ASW Distillery's Fiddler Wheated Bourbon & Toasted Rye Reviews

Today, we’ll explore ASW Distillery, which is located in Atlanta. ASW was only the second legal distillery in Atlanta since Prohibition and the first Atlanta distillery to produce an American Single Malt Whiskey.

 

Jim Chasteen and Charlie Thompson attended the University of Georgia and became fast friends. They bonded over a shared love of whiskey – any whiskey – and were determined to make their own. They devised a recipe called American Spirit Whiskey and began their distilling venture.

 

Then, they met Justin Manglitz, a self-educated brewer who dreamed of becoming a distiller and was a fellow alumnus. They, in turn, formed ASW Distillery in 2016 and handed Justin the reins as the master distiller. The trio refer to themselves as Southern Pot-Still Distillers.

 

Using dual Scottish-style copper pot stills constructed by Vendome, ASW's mission is to Do Something You Love. They accomplish that by combining the tried-and-true Scottish ways with southern-grown grains.

 

“When we first set out on our whiskey journey, we made a purposeful decision to craft two lines of spirits: one that we distilled ourselves, and one that allows us to showcase unique spirits from across the country that we then bring in house and ‘fiddle with.’

Our Master Distiller, Justin Manglitz, is an accomplished old-time string music fiddler, so we thought the name Fiddler a fitting testament to his virtuoso skills and our transparent line of foraged, ‘fiddled with’ whiskies.” – ASW Distillery

 

All of which leads us to the two whiskeys I am reviewing: Fiddler Wheated and Fiddler Toasted. Despite all the fiddling, ASW is passionate about not chill-filtering or adding color to its whiskeys.

 

Fiddles and Georgia mean one thing to me: The devil went down there and needed a soul to steal. He was in a bind and way behind and willing to make a deal. Did that happen with ASW Distillery? The only way we’ll find out is to #DrinkCurious. I must thank them for providing me with samples of each whiskey in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest reviews.

 

For the record, I used a fresh Glencairn glass for each.

 

Fiddler Wheated

 

 

Whiskey Type: Bourbon

Distillery: MGP and ASW Distillery (blended)

Mashbill: 51% corn, 45% wheat, 4% malted barley

Age: 5 years (50%), 5.5 years (25%), 6.5 years (25%)

Cooperage: 25% of the Bourbon was double-oaked for an undisclosed duration; the batch is four 53-gallon, new #2 and #3 charred oak barrels.

Alcohol Content: 46% (92°)

Price per 750ml: $39.99

 

Appearance: The orange-amber liquid presented an extremely fragile rim that shed a watery curtain.

 

Nose: The aroma was soft and required work to discern its components. I smelled caramel, peaches, cocoa, and oak. I found a lot of chocolate when I inhaled the vapor into my mouth.

 

Palate: Fiddler Wheated had an airy, weightless texture. Corn and cocoa powder hit the front of my palate. The middle tasted of brown sugar and orange zest, while the back offered oak and black pepper.

 

Finish: Chocolate, oak, and orange zest hung around for a brief, 48-second finish.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Wheated Bourbons, or wheaters, tend to have a soft mouthfeel. Fiddler Wheated had the softest I’ve ever encountered. I don’t know that I could even describe it as wet. Fiddler Wheated Bourbon is uncomplicated. You could sip it on a hot summer day and be perfectly fine. I can’t see myself sipping it as a daily drinker. It isn’t a bad whiskey, and it isn’t great. I believe this is one you’ll want to taste first at a Bar before committing further.   

 

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Fiddler Toasted

 

 

• Whiskey Type: American Rye
• Sourced Distillery: MGP
• Mashbill: 95% rye, 5% malted barley
• Age: 6 years, 8 months
• Cooperage: New, #1, #2, #3, and #4 charred oak barrels
• Finishing Time: 48 weeks in #2 charred and medium and heavy toasted barrels
• Alcohol Content: 57.4% ABV (114.8°)
• Price per 750ml: $74.99

 

Appearance: Fiddler Toasted Rye was about the reddest whiskey I’ve come across, including those finished in wine casks. It produced a thick rim and thick, slow tears.

 

Nose: The spicy aroma included notes of dill, mint, oak, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Drawing the air through my lips exposed me to a rich caramel.

 

Palate: The mouthfeel was watery. Butterscotch, brown sugar, and almonds were on the front. My mid-palate discovered nutmeg, cocoa, and dill. The back included cinnamon, black pepper, and French oak.

 

Finish: French oak, cinnamon, nutmeg, dill, black pepper, and brown sugar stuck around for about 2:26. It began to wane about 35 seconds in but then ramped back up, leaving dill, brown sugar, and cinnamon to end the performance.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Fiddler Toasted Rye confused me. The nose told me this would be a typical mint-forward MGP 95/5 Rye. The palate and finish proved otherwise. If you served this to me blind, I could identify this as a Rye but call you a liar when you stated it was almost 115°. There’s magic here, and I loved every minute of the experience. Its Bottle rating is well-deserved.   

 

 

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.