“In 2013, brothers Ryan and Barry Sutherland, along with friend Eric Larimer, realized their dream of opening a grain-to-glass craft distillery in Livermore, CA. Their passion and commitment to sustainability and locally sourced ingredients can be tasted in every sip of their award winning spirits.” – Sutherland Distilling
Sutherland
was a self-described soil-to-spirit micro-distillery. You're not alone
if you’re wondering how that differs from grain to glass. I believe
either implies that a distiller works closely with local farmers and monitors
everything from planting the seeds to distilling and aging the whiskey and everything
in between. At the end of the day, both are marketing terms (like small batch)
that have no legal definition.
While
Sutherland’s distillates and packaging won several awards, in February 2023,
Sutherland was shuttered. Two Souls
Spirits considers that a Ghost Distillery.
Wait
a second. Who is Two Souls Spirits? I’m glad you asked. Two Souls is an
American independent bottler founded in 2021 by James Estrada and
Chad Civetti. Independent bottlers are familiar in European and
Japanese spirits, but it is still in its infancy in the United States.
Many
of us are familiar with sourcing whiskey. That’s when a non-distilling
producer (NDP) purchases barrels from another distillery. Some will blend
different sourced whiskeys to create something unique. Others may just take the
juice, bottle it, and label it under their own brand.
An
independent bottler is slightly different. They concentrate on select
distilleries, and instead of blending or proofing the whiskeys, they’re typically
non-chill filtered, naturally colored, and bottled at cask strength. Transparency
is part of the equation; more often than not, the distillery and the
independent bottler’s brand appear on the front label.
“Two Souls Spirits is changing the way people find and enjoy craft spirits. Our single-barrel products are all hand-selected from the very best craft distilleries in the United States and made available exclusively through Two Souls. These spirits are big, bold, 100% uncut and unfiltered, and curated with the modern craft spirit enthusiast in mind. And best of all, we ship them directly to you […] to enjoy your journey through American craft spirits!” – Two Souls Spirits
Two
Souls got their hands on a 100% non-GMO California corn Bourbon from Sutherland
that was distilled and barrelled on March 9, 2017. It aged 6 years, 1 month,
and 9 days in new, #4-charred oak and was dumped on April 18, 2023. The yield
was only 184 - 63.41% ABV (126.82°) bottles. Barrel Sutherland #5 was only one
of two Bourbon barrels left when the distillery closed. Each 750ml bottle costs
$89.99.
Two
Souls invited me to review this Bourbon and provided me with a sample. No
matter how I obtain a whiskey, they’re always no-strings-attached, honest reviews.
I’ve
never tried anything from Sutherland before, making this a true #DrinkCurious
adventure.
Appearance: I
poured this Bourbon into my Glencairn glass and sipped it neat. The burnt-umber
color was inviting and piqued my interest. A fragile rim dispersed slow, wavy
tears.
Nose: While I
allowed the Bourbon to rest in my glass, it filled my whiskey library with its
aroma. Smells of corn, caramel, plum, cherry, cinnamon, and oak filled my
nostrils. As I inhaled through my lips, I discovered chocolate and peanuts.
Palate: The mouthfeel
was rich and weighty. The front of my palate encountered English toffee, vanilla,
and corn. At the same time, the middle tasted of caramel, peanuts, and cocoa
powder. The back featured tobacco leaf, charred oak, and black pepper.
Finish: The Energizer
Bunny finish consisted of charred oak, black pepper, peanuts, and cocoa powder.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: As I
drank this Bourbon, I found myself impressed and longing to try more stuff from
this distillery. Then I remembered that Sutherland was, sadly, no more. Two
Souls Spirits snagged an incredible barrel that, at $89.99, is, in my opinion,
one hell of a bargain. If any is left when this review is published, buy a Bottle.
You won’t be disappointed. 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.
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