Ironroot Esoteric

This Saturday, kinda chillin’. Some found downtime to sample something while watching a Netflix movie. I figured something more on the conservative side (lower Abv) amongst the samples I still need to work through. This comes to me courtesy of @soonershrink. N: Ethanol abound on the nose. The vapors hover extendedly. Not wickedly. Just enough to mask other aromas from pushing through. Give it a fair amount of time to weaken. Vanilla custard primarily breaks through. Bits of black cherry and cola encased in wood. P: It comes on strong though it’s only 48.5%. Velvety in texture. The flavors complement the nose with the cola in the forefront. White pepper keeps the palate tingly. F: Slightly bitter and tannic on the finish. Orange peel, oak, cinnamon Red Hots. The bitterness and oak does linger for a long period of time. Not good nor bad. Sort of just there. O: This is a simplistic, youthful whiskey. To be somewhat critical, it lacks depth, richness, boldness and sophistication. Maybe it’s the casks. Or maybe it did not have enough time to mature. Good enough for occasions where much socialization will occur or as a mixer. Thanks @soonershrink for the sample. [84/100][Tasted: 1/6/24]

This review is for the 2022 release, purchased at the distillery Sept 2022. Aged at least 40 months. I understand it’s a blend of corn whiskey and bourbon, but the blend changes with each batch. The nose is quite minty. There’s vanilla pudding, orange peel, some cherry, and some oak notes. A little of the Texas funk comes through, which also carries through to the palate. The palate shows much of the same as the nose. Seems like there’s maybe more rye here than I remember hearing about in this one, or maybe there’s something else like a finishing barrel in here that I missed. The funk is not overwhelming, but it definitely has a Texas whiskey characteristic that’s noticeable. Woody. A little youthiness seems to show up particularly towards the finish. I actually quite enjoy this, but it’s not one I would recommend for someone looking for a Kentucky bourbon profile. Texas whiskey in all its variations is kind of its own thing, which I tend to like, but I also know it’s somewhat polarizing.

The nose is exactly like the smell of being out camping and unzipping your tent in the night or early morning, the fabric of your rain cover beset with dew. To me, it smells wonderful and it’s extremely nostalgic. Taking my first sip, it’s bright. I can taste the copper pot still, and as opposed to most metallic-tasting whiskies, I actually enjoy it. It certainly has the characteristic Ironroot rich mouthfeel and some herbal notes. Unique and complex. I like it a lot.