Name: Sons of Liberty Single Barrel Bourbon
Distillery: Sons of Liberty
Location: South Kingston, RI
MSRP: $44.99
90 Proof – 45% ABV
(Backstory) I acquired this bottle blindly, no Google search etc, thinking ‘Hey, that is something random I’ve never seen anyone talking about. Upon receiving, I see that it is: 100% Rhode Island grown corn, aged 16 months, non-chill filtered & double distilled then placed in new American oak. Well, 3 pours & 2 hours of random reading later, here we go…
Based on the label, I’m not expecting very much – young, sweet corn whiskey – not my cup of tea to say the least…but boy was I wrong! On the nose, I immediately realize I should throw my expectations out the window. A quick cascade of: oats, malt, caramel, banana & just enough alcohol to get your attention. Spoiler alert, this is not what a southerner thinks of in a corn whiskey. On the palate, I’m greeted by mild warmth which leads to a blend of young oak > tobacco/anise > vanilla > finally a little corn-y at the end. The finish is not quite as complex, a thin mouthfeel that offers dry tobacco/earthiness followed by a mild singe of pepper.
From the first smell, I immediately thought of Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey which I am admittedly a huge fan of, & thats when the research started…
So it turns out Sons of Liberty started out making beer, & decided to use the same grains to make whiskey. I highly recommend you visit their site (link above) to gain more knowledge on their product line & intriguing limited releases. Although they are currently limited to the New England area, I expect substantial growth based on the accolades earned & how tasty this young, single barrel is.
Final Verdict: Buy it – With the upswing in craft distilleries, it is nice to find a product that is thoroughly enjoyable. The fact that these folks are putting out their own young, enjoyable juice, in a time where many: source or release too early &/or bottle in a 375ml for the price of a 750ml, is truly great to see. That being said, to each their own & I admittedly love how this taste reminds me of the uniqueness of Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey.
Cheers! – Zeke