Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch Bourbon

I was pleased to learn that Wyoming Whiskey is a distillery rather than just another brand with sourced spirit. While many regions outside the most common ones have many distilleries that source, I can state that I have genuinely tasted Wyoming whiskey. The Double Cask was excellent; next is the main bottling. Bottled November 25, 2019. Batch 67. Nose: Red grape and wintergreen. Cranberry and raisin. Black cherry. Newspaper. Cornbread. Caramel. Maple pecan. Granny Smith apple. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. A hint of tobacco smoke, possibly even slight hookah. Quite unique—and very pleasing. Palate: Red grape, cranberry, raisin, black cherry, and wintergreen. Mint chocolate and pistachio. Newspaper. Granny Smith apple again, this time with some Gala. Dried apricot and sun-dried tomato. A bit of cornbread and a lot of banana bread. Walnut. Some cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Intriguing again—and solid. Finish: Wintergreen, black cherry, red grape, cranberry, and raisin remain prominent through the conclusion. Dried apricot, caramel, walnut, and pistachio appear after that. Cinnamon, baking spices, and light oak complete a moderate finish that leans towards the short side. This is an excellent whiskey. It's receiving the same score as the Double Cask. I prefer the latter slightly, but this is $15 less ($40), which was considered. What I find interesting is that, while the wine cask notes were definitely more prominent in the DC, this and that shared a very similar profile. I attributed many of the Double Cask’s unique notes to the sherry cask finish; apparently, I was mistaken. The key is in the grain. This is a wheated bourbon from Wyoming. That’s an unusual combination, yet it has made its way to the East Coast—and is readily available. That shouldn't be a surprise, because this is a successful recipe. Well done, Wyoming Whiskey. One instance might be luck, two instances are promising, hopefully, the next offering will make me a true fan. 4.5/5.

Batch No. 94. Aged 5 years. Nose: Sweet corn, cinnamon soap, baking spice. Mild oak notes. With more time in the glass, the baking spice develops into a gingersnap cookie. More corn and then some hints of fruit. Palate: A bit thin initially. Then caramel, faint vanilla, sweet corn, toasted white bread with a little butter. Some faint green rye grain notes that bring along herbal notes, almost like white tea. Finish is sweet cinnamon with very little heat, and then a long-lingering sweet caramel candy with hints of vanilla and sweet oak. Long, but very gentle finish. I had been curious to try a Wyoming bottle for a while. I really appreciate the commitment to local ingredients. I read somewhere that this distillery aims to create something distinct from Kentucky bourbon, believing that its origin influences the spirit to make it unique in the market. I like that idea. I'm not sure how well it comes across in this bottle, but this is very solid. It's different from your average Kentucky bourbon - it's softer, less sweet, and less hot, which makes you wonder what's missing. Well, it possesses some nuance that is often overshadowed by oak in entry-level (or second-level) Kentucky offerings. It's not one I'm likely to buy again - it just doesn't make much sense at its price point - but it's good enough that I'm curious to see what else Wyoming has to offer.

It's been some time since I last posted a review. This doesn't mean I stopped drinking, just that I wasn't writing about it. I'm back now and took notes on all the different spirits I've tried. I purchased Wyoming whiskey months ago and had some friends and family over to try it to gauge their reactions. Overall, it was well-received, being smooth enough to sip but strong enough to remind you that you're drinking a bourbon. On the nose, I detected hints of vanilla, fruit, and oak with a little ethanol, which concerned me. I lost all my Glencairn glasses during the move and haven't replaced them. Incidentally, if anyone knows of some good ones, I'm open to suggestions. In a rocks glass, it coats the sides nicely and has a medium amber hue. The taste was a surprise with fruity notes like washed apricots or prunes alongside vanilla. The body was an easy blend of fruit and vanilla or caramel with the oak appearing and lasting through the finish. The end was a bit abrupt with oak and some ethanol, but it was pleasant. I was worried when I smelled the ethanol initially, but it was never the focus of the drink. This makes a very drinkable Old Fashioned and a solid Manhattan; just be particular about your vermouth as this gets lost easily. I don't recall what I paid for this, but it's worth between $30 and $40 to me, no more. Enjoy.

The aroma carries more heat than anticipated for the stated proof. Oak stands out as the primary scent. Vanilla, a touch of sweet caramel, and orange zest are also present. Honestly, not very captivating overall. The palate has a somewhat sticky texture that isn't particularly enjoyable. Similar to the nose, citrus fruit, oak, and caramel are prominent. The finish lingers for a good while, featuring oak and some orangey citrus fruit, though it carries a slightly medicinal quality. Conclusion: Meh, I had higher expectations for the price. Other spirits in this range are more appealing to me. It also presented more heat than expected for only 88 proof. The flavor profile generally felt a bit dull, focusing mainly on oak and citrus. I likely won't buy this again.

Aroma - sweet vanilla, orange peel, charred wood, black pepper Palate - full bodied, oily, orangey, peppery, smoky, less sweet vanilla with more bitterness, very warm, can feel the alcohol Finish - moderately long, mostly a warm burn, mouth-coating, astringent, a touch more pepper at the end Not bad, a bit rough for the proof but a nice flavor profile. I'll try it slightly chilled or with a small ice cube to mellow it out. It's a reasonable value for what I paid; I would have been disappointed if I'd paid the full price.

Batch: 77 Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Grape and flower scents with a touch of cinnamon. Palate: A delicate texture, more grape notes. Finish: Lingering but not very warming. Overall 6/10 - Unexpectedly long finish for such a low (88) proof. Lacking complexity, but quite sweet and packed with grape taste. Might get better with a splash of water or served over ice (not yet attempted). Edit: tried over ice. Quite pleasant, still sweet with prominent grapes, a less lengthy finish.