HOWDY PEOPLE,
For this weeks review I decided to go round 2 with Cali Distillery.
I was very impressed with their young but potent (and excellent) Single Barrel Riptide Rye… but this time I decided to go with their Mavericks Doublewood whiskey, which was kindly suggested by youtube channel subscriber M.D. (thank you very much, amazing suggestion!)
Now, this is no high-proof firewater like their rye, and the greater sophistication is obvious before the bottle is even opened.
Whereas the rye (which again, I liked a LOT) was roughly the color of pale ginger ale, this twice-barreled beauty stares back at you through the glass with eyes of rich mahogany and polished cherry wood. There were no actual eyes, but the hues of deep brown hint at the complexity within.
As the cork comes out, the first thing to meet the nose is a burst of vanilla, which is then balanced with toasted coffee bean and caramel aromas in sequence.
The flavor however, belies the nose quite a bit, though not in a bad way. The caramel and coffee are present, and pleasant, but are also complemented in a confounding way by some spices and even hints of apple and clove. The body is lighter than expected, and the finish is surprisingly abrupt, though a pleasant aroma of roasting coffee lingers in the olfactory. All in all it works well, and the flavor carousel is almost certainly a product of the twice- barreling and high-rye (23%) mash. The bourbon spends the bulk of its maturing in New American Oak barrels, and is finished in Charred French Oak. While no age statement is readily available, a wager of 3 to 4 years of barreling seems likely for this up-and-comer.
So… I should mention that this single-barrel iteration was only $33, only $3 more than the standard offering of this Doublewood Maverick. And the verdict? This Doublewood is SOLID, and for $33 dollars it is a steal. While it is not the most balanced, the rich color, light body, but layered flavor and smooth finish make it a new go-to and certainly a contender for some awards moving forward. A+ for a combination of flavor, uniqueness, and value!!!
