O.Z. Tyler and I do not have a good history. There was this rapid-aging thing they did to Bourbon and Rye called Terrepure, which in both cases was so hideous that I felt someone should be imprisoned for attempted murder to my palate. As such, when a sample of Wheel Horse Bourbon came in, and I saw that it was distilled by Owensboro Distilling Company (formerly O.Z. Tyler), I was admittedly scared. I've had Malört several times, and while awful it never frightened me. But, there's this whole #DrinkCurious lifestyle that I've sworn allegiance to, and, well, sometimes I have to take one for the team if you know what I mean.
Wheel Horse is a collaboration between Owensboro Distilling and Lattitude Beverage. Master Distiller Jacob Call oversaw the project and Batch 1 has just been released. Distilled in copper from a sour mash of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley, it was aged in new, #4 charred oak barrels at Owensboro Distillery for between two and four years. Because an age statement must be based upon the youngest whiskey in the blend, we would say this is two years old. It was non-chill filtered at 101° and a 750ml bottle will set you back about $27.99.
I'd like to thank Lattitude Beverage for sending me a sample of Wheel Horse Bourbon in exchange for a no-strings-attached, honest review. Let's get to this, shall we?
Appearance: In my Glencairn glass, this Bourbon presented as a deep amber color. An ultra-thin rim was left on the wall, and that created thin, slow legs to fall back to the pool of liquid sunshine.
Nose: Aromas of corn and butterscotch tantalized my senses. That was followed by baked apples and cherries. I didn't come across any blast of ethanol to knock me over, and when I inhaled the vapor in my mouth, all I found was sweet vanilla.
Palate: I found the mouthfeel to be very creamy and full-bodied. There was (again) no ethanol punch like there was with the Terrepure whiskeys. On the front of my palate, flavors of oak, cherry, and plum raised some hope. Mid-palate was a mixture of caramel and maple syrup. Then, on the back, I tasted black pepper and pecan praline.
Finish: A medium-length finish consisted of cinnamon, dry oak, cherry, and that maple syrup. I was shocked by how strong the fruit factor was.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: While I hate to admit it, I enjoyed this pour. I'm now curious about what else Owensboro Distilling offers. This was interesting and well-balanced. When I factor in the affordable $28.00 investment, I'm happily tossing a Bottle rating at Wheel Horse. I believe you'll enjoy it, too. Cheers!
My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System
- Bottle = Buy It
- Bar = Try It
- Bust = Leave It
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