Pursuit United "The Oak Collection" Review and Tasting Notes

There are whiskey purists out there. There’s nothing in the world wrong with that; it is what floats their boat. The brown water enthusiasts I’m talking about want their Bourbons and American Ryes aged in new, charred oak vessels and have the chips fall where they may.

 

However, in my opinion, when you erect barriers and refuse to venture beyond them, you miss out on a lot. Blenders, distillers, and independent bottlers are doing some mind-blowing things with Bourbon and Rye. Many of those involve barrel finishing.

 

The purist might argue that all a finishing barrel does is allow you to salvage bad whiskey. I don't see it this way. Sure, some brands out there are stuck with sub-par barrels and want to recoup their investment. But talented blenders and distillers find ways to take great whiskey and make it even better.

 

Wait. Back that truck up a moment. What’s barrel finishing? Simply put, it is taking a mature whiskey, dumping it, and then placing it in a different barrel for additional aging. That further aging can range from a few weeks to even years. Also, the sky is the limit to what you can use in barrel finishing. Some brands will use virgin oak (charred or otherwise). Others will use vintage wine, whiskey, tequila, honey, coffee, beer, and even things like Tobasco sauce! The point is that the second barrel imparts its characteristics on the whiskey inside it.

 

The Scots have been doing this forever. They commonly use former Bourbon barrels, as American distilleries had many of them they couldn’t reuse. Sherry butts and port pipes are also reused for finishing purposes.

 

But, in the United States, we have purists. They have their reasons, and while I don’t embrace them, I understand.

 

Today I’m reviewing two selections from Pursuit United. The brand was formed by Kenny Coleman and Ryan Cecil of the well-known and respected podcast called Bourbon Pursuit. In 2018, they began a company called Pursuit Spirits, which sourced Straight Bourbons and Ryes to create its blends. I’ve reviewed their first and second releases.

 

The Oak Collection is the third release. It consists of a Bourbon and Rye. The Oak Collection is billed “[a]n ongoing series of curated whiskey blends and barrel finishes that provide an exploration of taste and constant innovation.”

 

Before I get to the reviews of each, let’s group their shared commonalities. Both whiskeys have limited distribution to Illinois (exclusive to Binny’s), Kentucky, Missouri, New Mexico, Tennessee (Knoxville only), Texas, and online from Seelbachs. A 750ml bottle of either has a suggested retail price of $74.99. Both are packaged at 54% ABV (108°). Neither offers an age statement.

 

Finally, I thank Pursuit Spirits for providing me with samples of each in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest reviews. Let’s #DrinkCurious and get on with it.

 

Straight Bourbon Finished with Toasted American and French Oak

When sampling a Bourbon and Rye on the same flight, I’ll almost always sip the Bourbon first. In theory, flavors tend to be more mellow, whereas Ryes tend to offer a bolder experience.

 

This Bourbon is a blend of three mashbills from three distilleries:

• A Tennessee distillery that is not George Dickel
• 80% corn
• 10% rye
• 10% malted barley

 

• Finger Lakes Distilling
• 70% corn
• 20% rye
• 10% cherry smoked barley

 

• Ross & Squibb (formerly MGP)
• 60% corn
• 35% rye
• 4% malted barley

 

Appearance: Poured neat in my Glencairn glass, the Bourbon was a bright orange amber. A thin rim created straight, narrow legs that crashed back into the pool of liquid sunshine.

 

Nose: I encountered an aroma of orange zest, caramel, milk chocolate, and hazelnuts. As I drew the air past my lips, orange citrus filled my mouth.

 

Palate: The front of my palate tasted dark chocolate, hazelnut, and cherry, while the middle found caramel, vanilla, and cola. The back offered clove, French oak, and barrel char. The mouthfeel was tingly with a medium body.

 

Finish: If you relish Energizer Bunny finishes, this Bourbon will make you smile. It went on for several minutes, allowing the tingling, clove, char, and cola to remain.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: The tingling was a distraction, making me wonder how this is only 108°. In an unusual move, I added two drops of distilled water to my glass to see if that would tame it. When I did that, the nose exploded with caramel notes, the texture became creamy, and the palate remained the same. Weirdly, the water seemed only to increase the sizzle. I can’t get past it. You’ll want to try this one at a Bar before you commit to a purchase.

 

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Straight Rye Finished with Sherry French Revere Oak

The Rye is made from three mashbills from two distilleries:

• Bardstown Bourbon Company
• 95% rye
• 5% malted barley

 

• Sagamore Spirit #1
• 95% rye
• 5% malted barley

 

• Sagamore Spirit #2
• 52% rye
• 43% corn
• 5% malted barley

 

Appearance: Again, I sampled this neat from my Glencairn glass. It appeared coppery-orange and formed a medium-weight rim. The tears were watery and fell faster than I could keep track.

 

Nose: Coconut, papaya, starfruit, and berry formed the aroma, and when I pulled the vapor into my mouth, I discovered more toasted coconut.

 

Palate: The oily mouthfeel introduced me to berry, cherry, and plum flavors. Those weren’t surprising, considering the sherry influence. Midway through, I tasted brown sugar and chocolate. The back featured rye spice, black pepper, and oak.

 

Finish: An artificial cherry flavor, much like Nyquil, covered almost everything. There was cocoa powder, black pepper, and rye spice.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Cherry cough syrup is not something I find often, but it also isn’t something I enjoy. I returned to this a second day, and it was still there. That’s a show-stopper for me. I gave it a third chance, this time with two drops of water. That Nyquil sensation didn’t go away. As much as I don’t want to do it, I have to rate this one a Bust.

 

 

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.