The Driftless Glen Distillery is in Baraboo, Wisconsin. They have a 44 foot tall column still and a pot still doubler. They are making some very good Bourbon in Wisconsin. This is a single barrel pick from Westport Whiskey & Wine so you know it is a good Bourbon. Westport Whiskey & Wine has always had excellent barrel picks. Matt and I sat down and tasted this bottle the other day and here are our tasting notes.
Driftless Glen Single Barrel Bourbon — Westport Whiskey & Wine Selection
Proof: 116
Age: Four Years and Three Months
Nose:
- Mike: Very brandy-like with lots of fruit – plums and apricots, rich vanilla and oak wood.
- Matt: Vanilla, lemon cake, ginger spice and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Rich French vanilla, plums, apricots with a hint of citrus, cinnamon spice, and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the vanilla and cinnamon are enhanced at the cost of the fruit – it is still there but takes a back seat. Tasted with a pecan and the oak is enhanced and the spice becomes a white pepper.
- Matt: Vanilla cake batter, tea, and oak wood. The dried cranberry made it very spicy with ginger and cardamom spice. The pecan made it very sweet with caramel, vanilla and brown sugar dominating the flavors with only a hint of ginger spice.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak, cinnamon spice and lingering apricot and plum fruit. The dried cranberry made the finish very spicy with red hot cinnamon candy and oak. The pecan made the finish very long and dry with oak and white pepper.
- Matt: Medium long with oak and spicy ginger. The dried cranberry added cardamom spice to the finish. The pecan made the finish long and dry with oak ginger and cardamom spice and lingering citrus notes.
I would pair this Bourbon with a cigar that is rich in tobacco and cedar spice in the smoke. I would reach for a Rocky Patel Grand Reserve cigar.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller