Whiskey Row Distillery Small Batch Triple Wood Bourbon Review

 

From about 1850 until that nasty Prohibition thing, the center of the American distilling universe was Louisville, Kentucky. It wasn’t that everything was distilled there; instead, it was due to its prime location on the Ohio River.

 

During that period, there were two ways to transport goods for long distances: trains or boats. So, distilled spirits from Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia all made their way to Louisville for warehousing and distribution to points as far south as New Orleans or to the west of Kentucky. The warehouses sometimes blended barrels from these states to create something new.

 

This warehousing area was called Whiskey Row.

 

Whiskey Row Bourbon is a tribute to that Pre-Prohibition practice. It is also the house brand of Kentucky Artisan Distillers, which is located in Crestwood. Does that name sound familiar? It is most well-known for Jefferson’s Reserve, founded in 1997 by Trey and Chet Zoeller.

 

Kentucky Artisan Distillers (or, as they refer to themselves, KAD) was the brainchild of Steve Thompson, Chris Miller, and Mike Loring. They aimed to create a place where you could “bottle your dreams.” In 2017, the trio converted the former Ice Cream Distributors, Inc. building into a distillery, which, incidentally, was the first contract distilling operation in Kentucky. It soon became the home for Jefferson’s.

 

KAD offers three core expressions of Whiskey Row: Small Batch Triple Wood, Bottled-in-Bond, and Cask Strength Bourbons. Today, we’ll explore the first expression in the series. I will cover the two others in subsequent reviews.

Before I start, I must thank KAD for providing me with these samples in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious!

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Mashbill: Undisclosed blend of corn, rye, and malted barley
• Age: NAS (At least four years)
• Cooperage: Matured in new, charred oak. Finished in former Cognac and Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks.
• Alcohol Content: 45% ABV (90°)
• Price per 750mL: $49.99
• Availability: CO, GA, IL, KY, MI, NH, NY, TN. A global rollout, including Europe, will follow.

 

Appearance: I poured this whiskey into my Glencairn glass to explore neat. The liquid possessed a darker, barely opaque orange amber. It formed a medium rim that discharged a wavy curtain of tears.

 

Nose: After allowing the Bourbon to breathe for about ten minutes, I brought the glass to my nostrils and inhaled. Notes of oak, raisins, dried apricots, brandy, and vanilla were prominent. Drawing the air through my lips allowed me to experience creamy vanilla.

 

Palate: Triple Wood’s mouthfeel was light and airy. I tasted dark chocolate, brown sugar, and maple on the front of my palate. Midway through, I discovered plums, black cherries, and red grapes. The back featured black pepper, clove, and ancient leather.

 

Finish: The Cognac influence jumped on stage, hogging the spotlight. Arid French oak, black pepper, leather, cigar, and clove attempted to shove the plums, cherries, and maple out of the way. It was warming, and the roof of my mouth began tingling. I timed it at 2:34, making the duration very long. The cigar sensation held out the longest.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Whiskey Row Small Batch Triple Wood drank a few points above its stated proof. It was well-balanced and captivating; flavors were on top of flavors, giving this Bourbon plenty of depth. I enjoy Cognac and felt it was well-represented. The PX Sherry was more of a supporting actor; I could taste those classic notes, but the Cognac subdued them. The Bourbon characteristics were not lost.

 

Fifty bucks isn’t remotely expensive in today’s whiskey world. I appreciate what KAD accomplished with this release and am happy to tell you it has earned 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.