I recently received a bottle of this Bourbon from the Cathead Distillery. They are located in Jackson, Mississippi and they are Mississippi’s oldest distillery. That means they are the first distillery in Mississippi to open since Prohibition. That is quite an achievement since the state did not repeal Prohibition until 1966. The last state to do so. The distillery was founded in 2010 by Austin Evans and Richard Patrick. I will say, it took Mississippi a long time to enter the business, but they have done it right. These are two very talented distillers.
Old Soul is labeled a high rye Bourbon with a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley. It is non-chill filtered and bottled at 90 proof. It is a marriage of their own whiskey and barrels sourced from Indiana. These two distillers have a good palate and have created an excellent Bourbon. The future looks good for this distillery and I can’t wait to taste Bourbon that is 100% distilled in Mississippi.
Old Soul High Rye Bourbon
Proof: 90
Age: No Age Statement
Nose:
- Mike: Caramel and oak with a hint of leather and tobacco.
- Matt: Rye grass, orange citrus and vanilla with a little oak.
Taste:
- Mike: Vanilla and fruit – apples and pears, leather and oak with a hint of spice. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the vanilla comes forward with pears, cardamom and oak. Tasted with a pecan and lemon zest comes out with a lot of cardamom spice.
- Matt: Very nice grassy rye flavor with vanilla, leather and plums with a little oak. The dried cranberry brings out a little lemon zest, plums and a hint of leather and oak. The pecan brings out notes of cherries and spice.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak and leather with a hint of spice. The dried cranberry added lingering notes of fruit and cardamom. The pecan made the finish very long with oak and lingering lemon zest.
- Matt: A short finish with oak and clove spice. The dried cranberry added lingering lemon zest and leather to the finish. The pecan made the long finish buttery with oak, leather and a little lemon zest.
I would pair this Bourbon with a mild cigar that would not hide the subtle flavors of this whiskey. I would reach for a Nat Sherman Metropolitan cigar with its mild vanilla and tobacco smoke.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller