ctbeck11
Virginia Distillery Co. Courage & Conviction Bourbon Cask
American Single Malt — Virginia, USA
Reviewed
July 6, 2021 (edited July 8, 2021)
Nose - vanilla, grass, dry herbal and floral notes, orange zest, peach, green apple, cinnamon, lemon meringue, toffee, light oak, mild to moderate ethanol burn.
Taste - green apple, pear, grass, salted caramel, dry vanilla, lemon zest, cinnamon, bitter floral and herbal notes, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with green apple, lemon zest, and bitter herbal flavors.
I’m revisiting Virginia Distillery Co sooner than expected, after being disappointed by the Port cask finished offering. I saw this miniature at the VA ABC, along with the Sherry and Cuvée cask releases, so I snagged all three.
The nose is fresh and citrusy. Bourbon cask aromas abound, but only the high, light notes. There’s some floral, herbal grassiness in the mix as well. The palate follows suit with light, sour fruit and citrus zest. Some baking spices present with more floral and herbal notes, but they’re more bitter here than on the nose.
Overall, this is a step up from the Port cask finished release, but not by very much. It lacks depth, like a radio with the treble cranked up and the bass flatlined. If you like bright, fresh, and effervescent malts, this may be for you. It’s just above average for me.
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@WhiskyWitch Haha that was probably the right decision. I recommend picking up another one if you can. It’s the only Virginia Distillery Co product I’ve really enjoyed so far.
IMO, the boubon was best out of the three. I think a Virginia single malt is interesting enough on its own, and too many additional wine notes don't do anything for it. Unfortunately, I couldn't try its more expensive "flagship" blend with all the casks, because that mini inside the box was cracked open, mostly gone, and sediment of some kind was floating in what was left. I don't have that much "Courage and Conviction" 😎
@PBMichiganWolverine You’re in luck. That’s on the docket for me to review this evening.
@Ctrexman Yep, it’s probably just a personal preference, but I’m always looking for those low notes to add some oomph to the experience.
I’ve read their cuvee cask is pretty good, supposedly.
Im with you ct, finding I need some decent weight and depth to truly enjoy a whiskey. These surfacy flavors are fleeting and lack conviction
@WhiskyWitch Nice catch! I had no idea. I’m assuming they want to get their stuff into more people’s hands, and discounting the miniatures is one way to do it. I think this is worth $45 a bottle. Absolutely not at $85, but I appreciate being able to try it at a reasonable price.
Ah, I'm getting to these. Not sure if you noticed, but the unit prices for the 50mL ones are (for whatever reason) *half* of the ridiculous $80+ they charge for the 750mL! So there is actually no incentive whatsoever to buy a full bottle of this brand; just get 15 minis for the equivalent of a $45 bottle, and you'll have 15 free reusable sample bottles as a bonus! (plus $40...)