Ironroot Republic Texas Straight Corn Whiskey 2020 Single Cask #4 (Lost Lantern)

Following the glowing feedback from others, my curiosity was sparked to taste this. It's currently available from a retailer, so I decided to try it thanks to a sample provided by a friend. Upon opening the sample and pouring it into my glass, the initial impression is that this is potent and caused some nasal discomfort upon the first sniff. After adding a good amount of water and allowing it some time, the alcohol's harshness subsides, and it truly opens up with a rich, thick butterscotch cream cheese frosting aroma that seems to fill my entire living room. The aroma begins with that rich butterscotch cream cheese frosting, followed by toasted marshmallow and freshly baked cornbread, then notes of sautéed cinnamon apples and black cherries. This transitions to barrel spices like ginger, cloves, and nutmeg, along with the scent of rugged cowboy boots and a sun-drenched old barn, all carrying a high ethanol burn. The taste has a rich texture, starting with intense wood spice that fades to rich butterscotch cream cheese frosting, followed by burnt black marshmallow and fresh cornbread with honey. Then come the fruits of sautéed cinnamon apples and black cherries, transitioning to barrel spices of ginger, cloves, and nutmeg, the aroma of rugged cowboy boots, and a sun-drenched old barn, all with a significant ethanol burn. The finish is long, featuring butterscotch pudding, stroopwafel cookies, apple pie filling, black cherries, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, leather, and old polished oak. Remarkable, I didn't anticipate a young corn whiskey to be so exceptional, boasting a rich, decadent nose, texture, and taste with hints of thick caramel, citrus, and fairly well-integrated oak. The only drawback is that the oak is a bit too prominent, overpowering the initial taste before finally receding to allow the other flavors to emerge. Compared side-by-side with another aged spirit, that one was much better balanced, while this one's intense oak was its primary flaw. Considering its price, I'd say this offers good value for those who appreciate bold, robust whiskey from that region.

Smell - rich oak, butterscotch, powdered sugar, vanilla frosting, marshmallow, cocoa, dusty corn, candy corn, fig, plum, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, black cherry, sweet floral notes, fruit punch, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - butterscotch, black cherry, candy corn, vanilla bean, mint, plum, black pepper, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, dark chocolate, spicy rich oak, fruit punch, floral notes, marshmallow, moderate to high ethanol burn, finishing medium long with black cherry, rich oak, butterscotch, and spicy pepper flavors. Oh my goodness, this is wonderful. It's definitely from Texas. It's rich and dense with a beautiful mouthfeel. The European oak aging has done wonders for the simplicity of corn whiskey. I wouldn't call it complex, but there's much more going on here than I would have anticipated. This is significantly better than the Santa Fe and New York Distilling versions from Lost Lantern, and I can see why this is the only one that's sold out. If it wasn't, I'd already be ordering two more. I followed some advice and added a few drops of water to reduce the alcohol content a bit. It really helps. I think it actually increases the complexity. More of the fruitiness comes through without lessening the rich caramel and oak backbone. Overall this is excellent, and likely as good as corn whiskey can possibly be. I wish I could buy a bottle for my collection. A huge thanks to the person who provided the sample. This one is special, and a worthy dram to mark the occasion of my 300th review.

The initial taste immediately brings Texas to mind. I am a great admirer of what I consider (personally) the finest craft distillers in the US: Balcones and Garrison from Texas, Del Bac from Arizona, McKenzie from New York, Westland from Washington State, and St George from California. Each possesses a distinct regional character. Texas spirits are known for being big and bold. Balcones and Garrison are easily accessible, but Ironroot is not, at least outside of Texas. However, thanks to a generous pour from a friend, I finally had the chance to sample another of the Texan distilleries from their triumvirate. This spirit is big, brash, and bold. Imagine Garrison Cowboy, but with less oak. It presents a deep mahogany color and its aroma is of oak, cedar, and spice. The taste hits with considerable strength – plenty more oak, complemented by vanilla and cinnamon. If you enjoy ECBP or Garrison Cowboy, this will be right up your alley. One important tip: add a cube of ice or some water; you will need it. Personally, I would rate this higher than the Cowboy due to the price difference – $100 compared to $300-400 (which is excessive for any bourbon). Keep in mind, this is a unique independent bottling from Lost Lantern. I'm uncertain if the standard Ironroot releases are as robust. However, this same bottle was available on the Lost Lantern website when it was first offered. If you see it, purchase it immediately and consider it a saving of $200-300 compared to the Cowboy. Thanks to a friend for the pour!

Water was definitely needed to calm this down. I added some water, tasted it, then added more. Big buttercream frosting, butterscotch, creme brulee, apple, cinnamon. Spicy barrel on the back end. I like the buttery start of the taste on this, but I prefer the finish of the other LL Ironroot. This seems quite similar to the Balcones True Blue Cask Strength, but better. Overall, I do think I prefer the other Lost Lantern Ironroot, but this is also really good. Another success, thank you again!

Very pleasant, with a smooth conclusion. It tastes like a more premium version of Maker's Mark.