are any good, shall we?

Woodinville Bourbon Sauternes Finish

Purchase Info: This sample was sent for review purposes at no cost. The suggested retail price is $69.99.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: 52.5% ABV. Finished in Sauternes wine casks.

Nose: Dried grains lead off, with notes of brown sugar, molasses, and red fruit following.

Mouth: Nice, thick mouthfeel with notes of cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla, pear, and dried grains.

Finish: Medium in length and warmth, with notes of dried grains, vanilla, caramel, and a touch of both dried red fruits and fresh pears.

IMAGE: Not bad, but not for me. So it gets a neutral face.

Thoughts: I’m neutral on this one. I'd love a touch less dried grain on all aspects of this. That said, this is not a flaw but a personal preference, and by no means do I think this should keep anyone from trying it—especially since there are a lot of people who enjoy the grain-forward style of bourbon. I do find it fun, though, that the final notes to fade are "wine" notes of pear and red fruit. Thematically, that’s just about perfect for a wine-cask-finished bourbon.

Woodinville Founder's Find Whiskey from a Bourbon Mash

Purchase Info: This sample was sent for review purposes at no cost. The suggested retail price is $129.99.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $8.67

Details: 96% Tennessee whiskey aged for 12 years in reconditioned barrels (used and recharred) and 4% 15-year-old Indiana bourbon. 53.5% ABV.

Nose: Cinnamon, Flintstone Vitamins, and a touch of red fruit and oak.

Mouth: Caramel, cinnamon, red fruit, and oak notes follow a rich, thick mouthfeel.

Finish: Warm and long with notes of oak, leather, cinnamon, caramel, and red fruit.

Thoughts: The bottle says that the whiskey that the Woodinville founder discovered in Tennessee was "too extraordinary not to share." I agree with that sentiment wholeheartedly. This may not technically be a bourbon, but it has all the notes and characteristics that you would want in one. So much so that, even though I poured a glass after receiving the sample, I didn't notice that it was a "whiskey from a bourbon mash" until I went to record the details in my tasting notes. It's damn good. Lots of "dark" flavor notes and a rich mouthfeel. Really liking it.

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