dthom
Black Maple Hill Limited Edition Purple Label
Bourbon — Oregon, USA
Reviewed
July 19, 2019 (edited February 4, 2021)
This is really an odd one. The nose is dominated by an intense minerality, with piney notes, hints of damp soil, decomposing plant matter, wet rocks (for lack of a better description), and just a hint of something kind of like mint tea with honey. Things look a little like they’re going to push in the direction of gin, but they don’t go so far as to be off putting. The taste really hones in on those notes of tea and honey, bringing in a light note of lemon, and a pervasive grassiness. The mid palate starts to bring out more in the way of light barrel char and smoke, but only ever hints at the classic vanilla-caramel wood sugars. The finish brings out strange reminiscences of a strong, cool breeze over a damp forest floor. It sounds strange, but you’ll know what I mean if you taste this. A truly odd and unique bourbon, it shies away from all of the classic sweet, dessert-like notes of a classic bourbon, instead landing solidly in the space of light, mineral-forward herbaceous honey. This is a whiskey I would reach for on a crisp, damp autumn day. Not my favorite, but a unique journey nonetheless.
55.0
USD
per
Bottle
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