Primarily based in San Francisco, Fats Labrador Distillers has progressively launched numerous sourced and wood-finished expressions underneath the Whiskey City banner, together with a stave-finished, 3 12 months previous bourbon from Indiana. The opposite of their early sourced releases is an altogether totally different beast and the primary of their “misplaced barrel” sequence: a 26 12 months previous American whiskey distilled all the best way again in 1992.
With simply 192 bottles within the run, there isn’t a ton of information obtainable on this spirit. So far as how this exceptionally previous whiskey made to Fats Labrador’s bottling line is a little bit of a thriller, however the model was in a position to launch this a lot info:
We don’t know the complete story as a result of the Misplaced Barrels got here to us underneath a non-disclosure settlement, however that is what we do know: The whiskey was initially mashed, fermented, and distilled in Indiana. It was a particular, very restricted, experimental run that by no means reached the market.
It’s a 97% corn and three% malted barley mash invoice aged in used American oak barrels. It was in the end bottled at 101 proof (which is cask power, in response to Fats Labrador, is cask power). Whereas the bottle says non-chill filtered, Fats Labrador’s web site specifies it did in actual fact bear a “mild” chill filtering course of.
Used cooperage implies the whiskey might have been laid down as mild whiskey from MGP. (It’s comparatively widespread for bottlers to launch sourced mild whiskey as American whiskey resulting from lack of shopper familiarity with the class.) However since we don’t know the nonetheless and barrel entry proofs for this liquid, it’s robust to make certain. And the truth that it was aged primarily in Kentucky provides one other hyperlink to the thriller chain.
Fascinating provenance, certainly. Let’s dive in and see the way it stacks up.
On first look, the pale goldenrod colour is a clue as to the used cooperage. The nostril punches above its proof out of the gate. There’s grated nutmeg and a wide range of baking spices: cinnamon, cloves, and only a contact of anise. Then hints of burnt caramel and darkish nougat progressively make their presence recognized. There’s not a lot fruit to talk of past some spiced and dried citrus peel. It’s an interesting nostril, mild in some points however not subdued. It’s clearly neither bourbon or rye, and definitely not American single malt, although I’m getting some hints of malted barley disproportionate to the three% listed on the mash.
At first sip, there’s that nutmeg, thick and creamy with loads of vanilla, nearly just like the very first sip of contemporary eggnog. I get a tiny little bit of a nutty be aware on the very middle, and the mixture of that candy and creamy exterior mixed with the nutty be aware jogs my memory of biting into an Abba-Zaba sweet bar, or perhaps an old school buttered caramel. It’s eggnog and buttery sweet, all with a nutmeg and spice be aware that retains issues heat on the best way down. Regardless of the nice improvement of flavors, the whiskey is a bit skinny on mouthfeel, and I can’t assist however surprise what chill filtering took from the general expertise.
The end definitely isn’t quick within the widespread sense, however after that creaminess on the palate, I used to be anticipating the sweetness and spice to linger for only a bit longer. It’s warming all the best way down, however that creates a little bit of a separation between the style and the alcohol; you are feeling the ethanol linger for noticeably longer than you style the whiskey.
It is a whiskey that definitely packs loads of thriller in with its flavors, highlighting some taste notes I solely not often get from American spirits. Whether it is in actual fact mild whiskey, it’s a reminder of a spirit that ought to in all probability get extra consideration and weight as its personal class. And if it isn’t, then it’s an much more fascinating sip I’m unlikely to return throughout once more quickly.
101 proof.
A- / $125 / fatlabradordistillers.com
Whiskey City American Whiskey 26 Years Outdated
$125
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