Kings County Bourbon (Discontinued)

Rating: 13/23 Nose: I detect sawdust, lightly sweet with a hint of shaved chocolate. A bit of grain comes through. This reminds me somewhat of Garrison Brothers Single Barrel Cask Strength, but it's much lighter, less rich, less sweet, and more bitter. There's also a slight fresh and possibly toasted grain character. Its scent is bolder and woodier than Elijah Craig Small Batch (which also has a certain teabag quality). Surprisingly little spice and no fruit are present. Palate: Sawdust flavors with a somewhat corn-like sweetness (though not intensely sweet). Some mineral notes are present. I get a noticeable impression of the raw alcohol, suggesting minimal aging. It's quite dusty and tannic. It's not overly harsh, but it does tend to numb my tongue and I experience a slight burn without many distinct spices (perhaps some allspice and cinnamon). Eventually, a bit of chocolate emerges, more akin to cacao nibs. It strongly resembles a lesser version of Garrison Brothers and some of my experiments aging bourbon with wood chips for too long. Finish: The bitterness intensifies as the sawdust and particularly the teabag notes become more prominent. This isn't an exceptional finish, but frankly, I can't imagine what would be needed to make this palate work through to the end. Conclusion: I appreciate the style to some extent. The Garrison Brothers sawdust profile isn't my absolute favorite, but it's enjoyable occasionally. During the palate assessment, I thought it had a good chance of scoring a 14. However, the finish, with its dominant tannins, lost me. This is also likely a sweet mash bourbon, which is often not the preferred style. Reflecting on other whiskeys rated 12, that seems too low for this. It's close to a 14 in quality but likely capped at 13.

Nose: Abundant American oak (which I enjoy) and some vanilla. Palate: A plain grain flavor with a distinct and pleasant smoky/charred note at the end. I don't perceive the immaturity that others mention, but I do agree it's one-dimensional. The taste doesn't live up to the aroma, but I'm eager to see future offerings from this distillery.

3/5 Grainy and lacking maturity. Multiple problems exist: 1) heavy distillates from pot stills require more aging if they are going to produce it, 2) fermenters left open in the local climate lead to consistency challenges, 3) minimal time in small casks results in an abrasive, young spirit, and 4) adding wheat or rye to the mashbill would be beneficial. A mashbill of only corn and malted barley results in a fairly one-note bourbon, in my opinion. I'm not really enjoying this one, especially considering the cost.

I've tried the chocolate version from this producer. A company celebration yielded this as a prize. It's easily among the worst flavored whiskies I've ever encountered. It carries an aroma of very dark cocoa and anise. The impact is strong, and it leaves a manufactured syrupy film on the palate. I plan on giving this to someone else who might be intrigued by this oddity.

A little muted on the nose, with wood, cinnamon, umami, grain, and caramel. Soft and sweet on the palate with confectioners sugar, wood, vanilla, caramel, apple, and Red Hots. A short finish with a bit of cocoa. This is clearly young and tastes much less potent than 90 proof. The presentation is nice, though the spirit is a little thin.

Nice smell - hints of corn and leather - pepper - Taste - smoke - herbal - burnt cocoa - orange Finish - light - low proof - quick burn and light finish - caramel or chocolate - An interesting bourbon - I would prefer a higher proof - smells light & enjoyable - needs a stronger finish-