The Finger Lakes Distillery in New York is one of my favorite distilleries outside of Kentucky. I have yet to taste a product from there that I did not like. I have been waiting for them to release a bonded Bourbon for years. I enjoyed their younger Bourbon, but always thought about how good it will be with some proper aging. I am not disappointed with this Bourbon. It is a wheated Bourbon and went into the barrel at a fairly low proof. The mash bill is 70% corn, 20% red winter wheat and 10% malted barley. I find the flavor very similar to vintage Old Fitzgerald bonded from the 1960s. I really like this whiskey.
McKenzie Bourbon Bottled-in-Bond
Proof: 100
Age: 4 Years Old
Nose: Caramel with a little light milk chocolate with some fruit and oak.
Taste: Caramel and a touch of chocolate with apple fruit and pepper spice. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the pepper spice is enhanced. Tasted with a pecan and the ripe apple flavors jump out on the tongue.
Finish: Long and dry with oak and pepper. The cranberry lengthens the finish and makes it more pepper than oak. The pecan does just the opposite with more oak and less pepper in the finish.
I have picked a My Father – The Judge cigar to pair with this Bourbon. The cigar has a lot of chocolate fudge notes with some vanilla and sweet spices. The Bourbon adds some caramel to the smoke and the smoke changes the pepper spice to sweeter baking spice. An excellent pairing I think I will do often.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller
January 16, 2019 at 6:56 pm
Love bottles in bond whiskies and this bourbon is one of them. Finally one from my neck of the woods. Known for being a wine region, we do have some great distilleries popping up. Glad to see not all bourbon has to come from Kentucky!
Another great review.
P.s. next time I get my hands on a Judge it will be set aside for my dram of McKenzie.
January 16, 2019 at 10:06 pm
Bryan, There are several good whiskeys coming from outside of Kentucky. I do hope more of them make it to Kentucky.