Oceanside Distillery: Odysea Florida Bourbon and Double-Barrel Bourbon Reviews

 

I find that there’s something magical about discovering distilleries that are off nearly everyone’s radar. Craft distillers come with all sorts of talents. Some are just beginning their journey and learn by trial and error. Others have apprenticed under skilled mentors.

 

The big, legacy distilleries have no problems releasing their wares and garnering attention. They’ve got marketing departments and money to fund campaigns. Then there are craft distilleries with almost cult-like followings that grab bottles as soon as they’re released.

 

What about the obscure distillers? How do they get noticed? Even if it produces something extraordinary, it is an uphill battle, especially if the owner(s) isn’t swimming in money.

 

I stumbled upon Oceanside Distillery out of Cape Canaveral, Florida, about a month ago. It was the first distillery in Brevard County, founded in 2018 by brothers Ron and Lorenzo Foleno. Just as things were progressing, COVID-19 hit, and then Lorenzo passed away. Despite these tragedies, Ron was determined to fulfill his and Lorenzo’s dreams.

 

Ron had apprenticed at several craft distilleries. In his previous career, Ron was involved in commercial construction and built most of the distillery. He handles the marketing, the research and development, the distillery tours, and anything else you can think of. He creates vodka, gin, rum, and whiskeys. There’s also a craft cocktail bar on the premises.

 

Four whiskeys are under Oceanside’s umbrella: Odysea Florida Bourbon, Odysea Double-Oaked Bourbon, Odysea Straight Single Barrel Rye, and Oceanside Florida Honey Whiskey. Ron graciously sent me samples of the Florida Bourbon and Double-Oaked Bourbon in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest reviews.

 

Ron uses Florida-grown corn, rye from the Midwest, and triple-filtered Florida water. Oceanside maintains a constantly temperature-controlled 80°F barrel aging facility. His 53-gallon barrels are air-dried for two years and constructed by Kelvin Cooperage.

 

Odysea Florida Bourbon

 

“Our Florida bourbon is produced in very small batches of up to six barrels, which is the result of the distillation from only one of our 550 gallon fermenters at a time. This process seems to gather more complexity in the barrels that are the product of a single fermentation.” – Ron Foleno, Wearer of the Many Hats

 

• Mashbill: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley
• Age: 5 years
• Alcohol Content: 43% ABV (86°)
• Price:  $45.00 for a 750ml

 

Appearance: I poured this Bourbon into my Glencairn glass to sip neat. The orange-gold liquid produced a thick rim and bold, widely spaced legs.

 

Nose: There was the smell of ocean air in my glass. To ensure I wasn’t fooling myself, I gave the glass to Mrs. Whiskeyfellow and asked what she smelled. She agreed it was slightly salty. I also found grilled pineapple, caramel, and brown sugar. When I drew the air into my mouth, there was salted caramel.

 

Palate: Odysea’s texture was thin and silky. There was an explosion of caramel on the front of my palate accompanied by brown sugar and corn. Midway through, I found cereal, pecans, and creamy vanilla. The back tasted of charred oak, rye spice, and butterscotch.

 

Finish: The finish re-introduced salted caramel from the nose. It was joined by butterscotch, smoke, and rye spice. Overall, it had a medium-long duration.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: What I found most fascinating was how the sweet notes went from caramel to creamy vanilla to butterscotch and how they managed to hang on with the aromatic spicy notes. There aren’t enough Bourbons out there to give the gentle kiss of smoke that Odysea Florida Bourbon possesses. That’s a shame, but perhaps I’m biased from all the salty Scotches I enjoy? Regardless, this Florida Bourbon is a winner and earned every bit of my Bottle rating.

 

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Odysea Double-Oaked Bourbon

 

Double-Oaked is Odysea Florida Bourbon, finished in a second, heavier-toasted, lighter-charred barrel.

 

• Mashbill: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley
• Age: 5 years
• Alcohol Content: 45% ABV (90°)
• Price:  $53.00 for a 750ml

 

Appearance: A neat pour into my Glencairn glass revealed an absolute orange-colored whiskey. The medium rim generated almost microthin tears, followed by slow, sticky droplets.

 

Nose: Like the Florida Bourbon, the ocean air permeated the aroma of this Double Oak expression. What followed was candy corn, vanilla, oak, and new leather. Inside my mouth, the air provided salted caramel.

 

Palate: I found the texture to be thin and almost watery. The secondary cask finish brought enhanced charred oak, fire-roasted corn, and salted caramel to the front of my palate. The middle included tobacco, toffee, and apricots. I tasted clove, pecan, and rye spice on the back.

 

Finish: The dried apricots carried over into the finish, along with the charred oak, fire-roasted corn, and rye spice. It was a smidge longer duration than the Florida Bourbon.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: The Odysea Double-Oaked Bourbon was a spicier whiskey than the Florida Bourbon. While the charred oak was there, it wasn’t the smoky kiss the Florida Bourbon provided. I was hopeful that would be present; c'est la vie. Regardless, it was also a delicious Bourbon that I’d be proud to have in my whiskey library, and it is worth the money. That’s all the makings of a 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 to do so responsibly.