The Maelstrom Saga: Batch 2 Torpedo Juice Bourbon Review

 

Established in Algoma, Wisconsin, in 2022, Unbound Spirits is a relatively new company, but a team of seasoned spirits veterans founded it. Martin Pazzani, who came from Heublein (now Diageo), founded the United Spirits Company. Kay Olsen was formerly the Head of Operations at Hueblein. Randy Roets came to Unbound Spirits from Sazerac, and Kerry Shaw Brown, who was crafting his own Bourbon blends.

 

For many years, Kerry Shaw Brown was curious about how, for centuries, whiskey and rum were transported over the sea. He began transporting whiskey on a rowboat in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. He worked with larger barrels and placed them on the bow of his Bayliner. 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, Unbound Spirits isn’t the only distillery to transport whiskey on boats. Several companies also do it, some using freshwater, while others use seawater. The great thing was that during the summer, those barrels were exposed to almost 100° heat during the day, and at night, the temperatures would plunge.

 

That brings us to a product line called The Maelstrom. It is named for a powerful whirlpool in either the ocean or a river. It also refers to violent turmoil. Back in July, I reviewed Saga Series Batch 1: The Reckoning and Batch 4: The Black Squall. Today, I’m exploring Batch 2: Torpedo Juice.

 

“I had been contemplating doing a batch like this, and in speaking with folks from the Wisconsin Maritime Museum about the restoration of the USS Cobia submarine from WWII, we decided we could team up with them to help raise some money for them as well. I also spoke with several submarine vets who told me about ‘their torpedo juice.’  In WWII, subs were diesel powered, but the torpedos had fuel that was grain alcohol - so industrious sailors took a little of that and added it to orange or pineapple juice. Eventually, the Navy changed the torpedo fuel to something else. Along the way, other sailors would filter the high-proof Old Spice cologne through stale bread and apple peels to make it somewhat palatable.

 

Finally, after WWll, American service members were stationed in Japan and kept asking for barrels of American whiskey and bourbon, but were told it was too problematic, so they drank whiskey aged in Mizunara oak - another nod to history for this particular very small batch spirit.” – Kerry Shaw Brown, Co-CEO of Unbound Spirits

 

I found Batch 1 and Batch 4 to be delicious, and that naturally piques my interest in Batch 2, for which Unbound Spirits has kindly provided me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and discover what this one is all about.

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Distiller: Undisclosed
• Age: 9 years
• Mashbill: Undisclosed
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrels, then finished in barrels made from both toasted and charred Mizunara Oak staves.
• Alcohol Content: 50% ABV (100°)
• Price per 750mL: $124.99 (278 bottle yield) from its online store

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this Bourbon neat. Inside, it presented itself as a dark walnut color. A medium rim produced medium-thick, fast, widely spaced tears.

 

Nose: I let Torpedo Juice rest about 15 minutes before I began my sniffing journey. The aroma included both sweet and toasted oaks, leather, nutmeg, and clove. When I pulled the air through my lips, I found the flavor of dark chocolate.

 

Palate: With the first sip, I was greeted by a silky mouthfeel. There was nothing that shocked my palate. On the front, I detected notes of cocoa, coffee, and old leather. The middle offered hazelnuts, toasted pecans, and tobacco leaf. I tasted toasted oak, cedar, and mild clove on the back of my palate.  

 

Finish: A lot of leather was married to sweet pipe tobacco. It also featured notes of hazelnuts, clove, and cocoa. Leather was, by far, the most prominent of what was happening in my mouth and throat. It was a level finish that lacked any punch of alcohol. According to my stopwatch, the duration was 1:04, which I’d classify as medium in length.  

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: For whatever reason, I expected sweeter notes, as that’s something familiar to Mizunara-finished whiskeys. There were plenty of savory and spicy aspects. The cedar threw me for a bit of a loop; it typically indicates smaller cooperage.

 

Torpedo Juice drank at about its stated proof, if not a few points below. It lacked any alcohol burn and, in some ways, reminded me of barely legal Rye whiskey. The more I sipped it, the more I liked what was inside my glass.

 

It is an unusual Bourbon and different enough from The Reckoning to demonstrate Kerry’s talents as a blender. Is it worth $125.00? I believe so, and I’m happy to crown it with 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.