St. Augustine Florida Straight Bourbon

I happened upon this distillery shortly after it began operations while vacationing in St. Augustine. At the time, they only offered vodka and gin, as the whiskey required a lengthy aging process. That extended period apparently wasn't sufficient. A friend, whom I was meant to meet but couldn't due to a hurricane that disrupted plans that summer, gifted me this bottle. An interesting story, now for the review. The scent carries a fresh wood character, reminiscent of new oak and sawdust, with a subtle alcoholic presence. The initial taste is sharp, with an unpleasant alcoholic bite. This spirit, aged only three years, clearly shows its youth; it could likely benefit from more time mellowing before barreling. Following the first sip and the initial sharp sensation, a taste of raisin and molasses emerges, lingering briefly. I had hoped to appreciate this one more, especially since the gin from this distillery is exceptional, but their standard straight bourbon didn't meet my expectations. I'll definitely visit the distillery again when I'm in the city to see how things have progressed after a few years.

A rich Bourbon Whiskey from St. Augustine Distillery in Florida, made with a mash bill of 60% Florida corn, 22% barley, and 18% Florida wheat. It was aged for at least three years in American white oak barrels. It has an aromatic start with notes of grains, wood, fruits, nuts, herbs & spices; a full & rich middle adds notes of cherry-vanilla ice cream, marshmallow, toffee & sage; leading to a slightly creamy & woody finish of medium length with notes of oak, dark chocolate, cinnamon, Brazil nut, banana leaf, tobacco & leather. May 2024

This bourbon confirms that the only truly good bourbons come from Kentucky. This tastes more like a wheat whiskey than bourbon. I considered buying a bottle, but the price doesn't match the quality. I was at the distillery, and they wanted $60. There are many better bottles available for half that price!

The aroma and taste are somewhat unusual. The high proportion of malted barley and wheat imparts a dominant bread-like character to the palate. It's sweet, with abundant bread notes and a slight alcoholic sting. I'm not really developing a fondness for this. I find it to be too costly for its quality.

The three years of aging are evident. It has a very smoky taste with an odd finish I can't quite describe. It's like chewing on wood from a campfire. It's very strong, almost like whiskey, yet it's not high proof. This is the second bourbon I've tried from this company, and while I enjoyed The Saint, this is terrible.

It requires more time in the barrel. The flavor isn't off-putting, per se. With two more years, it would likely be a success. Sweetness is the only note. No wood flavor. It lacks any depth of flavor. Thin. Absolutely no finish.