Locke + Co Distilling's Big Catch Bourbon & Aspen Aged Rye Reviews

 

Curiosity is the harbinger of innovation. Sometimes, you come up with something totally unique. And, unfortunately, sometimes you learn that your great idea should have remained just that – an idea.

 

Today, we’ll explore how an Aspen-based distillery, Locke + Co Distilling, came about and its two flagship whiskeys: Big Catch Bourbon and Aspen Aged Rye.

 

Rick Talley and Owen Locke were high school buddies and lacrosse teammates. At 15, Owen was already tinkering with home brewing, and his family had a long moonshining history. Rick became interested in the West’s history and whiskey’s impact. Both went off to college and later pursued their MBAs at Daniel’s College of Business at the University of Denver. They reconnected, graduated, and then worked at Beam Suntory as sales agents.

 

On a whim, they placed a charred aspen disc in a jar of whiskey, allowing it plenty of sun exposure. It turned out to be delicious, and in 2010, the duo purchased a 23-gallon still and began distilling in a garage to see what they could accomplish by aging rye whiskey in smaller barrels.

 

“My childhood friend, fellow classmate and now co-founder and I followed a passion. We didn’t start our company because we wanted to make money or because we saw growth potential or because it seemed like a ‘cool’ way to make a living. We started Locke + Co Distilling because our friends and family enjoyed what we created in our garage and we thought maybe other people would enjoy it too. We took something that was a hobby, something that brought us happiness and began sharing it with others. When someone shares something they love, it is exactly that….it is genuine sharing. We share our passion, we don’t sell whiskey.” – Rick Talley, Co-Founder

 

Is adding the aspen discs Locke + Co.’s distillate a cool idea or one that should have remained by the wayside? Thankfully, Locke + Co. provided me with samples of each whiskey in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and find the answer.

 

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

 

Big Catch Bourbon

 

• Mashbill: Undisclosed, high-rye and high-wheat
• Age: 2 years
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak, then finished with hand-charred aspen discs.
• Alcohol Content: 47.5% ABV (95°)
• 750ml Price: $50.99

 

Appearance: Big Catch Bourbon presented as a golden amber color. A massive rim formed, releasing thick, syrupy tears.

 

Nose: The aroma included notes of honey, maple syrup, earthy mushroom, and toasted oak. When I inhaled the vapor into my mouth, I found toasted oak.

 

Palate: A creamy texture introduced the front of my palate to butterscotch, honey, and vanilla. I tasted toffee, leather, and corn at my mid-palate. The back included toasted oak, black pepper, and caramel.

 

Finish: The finish commenced with earthy mushrooms, then moved to leather, toffee, and toasted oak. I timed it at 1:03, making it a medium-short duration.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I found Big Catch Bourbon to be completely different than any Bourbon I’ve tasted, and I guess that was the idea. Adding in those aspen discs certainly impacted what I was tasting. The sweet notes seemed enhanced, and that earthy quality should also be attributable to it. It was an incredibly easy-to-sip Bourbon that is worth picking up a Bottle despite only being two years old.

 

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Aspen Aged Rye

  

• Mashbill: 95% rye, 5% malted barley
• Age: 2 years
• Cooperage: New, 30-gallon Minnesota white-oak barrels with #2, #3, #4, and #5 char levels, then blended in large tanks. Hand-charred aspen discs are placed into the tanks for an additional eight months.
• Alcohol Content: 45% ABV (90°)
• 750ml Price: $64.99

 

Appearance: This whiskey had a brassy appearance. A husky rim formed and sent thick tears racing back to the pool.

 

Nose: I first smelled mint by bringing the glass beneath my nostrils. I also found caramel, arborvitea trees, and oak. Drawing the air through my lips exposed me to pine.

 

Palate: Aspen Aged Rye’s mouthfeel was thick and silky. I tasted caramel, rye spice, and pepper on the front of my palate. There was a mix of toffee and caramel at mid-palate. The back featured pine, toasted oak, and tobacco.  

 

Finish: Pine really came through. It was intense but not quite juniper-ish. Next came clove, mint, and bold rye spice. Tobacco stuck around the longest—the duration clocked in at 1:29, classifying it as a medium.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Pine isn’t an attractive flavor. While it wasn’t as strong as juniper, my knee-jerk reaction was to find it gin-like. You’d never guess this was a two-year American Rye; the typical sharpness young Rye whiskeys possess was absent. The mouthfeel was captivating. If the pine weren’t so prevalent, I’d rate it higher. As it stands, Aspen Aged Rye earns my Bar 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.