While getting ready to pick my next single barrel from Devils River Distillery this coming Monday, I can’t help but marvel at this distillery’s ability to produce and release whiskies at such a young age but yet deliver so much in aroma and flavor. When I was first introduced to their whiskey during the height of the pandemic, when the account rep had seen the now famous YOUTUBE WHISKEY TRIBE VIDEO and thought he’d take a chance on selling me a single barrel of their freshly released 2.5 yr old bourbons. A ballsy move on his part but his efforts paid off. It probably helped that he knew I was a big fan of Texas bourbons already.
The first barrel was aptly named Candy Cane because on a fresh crack of opening the bottle, the sweet corn and peppermint candy aromas jumps out at you. Coming out of a 53 gallon barrel, it was bottled at a whopping 130PF. The mashbill is 75% yellow dent corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley.
TASTING NOTES
On the nose, high octane whiff, hard candy sweetness, peppermint, cinnamon, damp leaves.
On the palate, sweet corn, peppermint candy stick, loads of cinnamon, hint of cocoa, very viscous, the spice rest mostly on the right side of the palate and is not overwhelming despite the high proof.
The finish goes on and on, carries the sweetness and spice.
The second barrel was a no brainer to name because of the prominent nose of caramel and chocolate fudge. Just like its predecessor, the palate was spot on with the nose with the caramel sweetness and some maple syrup, it has a place in a boozy waffle or pancake brunch but at 123PF you might not get much accomplished the rest of the day.
