My Visit to Quincy Street Distillery & Review of Three Whiskeys

 

Have you ever taken a journey through Bourbon history? I’m not talking about reading up on its history; I mean, have you actually tasted it?

 

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend a few hours with Derrick Mancini, the distiller and owner of Quincy Street Distillery in Riverside, a Chicago suburb.

 

To call Derrick a history buff would be an insult to the term. He has researched everything about what he finds interesting to the n^th degree. The story begins with Riverside itself. As one of the first planned suburban communities in the United States, it was a true blend of art, culture, and nature, giving Chicagoans a nearby escape along the Des Plaines River. Designed by Fredrick Law Olmstead, the same person who envisoned New York’s Central Park, it garnered the attention of Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan, who, in turn, contributed to the village’s landscape. Today, that entire village is considered a National Historic Landmark.

 

Derrick is passionate about Riverside’s story and how it ties in directly with Quincy Street Distillery and his dedication to producing quality, artisanal spirits.

 

Derrick has created, based upon extensive research, what he believes the first Bourbons tasted like. It started with a mash of 83% corn, 10% malted barley, and 7% rye, double-distilled in a copper pot still. It aged in smaller cooperage ranging in size from 5- to 15-gallon barrels. He explains that in Bourbon’s infancy, it would have been inconceivable to use large barrels, as transporting them would have been problematic. Smaller barrels could easily be put on horse-drawn wagons. Barrel sizes grew as transportation improved on rivers and railroads. Whiskey distillers used what was available, and as breweries began driving demand for 30-gallon barrels, it made sense that distillers would follow suit.

 

The drive for historical accuracy led him to create Bourbon Spring, a young, rested single-cask Bourbon. He tinkered with various small barrels and allowed the whiskey to age for 3 to 5 months. He decided that 4 months in 10-gallon barrels worked best, and packaged it at 44% ABV (88°).

 

Derrick didn’t stop there. He went on to create Laughton Bros., a single-barrel Bourbon made from the same mashbill, but used the more standard, 53-gallon barrels for maturation. He bottled them at 2 years, then 3 and 4, and skipped ahead to a Bottled-in-Bond 7-year. He explained to me that beyond four years, the barrel loses its ability to interact with the whiskey. He skipped to seven for two reasons: first, he discovered that the whiskey began interacting with the wood again at about six years, and second, he wanted to produce the oldest Illinois-distilled whiskey in the state.

 

Laughton Bros. is available to sample at each of these age points, so you can taste what happens as maturation continues! I tried them all, and wound up enjoying the 2-year-old version the most.

 

In an effort to make the most of what was available to Derrick, he created Salt Creek, which utilizes the same Bourbon mash but ages it in former Laughton Bros. barrels for two years, allowing it to qualify as Corn Whiskey.    

 

Derrick makes a variety of other artisanal spirits, including Rye, gin, vodka, rum, moonshine, and absinthe. However, each of the three mentioned above is the subject of today’s review.

 

Derrick is super friendly and will talk your ear off. He has so much knowledge in his head, and he loves to share. I’ve compressed much of the story, including the reasons behind the names. I could ramble, and this review would become a lengthy tome, plus my brain can only recall so much (we tasted so many expressions!).

 

I wound up buying a few 50mL samples at the distillery for review purposes. Derrick does offer many of his spirits in a variety of sizes. Let’s #DrinkCurious and taste what they’re all about!

 

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Bourbon Spring Illinois Young Rested Bourbon

 

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Distiller: Quincy Street Distillery
• Age: 4 months
• Mashbill: 83% corn, 10% malted barley, and 7% rye
• Cooperage: New, 10-gallon charred oak honeycomb barrel from Black Swan Cooperage
• Alcohol Content: 44% ABV (88°)
• Price per 750mL: $56.00

 

Appearance: Bourbon Spring’s honey color seemed welcoming, especially for being aged in a small barrel. A medium rim formed crazed tears; some appeared fast while others meandered down the wall of my glass.  

 

Nose: The one thing I noticed more than anything else was how fragrant Bourbon Spring was while I was waiting for it to acclimate. My whiskey library smelled of fresh, buttered cornbread. Once I brought the glass to my nostrils and inhaled, I found mild charred oak, corn, vanilla, floral rye, and orange peel. Pulling the vapor through my lips uncovered a taste of smoked caramel.

 

Palate: The first sip had a buttercream texture with a smoky palate shock. As I took the second, I found corn, caramel, and orange zest on the front, followed by smoked oak, an incredibly brief encounter with black pepper, and butter pecan at my mid-palate. The back featured cinnamon, leather, and pipe tobacco.  

 

Finish: Butter pecan, caramel, smoked oak, leather, and powdered cinnamon remained in my mouth and throat. It was an incredibly smooth ride; one without waves or troughs. The duration ran 1:12 as it fell off a cliff.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: The use of smaller barrels is an automatic turn-off for some. Between the sawdust and how quickly they overoak, it is understandable why. However, as with everything else whiskey-related, if you know what you’re doing, the rules of thumb don’t necessarily apply.

 

Such is the case with Bourbon Spring. Bourbon Spring had none of those telltale signs. It wasn’t hot. It didn’t even taste young. Instead, I was sipping on something so rich that I can easily picture someone back in the day saying how much they loved this unusual brown liquor.

 

Derrick did great with this “immature” Bourbon. It is definitely worth grabbing a Bottle so you can experience your friends laughing at how much you paid for it, then how quickly they shut up once they taste it.

 

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Laughton Bros. Illinois Straight Bourbon

 

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Distiller: Quincy Street Distillery
• Age: 2 years
• Mashbill: 83% corn, 10% malted barley, and 7% rye
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon medium charred oak barrel from ISC of Missouri
• Alcohol Content: 45.5% ABV (91°)
• Price per 750mL: $56.00

 

Appearance: Laughton Bros. was the color of golden raisins. The medium-thick rim produced tightly packed, husky tears that fell instantly.

 

Nose: There was no filling the air of my whiskey library with this Bourbon. However, once it was properly oxidized, I brought the glass to my nose and started sniffing. I found pecans, corn, caramel, white chocolate, and mild oak. Drawing the air into my mouth, I tasted Corn Chex cereal.

 

Palate: The first sip revealed a soft, creamy texture and a blast of marshmallow fluff that commanded my attention. I was able to discern Corn Chex, vanilla, and Grannysmith apples on the front. My mid-palate pulled almonds, pecans, and tobacco leaf, while the back of my palate ran into flavors of oak tannins, leather, and baked pears.

 

Finish: Almonds, pecans, lightly toasted oak, baked pears, and Corn Chex lasted 1:29, making for a long finish. It was an even, level one that lingered in the back of my throat.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Laughton Bros. 2-Year Bourbon drank a handful of points above its stated proof. The mouthfeel was lovely, and I appreciated how the corn was more cereal-like than just a grain. In fact, the entire sipping experience was sweet with just enough oak tannins to bring it into check.

 

Aged only two years, this Bourbon had plenty of character, and I thoroughly enjoyed it from nose to finish. Yes, it is expensive, but I doubt you’ll suffer from buyer’s remorse. Grab a Bottle and savor what’s in your glass.   

 

 

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Salt Creek Corn Whiskey

 

 

• Whiskey Type: Corn Whiskey
• Distiller: Quincy Street Distillery
• Age: 2 years
• Mashbill: 83% corn, 10% malted barley, and 7% rye
• Cooperage: Vintage Laughton Bros. Bourbon barrels
• Alcohol Content: 42% ABV (84°)
• Price per 750mL: $36.00

 

Appearance: Salt Creek possessed an almost murky, bronze appearance. A thick rim generated widely spaced, speedy tears.

 

Nose: Similar to the Laughton Bros., there was no distracting aroma while I was waiting for it to breathe. Once I was ready to approach Salt Creek, I discovered caramel, brown sugar, oak, leather, and pipe tobacco. Inside my mouth, the air tasted of day-old cornbread.

 

Palate: There was a soft, silky texture, with a big blast of kettle corn. The second was far more behaved, offering caramel, corn, and newish leather on the front of my palate. The middle included notes of vanilla, malt, and white chocolate. Flavors of cinnamon, clove, and oak took control of the back.  

 

Finish: Candy corn, caramel, leather, cinnamon, and oak refused to leave the stage. Salt Creek started sweet, moved into spice, and then returned to sweet. The finish began mildly, then increased in intensity, then fell back to a somewhat muted level, but then clove magically appeared to close things out. In all, the duration ran 1:27, equating to a long one.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I’m not the biggest fan of corn whiskeys, especially those made by the big boys. However, there are a handful of craft distillers that do corn whiskey right, and Quincy Street is one such example. I found Salt Creek to be an easy sipper, one that could hold up in a cocktail, yet be perfectly enjoyed neat. There’s nothing not to like, including the price. Hence, my Bottle rating is well-earned.  

 

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Final Thoughts: Today’s sipping adventure brought a huge smile to my face. Derrick is not only smart, but he knows how to distill a true artisanal spirit that the big boys can’t replicate. If you’re ever in Chicagoland, check out Quincy Street Distillery. Step up to the bar, and I bet you’ll walk away with at least one bottle from the shelf. If nothing else, pick Derrick’s brain.

 

My preference was Bourbon Spring, Laughton Bros., and Salt Creek; however, they’re all winners (No participation trophies were given). 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.