redlipwhiskydiary
Sonoma County Distilling Co. West of Kentucky Bourbon No. 1
Bourbon — California, USA
Reviewed
December 13, 2020 (edited January 14, 2021)
I snagged a local offering on recommendation while heading home from the West coast. This bottle of Sonoma County Distilling Co. West of Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey was bottled in the fall of 2017 (#1362 of 320 cases).
It has a cherry, fruitcake nose that mellows to a citrusy, floral honey tone.
Because this is their take on classic Kentucky bourbon (and aged in new, charred American oak), I braced for more bite but am pleasantly surprised by the more-comforting warmth. The flavour reminds me of dense rum cake that has been soaked in booze: spices, orange zest, oak with a spiked syrup kick. With time, smoke deepens my sips like a jazz saxophone playing a solo in an underground bar.
This whiskey coats my mouth but has a light mouthfeel. The finish is quite short, save for a slight allspice tongue tingle. I wish it stuck around longer as it's a pleasant drink.
7.5/10
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