Seven whiskeys in seven days. I don't think in the whole of my life I have ever consumed whiskey on seven consecutive days. Granted, I backed off the full pours by sample #3, but still, 3/4 of an ounce is 3/4 of an ounce! Let's get to it.
Oh this nose is unmistakable - well toasted sugar (that's American for brûlée), brown sugar, vanilla, oak. Ladies and gentlemen, I suspect our mystery guest tonight is a bourbon whiskey. The alcohol is noticeable but not overbearing. The oak influence is strong, but refined to the nose - zero solvent or wood astringency characteristics. Vanilla and brown sugar dominate the smell indicating this is going to be a sweet tasting whiskey. Every now and again I get a faint whiff of dark chocolate, not consistently, but it is there.
Very interesting - the taste is not as sweet as the smell would have you anticipate. Cooked corn (i.e. creamed corn) and charred oak are the stars of the taste relegating the brown sugar to third place. There is not too much other than the corn and oak happening on the taste. Perhaps a touch of spiciness, but nothing that strikes me as out of place in a bourbon. There is a consistent drying sensation at the end of each sip. Think taking a swig of unsweetened black tea; perhaps a touch of tannin from the aging process.
The finish is medium length. It's here in the finish that the mild spiciness from the taste is really amplified. In fact, the two most dominant aspects of the finish are oak and pepper spice. Curiously, the corn, while present, is not as pronounced in the finish as it is in the smell and taste.
Putting all this together, I believe we have a bourbon whiskey that was produced in the United States of America. It is not terribly old nor is it terribly young, I'm shooting for 6-years old. The strength is moderate, but not above 50%, somewhere in the 45% range. Picking a specific producer is tricky - I can't think of a single Kentucky bourbon that reminds of this whiskey. I'll wager a true guess and say this bourbon comes to us via New York. I do think this whiskey is a sipper, but that classification would change to 'Skip' if this whiskey's retail price is revealed to be greater than $50.
My Guess
Type/Style: Bourbon Whiskey
Region: United States of America (New York)
Age: 6 old
Maturation: New charred oak
Strength: 45% ABV
Producer: No idea
Sip, Mix, or Skip?: Sip
Reveal
Name: Kansas City Whiskey
Type/Style: Blended American Whiskey
Region: United States of America (Kansas City)
Age: Non-age stated (minimum of 4 years)
Maturation: New charred oak
Strength: 45% ABV
Producer: J. Rieger & Co.
Price: $40
Official Tasting Notes
A blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskey, light corn Whiskey, and Straight Rye Whiskey, Rieger's Kansas City Whiskey brings together different Whiskeys that were all aged for at least 4 years. Plus, a nice lil’ drop of 15 YO Oloroso Sherry from the Williams & Humbert Bodega in Jerez. This used to be an established practice back in the 1800s but when the Whiskeys got better, there was no need for adding Sherry anymore. A shame, really, since it can add a nice touch to excellent Whiskeys, too. So, these guys decided to bring this practice back. With the good Whiskeys, though. Naturally. Weighing in at 92 proof, you have before you a very well-balanced, smooth, and slightly sweet Whiskey blend.
Final Thoughts
Well well well, after a great showing last night, it's back to reality for me tonight. Amazing this is a blend of not two, but three different whiskeys with a splash of actual sherry added for good measure. Interwebz scuttlebutt tells me all three whiskeys used in this blend are sourced from unknown distilleries. I am amazed that I did not pick up on the sherry notes. I feel I have a pretty reliable nose when it comes to sherry influence and am a bit surprised I totally whiffed in that regard. With the benefit of hindsight, the blend of bourbon, corn, and rye whiskey does make sense. This whiskey smelled incredibly sweet, tasted savory, and finished spicy. Had I been paying greater attention, the clues were there that this was a bit more complex than a typical bourbon. This is a clear-cut case of confirmation bias, I feel I had my mind made up that this was a bourbon and structured all my observations accordingly. Lesson learned, always strive to keep an open mind when tasting whiskey blind. Regardless, I'd love to know the exact proportions of each whiskey in the blend, but alas that seems like a well guarded trade secret.
I will stick by my 'Sip' assessment. While this whiskey could use a bit more time in the barrel, it has spent sufficient time to smooth out most of the rough edges. To me, this sips much like a bourbon, but the overall experience is more complex than that single note. The whiskey morphs as you progress from smell to taste to finish. Combine this with a $40 asking price, and I have very little to complain about. Fans of American whiskey would be well served to at least try a pour of this blend.
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