Corsair Triple Smoke is among my favorite Corsair whiskeys. Like almost everything else they do it’s a unique and interesting take on a standard whiskey, which in this case is a single malt whiskey. Though unlike most single malts, even from Islay, it’s not just peated, it’s smoked. They start by malting 3 batches of barley, one at a time, and to arrest the malting process they smoke each batch with something different.
One batch gets smoked with peat, another gets smoked with Beechwood and the third gets smoked with Cherrywood. Then all 3 batches get mixed together and go through the traditional grinding, fermenting and distilling process and the resulting liquid is put in their small barrels and left to mature for a few months. When it’s ready – no set time frame here – it’s dumped, bottled and the Corsair Triple Smoke is born.
Corsair Triple Smoke Info
Region: Tennessee, USA
Distiller: Corsair
Mashbill: 100% Malt – Peat, Cherry & Beachwood Smoke
Cask: New charred oak (15 gallon barrels)
Age: NAS (typically age for 5-10 months)
ABV: 40%
Price: $50
Corsair Triple Smoke Review
EYE
Light amber
NOSE
Touch of smoke, caramel, toffee, citrus, char, fresh herbs and orange candy followed by a light peppermint-like note. The nose is surprisingly light on the smoke aspect and it acts more like accent than anything else.
PALATE
Charred wood, sweet bbq smoke, malty sweetness, light grain, butterscotch fudge and light notes of mesquite and young sawdusty wood. The smoke is much more present on the palate and it’s awesome. I feel like I’m eating ribs but I’m drinking whiskey.
FINISH
Medium in length and layered with notes of smoke, butterscotch fudge, sugar cookies and mesquite bbq.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Good balance, medium body and a soft easy texture.
OVERALL
Just writing about the Corsair Triple Smoke makes me want to jump in my car and head to Bludso’s or Baby Blues (LA BBQ joints) right now. The aroma is a bit light on the smoke and instead carries more of the sweet notes, but the palate has a nice thick layer of smoke that gets balanced against the sweet and woody notes. All of which roll up to a hearty and rustic character that makes me want to do something “manly”.
One swig of Corsair Triple Smoke and I want to put on a flannel shirt, head to the woods, kill a wild boar with my bare hands, rub spices into its ribs and cook it over a fire I built with my now calloused, blood and spice stained hands. It makes me want to go all modern caveman on something and being an Eagle Scout and a home cook I could handle most that testosterone laden scenario. However, since I live in Los Angeles and wild boar, thankfully, don’t rove Griffith park I’ll have to settle for going to Bludsoe’s or Baby Blues instead (LA BBQ joints).
It’s pretty clear to see that In every way I enjoy the Corsair Triple Smoke and when I visited the Corsair distillery last year I got to try some of it straight from the cask and let me tell you… cask strength is a completely different ball game. The cask we pulled from, and the power behind its delivery, laid it out as a legitimate A- whiskey right out of the gate and if they ever offer an uncut version of this whiskey you should do what you can to get a taste. Though until that day comes the standard 40% Corsair Triple Smoke is a mighty fine stand-in.
SCORE: 87-89/100 (B+, not consumed at home)
Corsair Triple Smoke Review - Score Breakdown
Summary
Corsair Triple Smoke is the whiskey you’d give a friend who wanted a “manly whiskey”. They would only ask this because they don’t know anything about whiskey, but luckily you do and that’s why you had this on hand to give to them.
Overall
- Nose - 87
- Palate - 88
- Finish - 88
- Balance, Body & Feel - 89
Tried a 62.7% Single Barrel release.
Absolutely fantastic.
Unique combination of flavours.
More smoke than the guns of a Tarantino movie.
Love it!
Funny, the label always reminds me of Resivoir Dogs.
I picked up a bottle a few weeks ago at $55. It was simply amazing to me, and there was a butteriness to it that I still haven’t forgotten. It’s earned a spot in my liquor cabinet and is my go to when I want an evening drink that I can drink neat.
It’s soo good. Cheers William!
$70 at Binny’s, too:
http://www.binnys.com/spirits/Corsair_Triple_Smoke_Whiskey_Cask_Strength_Binnys_Handpicked_Cask_61728.html
Too bad they don’t ship anymore.
Too bad indeed!
Dude, they totally sell the cask strength version of this all over the place. I think it’s single cask too. My local “liquor land”-type store (Woodmans in Madison, WI) has it collecting dust on the shelf for around $70.
I tried the 40% one a few years ago and thought it really watery. I’d be keen on trying that CS version, but it’s got a lot of stiff competition at $70 that it’s yet to surpass in my pocketbook.
I had a single barrel bottling at the distillery and some of the liquor stores around here had them very briefly, but no one has bottled one in a while. $70 is a steep price for it, but I think I might do it. Either that or just wait till I go back to TN and pick up one at the distillery. Either way :)
http://www.acespirits.com/corsair-triple-smoke-single-barrel-ace-spirits-single-barrel-selection.html
They don’t ship everywhere, but this could be of use to some folks.
Thanks for sharing. Cheers!