Twisted Path 8-Year Blue Corn Bourbon Review

 

Legacy distillers are talented at what they do. They can employ economies of scale to bring the world consistent-tasting whiskeys at usually affordable prices. I have a great deal of love and respect for them.

 

Craft distillers – meaning actual craft distillers that aren’t sourcing their distillate - are a breed all their own. Typically, they lack the financial means to operate on a large scale, and even if they could, they don’t have access to the vast warehouses required to hold massive amounts of inventory.

 

I’ve visited truly innovative craft distilleries. Sometimes, they’re on family farms and have converted existing structures to warehouse their whiskeys. Sometimes, they work with unique strains of yeast or proprietary heirloom grains. The point is, they’re not making “me too” whiskeys. They’re doing everything possible to differentiate themselves while utilizing the available resources.

 

Twisted Path Distillery was founded in 2013 by distiller Brian Sammons. Brian’s past is fascinating: he worked for the CIA and the Department of Defense, specializing in counterterrorism and counterintelligence. He then earned a law degree and became a prosecutor. From there, he hung his own shingle in private practice. Then, he got into distilling and taught himself the trade. Afterward, Brian and his wife, Laura, followed their dream of opening a distillery.

 

Twisted Path is located at 2018 South 1st Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and its philosophy is Life is too short to follow someone else's path:

 

“Our name ‘Twisted Path’ is a reference to the concept of life as a path, and our belief that everyone should find their own path, without concern about what other people do or think. It’s about being true to yourself, being authentic.” – Twisted Path Distillery

 

Brian embraces traditional distilling. Yet, his constant curiosity drives him to experiment with different ways of doing things. Sometimes, those ideas fail. Then again, sometimes they don’t. Everything is done in small batches, and no two are alike. All of his grains are locally sourced from The Dolan Family Farm in Dodgeville, Wisconsin.

 

Tomorrow, Twisted Path will release its 8-Year Bourbon as a distillery-only offering. It is distilled using heirloom Blue Hopi corn, which, although not the most common, is typically a great choice because it has been described as fruitier than many other corn varietals, while others say it is nuttier.

 

Twisted Path provided me with a sample of its 8-Year Bourbon in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review, and for that, I’m grateful. Let’s #DrinkCurious and discover what it is all about.

 

• Whiskey Type: Straight Bourbon
• Distiller: Twisted Path Distillery
• Age: 8 years
• Mashbill: 54% Blue Hopi corn, 30% rye, 16% wheat
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrels
• Alcohol Content: 47.5% ABV (95°)
• Price per 750mL: $75.00
• Availability: Tasting room only

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this Bourbon neat. The liquid possessed a topaz color; it formed a thick rim with thick, tightly-packed, fast tears.

 

Nose: I allowed about 15 minutes for the Bourbon to acclimate before bringing the glass to my nose. The aroma included corn, floral rye, ginger, caramel, and strawberries. It was an unusual combination, to be sure, but not off-putting. As I drew the vapor into my mouth, I found the taste of sassafras.  

 

Palate: Twisted Path 8-Year had an almost weightless texture, floating across my tongue and down my throat. Even chewing didn’t add any mass. It was a bit mindblowing and genuinely captured my attention. Sassafras, fire-roasted corn, and dried tobacco were featured on the front. Next came flavors of leather, pecans, and whole wheat bread at my mid-palate. The back included oak, rye spice, and toffee.

 

Finish: The oak became somewhat dry, enhancing other arid components such as pecans, whole wheat, tobacco, and leather. I could experience them both individually and in tandem. Mint stormed the stage and chased the others off. The duration ran 2:03, making it long.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: The consistent thing about Twisted Path is that its whiskeys are unlike anything you’ll come across elsewhere. I’ve had other Blue Hopi corn whiskeys, and Twisted Path’s is an outlier. That mouthfeel: it was wild, almost as if I were swallowing moist air.

 

Overall, this was a well-balanced Bourbon. I can’t say it was “easy sipping” because each swallow begged for attention. It did, however, seem perfectly proofed while offering no alcohol burn. I very much appreciate the unique, as long as it still tastes good. Twisted Path 8-Year Bourbon fits that bill; it has plenty of character, depth, and dangitall – it is basically a mind worm! That alone deserves 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.