Van Brunt Stillhouse Campfire

During a recent trip to NYC, I had a free evening. My explorations often involve a lot of walking. I've rarely explored NYC's liquor stores, with Astor Wines and Liquors being a notable exception where I always stop when in the East Village. One of the better discoveries was Bottlerocket Wines and Spirits, which offered a good selection of various whiskeys, including local ones from Van Brunt Stillhouse and Kings County Distillery. I hadn't tried anything from Van Brunt yet, though I have an unopened bottle of their Bourbon from earlier this year. Bottlerocket had a nice range of Van Brunt products, including Campfire, which was new to me. The name "Campfire" sounded appealing on a cold night, so I bought a 375 ml bottle. Later research indicated the Campfire is a blend of Van Brunt’s Peated Bourbon (60% corn, 20% wheat, 20% peated malt), Smoked Corn Whiskey (80% corn, 20% wheat aged in ex-bourbon barrels), and Smoked Wheat Whiskey. (Except for the smoked corn, the others seem to be distillery-only releases. Hopefully, this will change). The nose presents smoke, oak, and corn, along with a tequila lime note, creating a very distinctive profile. The palate highlights corn, smoke, and cherry. It's quite tannic, but the palate is well-balanced between the tannic elements and bourbon flavors, and it's not dry at all. The smoke is interesting – it permeates the palate without being harsh and has a slightly vegetal quality. Although the blend includes peated malt, the peat isn't easily identifiable. Overall, I found the Campfire to be very pleasing – complex, balanced, and unique. This appears to be a one-time 2018 release, and I regret not purchasing a second 375ml bottle. However, I still have the bourbon to open, and I anticipate more excellent offerings from Van Brundt in the future.

This is a mix of their smoked corn, peated malt, and bourbon whiskey. The aroma has light smoke, bourbon sweetness, and oak. The palate is balanced, with notes of cherry, corn dust, black pepper, and barrel spice. It finishes lightly bittersweet, reminiscent of dark cocoa nibs and coffee.