Crooked Water King's Point (Port Finished Bourbon)

Very sweet, not my favorite sip I have had but not bad glad I tried

Caramel, vanilla, port.

My wife says it’s 4.5 / 5. But she has only tasted whiskey twice in her life. So take that as you will.

Nose: sweet fruity and hint of sherry Palate: vanilla, dark cherry, baking and rye spice Finish: medium dry finish with late heat 45 ABV, 50 as listed. Good sipper even though it leaves mouth slightly dry. I’m happy to have bottle in my collection.

Today's review is of the Crooked Water King's Point Bourbon Whisky, finished in a port cask. It's bottled at 45% ABV. This spirit is distilled and bottled by Yahara Bay Distillers in Madison WI on behalf of Crooked Water Spirits in Minneapolis MN. I picked up this 50ml sample from Ace Spirits for $1 and think I would pay for a pour in a bar to have it again. The bottle notes "Distilled from Grain", but I'm not really sure why. From what I can find, this is aged for 2 years in typical bourbon fashion and then finished between 6 and 18 months in port casks. Before sipping, I rested this dram in the Glencairn for 5 minutes. Thoughts and rating below: ⠀ Nose: Gentle port sweetness, corn, heat, a little oaky spice ⠀ Taste: A bright, sweet, and zesty berry fruit sweetness comes up first. There is some tannic zest that joins it as well, clearly from the port cask. A mild orangey astringency starts after the initial note and persists throughout the entire experience to the finish. The bourbon doesn't have much spice or rye character, but more of a gentle sweet corn and sugar note to accompany the fruitier notes. The texture is slightly oily and helps the flavors last for a surprisingly long time. ⠀ As a fan of sweet bourbons, I think this is a solid offering. I'll repeat myself that it lacks the rye and spice character that many love in a bourbon, but it's a great sweet sipper. I have had mixed thoughts on port cask finishes for other bourbon and scotch in the past, but I think this provides a balanced level and is a decent inteoduction to the port-finished style. Being from a low volume craft distillery, I appreciate the quality here and think this drinks very well for it's age. I can't find any unpleasant notes. I would prefer a little more complexity. ⠀ 81/100