When distillers begin their
whiskey journey, they have a few options. The first is to source mature stocks from
another distillery, then bottle them and call them their own. Another is to use
smaller barrels, which requires less waiting and allows the distiller to
recover a return on investment faster. A third choice is to use standard-sized
wood vessels and remain patient. Other things can be done, but they’re less
common.
These three options are not
without drawbacks. With sourcing, your reputation is earned on the work of
others. At some point, if you want to release your distillate, it will be
challenging to mimic what you’re purchased from others, even if you had access
to the same mashbill. As such, the quality will change (good or bad), which is
risky.
Using standard, 53-gallon barrels,
you’ve got a lot of money tied up in inventory that is doing nothing for
however long it takes for the whiskey to mature. Some people set an arbitrary
number of years, but the truth is the whiskey is ready when the whiskey is
ready. And, you have to hope and pray that you’ve done things correctly and
everything comes together as you’d planned.
One of the typical features
of utilizing smaller cooperage is that while the whiskey ages rapidly, it lacks
the benefit of slow maturation, which causes wood notes, including a sensation
of sawdust, to dominate.
Wheat whiskey is similar to
Bourbon and Rye: Bourbon requires 51% or more corn, Rye requires 51% or more
rye, and Wheat whiskey requires at least the same amount of its namesake grain.
Some people may be confused and equate wheat whiskey with labels such as WL Weller or Old Fitzgerald. However, those are wheated Bourbons, which contain wheat as the second-largest
ingredient instead of rye.
When you distill wheat, it typically has no natural flavor of its own. Wheat tends to be an enhancer of flavor, and
when no other ingredients are involved, any flavors will come from the barrels
used. Some distillers add corn or other grains to the mash to soften that.
Located only a handful of
miles from Whiskeyfellow’s international headquarters is a town called Cottage
Grove, and there resides Doundrins
Distilling. It is owned by Nick
and Abby Abramovich, a husband-and-wife
team, both of whom were trained as chemical engineers. The original idea was to
get into brewing, but as they discussed this further, distilling became the
focus, and in 2019, Nick and Abby turned that into a reality. They have, to
date, released 25 different products, including vodkas, brandies, and liqueurs.
Doundrins'
newest release is its first whiskey. I freely admit that I have been waiting
for this since Nick and Abby first opened their doors. I admit, I was expecting
Bourbon or Rye and was surprised they went with a 100% Wheat Whiskey. Because
of its nature, it is almost as if Nick and Abby were throwing down a gauntlet at
other Wisconsin distilleries, as I’m unaware of others doing it.
This
wheat whiskey is made from a mash of 100% white wheat malt and aged for a
single year in 10-gallon, new charred oak barrels. It was bottled at 40% ABV
(80°), and a 750ml bottle costs $45.00. I purchased mine at the distillery, and
it is also available at the Piggly Wiggly in Cottage Grove. Due to the size of
the barrel, only a small number of bottles exist for this inaugural release.
How
did Doundrins Distilling do with this wheat whiskey? Let’s #DrinkCurious
and answer the question.
Appearance: A neat
pour in my Glencairn glass revealed a wheat whiskey presented as brass-colored.
It formed a thick rim that yielded even wider tears which crawled back to the
pool.
Nose: Initially,
the smell of sawdust and oak hid anything else. However, once my nose
acclimated, nutmeg, walnut, and vanilla aromas came through. Interestingly,
there was also something that I could swear was cardboard. When I drew the air
in past my lips, vanilla rolled across my tongue.
Palate: A thick,
buttery mouthfeel introduced me to flavors of vanilla and Honey Nut Cheerios. I
tasted paprika, leather, and walnut at mid-palate, while the back featured
black pepper, clove, and bold oak.
Finish: Green
and black peppercorn, combined with oak, leather, dark chocolate, and vanilla,
provided for a medium-to-long, spicy finish.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I found
Doundrins’ first whiskey young but captivating. I’ve had 100% wheat whiskeys
before this one and experienced much of what I expected. If you enjoy spice
bombs, Doundrins Wheat Whiskey is sure to please.
Doundrins 100% Wheat
Whiskey would bring plenty of character to a cocktail, more so than many others.
I can see this being a shining star in that regard. But if you’re like me, and
that’s not your goal when you purchase a bottle of whiskey, you’ll want to try
this one first at a Bar. Cheers!
My Simple, Easy-to-Understand
Rating System
- Bottle = Buy It
- Bar = Try It
- Bust = Leave It
Whiskeyfellow encourages
you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.
