Cat's Eye Obtainium 13-Year Light Whiskey Review & Tasting Notes

There are whiskeys out there that are legally classified as Haz-Mat. I love high-proof whiskeys, they're full of flavor and give you, the casual drinker, an opportunity to tinker with them by adding water and tasting how proof changes character.

Today I'm reviewing an MGP Light Whiskey packaged by Cat's Eye Distillery under its Obtainium label. I've been lucky and had several opportunities to review stuff out of Cat's Eye, and as such, I won't rehash the company information beyond the fact it sources and blends whiskeys from different distilleries from both the United States and around the world.

Light Whiskey is a remnant from the 1960s that is enjoying a small resurgence in today's market. While not distilled exclusively by MGP, almost all of the well-aged stuff is sourced from it. In a nutshell, it is distilled between 160° and 190° (compared to Bourbon which is distilled at 160° or less) and aged in either used or new, uncharred oak containers. 

For this particular whiskey, it aged for 13 years before being bottled at its cask strength of 136.6°. That's not quite Haz-Mat but is darned close to it. You can expect to pay about $54.99 for a 750ml bottle.

I'd like to thank Cat's Eye's Wisconsin distributor for providing me a sample of this whiskey in exchange for a no-strings-attached, honest review.  And now, it is time to #DrinkCurious.

Appearance:  In my Glencairn glass, this Light Whiskey was the color of rubbed copper. It left an almost indiscernible rim but produced fat, sticky droplets that didn't seem interested in falling back to the pool.

Nose:  Cedar was the first aroma to hit my nose. That was joined by cinnamon, spearmint, and nuts. When I inhaled the vapor in my mouth, it was a blast of wintergreen.

Palate:  If you took a grenade, pulled the pin, and stuffed it in my mouth, it might adequately describe the mouthfeel. My hard palate sizzled almost immediately. I was able to pull out some flavors, including oak, nutmeg, and cinnamon Red-Hots, but I couldn't tell you where on the palate they fell or in what order.

Finish:  The only thing I could pick out was more Red-Hots. The finish was like a freight train, there was no stopping it. I had to munch on some animal crackers to calm my mouth and give me a sense of normalcy.

I don't always add water to whiskey, I prefer most neat. But, when something is so dominating that I have trouble even picking things out, to give a fair review, I will. Using an eyedropper, I added two drops of distilled water. With a bit of recovery, I was ready to address this Light Whiskey again.

Nose:  This time, I pulled aromas maple syrup and vanilla from the glass. There was only a hint of cedar.  Drawing air in my mouth, I sensed vanilla and light mint.

Palate:  It is sometimes amazing what just a minuscule amount of water can do to a whiskey. The mouthfeel was silky and much easier to handle. On the front, the only thing I picked up was caramel. But, at mid-palate, I discovered cinnamon, clove, and sweet tobacco leaf. The back featured that familiar cinnamon Red-Hots and oak.

Finish:  The Red-Hots was less aggressive and joined by dry oak and black pepper. Spicy and very long-lasting, when the finish finally curbed, a kiss of caramel ended the show.

Bottle, Bar, or Bust:  I'll be frank. I did not like this neat. I've had higher-proofed whiskeys that were nowhere near as lava-like as this. Water definitely helped make this drinkable. Proofed down, the best things were the nosing and the caramel kiss at the end. There was just not a lot beyond that I could call a pleasure to drink. I hate to say this, this is the first thing out of Cat's Eye that is taking a Bust rating from me. This is not representative of my Light Whiskey experience. Cheers!

My Simple, Easy to Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It