Neeley Family Distillery – Butterscotch Glow Single Barrel
Whiskey Information - This offering is a 375 ml single barrel from a mash bill of 76% corn / 19% wheat / 5% malt. Royce used yeast strand A-1 for this whiskey. The whiskey aged for 28 months in a 30 gallon barrel, with a number 3 char. This bourbon is 105 proof and was triple pot distilled, is NCF, and a sweet mash fermentation was utilized. What I love about this distillery is that all of the information was found directly on the bottle label. Very transparent. Very refreshing. This barrel was selected by the ABV Network and was named Butterscotch Glow based on the profile the team encountered while tasting through the barrel.
Color – Nice copper color to it. At the age of this barrel, I was impressed at the level of darkness the whiskey was able to achieve. I am not sure if the 30 gallon barrel versus 53 gallon plays into that or not. In the glass, this bourbon looks like what a bourbon should look like.
Nose – First nosing displays a nice aroma of sweet corn, vanilla, and some caramel. The corn is not a youthful corn that you get with some younger whiskey but rather a nice, mellow sweet corn.
Palate – Sweet on the front end and the first thing I notice is the butterscotch. It appears the pick team called this one like it was. Mid- palate I get more of that vanilla and sweet corn combo. As I drink through this, I can only think that this wheated bourbon is what I think Weller Special Reserve should be; nice butterscotch and caramel with a punch at the end. The extra proof points and NCF allow this whiskey to shine at a younger age.
Finish - The finish is medium to long and at 105 proof is right in my sweet spot. I love a whiskey with a nice Kentucky hug that lets you know this is no 86 proofer but does not overpower you with high octane, ethanol. There is also a real nice, creamy mouthfeel.
Wallet – Unlike some craft distillery offerings, Neeley Family Distillery will not break the bank. These single barrel picks from their gift shop are under $40 for a .375ml bottle. Comparative craft offerings range from $90-$125 for offerings in 750ml
Bourbon Wes says – Excellent single barrel from Royce and the team at Neeley. I am a huge single barrel fan and when single barrels are named after tasting notes, I don’t always get the main note the bottle is named for but in this case, it was a clear butterscotch forward profile that I enjoyed. If you find yourself in Kentucky, make a stop at Neeley Family Distillery and see what unique single barrel offering they have in the gift shop.
Rating (tasting notes + price point + uniqueness) – I would rate this store pick a 7.5 out of 10.
