When we considered putting oats in a Bourbon, our minds went to the chocolate oatmeal stouts we enjoyed in our brewing careers. Those rich stouts, and resultant, "Winter Whiskey," imbue our palates with the warmth and cheer of the season. Winter Whiskey is a Bourbon with the unique spice of raw and malted oats, backed by roasted cocoa notes of chocolate malt. It's quite a unique Bourbon, unlike anything we've ever made or tasted. The experience is something of a three-way conversation between the dry cocoa quality of the chocolate malt; a balanced amount of oak; and this unique spicy quality (sort of like kasha-style buckwheat, perhaps blueberry skin) quite distinct from that of rye. The finish dances away on the oaty spice, dusted with Belgian cocoa. Despite the suggestion of “chocolate” in the grains and the name, it never turns cloying, tending to delicate dryness.

Peerless Kentucky Straight Bourbon upholds the promise of producing top-notch spirits from the historic distillery. Unlike rye, which features more hay and pepper, Peerless Bourbon is rooted in fruits, florals, and oaks. The nose features citrus, cedar, and honeysuckle as well as a nice balance of spicy oak. The first sip is that of caramel and toasted oak before a multitude of notes from around the flavor wheel show up on the palate. The finish showcases an enduring duel between sweet and spicy notes as citrus, florals, and sweet oak tussle with dry cocoa, cinnamon, and spicy oak. The result is an amazing whiskey - fascinating for everyone from beginners to connoisseurs.