Review of Club Liquor's Harvest Oak Farm Boy Single Barrel Bourbon

 

I have a friend named Sean Wipfli, the new barrel-picking specialist at Club Liquor at 234 Main Street in Menausha, Wisconsin. Every so often, Sean sends me samples of his whiskeys and asks me to review them. He does a ton of picks.

 

You would be mistaken if you think I give Sean a free pass because he’s a friend. While several earn Bottle ratings, he’s been hit with his fair share of Bar ratings, although I admit he’s never acquired a Bust. I believe that’s one reason he keeps sending them over – he wants to know my honest opinions.

 

Sean enjoys tinkering and will experiment with barrel-finishing a new whiskey in a barrel that held a former pick and blending. He takes the #DrinkCurious lifestyle to heart, and whenever he sends me stuff, I never quite know what I’m getting into. He’s smart, and he has a good palate. We’ve also done a handful of picks together.

 

Sean’s newest baby is a Farm Boy Single Barrel Bourbon from Ledgerock Distillery near Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

 

“Ledgerock Distillery is located on the Retzer family farm, and the distillery was opened in 2018. On the 500 acre farm grain is grown, harvested, stored, ground, distilled, bottled and labeled by the members of the Retzer family. The same individuals who plant the seeds also create the spirits. Yellow corn and soft red winter wheat are grown in a sustainable way with minimum or no tillage practices helping to eliminate water and wind erosion. This practice creates superior soil structure, which aids in better air and water filtration and higher quality grains. The entire process occurs on the farm/distillery to create From Seed to Spirit.” – Ledgerock Distillery

 

 

Ledgerock gets its name from its water source, officially the Niagara Escarpment, but locally referred to as “the ledge.” The water is high in calcium, low in sulfur, and contains no iron.

 

Club Liquor’s is the oldest Ledgrock single barrel to date and the first release under its new Harvest Oak label. It is packaged at 45% ABV (90°), and a 750mL can is available for $43.95. There is also a barrel-proof version at 124°, which sells for $49.95.

 

Let’s find out how this one tastes… and again, I thank Sean and Club Liquor for this opportunity in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

• Whiskey Type: Single Barrel Bourbon
• Distiller: Ledgerock Distillery
• Age: 6 years, 10 months, 14 days
• Mashbill: Undisclosed ratio of corn and barley, 30% wheat
• Cooperage: New, charred 53-gallon Missouri White Oak barrels
• Alcohol Content: 45% ABV (90°)
• Price per 750mL: $43.95

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this Bourbon neat. The liquid had a deep, rusty appearance. A bold rim formed slow, compacted tears.

 

Nose: After allowing about 15 minutes for Farm Boy to breathe, I brought the glass beneath my nostrils and inhaled. I was welcomed by a heavy influence of dried tobacco leaf, along with caramel, sweet oak, and dates. Taking in the vapor through my lips brought fresh-baked cornbread.

 

Palate: The first sip revealed an incredibly thin, slick mouthfeel, with no palate shock. As I took another, I discovered cocoa, buttered cornbread, and blanched almonds on the front, with notes of black currants, dates, and tobacco leaf on my mid-palate. I tasted sweet oak, white pepper, and milk chocolate on the back.

 

Finish: Flavors of white pepper, sweet oak, dates, tobacco, and cornbread remained in my mouth and throat, with a special guest appearance of clove toward the end for good measure. Initially, the finish was gentle, but it quickly ramped to highlight spicy notes. At 1:35, I’d consider this a longer duration.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: As I’ve never tried anything from Ledgerock Distillery until now, I had no idea what to expect. Wheaters are known for their creamy and soft, well-rounded textures. Every so often, that’s not the case, as this barrel of Harvest Oak demonstrates. That’s merely an observation, not a complaint.

 

I found it challenging to wrap my mind around what I was sipping, and that is almost expected from Sean; he, like me, prefers outliers when we pick barrels. It would be interesting to experience what an additional 34 points offers, but that wasn’t in the cards today.

 

Despite its unusual aspects, this Farm Boy Single Barrel Bourbon is well-balanced and drinks at its stated proof. I enjoyed what was in my glass, and at only $44.00, it is fairly priced. I have no issues whatsoever with it taking my Bottle rating, and now I want to taste more from this distillery. 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.