The Story
It seems that toasted barrel expressions are all the rage these days – and for good reason. They tend to impart some really great flavors: Toasted oak and light smoke, reminiscent of a campfire, and can even sometimes giving off a marshmallow-like note (maybe this is just a mental connection, who knows). For us, toasted barrel expressions seem light on the palate and delicately enjoyable, so we tend to grab them when we can. We’ve had the pleasure of trying the Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel before trying this set, which gave us a good frame of reference going into the Smoke and Oak Series.
We’re not going to try and hide it…we love Detroit City Distillery. As a Michigan-based company we always like to root for the home team(s) and so we love to support the distilleries that call ‘the Mitten’ home. That all said, we always stick to our guns in creating a fair and impartial review because our first loyalty is to our audience and making sure we spread the word about great bourbon by telling you our honest opinions.
DCD recently came out with a ‘Shutdown Barrel Bourbon’, which was a barrel-proof expression and it was really, really good. The caliber of whiskey / bourbon leaving their building is increasingly getting more and more innovative and we’ve been lucky in the past year to see them focusing so much on whiskey specifically, when they have so many other spirits they’re producing as well. I think the Smoke and Oak Series is a way for them to plant themselves deeper into the bourbon scene and start to show the whiskey community in general what they can produce.
For the Smoke and Oak Bourbon Series, there are three 375ml bottles, each 100 proof, and they have been given the following personas and notes from the distillery:
The Meat Man
Distillery story:
Meet the Meat Man… He’s a living legend who slings beef by the ton and drinks bourbon by the barrel. He only plays when the stakes are high and he always takes the biggest cut. This ain’t no basic butcher, this bad boy is prime.
Distillery tasting notes:
The perfect cut of bourbon that balances sweet, smoke and spice. The aroma of smoked cherry wood highlights a big-time sweetness of candied apple, raspberry and tamarind on the nose. A classic buttery body of caramel, almond and oak leads to a long, spicy finish with subtle smoke. High rye heat elevates notes of nutmeg and pink peppercorn while dried tobacco leaves burn slow and deep in your chest.
Distillery barrel notes:
A blend of sweet, smoky and spicy toasted white oak barrels from Independent Stave Company of Kentucky with a heavy dose of high toast cherry wood smoked barrels from Croze Nest Cooperage of Michigan.
The Thief
Distillery story:
Femme fatale, Isma Martin was particularly skilled at stealing large quantities of Detroit diamonds. Sticky fingers say you better watch your stash before it goes up in smoke.
Distillery tasting notes:
A bourbon with an intoxicating aroma and a silky, spicy body that disappears before you know it. An exotic nose entices with notes of plum, buckwheat honey and floral red rose. High rye character reveals a spice-forward body with notes of cinnamon, lemon zest and cardamom. The finish strikes fast and leaves you high and dry, with big oak and leather that goes straight to your head.
Distillery barrel notes:
A six-barrel blend of extra high-rye bourbon with a focus on smoke and spicy oak cut barrels from Kentucky and Michigan.
The Gangster
Distillery story:
Meet the Gangster… The notorious Eddie Fletcher was the Purple Gang’s most feared gunman and skilled bootlegger. The boxer turned gangster delivered bold hits and made booze big business. Just remember who calls the shots.
Distillery tasting notes:
If a bourbon was a boxer, you’d place your bet on this big, bold hitter. It leads with a dark, smoky nose of black cherry, kettle corn and swisher sweets. The ultra-rich body highlights chocolate caramel, macadamia nut and brown butter. It closes with a complex finish of smoked sea salt, new Italian leather and a bold strike of legendary rye.
Distillery barrel notes:
A special introduction of lightly wheated, high rye bourbon aged in a custom “wavy” cut barrel from Independent Stave Company of Kentucky that introduces whiskey to the spectrum of oak characteristics from raw oak to heavy toast.
Very interesting descriptions here, so let’s crack these open and see how they stack up!