Review of Four Samples from Bespoken Spirits

 

Every so often, UPS and FedEx drop off whiskey samples, and I have no idea who sent them. On the one hand, it is a great problem to have. I mean, who doesn’t like free whiskey? On the other hand, I like to thank people who send me samples because it is the decent human thing to do.

 

I came back from Colorado to find a package of four samples from Bespoken Spirits waiting for me. It consisted of three Straight Bourbons and a Straight Rye.

 

Who is Bespoken Spirits? It was founded in 2018 and uses  “technology” and a “patented precision finishing process” (which I consider rapid-aging).

 

I’m a big fan of letting Mother Nature do what she does best, but it doesn’t mean that I’m close-minded about finding ways to give her a little nudge, especially as it pertains to whiskey. Brands spend a ton of money up front on their whiskey while it just sits and ages; in business jargon, it is called a sunk cost. Those brands may or may not see a return on their investment. Like anything else, it is a huge risk.

 

Yet, taking what should happen over years and compressing that into days rarely turns out well. That said, Bespoken Spirits has won more than its fair share of awards in a short time, including those from the World Whiskey Awards, Ascot Awards, and The Bartender Spirits Awards.

 

I have four samples, and I know nothing about them beyond a sample ID, whiskey type, and proof. They’re all non-chill filtered and finished with oak staves. I have no idea about mashbills, age statements, cooperage, price, or even the distiller.

 

To whoever sent me these, thank you. Let me quickly get some housekeeping out of the way – I used a fresh Glencairn glass and waited 15 minutes before nosing each whiskey.

 

Let’s #DrinkCurious and learn more.

 

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Sample ID: GRXC-SBW 

 

• Whiskey Type: Straight Bourbon
• Distiller: Undisclosed
• Age: NAS
• Mashbill: Undisclosed
• Cooperage: Undisclosed
• Alcohol Content: 54% ABV (108°)
• Price per 750mL: Unknown
• Non-Chill Filtered

 

Appearance: The cinnamon colored whiskey formed a thick rim with crazed, syrupy tears.

 

Nose: As I brought the glass beneath my nose and inhaled, I discovered cocoa nibs, malt, butterscotch, oak, and leather. Inside my mouth, the air tasted of oak and cocoa.

 

Palate: The first sip offered a velvety texture and a massively oaky palate shock that rolled for over a minute. I tried again, and this time I found cocoa nibs, tobacco, and coffee on the front. My mid-palate plucked cinnamon and bitter walnuts, while the back included black pepper, very dry oak, and leather.

 

Finish: The bitter walnuts carried through from the mid-palate to the very end of the finish. During that, notes of black pepper, dry oak, cocoa nibs, and tobacco seemed emboldened as it grew in intensity. The duration ran 1:43, something that I’d consider very long.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Using oak staves to age the Bourbon rapidly clearly had an impact. It was woody and spicy. The strong bitter aspect negatively contributed to my drinking experience. Mother Nature wasn’t outsmarted here – my Bust rating is warranted.  

 

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Sample ID: FLAN-SBW 

 

• Whiskey Type: Straight Bourbon
• Distiller: Undisclosed
• Age: NAS
• Mashbill: Undisclosed
• Cooperage: Undisclosed
• Alcohol Content: 57% ABV (114°)
• Price per 750mL: Unknown
• Non-Chill Filtered

 

Appearance: Sample FLAN-SBW showed an amber-brown appearance. A massive rim produced thick, fast, wavy tears.

 

Nose: The aroma brought plenty of leather and tobacco, with caramel and oak playing less prominent roles. Drawing air through my lips brought out a stronger caramel note.

 

Palate: I took my first sip; I encountered a creamy mouthfeel with a punch of black pepper and leather. The next one brought chocolate and fresh leather to the front of my palate, with caramel, mocha, and corn in the mid-palate. The back featured rye, clove, and oak spices.

 

Finish: There was an interesting blend of mocha, caramel, leather, clove, and oak spice that remained, in particular, on my tongue. My throat didn’t detect much beyond my swallows. It had a level finish, but the oak dried as time passed. The experience lasted 1:18, making it medium-long.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: The oak staves were certainly a major player. FLAN-SBW was dry, spicy, and somewhat overoaked. It could certainly pass for one aged by Mother Nature; it just isn’t my favorite. My Bar rating is appropriate.  

 

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Sample ID: MWVS-SBW

 

 

• Whiskey Type: Straight Bourbon
• Distiller: Undisclosed
• Age: NAS
• Mashbill: Undisclosed
• Cooperage: Undisclosed
• Alcohol Content: 63% ABV (126°)
• Price per 750mL: Unknown
• Non-Chill Filtered

 

Appearance: This Bourbon had a tawny appearance, and a medium-thick rim formed close-knit, fast, thicker tears.

 

Nose: As I began sniffing, the aroma featured vanilla, leather, mild oak, and toffee. Inside my mouth, I tasted Maraschino cherries.

 

Palate: I encountered a thick, creamy texture and a whallop of dry oak. Chocolate, caramel, and toffee were upfront, while mint, fresh leather, and tobacco followed. The back included flavors of oak, ginger, and maple syrup.

 

Finish: The finish consisted of chocolate, toffee, caramel, oak, and leather. Mild with a bit of oak spice, it had a slow ramp-up before everything vanished at 1:22; I’d classify the duration as medium-long.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Surprisingly, despite the higher proof, MWVS-SBW offered very little alcohol burn. It drank much closer to 100°, which is way, way, way beyond remarkable. The finish had some punch, but, again, it was nothing as I expected.

 

I found MWVS-SBW tasty and genuinely characterful. There was no telltale sign of rapid aging, and for that, I will stand up and applaud what Bespoken Spirits accomplished. I have no idea what this whiskey costs, but I enjoyed drinking it, and my Bottle rating seems appropriate.

 

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Sample ID: BSEP-SRW

 

 

• Whiskey Type: Straight Rye
• Distiller: Undisclosed
• Age: NAS
• Mashbill: Undisclosed
• Cooperage: Undisclosed
• Alcohol Content: 57% ABV (114°)
• Price per 750mL: Unknown
• Non-Chill Filtered

 

Appearance: The color of BSEP-SRW was a definitive orange amber. A thinner rim shed wavy, fast tears.

 

Nose: Rye spice and dill were the first things I smelled. I also found mint, tea, and a hint of black cherries. I couldn’t pull anything from the air inside my mouth.

 

Palate: I got a palate shock of rye spice and dill, with an oily texture. On the front, I tasted mint and dill. The middle included rye spice, fennel, and herbal tea. The back had flavors of oak, ginger, and vanilla.

 

Finish: Vanilla, oak, fennel, rye, ginger, and mint remained in my mouth and throat. It was a level, very spicy finish. It was on the rough side, and the entire experience lasted 1:22, with vanilla as the holdout. That’s a medium-long finish.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: The Rye whiskey seemed like it was a 95/5 mashbill on steroids. Mint, dill, and rye spice were the stars; everything else played a supporting role. I’m unsure how the oak staves interacted with the whiskey; yet it performed like an extremely young representative of the category. Flavors were sharp, poignant, and bold.

 

I do appreciate younger Ryes and have even suggested they be in a different category from mature ones. Yet, BSEP-SRW missed ticking off any of the boxes I’m looking for. I didn’t enjoy what was in my glass, and I am sad to report that a Bust rating is warranted.

 

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Final Thoughts: Without knowing prices, I can’t determine value. I tried to find what these were via Google and came up empty, and the prices I saw ranged from somewhat affordable to super-premium. From the sample IDs, I could only figure out that “SBW” is Straight Bourbon Whiskey and “SRW” is Straight Rye Whiskey.

 

In order, my preference was MWVS-SBW, FLAN-SBW,  BSEP-SRW, and GRXC-SBW.

 

Today’s adventure was truly a blind tasting, and I’m thankful for that. 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.