Woodinville Straight Bourbon

Sweet and warm up front, rich and smooth finish. Great flavor overall.

The nose on this Washingtonian whiskey is hot and young, but quite representative of a bourbon profile with burnt brown sugar and oranges steeped in alcohol. From an emptied, dry glass -- the nose is Lipton iced tea leading to cocoa powder (thanks @BDanner for the hint). On the palate: cherry, toffee, caramels, and oak. Light, but still more on the cherry-side than most bourbons. The age and heat is detected on the mouthfeel as well, and contributes to a finish that is lightly tannic but astringent. With one teaspoon of water, the dryness is neutered and the whiskey is rendered quite friendly. Not bad for a $35 bottle - with a Double Gold under its belt at the 2020 SF World Spirits Competition. But it's not worth the hype, either. The other night, I followed a dram of this with a dram of a like-priced bourbon, Maker's 46, and the Maker's blew it out of the water in terms of mouthfeel and flavor. Still, this is decent VFM for a bourbon that, while nothing overboard, delivers a quaffable experience. As a craft distillery, maybe Woodinville wasn't as zealous, professional, shareable, or purposeful as ones in the South - being bought out by LVMH (the current owners of Glenmorangie and Ardbeg). Or, they might've blown whatever overhead they had in releasing the first batches. Whatever the reason, I still look forward to older stock in the future to mellow the heat and dryness (and with the new ownership, that may be a rational prospect). My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

Oak, leather, pipe tobacco