Lux Row Small Batch PX Sherry Cask Finish Bourbon Review

 

Sherry is a fortified wine from white grapes grown in Andalusia, Spain. It is a protected designation, much like how Cognac must come from the Cognac region of France or how Bourbon must be a product of the United States. To be considered Sherry, the fortified wine must come from Spain’s Sherry Triangle in Cádiz.

 

Sherry can be all over the spectrum regarding color, dryness, and taste. Fino is the most pale and dry. Pedro Ximénez (or PX) is the darkest and sweetest and is considered a dessert wine. I’ve had many whiskeys aged or finished in various Sherry casks, and my favorite is PX. Something magical happens when PX Sherry influences whiskey.

 

Bardstown-based Lux Row Distillers has just launched its Small Batch PX Sherry Cask Finish Bourbon. It begins with a four-year Kentucky Straight Bourbon distilled from a mash of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley aged in 53-gallon new, charred oak barrels. Once matured, it spent six more months in former PX Sherry casks.

 

“We wanted to meld the intensely sweet flavors of PX Sherry with the spicy, peppery notes of our ryed Bourbon. The outcome is a delicious combination of two opposing yet complimentary flavors that results in a truly unique expression.” – John Rempe, Master Distiller

 

PX Small Batch Sherry Cask Finish is packaged in a 750ml bottle at 56% ABV (112°) and is now available at the distillery for $59.99. Lux Row suggests that it will be available nationwide in early 2025.

 

I’m admittedly excited to #DrinkCurious. In my experience, few PX-influenced whiskeys perform poorly. Will I be pleased or disappointed? Thankfully, Lux Row Distillers has provided me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review, so let’s get to this!

 

Appearance: I poured this Bourbon into my Glencairn glass to sip neat. The liquid had a rusty color; it formed a medium rim and thick, slow, widely-spaced tears.

 

Nose: When I was pouring this whiskey, the Sherry aroma was already evident. I brought my glass to my nostrils and inhaled. The explosion of fruits included figs, plums, dates, and cherries. Chocolate, caramel, and oak were also present. Inhaling the vapor through my lips revealed chocolate and dates.

 

Palate: The mouthfeel was thin and exceptionally oily. The front tasted of black pepper tamed by dark chocolate and figs. My mid palate encountered dried cherries, plums, and dates. The back featured nutmeg, roasted coffee, and leather.

 

Finish: The seemingly never-ending finish included flavors of dark chocolate, leather, nutmeg, older oak, dried cherries, and dates. The leather and oak were the last to diminish. Its actual duration was 3:02.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Chalk another win for PX Sherry casks; this Bourbon was delightful. This was spicy in all the right places; the Sherry notes accompanied that perfectly. It drank about a dozen points below its stated proof. The asking price makes Small Batch PX Sherry Cask Finish a bargain, and I’m thrilled to give it my 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.