Storm King Side Gig Whiskey

Another Colorado bourbon (I’m vacationing in CO), this one from nearby Montrose. I almost skipped it based on the other reviews (watermelon?! In whiskey?!), but decided to try it anyway. I’m pleased I did. Color: copper penny Nose: strong apricot, vanilla First sip neat: It takes a moment to understand what’s happening here - it’s definitely not your typical whiskey profile. Fruity for sure. I actually detect notes of watermelon, but they aren’t unpleasant. Apricot stands out, along with snickerdoodle cookie and creme brûlée. I’m not getting the chocolate notes that the other reviewers mentioned, but the fruit is prominent and pleasant. Not much burn at all. With water: dulls it. Kills all the subtlety. Finish: medium. The sweetness lingers with a bit of oak and vanilla. Once water is added, the finish has a hint of grass or hay. This… is unexpected. It’s not at all a typical bourbon (my usual choice) or whiskey. This feels more like a dessert beverage, like after a slice of pie or a handful of cookies. Easy, sweet. Crowd-pleasing and approachable. I like it a lot.

This special whiskey from Storm King Distilling Co. has an orange-copper hue and leaves thick, syrupy marks on the glass. The sweet bouquet is delightful, offering notes of rich butterscotch, oatmeal cookie, German chocolate cake, caramel apple, vanilla, and watermelon. The palate has a thin, watery texture and is very fruity, with hints of green apple, dark grapes, peach, buttery cinnamon French toast, and tangy Cutie orange and lemon. The finish lingers, tasting like sweet yogurt raisins. Cheers!

Distinctive, fruity, tart, almost sour?, thin. Love the finish and aroma, the taste isn't for me but maybe it's because the whiskey is young. I hope to create something this good someday and I wish these people success. Also, you definitely detect that watermelon flavor. It's the fruity/tart taste. Never encountered that before - really neat.

Its color is dark caramel, and it leaves slow-moving legs. The aroma is like a clean barn on a fall day, with hints of cocoa, vanilla, and caramel. It has a thick texture in the mouth. The flavor is fruity and vibrant, with a lot of watermelon. There's not much heat, and it finishes with chocolate cake.

Quite good. Declared "American whiskey of the year." Hmph.