Lewis Bros. Tennessee Straight Bourbon Review & Tasting Notes

 

 

Lewis Station Winery and Distillery was founded in 2011 by Rob Lewis in a former Lake Mills, Wisconsin, gas station. Rob is a level two certified sommelier, and in 2018, Lewis Station was declared Wisconsin’s first Certified Craft Winery by the Craft Winery Association. Then, in 2020, Rob opened Stable Rock Winery & Distillery at nearby Jefferson. Aside from a couple of vodkas and gin, Rob has four whiskeys in his product lineup.

 

The newest, just-released whiskey he’s offering is a Bourbon called Lewis Bros.

 

“For over 100 years and several family generations, the Lewis brothers have enjoyed the whiskeys of Tennessee. The smooth, flavorful sour mash whiskey is mellowed by sweet sugar maple charcoal and aged for a minimum of three years in hand-crafted American white oak barrels.” – Rob Lewis

 

Lewis Bros. was distilled by the Tennessee Distilling Company from a mash of 70% corn, 15% rye, and 15% malted barley. It went through the Lincoln County Process (LCP). If you’re unfamiliar with the LCP, that’s charcoal mellowing when the freshly-distilled whiskey (also called newmake) is filtered through a thick layer of maple charcoal chips before barreling. Once the LCP occurred, the whiskey spent the next three years in new, charred American oak barrels. Bottled at 45% ABV (90°), you can expect to pay about $35.00 for a 750ml available only at the distillery.

 

Lewis Station is hyper-local (about a dozen miles), and the winery is one Mrs. Whiskeyfellow has been a fan of for several years. As such, we’re there frequently and have had an opportunity to get to know Rob. And, despite the friendship that exists, Lewis Bros. will be subjected to the same strict guidelines that I have when judging any whiskey.

 

In full disclosure, Rob did provide me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and learn more.

 

Appearance: I sipped this Bourbon neat from my Glencairn glass. Inside, it was caramel-colored and formed a thick, sticky rim. Straight, slow tears fell back to the pool.

 

Nose: The first thing that caught my attention was how nutty the aroma was. Corn, plum, cinnamon, and maple followed. When I drew the air through my lips, I encountered toasted marshmallow.

 

Palate: The Bourbon’s thin and silky texture offered flavors of corn, roasted almonds, and nutmeg on the front of my palate. The middle tasted of S’mores, complete with milk chocolate, toasted marshmallows, and graham crackers. Charred oak, pepper, and caramel were on the back.

 

Finish: Caramel, marshmallow, roasted almond, nutmeg, and pepper hung on for a medium-lengthed finish.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: In the days of distilleries charging insane sums of money for younger whiskeys, it is welcoming to have a brand offer one that is affordable, correctly proofed, and has enough punch to keep things interesting for whiskey fans but not enough to turn off the casual drinker. I liked this. Mrs. Whiskeyfellow took a sip and said, “Rob did well.” For $35.00, you can’t go wrong, and as such, it has earned my Bottle rating. 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.