White Hills Single Barrel Bourbon is made by the White Hills Distillery in Shelton. Connecticut. The distillery is family owned and run by Dan Beardsley. The small Connecticut distillery is a short walk from the family’s cider mill and orchard in a barn converted into the distillery. They also make an apple brandy and rye whiskey. The mash bill of this Bourbon is 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley. This bottle is a gift from a friend of mine who lives in Connecticut. Matt and I sat down and tasted the Bourbon the other day and here are our tasting notes.
White Hills Single Barrel Bourbon
Proof: 103
Age: Two Years Old
Nose:
- Mike: Corn, vanilla, a hint of fruit and oak wood.
- Matt: Corn husk, lemon, vanilla and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Corn, vanilla, a hint of wild berries, pepper and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the vanilla and pepper are enhanced. Tasted with a pecan and the vanilla becomes a caramel and the oak wood is enhanced.
- Matt: Vanilla latte coffee, corn, citrus and oak wood. The dried cranberry enhanced the vanilla and black pepper. The pecan gave the vanilla a marshmallow flavor with a hint of oatmeal and oak wood.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak wood and pepper spice. The dried cranberry made the finish very peppery. The pecan made the finish very dry with oak and pepper.
- Matt: Medium long with oak wood, lemon and lingering vanilla sweetness. The dried cranberry made the finish dry with oak and black pepper. The pecan made the finish very dry with oak and lingering marshmallow.
I would pair this Bourbon with a cigar that has vanilla and cedar spice in the smoke. I would reach for a Nat Sherman Metropolitan cigar.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller