Maverick Distilling: Straight Triticale Bonded, Private Reserve Bonded Bourbon, Straight Rye Reviews

 

One of the things I love about American whiskey brands is the backstory. It seems like we’re obsessed with a good tale. Most of them talk about how someone’s grandpappy’s grandpappy hid his secret corn likker recipe behind the false wall of a Hoosier cabinet and, by sheer luck, the great-great-great-great-great grandson (do I have enough greats?) was in an antique shop and discovered that very same cabinet for sale.

 

The story of Samuel Augustus Maverick is at least based on history. His family emigrated to the New World in 1624. His grandmother married an American Revolutionary War general named Robert Anderson. His father, Samuel, married Anderson’s daughter, and nine months later, “Gus” was born. By the time he attended Yale, he had gone by “Sam” and had become a lawyer.

 

Sam moved to Georgia to mine gold but was unsuccessful. He then moved to Alabama with 25 of his father’s slaves to run a plantation. Sam didn’t enjoy supervising his slaves or running the plantation, so he picked up in 1835 and moved to San Antonio, Texas. Sam purchased as many tracts of land as he could.

 

Meanwhile, things in Texas got squirrely. Texas was a Mexican territory, and the president was concerned that the Texans would hand the territory to the United States. As things escalated, the Texas Revolution broke out. Fast-forward a bit, and Sam is holed up at The Alamo. He survived the massacre because he was running a message.

 

In 1839, he was elected mayor of San Antonio and served as the city treasurer and Justice of the Peace. He continued to buy land and eventually owned 66,000 acres! After Texas joined the United States, he was elected to the Texas legislature and helped organize the Democratic party.

 

Throughout his life, Sam escaped death many times, whether it was due to battle or disease or nearly drowning when his boat capsized. Sam’s story led to the coining of the term maverick.

 

That, in turn, brings us to Maverick Distilling, which is built on the corner of Sam’s homestead by Dr. Kenneth Maverick, his direct descendant. That, in turn, leads us to today’s review of three of its whiskeys: Straight Rye, Straight Triticale, and Bottled-in-Bond Private Reserve Bourbon.

 

Before we get started, you should know a few things:

1.  I drank each of these neat from clean Glencairn glasses;

2.  I gave plenty of time between sips so my palate remained fresh and;

3.  Maverick Distilling provided me with these samples in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review; I am grateful for that.

 

Samuel Maverick Straight Rye Whiskey

 

 

• Availability: Core expression
• Mashbill: 72% Wren’s Abruzzi rye, 18% corn, 10% malted barley
• Age: 5 years
• Cooperage: New, #3 charred oak
• Alcohol Content: 44% ABV (88°)
• Price per 750mL: $50.00
• Non-Chill Filtered

 

Appearance: This whiskey had a genuine orange amber color. The liquid formed a medium rim with thick, slow, medium-spaced tears.

 

Nose: I brought the glass beneath my nose and inhaled, which revealed notes of wintergreen, dill, clove, and bananas. I drew the air through my lips and found caramel.

 

Palate: The thick yet incredibly light mouthfeel tastes like coffee and fennel on the front, then nutmeg and tangerines at my mid palate. The back offered charred oak and rye spice.

 

Finish: Fennel and tangerine remained, giving it a citrusy/herbal sensation that dominated the finish. I also discerned caramel, rye spice, and menthol. It started soft and then ramped, making it warm and spicy. I timed the duration at 1:08, making it a medium one.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Samuel Maverick Straight Rye provided a spicy, herbal experience that reminded me of younger American Ryes. It will make you forget this is a five-year-old whiskey. I’m not sure what to make of it; it isn’t an unpleasant whiskey; it simply lacks any wow factor. For the money, you’ll want to try this one at a Bar before committing to a purchase.

 

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Samuel Maverick Bottled-in-Bond Straight Triticale Whiskey

 

 

• Availability: Limited-edition
• Mashbill: 72% triticale, 18% corn, 10% malted barley
• Age: 6 years
• Cooperage: New, #3 charred oak
• Alcohol Content: 50% ABV (100°)
• Price per 750mL: $135.00
• Non-Chill Filtered

 

Some of you may be unfamiliar with triticale as it is a grain that isn’t commonly used in distilling. Triticale was developed in 1875 in Scotland and is a hybrid of wheat and rye. It is considered a cover crop.

 

Appearance: The orange-colored whiskey formed a thin rim, yielding thick, crazed tears.

 

Nose: Niiiiice! That was my first thought as I brought the glass under my nostrils. I smelled Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. Beneath was light oak with dried hay. Pulling the air into my mouth provided muted vanilla.

 

Palate: This whiskey’s texture was like velvet. I tasted cocoa, butterscotch, and vanilla. The middle offered cinnamon sugar, while the back included oak, orange zest, and toffee.

 

Finish: Flavors of oranges, cinnamon spice, butterscotch, and cocoa held on for dear life. Roasted pecans joined those. It wasn’t the most prolonged finish, lasting only 1:02, making it the shorter end of a medium duration.  

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Samuel Maverick Straight Triticale Whiskey was fascinating. It wasn’t the most complex whiskey; it merely impressed me with its sweetness and simplicity. As I mentioned earlier, triticale isn’t a common ingredient distillers use.

 

I looked over my previous reviews of triticale whiskeys. Some were 100% triticale; others used it as a minor ingredient. There was a common theme – that aroma of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.

 

None were priced as high as Samuel Maverick, even when being generous with inflation. I genuinely enjoyed this whiskey, but I found it expensive. Price is the only thing holding it back; it earns my Bar rating.

 

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Samuel Maverick Bottled-in-Bond Private Reserve Bourbon

 

 

• Availability: Core expression
• Mashbill: 72% corn, 18% Wren’s Abruzzi rye, 10% malted barley
• Age: 5 years
• Cooperage: New, #3 charred oak
• Alcohol Content: 50% ABV (100°)
• Price per 750mL: $56.00
• Non-Chill Filtered

 

Appearance: The Bourbon had an orange hue. A gentle swirl produced a medium rim with tightly spaced, pencil-thin, slow tears.  

 

Nose: Notes of corn, toffee, caramel, pecans, and light oak made for a sweet olfactory experience. Inside my mouth, the air tasted of dry oak.

 

Palate: As I began sipping, I encountered a creamy texture. Corn, vanilla, and caramel engaged the front of my palate, whereas an interesting blend of nutmeg and candied pecans formed the middle. Dark chocolate, clove, and oak were found at the back.  

 

Finish: The finish included flavors of dark chocolate, candied pecans, clove, and corn. The duration was short, lasting a mere 0:48.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Samuel Maverick Bottled-in-Bond Private Reserve Bourbon was lovely from beginning to end. I wished the finish wasn’t so short, but I won’t discount that on my rating. It was a sweet Bourbon, one that was well-balanced and full of flavor. It is reasonably priced, and I’m happy to state this one earns my Bottle rating.

 

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Final Thoughts: More distillers need to explore triticale. It is easily grown after many other crops have been harvested. I’m not a farmer, nor do I play one on television; however, acre for acre, it provides more coverage than wheat.

 

Between the three whiskeys, my taste preference was the Triticale, the Bourbon, and the Rye. 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.