Rod & Hammer's SLO Stills Straight Bourbon

I visited a local store's whisky tasting event and sampled some... These are young bourbons from Rod & Hammers... both the Straight Bourbon and their higher proof Cask Strength have a 2-year age statement. I sampled both and wasn't entirely impressed by either. However, I wanted to support a local distillery (they're based in San Luis Obispo, CA) and bought a bottle of the Straight Bourbon. Considering its youth, it's not too bad. The aroma is pleasant, with vanilla and floral notes noticeable. The palate is a bit thin (as expected), with some sweetness and spiciness (given the relatively high rye content). It leaves a slight warmth in the chest. I also detect a nice walnut flavor emerging. The finish is brief, with a lingering spice. When I inquired about longer-aged options in development, I was informed they currently have some aging. I'm eager to see what this distillery will offer in the near future.

The nose smells of butterscotch or caramelized vanilla, finishing with oak and a hint of leather. The palate blends into the nose with a touch of sweet caramel at the front before shifting to spearmint, leather, and herbal black tea at the back. This then transitions to the finish, which keeps the herbal black tea and spearmint from the back palate, with orange peel mixing in and lingering on your tongue. Overall, it has a pretty long finish with the orange peel lasting for a significant amount of time. It's a nice whiskey, with notes similar to others readily available.

The aroma is caramel and toffee, it has a pleasant mouthfeel, with caramel and oaked toffee coming through and a smooth, strong, pleasantly lingering finish.

Enjoyed on July 2, 2022, in Ocean Beach, San Diego. Also went for a swim in the ocean.

Smells fantastic. Woody on the palate.