Traverse City Whiskey Co. Finishing Series Whiskey Reviews & Tasting Notes

Some people scoff at the idea of finished whiskeys. If you’re new to whiskey, finished refers to taking a matured whiskey and placing it in a different barrel for a relatively short time to take on that vintage barrel’s characteristics.

 

Some don’t respect the process because they believe mediocre whiskeys are “saved” by placing them in finishing barrels. While that can be the case, in my experience, it usually isn’t. You don’t cook with wine you don’t enjoy because it makes the meal unenjoyable. Instead, you select good wine, an enhancing ingredient that will lead to something tasty. The same goes for whiskey.

 

Traverse City Whiskey Co. was founded in 2015 by Chris Frederickson, Jared Rapp, and Moti Goldring. As the story goes, Chris’s grandfather had some whiskey distilling patents from the 1920s. Traverse City originally sourced its whiskey from MGP while waiting on its own distillate to come of age.

 

I’ve reviewed Traverse City whiskeys in the past, although it has been a few years since I last did so. For the record, if you can grab their jarred cherries, they are To Die For. I’d put them up against Luxardo any day.

 

What’s new is their Barrel Finished Whiskeys using former Sherry, Port, and Cab Franc cooperage. 

 

“Starting with three of our award-winning whiskeys, we further aged them using various wine casks, and captured fond memories of folks’ time here in Traverse City in a bottle. Here in Northern Michigan, we don’t just distill whiskey; we distill the spirit of Traverse City itself.”  - Chris Fredrickson, Co-Founder and President

 

Each 750ml bottle has an SRP of $59.99, or you can buy all three in 200ml bottles for the same price at the distillery’s tasting rooms in Traverse City and Ferndale or their online store.

 

Before I go any further, I must take a moment and thank Traverse City Whiskey for sending me these samples in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and taste what these are all about.

 

Sherry Barrel Finish 

 

 

This Traverse City high-rye Bourbon mash comprises 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley content. It entered a new, #4-charred oak barrel, where it aged just over five years, exiting at 56.71% ABV (113.42°). The whiskey was transferred to Pedro Ximenez (PX) sherry casks for another 28 months. Bottling was done at 47.5% ABV (95°).

 

Appearance: If you poured sherry into a Glencairn glass and presented it to me, I’d believe you. It was a deep, dark, brownish amber. A thin rim released wide tears that zigzagged their way back to the pool.

 

Nose: Oh, this smelled heavenly with rich sherry notes, including raisin and plum combined with caramel and dark chocolate. Drawing the air into my mouth provided a sensation of root beer.

 

Palate: This whiskey was thick in my mouth. I tasted roasted almonds, cashews, and vanilla on the front of my palate. The middle transitioned to caramel, raisins, and plum, while the back suggested dry leather, oak, and clove.

 

Finish: Clove and leather carried into the finish while raisin and cashew were resurrected. The whole thing faded quickly.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I love sherry finishes, and Traverse City’s did not disappoint. This Bourbon was flavorful, rich, and provided a lot of bang for the buck. My only complaint is the incredibly short finish. Despite that, I’d buy a Bottle of this all day long with no regrets.

 

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Cab Franc Barrel Finish 

 

 

Traverse City took its 100% rye whiskey and allowed it to age five years in new, #4-charred oak barrels. It exited at 61.5% ABV (123°) and was transferred to Cab Franc barrels from Leelanau, Michigan, for 22 months. Its retail proof is 48.75% ABV (97.5°).

 

I’ll also mention that I’ve never come across a Cab Franc-finished whiskey from anywhere on Earth.  

 

Appearance: My experience with this whiskey involved a neat pour in a Glencairn glass. The thin rim exposed legs that were widely spaced and thick.

 

Nose: Mint stood out, but the aroma included red cherries, bell peppers, almonds, and dark chocolate. Breathing in the fumes through my lips led me to a grassy note.

 

Palate: The mouthfeel was thick. I tasted dry cocoa powder, rye spice, and cinnamon on the front. Midway through was toasted sesame seeds, soy, and bell pepper. The back had dry oak, anise, and clove.

 

Finish: This Rye had one of those Energizer bunny finishes. It went on and on and on. Huge oak notes and dry cocoa hung around for what seemed like forever. Those were joined by rye spice and mint. Overall, it was very dry.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: This unusually-finished whiskey led to a unique tasting experience. Anise is a flavor that, unfortunately, I do not relish, and it tends to stand out against others. If you like eating black licorice, then this Rye will wow you. Because of that, I’ll recommend trying this one first, either at the distillery or a Bar.

 

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Port Barrel Finish

 

This began as the classic Traverse City Bourbon mashbill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. It aged five years in new, #4-charred oak barrels and left the barrel at 59.095% ABV (119.81°). The whiskey then spent another 15 months in 300-liter Ruby Port barrels. It is packaged at 50% ABV (100°).

 

Appearance: I poured this into my Glencairn glass and drank it neat. The orange hue was the deepest of the three, and I observed it create a thick rim with slow, husky tears.

 

Nose: The aroma smelled of dark chocolate, black cherry, plum, citrus, and leather. Drawing the air through my lips, I encountered what I imagined was cherry vanilla ice cream.

 

Palate: This Bourbon had a creamy mouthfeel; it filled everywhere. The front consisted of black cherry, cranberry, and vanilla cream, whereas the middle featured chocolate, molasses, and cocoa. Freshly-cracked black pepper, old leather, and French oak formed the back.

 

Finish: Dry leather, tobacco leaf, black currant, and black pepper rounded things out for a long, warming finish.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: This was an almost meaty whiskey that I wanted to chew. The fruity flavors meshed well with the spices. It could have been interesting to try this with a Tawny Port finish versus the Ruby Port, but that’s not to imply that what Traverse City did is lacking. This was a delicious pour, priced right, and that equals my Bottle rating.

 

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Final Thoughts: Each 750ml is $59.99, or you can have the trio of 200mls for the same price. The math would imply that a 750ml is a better deal. However, you lose the variety.

 

If I were to buy only the 750s, I would prefer Port, Sherry, and then the Cab Franc. But I’d spring for the triple-pack just for the expanded experience. You can always get a 750 of your favorite later. 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.