Review of Ballotin Chocolate & Peanut Butter Chocolate Whiskeys

The year is 2015—the location: Louisville, Kentucky. That’s when Paul and Lisa Teull founded Ballotin Whiskey with a mission to provide “elegant and delicious” aged whiskeys that would appeal to those who crave rich, chocolatey flavors. Paul had spent 30 years in beverage sales and marketing, working for companies, including Brown-Forman. 

 

So, why the name, Ballotin? As the story goes, in 1915, a Belgian chocolatier was very skilled at his craft. His wife wanted him to sell his confections in a stylish box, figuring that it would make for an impressive presentation. She called the box a “Ballotin,” which in French means “ballot” or “small package.”

 

“Ballotin was created by bringing some of the subtler bourbon flavors that everyone loves, the chocolates, nuts, caramels, mints, and vanillas, into greater prominence and balance with the complementary flavors of traditional whiskeys. The result is a wonderful, approachable, drinkable whiskey that tastes like a whiskey expression of your favorite chocolate indulgences.” – Ballotin Whiskey

 

Ballotin’s portfolio includes a variety of flavored whiskeys, whiskey creams, RTDs, and a luxury liqueur. Today, we’ll explore its flagship Chocolate Whiskey and its Peanut Butter Chocolate Whiskey.

 

Ballotin indicates that its base whiskey is 3 years old and distilled in Louisville by an undisclosed source. Paul hand-selects the barrels and oversees the blending. He is also involved with the production, including the chocolate infusion and packaging, which take place at Saloon Spirits in Austin, Texas. As it happens, Paul is the registered sole proprietor of Saloon Spirits.   

 

Ballotin suggests it makes Dangerously Good whiskeys and whiskey creams. Is that a fair claim? The easiest way to answer that is to #DrinkCurious. I procured 50mL bottles of each for the sole purpose of reviewing them. I’m going with the Chocolate Whiskey first, as it is likely the base for the Peanut Butter Chocolate Whiskey. Let’s see just how dangerous these are.

 

Ballotin Chocolate

 

• Whiskey Type: Flavored Whiskey
• Distiller: Undisclosed
• Age: 3 years
• Mashbill: Undisclosed
• Cooperage: Undisclosed
• Alcohol Content: 30% ABV (60°)
• Price per 750mL: $29.99

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this whiskey neat. It possessed a deep, dark mahogany color, yet I must point out that Ballotin used E150A caramel coloring. A medium rim discharged slow, syrupy tears.

 

Nose: I waited 15 minutes before exploring the aroma, which included notes of dark chocolate, vanilla cream, roasted coffee, and wafer cookies. When I took the air in my mouth, I found milk chocolate.

 

Palate: The first sip produced a thin texture and a shock of dark-roasted coffee. The second seemed creamier and tasted of cocoa, bittersweet chocolate on the front, with mild oak and a dash of nutmeg on the back. I couldn’t identify anything on my mid-palate.

 

Finish: There was the slightest hint of cinnamon that joined the nutmeg, bittersweet chocolate, and cocoa. There was nothing intense or spicy about it, even as I held it beneath my tongue. The duration lasted 52 seconds before quickly fading.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I’ve had chocolate liqueurs before, as well as various cocktails with a chocolate spirit base. I envision Ballotin Chocolate Whiskey as a superior substitute. My neat pour was tasty; I don’t know when I would drink it that way. However, it is affordable, seems high-quality, and I’m going to foist my Bottle rating on it. 

 

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Ballotin Peanut Butter Chocolate

 

 

• Whiskey Type: Flavored Whiskey
• Distiller: Undisclosed
• Age: 3 years
• Mashbill: Undisclosed
• Cooperage: Undisclosed
• Alcohol Content: 30% ABV (60°)
• Price per 750mL: $29.99

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this whiskey neat as well. It appeared orange-amber; it was also made with added E150A caramel coloring. Wide, slower, randomly spaced tears fell from a medium rim.

 

Nose: While I was waiting for the whiskey to acclimate, the air in my whiskey library was rich with the smell of peanut butter. When I was ready to nose it, the words, “Oh, good God,” came out of my mouth; it was like a peanut butter chocolate malted milkshake. My eyes may have rolled back into my head. I know that I smiled. When I inhaled the vapor through my lips, I found peanuts. Not peanut butter, but peanuts in the shell. Cinder (my Chief Tasting and Security Officer), who doesn’t care for the smell of whiskey, licked her lips a few times when I held the glass in front of her nose. 

 

Palate: My first sip revealed a velvety whiskey. It still tasted like freshly-shelled peanuts. The second changed nothing.

 

Finish: It wasn’t until the finish that something chocolate-like entered the equation, but it was more like cocoa powder, similar to Nestle Quick. It was short, lasting only 38 seconds.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I had expected a peanut butter cup. That’s 100% on me. The only way that I would drink this is as a mixer. It is affordable, just not something that I found appealing. Still, there’s quality there; I’m rating it a Bar.

 

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Final Thoughts: Back in the days when I was still eating candy, I was a major chocoholic and a huge fan of Reese’s peanut butter cups. As such, I came into today’s sipping session with high hopes.

 

For fun, I had equal amounts left over and mixed them to see what might happen. THAT is when I had a Reese’s in my glass. It was lovely, and I wish that this were the formula for the Chocolate Peanut Butter Whiskey. 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.