Timber Craft Whiskey Ninety-Eight

The maiden product for Big Spring Distillers out in Big Spring, TX. This upstart was founded in 2021 by Will Reed, a spirits industry vet formally with Virginia Distillery Company. Ninety-Eight is a five-year, Indiana sourced, bourbon with a stated mash-bill of corn, wheat, and rye- no malted barley! Ninety-Eight is a nice nod to its proof. On the nose I get sweet oak along with stewed apples, like the filling of a fresh apple pie. The palate is sweet caramel that quickly transitions to baking spices and a medium finish. This is a classic bourbon with the softer notes you'd expect out of a wheated recipe. Not as bright or fruity as Maker's, and has a nice finish thanks to the extra proof points. A good start for this new Texas brand.