Frey Ranch American Single Malt Smoked Whiskey

I remember as a kid, I used to visit my grandfather’s farm in north India. Huge farm, with a bungalow at the center, where meals were made outdoors over a cast iron “tawa” ( a large concave cast iron griddle ). Over this griddle, the caretaker used to smoke eggplant that was already pre marinated in spices. He used to take this smoked spiced eggplant, and dip it in a yogurt sauce that had mint and cumin. The end result was amazing…lightly smoked, savory, with a minty twist. This whiskey took me back to that. There’s a whiff of smoke on the nose, followed by a savory palette …some campfire smoke, mint, spices. A bit of fruit ( berries ?) comes by as well, just balancing out the savory side perfectly. I don’t think I’ve had a Frey Ranch before, but this is simply amazing. At about $60 for a 375ml, not exactly cheap, but I’d gladly buy again. Do yourself a favor…buy on sight. Superbly well made. @ctbeck11 @pkingmartin @Richard-ModernDrinking this might be a surprise hit in that lineup I sent over