Hudson New York Corn Whiskey (Discontinued)

This is a weird one, with it being a 100% corn new-make white “whiskey.” On the nose... I was turned off at first. Smells sour and sweet. Without the wood barrel influences I am left with what I’d describe as cotton candy and hospital hand sanitizer. It also smells thick and syrupy. On the tongue... it tastes a bit better than it smells. It has a dull sweetness underneath a larger sweet tone. With nothing to mask it, there’s definitely an alcohol taste. And it’s thin with little finish. I added a little water and the alcohol burn actually seemed to go up a notch but didn’t unlock any new flavors for me. This is an interesting whiskey to try just on the basis of knowing how to identify the corn influences in bourbon and to experience what whiskey uninfluenced by a barrel tastes like. I think it’s also a confirmation that wood truly makes whiskey.