Vote Whiskey! 2024 - Review of The Representative & The Senator 2024 Editions

Dave Schmier never lost sight of MGP, even when so many naysayers rolled their eyes when another MGP-sourced whiskey hit the market. Dave built his reputation by sourcing some of the best barrels MPG offered under his Redemption brand. After much success, he sold it to Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits. Unable to shake the need to keep doing what he was doing, in 2015, he started Proof and Wood Ventures.

 

Proof and Wood has branched out to several product lines, one of the most popular being the DC Collection. No, we’re not talking about superheroes (although one can argue that Dave is kind of a Superman); this DC refers to our nation’s capital.

 

Over the years, I’ve had various opportunities to review his DC Collection offerings, including The Senator (2020), The Justice (2020), The Presidential Dram (2020), and The Cabinet (2022 and 2023). And, as we’re only a few short weeks away from the 2024 election, it makes sense that Dave has released The Representative (2024) and The Senator (2024), and he’s done so by boxing them together in a kit called Vote Whiskey!

 

The kit has a suggested price of $110.00, a discount if you purchase both bottles singly. Both bottles are 750ml, so the discount is valid compared to foisting smaller packages on the consumer.

 

We’ll look at and rate each individually, and then I’ll give a final rating for the Vote Whiskey! kit. Before I proceed, I’m grateful to Proof and Wood for providing me with a sample kit in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious, shall we?

 

Oh, one last thing. I used a fresh Glencairn glass for each whiskey.  

 

The Representative (2024)

 

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Distillery: Ross & Squibb (MGP)
• Mashbill: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
• Alcohol Content: 58.4% ABV (116.8°)
• Age: 4 years (two terms)
• Price: $50.00

 

Appearance: A neat pour revealed a rusty orange Bourbon. A thick rim formed, discharging thick, widely-spaced tears.

 

Nose: The sweet perfume included corn, marshmallows, and orange peel. Next came cinnamon spice and toasted oak. When I inhaled the vapor into my mouth, I found bold butterscotch.

 

Palate: The Representative’s texture was thin and very oily, so much so that it seemed glued to my tongue. I tasted corn, caramel, and cola on the front of my palate. The middle included nutmeg, mild oak, and almonds. The back offered clove, barrel char, and cinnamon Red Hots.

 

Finish: Things began slowly and quickly kicked into a lower gear as the spice notes cast their votes. Clove, oak, cinnamon Red Hots, and old leather won in a landslide over the cola and caramel. It was incredibly dry. Tallying those took all of 4:17, making this one of the longest finishes in my many years of drinking whiskey!

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: The Representative drank beyond its stated proof, thanks to the influential spices. Yet, there was nothing unpleasant about it. It is a Bourbon, and you’ll want to take your time sipping, especially with that incredibly long finish. There were a few hints about its youth, but overall, it will win the popular vote and my Bottle rating.  

 

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The Senator (2024)

 

 

• Whiskey Type: American Rye
• Distillery: Ross & Squibb (MGP)
• Mashbill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
• Alcohol Content: 57.3% ABV (114.6°)
• Age: 6 years (a single term)
• Price: $80.00

 

Appearance: This American Rye possessed a color between caramel and umber. A microthin rim shed tightly-spaced, medium-width, lightning-fast tears.

 

Nose: There was plenty of dill, making it almost textbook MGP. Beyond that, I smelled mint, cinnamon, vanilla, and lavender. Pulling the aroma through my lips, I discovered caramel and mint.

 

Palate: The Senator had a thin, light mouthfeel that was slightly oily. I tasted rye spice, mint, and dill on the front. Flavors of nutmeg, caramel, and eucalyptus hit my mid palate. The back featured black peppercorns, intense rye spice, and well-soaked cinnamon toothpicks.

 

Finish: Tobacco leaf, bold cinnamon, intense rye, black peppercorns, and dill were unyielding, and each demanded their time to speak. Caramel and oak interjected here and there. The finish commanded 2:06 of attention, right in the long slot.   

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: This term of The Senator was far different from 2020. The previous had plenty of sweet notes, whereas it was far spicier this time. It featured what MGP does with 95/5 rye mashbills, and its base is those seeking spicy, savory whiskeys. I found it enjoyable, and I believe you will, too. Therefore, it takes my Bottle rating.  

 

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Final Thoughts: I preferred The Representative between the two, but The Senator isn’t any slouch. They’re both exciting, bold whiskeys that deserve reelection, and the price of Vote Whiskey! is a hell of a good deal – so much so that it deserves congressional investigation. 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.