Bertie’s Bear Gulch Cask Strength Bourbon Review

Some folks assume that bootlegging during Prohibition was a guy thing. However, some women played prominent roles. Of those, immigrants and women of color took part. Saint Liberty Whiskey selected Montana’s female bootlegging pioneers, such as Josephine Doody, Mary Curley, and Bertie Brown, to grace the labels of each whiskey release.

 

“Bertie Brown – known as ‘Birdie’ to her friends - was a woman of great courage. She was one of very few young African American women who homesteaded alone in Montana in the 1920s. Birdie was famous for her warm hospitality and her brewing what locals called the ‘best moonshine in the country.’ One day, in 1933, just before Prohibition ended, a revenue officer came around and warned her to stop her brewing. But as Birdie multitasked, dry cleaning with gasoline and tending to her latest batch of hooch, fumes from the gasoline ignited and her kitchen exploded. Birdie was tragically burned in the fire and died shortly after. Today her once orderly homestead stands in a state of disrepair in the hills of Montana, a memorial to the immortal spirit and kindness of Birdie Brown.”  – Saint Liberty Whiskey

 

Bertie’s Bear Gulch Bourbon is the second edition of the Women’s Bootlegger Collection. This cask-strength Bourbon is triple pot-distilled from a mash of 83% corn, 14% rye, and 3% malted barley. Two cooperages were used: 53-gallon #3 charred oak and 30-gallon #4 charred oak. Both were aged at least four years. Distillation occurred in Texas, and water from the Rocky Mountains was used in the process. Bottling occurred at 57.5% ABV (115°).

 

I don’t speak much about packaging in my reviews, but I will in this case. The presentation is gorgeous. The label looks like much thought and work went into it, and the glass is embossed with the words Saint Liberty and its logo. The closure is a wood-capped cork.

Bertie’s Cask Strength is available on Saint Liberty’s website for $49.99. The website also indicates Total Wine & More, Drizzly, Instacart, and Bevmo! carry it. I thank Saint Liberty for providing me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and taste what this is all about.

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to sip this whiskey and drank it neat. Inside, it was bright and coppery. A fragile, microthin rim formed and released willowy tears.

 

Nose: Bertie’s may possess one of the most damned unusual noses I’ve encountered. It smelled of soy sauce. It was briny. It was citrusy. But it was also enchanting; I found it challenging to stop sniffing it. It was like salted popcorn when I drew that air through my lips.

 

Palate: Here’s where I remind folks to never judge a whiskey on the first sip. That’s because of something called palate shock. If you don’t like the taste of something, wait a moment, then take a second. Your palate will be prepared for what’s coming, and you’ll get past that shock.

 

What I initially tasted was bitter, salty, and hot. On the second sip, the bitterness went away. The saline remained. It was accompanied by charred oak. Midway through, I found torched sugar and hickory smoke. Flavors of rye spice and coffee were on the back.  

 

Finish: It was hot, smoky, earthy, and salty. It was as if soy sauce met a Ramen Noodles flavoring packet.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I was excited to try this and wanted to like it. I loved how the brand dedicates itself to a virtually unknown segment of American whiskey lore. I seek out the unusual and unique. Bertie’s Bear Gulch Cask Strength Bourbon fits that bill. It is, however, somewhat bizarre. I commend Saint Liberty Spirits for providing this reasonably rather than a premium-priced whiskey. Unfortunately, an attractive price can’t save this from my Bust rating.

 

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.