Reviews of Unbound Spirits: The Maelstrom: The Black Squall and Saga Series 1: The Reckoning

 

Founded in Algoma, Wisconsin, in 2022 by a team of spirits veterans, Unbound Spirits is one I’ve had my eye on for a couple of years. I first stumbled upon them at Distill America in Madison and was impressed. This past May, I ran into them again at this year’s event.

 

Its Chairman and co-CEO, Martin Pazzani, is a fitness author, TED speaker, marketer, and mountaineer. He also spent 13 years at Heublein (now Diageo) and founded the United Spirits Company. Kay Olsen, formerly the Head of Operations at Hueblein, holds that position with Unbound Spirits. Randy Roets, who was with Sazerac, serves as the Head of Marketing. Kerry Shaw Brown, its co-CEO, is an accomplished director, cartoonist, filmmaker, and artist.

 

“At Unbound Spirits our goal is to combine the timeless methods of crafting fine spirits, with different ways of thinking about them.

Each spirit in our collection has a fundamental notion of how we feel when we drink it, transporting us to a new state of mind.

Whether you seek adventure or seek solitude, the souls of our bourbons and whiskeys were designed for you.” – Unbound Spirits

 

For many years, Kerry was curious about how, for centuries, whiskey and rum were transported over the sea. He began aging whiskey in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. As he received feedback from fans, he relocated the operation to Lake Michigan, utilizing larger boats that allowed the barrels to interact in that environment for extended periods.

 

Of course, Kerry isn’t the only one who has aged whiskey on boats. Several companies also do it, some using freshwater, while others use seawater.

 

The whiskey I tasted a few years ago is called The Maelstrom. It is named for a powerful whirlpool in either the ocean or a river. It also refers to violent turmoil. It is a blend of matured Straight Bourbons, then re-casked in custom-made toasted oak barrels.

 

I’ll be reviewing two versions of The Maelstrom - Batch 4: The Black Squall and Saga Series 1: The Reckoning, and I thank Unbound Spirits for providing me with samples of each in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest reviews.

 

I used a fresh Glencairn glass for each expression and allowed each to breathe for approximately ten minutes before smelling and sipping them neat. Let’s #DrinkCurious.

 

Batch 4: The Black Squall

 

 

Batch 4 aged on the water during the Summer and Autumn of 2024. Lake Michigan experienced many severe storms during that period.

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Distiller: Undisclosed
• Age: NAS
• Mashbill: Undisclosed
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrels, then re-casked in new, toasted barrels.
• Alcohol Content: 46% ABV (92°)
• Price per 750mL: $120.00

 

Appearance: The burnt-umber liquid produced a thick rim with thick, wavy tears.

 

Nose: The aroma included notes of salted caramel, smoked oak, dark chocolate, toasted marshmallow, and nutmeg. Drawing the air into my mouth, I found dark chocolate.

 

Palate: The first sip revealed a thin, viscous texture. It warmed the tip of my tongue. On the front were tastes of English toffee, smoke, and rich caramel. Candied orange peel, dark chocolate, and roasted almonds hit my mid-palate. The back consisted of coffee, charred oak, and clove.    

 

Finish: Coffee, dark chocolate, caramel, clove, and ginger spice remained for 1:56, making for a long finish. After the other notes fell off, there was plenty of oak that previously seemed hidden.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I’ve had several ocean/sea/river-aged whiskeys before. The maritime notes, whether from fresh or salt water, seem universal. What’s not overly familiar is re-barreling in toasted oak barrels before the nautical journey.

 

There is nothing overly common about Black Squall. It has a lot of character that goes beyond Bourbon, but not so much that the Bourbon quality is lost in translation. Unbound Spirits hit that sweet spot of providing something unique and tasty.

 

Despite the cost, I found The Black Squall worth the investment. If you see a Bottle on the shelf, pick it up and take it home. You won’t be disappointed.   

 

 

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Saga Series 1: The Reckoning

 

 

The Saga Series will be a recurring, extremely limited release featuring higher-proofed Bourbons and finishing cycles. This inaugural batch yielded only 332 bottles.

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Distiller: Undisclosed
• Age: 9 years
• Mashbill: Undisclosed
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrels, then re-casked in new, toasted barrels.
• Alcohol Content: 61% ABV (122°)
• Price per 750mL: $125.00

 

Appearance: This Cask Strength Bourbon was red. Not one with a reddish tint, but red with a brownish hue. It looked as if it was aged in a red wine cask! A thick rim discharged syrupy, widely-spaced tears.

 

Nose: My olfactory sense plucked thick caramel, fudge, sugarplums, cinnamon, oak, and roasted nuts. Inhaling the vapor through my lips brought a sensation of maple syrup.   

 

Palate: The Reckoning’s mouthfeel was creamy with a medium density. There was enough warmth to command attention, yet not enough to prove uncomfortable. The front of my palate encountered cocoa, dark chocolate, and raisins. Next came leather, roasted walnuts, and toffee. Flavors of toasted oak, clove, and cinnamon spice sat on the back.

 

Finish: The finish included dark chocolate, cocoa, clove, ancient leather, toasted oak, and salted nuts. The even-keeled duration ran 2:04, making it a long one.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I talked about how warm that first sip was, but The Reckoning drank way under the stated 122° - probably a good ten or so points! The color, while fascinating, had no impact on the rating; it was merely an observation.

 

What was relevant was its taste, which was so different from the nose. There was a hint of sweetness; most of it was savory and spicy. I admittedly was stunned by the lack of any maritime quality after I just got done discussing The Black Squall. It came very late and was mild.

 

For $5.00 more than The Black Squall, you get a cask-strength, well-matured Bourbon that is both enchanting and interesting. I loved it; there’s no reason The Reckoning doesn’t deserve its Bottle rating.

 

Final Notes: On a completely different tangent, I blended equal parts of The Reckoning and The Black Squall simply to satisfy my curiosity. Good golly, that was just delicious!

 

Given a choice between the two, I’d go with The Reckoning over The Dark Squall, but both are excellent options. 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.