Unsinkable Bourbon and Unsinkable Rye Whiskey Reviews & Tasting Notes

 

I do appreciate when a brand has a sense of humor. Oh, I most certainly do not want the funny to be in the whiskey, but a crazy backstory is a different story.

 

Sausalito Liquor Company is located in Sausalito, California. And here’s a little ditty about its founding:

 

“The Sausalito Liquor Company was born on a starry, windless night offshore from a small willow grove along the Bay. Our founder, Scott Jampol, was night diving with his porpoise/poodle mix (also named Scott) hunting for abalone and his lost car keys. He was several fathoms deep when his porpadoodle turned to Scott and said, “man, Sausalito is a rad place. Someone should make liquor about it.” So he did, after coming back to the surface and breathing in a sweet lungful of delicious Pacific coast air. Because although human Scott loves the water, he’s not fully aquatic. Yet.” – Sausalito Liquor Company

 

Is it silly? Sure. But it is not much more far-fetched than cleaning out your great-great-grandpappy’s old attic and finding the recipe for his ultra-smooth Bourbon the entire county clamored for tucked behind a false door of an antique credenza. I give the marketing team KUDOS for being completely creative.

 

In truth, Scott Jampol, a longtime Sausalito resident, founded his company in 2021 after spending a decade at Open Table and another stint at Yahoo. He became disillusioned with the tech industry, and his interest was piqued by doing something local and potentially popular with its residents. He invested a year in formulating his plan.

 

Believing that it takes a talented bartender to understand the industry thoroughly, he honed in on how people working in the hospitality industry are treated. There are some charming patrons, and then there’s the nasty and uncouth. He also realized he wasn’t quite ready for a full-blown distillery. Instead, he wanted products on the shelves as soon as possible.

 

He partnered with Thoroughbred Spirits Group veteran and master distiller Steve Wright. They opted for two whiskeys and a gin, providing customers with something decidedly different than all the similar spirits on store shelves. To accomplish that, they sourced from boutique distilleries. The whiskies are called Unsinkable, referring to the World War II era Liberty ships built at Sausalito shipyards.

 

How do these taste? We’ll have to #DrinkCurious to find out, but first, I must thank Sausalito Liquor Company for providing me with samples in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest reviews.

 

For the record, I sipped each neat from Glencairn glasses.

 

Unsinkable Bourbon Finished in Cabernet Sauvignon Casks

 

 

“We’ve taken exceptional, well-aged Bourbon and finished it in California Cabernet Sauvignon barrels to bring out a whole host of new flavors. The result is a whiskey that’s as unsinkable as the bootleggers, artists, musicians, anchor-outs, free-thinkers and nomads who have flocked to Sausalito for decades.”

 

Unsinkable Bourbon was sourced from an undisclosed Tennessee distillery (definitely not George Dickel). It is packaged at 49.5% ABV (99°). The mashbill is derived from 80% corn, 10% rye, and 10% malted barley. The time it slept in wood was over five years, and the finishing process took an additional six months. A 750ml package comes with a suggested price of $54.99.

 

Appearance: The liquid inside my glass was a brilliant orange amber. It formed a medium-bold rim that produced a curtain of wavy tears.

 

Nose: I smelled leather, honey, plums, apricots, rock candy, and orange rinds. Pulling that air through my lips introduced my mouth to candied orange slices.

 

Palate: This Bourbon had a wildly slick texture. The front of my palate found cherry wine, nutmeg, and figs. The middle offered Christmas fruitcake (the good kind, not the crap that gets regifted year after year), while the back consisted of clove, pepper, and dry leather.   

 

Finish: Long and lingering, the finish retained the dry leather, pepper, and fruitcake flavors.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Long story short, I enjoyed Unsinkable Bourbon. The Cabernet Sauvignon's influence was unmistakable. The whiskey’s dryness, leather, and fruity notes were well-balanced and lovingly layered. It is well-deserving of my Bottle rating.  

 

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Unsinkable Rye Finished in Port Wine Casks

 

 

“Whether you’re very aware of the difference between rye and Bourbon, or you’re very tired of people trying to explain it to you, our Unsinkable Rye is the answer. We’ve taken some of the finest Kentucky rye and aged it in California port wine barrels to make something that’s both new and familiar. An easy sipper with a sneaky depth. A shower and a grower, if you will.”

 

Similar to the Bourbon, Unsinkable Rye comes from an undisclosed Kentucky distillery. The mashbill comprises 74% rye, 11% corn, and 15% malted barley. It aged over three years in oak before resting another six months in the finishing barrel. A 47.5% ABV (95°) 750ml package has a suggested price of $54.99.

 

Appearance: This American Rye presented as a slightly murky, rusty color. A medium-thick rim created quick, wavy legs.

 

Nose: An aroma of rich chocolate, plums, blueberries, caramel, and nutmeg tickled my nostrils, and when I inhaled it into my mouth, I found graham crackers. The whole experience seemed like an enchanting, unusual fruit pie.

 

Palate: This Rye’s texture was airy and coated every crevice of my mouth. Lots of chocolate and coffee (but not what I’d describe as mocha) hit the front of my palate, along with vanilla cream. I tasted rye spice, cherries, and molasses at my palate's midpoint. The back consisted of clove, oak, and leather.

 

Finish: The chocolate note held from beginning to end and went from mildly to very dark on its journey. The leather and clove hung on as well. There was even a smoky quality to it. Overall, it was a medium-long duration.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I’ll give Sausalito credit: Unsinkable Rye is unlike other American Ryes I’ve sampled over the years. That front-of-palate punch was an attention-getter, as was the kiss of smoke on the finish. For $55.00, I think you’re getting a hell of an interesting Rye that will enchant and hold your interest while it begs you for another pour. It is a Bottle rating, for sure. 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 to do so responsibly.