I like the Southern Grace Distillery which produces the Conviction brand. The distillery is built in an old State Prison thus the name for the brand. It was founded by Leanne Powell and Thomas Thacker but Leanne Powell passed away too soon back in 2019. The distillery still honors her memory on their website. They are making excellent Bourbon, even if it is only two years old when bottled. They are a small distillery and have limited production but a high demand for their whiskey.
This brand is named for the fact that it is aged in the1929 prison dormitory. After two years of aging, they then re-barrel the Bourbon in another new, charred oak barrel. It is then bottled unfiltered and at barrel proof, giving it a rich depth of flavor. I recently received a bottle of this fine whiskey and Matt and I sat down and tasted it. Here are our tasting notes.
Conviction Double Oak 1929
Proof: 104.2
Age: Two Years OldBourbon aged another two years in a second new barrel.
Nose:
- Mike: Caramel, apricots, nutmeg and oak wood.
- Matt: Caramel, cherries, apricots, oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Caramel, apricots, cinnamon, nutmeg, oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the apricot is enhanced, a lemon zest comes out and the spice becomes white pepper. Tasted with a pecan and the caramel becomes a rich buttery caramel with a hint of chocolate.
- Matt: Caramel, apricots, raisins and oak wood. The dried cranberry brought out notes of lemon and banana bread. The pecan brought out flavors of chocolate and ginger spice.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak, cinnamon and lingering caramel. The dried cranberry made the spice a white pepper. The pecan made the finish long and dry with oak and spice.
- Matt: Medium long with oak wood and lingering raisin. The dried cranberry added some banana and citrus notes. The pecan made the finish longer and added some ginger spice.
I would pair this fine Bourbon with a Rocky Patel Decade cigar with its rich tobacco and vanilla smoke. | think it would pair well with this whiskey.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller