Kentucky’s distilling industry is growing rapidly. One of the newer distilleries is the Pauley Hollow Distillery in Pike County, Kentucky. Their niche is that they are drawing the water from the McCoy family well – as in, the Hatfield and McCoy feud, McCoy family well. They are basing their heritage story on that family feud. It is good to see counties in eastern Kentucky embracing their distilling heritage. Bourbon tourism will be a great benefit to these traditionally poorer regions of Kentucky. I do hope to see many more artisan distilleries in the region and if they make whiskey of the same quality as this Bourbon, it will be of a great benefit to the businesses in the area.
This Bourbon is a Four grain Bourbon. They are using 300 gallon cypress wood fermenters and a 150 gallon cypress pot with a stainless steel and copper column hybrid still to make their mash and distill their spirits. Their barrels are made of Appalachian oak. I have not visited their distillery, but this equipment makes me want to visit. Their website does not discuss the mash bill or barrel entry proof but I suspect the entry proof is not 125, but is somewhat lower. Matt and I liked this Bourbon and here are our notes.
Pauley Hollow Robert’s Reserve Bourbon
Proof: 92
Age: No Age Statement
Nose:
- Mike: Chocolate and dark fruit – prunes and raisins with a little oak wood.
- Matt: Not overly complex with plums, vanilla and oak.
Taste:
- Mike: Caramel and dark pitted fruit – plums and apricots with a little baking spice and oak. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the flavors became chocolate and caramel with a little cinnamon spice. Tasted with a pecan and the flavor reminded me of a chocolate covered cherry or date candy with a hint of caramel.
- Matt: Caramel and vanilla with plums and a little oak. The dried cranberry reminded him of a cherry cola with vanilla and cherries being the dominate flavors. The pecan brought out a dark chocolate flavor with a little vanilla.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak and cinnamon spice. The dried cranberry brought out some lingering fruit notes of plums and apricots. The pecan made the finish very long with oak and cinnamon and lingering dark chocolate.
- Matt: Medium long with oak and notes of Dr. Pepper. The dried cranberry added a note of prunes to the oak. The pecan brought out notes of black pepper.
I would pair this Bourbon with a cigar with lots of caramel and chocolate in the smoke. A My Father “The Judge” would be the first thing I would reach for, but any other Maduro wrapper would pair well with this Bourbon.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller