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