You probably didn’t know this about me, but I spent over 6 years of my life in Wyoming. My very first winter in Wyoming got down to -72 with the windchill and it’s the only time in my life I have ever heard the Emergency Broadcast System used for anything other than a test. The basic gist of the EBS message was “don’t go outside you will die”. The town was shut down for 2 days and I remember wondering what kind of miserable hell had I moved into. I lived in a little town called Green River and if you’ve ever seen The Hills Have Eyes you’ve seen where I lived, but thankfully Wyoming Whiskey isn’t from Green River. It’s from a little town several hundred miles north of Green River, in the more picturesque part of WY, called Kirby which is home to 92 people and a distillery.
Wyoming whiskey is manned by Steve Nally who spent 33 years of his career distilling for Maker’s Mark, was inducted into the Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2007 and, true to his nature, is distilling bourbon an hour or so east of Yellowstone. All of the ingredients (corn, wheat and barley) that go into the Wyoming Whiskey are sourced from inside the state and the water is pulled from a natural limestone aquifer that gives the whiskey a very unique texture and minerality. This bourbon has been aged for at least 4 years but for some reason they decided to emphasize the small batch aspect and left off the straight designation.
Wyoming Whiskey – Small Batch Bourbon Info
Region: Wyoming, USA
Distiller: Wyoming Whiskey
Cask: New charred oak
Age: NAS
ABV: 44%
Batch: 18
Price: $50
Wyoming Whiskey – Small Batch Bourbon Review
EYE
Medium amber
NOSE
Straight out of the bottle there is an astringent herbal quality to the nose. If you give it a swirl or two and let it sit it’ll open up to a heavy caramel with hints of vanilla and oak. The oak reminds me more of a green oak and not a toasted oak. If you’ve ever tried to burn green wood while camping you’ll know what I’m talking about. The nose rounds out with maraschino cherry, raw grain and a dried wild flower like potpourri floral note.
TASTE
It’s sweeter than the nose might allude to and while there is a bit of that astringent character its the caramel coated barley that comes right at you. A bit of vanilla but it’s very light, hints of young oak, a bit of orange like citrus and a mineral twinge to it. It has a very rustic quality to it that softens up with a splash of water or if it’s put on the rocks.
FEEL
A little dry with a slight alkaline minerality to it but still smooth and easy to drink with very little burn.
FINISH
Dusty caramel fades to soft wheat and wood. The aftertaste is the first time I can really taste the wheat in it which surprises me a bit because I find the wheat to be very pronounced in Maker’s Mark.
Unbalanced, medium body and soft feel.
OVERALL
In talking to one of the reps there at Wyoming Whiskey, Inc. I was told that this bourbon is just their flagship product. They’re also hard at work on a rye, a heavily ryed bourbon, are setting aside some juice they’re letting age a bit longer for various uses and they have plans for some unique experimentations. Sounds like Mr. Nally is indeed quite busy up there.
However, despite some good stuff possibly coming in the future the current (Batch 18) stuff just isn’t up-to-snuff. It starts out decent, but quickly turns into a bourbon flavored mineral water.
SCORE: 72/100
Wyoming Whiskey Batch 25 = 82 (B-)
Wyoming Whiskey Batch 36 = 85 (B)
Wyoming Whiskey: Last Glass Update (4-17-16)
——————————————
I have never had a whiskey (or whisky for that matter) turn so dramatically while drinking it. The Wyoming Whiskey started out interesting, different and oddly tasty despite it’s strange minerality. At first I found myself wanting to sit down with a glass to explore, but that quickly changed and as the months moved on and the bottle very slowly approached the 1/4 way mark that minerality changed from being interesting to overbearing and unpleasant.
Ever drink Perrier? That’s the kind of minerality I’m talking about that started to take over the Wyoming Whiskey and changed it into something wholly different than what it started out as. It became gripping and at this point has all but completely overtaken the caramel and vanilla I first found and it now tastes more like a bourbon “infused” Perrier than anything else>
FINAL VERDICT: Avoid these old batches of Wyoming Whiskey. I’ve heard decent things about batches 25+, but these older ones, especially 18, seem to be no bueno.
Mineral bomb
I have a $52 bottle from Batch 16. The Nose seemed promising, colour is a bit light. Now, the taste ..It us a soapy, chemically mineral bomb. It doesn’t taste like bourbon.
Ooph, yeah, those early batches are kinda gnarly. Look for anything over batch 30
The bottle I have is batch 41, so from what I gather from other reviews is that WW is getting better- try it, or give it another try!
From nose to finish this whiskey transitions from sweet and floral to earthy and toasty/oaky. It gave me the sense of passing through all the seasons of the year. It is both smooth and mild, but not boring or plain. I really liked the character of this whiskey, especially for being 88 proof. It’s smoother than Bulleit bourbon, which I would prefer to mix. But not too smooth like Gentleman Jack, which I would be scared to put even one ice cube in. I enjoy both a lot, but I have to say that like the WW better. It’s just a good sipping whiskey, straight or on the rocks.
Hey Nate,
It definitely has gotten better over the years. I had batch 36 recently and it was quite nice. Cheers!
Batch #35, I had mixed concerns about trying this. I bought it out of interest a few months ago , and kept holding off finishing making room for open bottle space on my bar . as I waited to make room for it finishing another bottle, I kept getting more excited to finally open it. Then I read the review hoping to find a few other readers for flavor profiles and see if they were similar to mine. Unfortunately my reading was ahead of my drinking . Tried not to let it influence my thoughts as I drink it . I find it better than most I think ,however it did take several minutes for the astringent nose to fade before I could find some decent notes. On the palate kept coming back to corn flakes and wheat grass notes at the core with little else in the flavor profile. Decent whiskey,, but don’t see myself buying a replacement after I finish this bottle
Thanks for sharing Brian, Cheers!
We got a case of Batch#28 last year. Just finishing it up after a year. Still pretty good.
Nice, glad you like it. Cheers!
My brother in law brought me some of this. I could not hide the disappointment. Unfortunately this whiskey just doesn’t cut it. I hate writing a bad review but everyone should save their money on this one. Hopefully the’ll improve this recipe in the future. It’s got a nice label in any case!
Brown Jug in Fairbanks AK started carrying WW so I picked up a bottle of batch 33 bottled on my birthday, 11/6/15. How could I say no? My expectations were low due to my experience with batch 13 but I am pleasantly surprised! I cut it with a small icecube or a dash of water and have enjoyed the caramel and well, bourbon flavor. I hope the improvement over the earlier batches is a trend. A little pricy though at $48. Just one of the prices we pay for for leaving Wyoming!
Batch 30. A distributor friend said get after it, so…have to agree with the mildew-ish-musty-ish aftertaste…I think is the wheat, yup, tastes like raw wheat. Nice nose, fair first taste but the favor profile has melted along with the ice. more time in the barrel maybe, more temperature fluctuation in the warehouse, more rye…but who am I to say, I just drink the stuff. I am not sure about this one. I never cared for wheat-bourbons so that might be an issue, but would pass this up for a taste of white label J-Beam any day of the week.
I am not a regular whiskey drinker so I don’t pretend to have any sophisticated tastes when it comes to evaluating a good whiskey but I do know what I like and this stuff is good. When I read what some of the other people have to say about Wyoming Whiskey I have to wonder if we are talking about the same thing. I think it is better than Makers Mark, Jim Beam, Crown Royal and a host of others. In fact just what is there not to like? My bottle is batch #25 and I think it is excellent. My only complaint is the price and that applies to a lot of whiskeys. No whiskey should exceed $25 when you consider what it is made from. Will I buy it again? Yeah, probably, but at that price – not very often. Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes, Absolutely!! It’s good!!
bought a bottle in Bismarck. What a waste. Batch 25. I am an avid Makers drinker. I cant even drink this mixed with Pepsi. Almost has a mildew/ dirt smell to it.
I’m an old bourbon drinker that is in love with my Weller 12, and my regular go to is Weller Antique 107. That being said I picked up a bottle of WW, batch 27 just the other day. Hoping for a hit, my second glass out of the bottle is good but not fantastic. I love to take strong bourbons down to between 60 – 70 proof, I’m a chemist it’s a sickness with me, so I can taste all of those wonderful bourbon notes that linger there. Elmer Lee school of bourbon tasting.
WW is just too light to take down too far. WW is going to be a good summer drink, light an fruity, I hope. I’m gonna play with this bottle some more.
Thanks for sharing David. Cheers!
My son bought me a bottle of WW batch 26 in Jackson hole last summer. I have heard rumors that WW was not good but this bottle, I would compare to Makers Mark,Pendelton or even Crown. Very smooth. We need an American whiskey that can compete.I would hope that you could achieve some consistency soon. I would buy if the price was comparable.
I hope they achieve some consistency soon too. I’ve had up to batch 22 I think and it’s not bad, but it’s not great either. Glad you’re enjoying Batch 26 though!
I have a Batch 30 that I just bought. I’m pretty new to Bourbon, but I bought this to add to a Vanilla Porter that I’ll be brewing. It seems very smooth with a lot of caramel notes. I’m a little biased as I’m from Wyoming, but I totally prefer this over my bottle of Four Roses Yellow Label.
I’ve been an avid high priced scotch drinker. I bought both Batch 24 and single barrel 365 and I’m hooked. I preferred it over the 18 y/o Chivas. I introduced it to a friend who is a spirits and wine connoisseur. She recently took several bottles back to use in her fine dining restaurant.
For the price, both bottles were very good in taste and value.
Nice to hear the later batches are doing so well.
I tried a shot of this in Jackson WY about a month ago. It was terrible but at least it was overpriced. I’d suggest that they buy Evan Williams and re-bottle it in WW bottles. It would at least be acceptable.
You say “at least it was overpriced” which makes it sound like that’s a good thing.
I live just 80 miles down the road from the still. I cannot think of a single time after it first came out that I have seen anyone order it in a bar in Wyoming. It has a terrible reputation and not a single bourbon drinker I know will touch it. Local rumor has it that the very first batch was aged longer than all the subsequent batches and that the head distiller admits as much. I have a bottle of the first batch that I hate to open cause then I will drink it even if it is as bad as the other batches I have tried. The other early batches I have tried were not very good. About on the level of Ten High. I can’t believe that they blew it. The other local rumor is that the distiller didn’t want to release it but the owners ( the gov of Wyoming is one of them) insisted. They really blew it.
Wow, that’s some interesting info, but makes sense with what I’ve read about the first batch. I have a bottle of the Batch 24 and it’s better than this batch 18 (which is being re-evaluated as a 72 once I get around to doing the re-review), but it’s still not great. Cheers!
The fiance and I have been literally counting down days to the day we arrived in Jackson WY, and we could try some WW. Oh, Lawd! Should’ve just drank some nail polish remover. The nose was somewhat promising, but the color was very light. The taste, terrible. Beyond terrible. We have tried hundreds of bourbons and scotches and this was so far below what I would expect from a former MM distiller. My advice – pull distribution and firm up your issues in house with your recipe and aging, you have quality control issues. Don’t put out a below par product at a higher level price point. We were Batch #28. Now what are we going to do with this crap?
Date bottled 6/4/15. Batch 27
I am a fairly experienced bourbon drinker with about 45 different bourbons currently in the ever changing collection. I tend to favor high rye spicy bourbons. I almost always drink them neat or with just a touch of water.
That said I drank this neat in one of those fussy Glencairn glasses. I found this to be quite good. A bit astringent but not bad. It’s herbal and has some vanilla and is a bit grain forward. I would not call this a smooth drink. It is a bit unique and not for the first time bourbon drinker. But all in all, I enjoyed it and would buy another bottle.
Just had a chance to try WW last week on a road trip; it isn’t available here. Unfortunately that was before I read this blog, so I didn’t know enough to ask about the batch number. In all fairness, it needs to be compared to other wheaters, not rye-recipe bourbons. I liked it okay, but to me, it’s mostly missing age and depth. Compared to wheaters like Maker’s Mark or the standard Weller bourbons, all of which are bottled at 6 to 7 years (except for the Weller 12, which is in a class of its own, but has become a unicorn), the WW tastes just too edgy and unfinished and seems much overpriced, when I can get a Weller Antique for $26.
The newer batches are easier to compare to wheaters, but even so still lack the depth of something like a Weller 107. These older batches though all seem to suffer from an intense “mineral water” quality and lack of deep rich flavors or aromas. They’re getting there though. The Batch 24 I had recently isn’t too bad. Still not great, but a marked improvement over batch 18.
I first tried a bottle of batch #27 in late July in Mn. Loved it. Have bought and shared 2 cases of batch #27 with friends. They all loved it. Hoping future batches are as good as this one. It is definitely in my top 3 go to bourbons.
I have a Batch 24 I was sent and it’s a marked improvement over this one. I’ll be posting an updated review of the Batch 24 soon.
Cheers!
I tried a freshly opened bottle of batch 11 and found it better than your review, but it did have a kind of mineral, sulfury, soaplike undertone that kind of messed with my taste buds. I picked up a new bottle of batch 24 and it is so much better! Complex, woody, a solid bourbon backbone – yet there is so much more going on. It has a very sweet nose, but it’s dry on the pallet with a festive holiday cake flavor. Caramel, nutmeg, banana, vanilla, oak, wheat grass. I really like it. I found some for $36 nearby, and if future batches taste like this it’ll be well worth it. I think the problem WW has is that it tastes so different than other bourbons. It’s not what a person expects if your accustomed to bourbons like MM or Buffalo Trace for example. However, I like that it’s so different, and if I want the more usual bourbon I can always buy another one. But for unique, the WW succeeds in my opinion.
Hey Mike,
Thanks for sharing. I also have a batch of the new 24 and agree it’s much better. I was recently sent it and will be doing an update. For my tastes it’s still not what I love to drink, but a vast improvement over those earlier batches.
Cheers!
We stopped in Worland on the way back from Sturgis this year.They had W W and I tired some not bad for someone that drinks only Jack Daniels. When we stoped in Jackson I picked up a bottle. A little high $50 bucks.Batch#28 and it is better then I had in the bar.I will buy more when I get back there. Dont have it in Nevada.
Joe
I have a batch 25 that isn’t too bad (B- area), but I’ve been reading better and better things about the later batches. Apparently they got a new master blender who has been smoothing out their batches.
Alas. I really wanted to like this bourbon. I bought a bottle from Batch 23 today. Not very good. Wyoming has a special place for me as I went to UW in Laramie many years ago. Bourbon is my drink, but this is barely bourbon IMHO. Over priced and inadequate.
I have a batch 25 that is better than what this batch 18 turned into, but I still wouldn’t give it anything more than a B-. There’s just not a lot going on with this whiskey.
A good Whiskey from a good place. I can even get it in AZ. A great gift giving item.
I’m from “east river” South Dakota, and while out in the Black Hills on vacation recently, I bought a bottle of WW (batch 21) for $44. Now, I’m not much of a hard liquor drinker, but my bourbon of choice would be Woodford Reserve because it’s smooth with MM being a close second choice.
As far as I can tell, this bottle of WW tastes a bit like Wild Turkey 101. It isn’t a bad product, but it surely doesn’t match either Woodford or MM. In short, as a novelty or curiosity, it’s worth the buy, but drink it on rocks and not neat.
Hi Josh,
I’ve been lurking on the site for quite a while and enjoy the read. I had to jump in after reading your post on Connemara 12 yr peated though. It’s interesting that you called both these whiskies “astringent.” I don’t get the same reaction/bite for these. Wyoming Whiskey and Connemara’s 12 yr Peated are probably my favorite whiskey that I have in stock in my home bar at all times. It’s the personality of these whiskies and what they’re known for.
To each their own I guess. What you classify as 90’s, I usually would put mid 80’s (exceptions of course). Your 80’s are generally my 90’s.
Good job on your write ups!
Hi Jayson,
Thanks and that definitely speaks to individual tastes. I regularly get together with groups of LA whiskey nerds and it’s incredibly rare for us all to agree on liking or disliking a whisky. Which is part of the fun :)
Cheers!
Love your site, Josh, for plenty of reasons, but this is high on the list. It is tempting to try new bourbons when I see them on the shelf, especially when they have a nice backstory and are from the local region. Being able to read your reviews and seeing the feedback helps save my money for better whiskey on the shelf!
Thanks for all your efforts. Cheers!
Thanks Abe, I really appreciate it :)
Oh yeah. Batch -19 bottled december of 2013
This is the worst bourbon I have ever tasted and I knew it the second I popped the damn cork. I don’t mind buying a product that isnt good but when its way over priced I have an enormous problem. Complete garbage and was expecting pure bliss. I can barely choke this shit down.
Your’s truly
Super pissed
Sounds like we’re in a similar boat at this point.
Very interesting and thanks for sharing the batch number too!
I’m not a bourbon guy (Macallan 12 is my usual), but this Wyoming Whiskey (batch #23) is surprisingly palatable. Not surprisingly, Julie sniffed and sipped and declared “hints of vanilla and caramel,” which is how it is described on their web site.
Of course, drinking it while on vacation, skiing at Jackson Hole, makes it taste better.
Oh I love Jackson Hole. I bet that really adds to it and sounds like fun.
Cheers!
Josh,
Does not sound like you are having a good experience other than meeting a lot of interesting people.
Pour the rest of that crap down the drain and drink something you like.
After reading numerous scathing reviews, I was prepared not to like the bottle of Wyo Whiskey I picked up in my hometown of Sheridan last summer. I tried it with several others alongside a couple other NW bourbons – Woodinville and Burnside and we all enjoyed the WW overall. The bottle was batch #20, which apparently may be a “good” batch.
Very light in color compared to Woodinville and not much barrel nose. It is a very soft and smooth whiskey with a high mineral character and low astringency. I hope their batch variance evens out or I may be hesitant to buy more.
I’ve read one other review of a batch 20 that seemed to be alright. Seems like it might indeed the magic batch #.
I am new to the retail liquor business and while I always enjoyed bourbon and scotch, I haven’t tasted a wide range of products, so I eagerly take every opportunity to try new spirits, especially bourbon. I recently attended a big wedding and at the reception the bar bourbon was Wyoming Whiskey. I gave it the most open-minded trial I could, but must say that I ultimately found it undrinkable: harsh, oily, acidic, with few of the pleasant characteristics I associate with bourbon. I regret that I did not note the batch number, but I won’t be trying any again soon.
You and me both! Thanks for the comment. Cheers!
Batch 22: I had high expectations … but this did not impress. I am NOT a “whiskey snob” (just a snob in general) but this did not impress in the whiskey test (except for the “legs” when you swirl it) — not much in the olfactory pre-taste anticipatory tests…
my wife’s first impression was … something like turpentine? I guess that perhaps in the charred oak barrels this whiskey is aged in … they did not remove the shellac from the outside!
if the price was 1/2 of what i paid, I wouldn’t complain as much — especially as I was prepared to pay just a little more for Stranahan’s…
Oh: on a happy note: my wife claims that she’s considering using the half-bottle we have left to marinade a pot roast. Now… THAT is something to look forward to, n’est-ca-pas?
Sounds like even the later batches haven’t quite hit the mark yet either, but that does indeed sound like a good use for it.
Cheers!
I am from Wisconsin so Wyoming Whiskey is something I had never seen in stores. My girlfriend recently traveled to Wyoming with family and decided to purchase me a bottle as a gift, being that I have always been a bourbon fan. I have a bottle from batch 16 and I would agree with the prior reviews to some extent. I do enjoy it with water or on ice but it is hard to sip neat. Definitely not like a 45 dollar bottle of Kentucky bourbon (she didn’t tell me the exact price). Almost has the same fruity bite as Canadian whisky. Still a great gift!
Thanks for the comment and for including the batch #! It’s been really interesting to see what everyone is saying about the different batches.
Cheers!
My great grandfather distilled whiskey on sand creek less than a half mile from Wyoming Whiskey. He did a little time in Rawlins at the state penitentiary on account that he didn’t acquire the proper licensing or care to collect the tax when he sold it out of his trunk in Thermopolis. Nobody wants WW to perform more that I do but batch 13 is almost undrinkable. Papa Kelly may have been proud to produce this stuff as he was not remembered for the quality of his spirits but instead for the timing of his deliveries. I hope and pray for future batches that we can all be proud of. Keep up the good work and keep reporting on Wyoming Whiskey.
Thank you and that is an awesome story! I’m hoping future batches turn around because this batch 18 has indeed become undrinkable. I can’t seem to get through this last 1/4 of the bottle.
Tried this “bourbon” during a visit to Sheridan in early September. Bartender was somewhat surprised when I ordered it, and was eager for my opinion of it later. Awful. Very light, and astringent. It had no body, or flavor of any type from barrel ageing. Very pale in color, again showing lack of barrel time. Claiming you are “small batch” generally means using select barrels chosen from your larger pool of properly aged barrels. In this case they seem to think that producing & ageing small amounts for the minimum time constitutes “small batch”. Hence, the short waiting period between batches. I could not finish my glass, and promptly ordered a Templeton Rye instead. I have worked in the spirits industry for 7yrs now, & this looks like a marketing driven product that is trying to take advantage of the popularity of bourbon.
Hey Chris,
Thanks for adding your voice! This stuff went from very promising to not-very-good while it’s been open. The first couple glasses it got better with each glass, but then it started to decline in quality and continues to do so. Once I finish the bottle it’ll be getting an update and sharp point drop.
Though I do find it interesting that you’re calling the WW people out as being a “marketing driven product” while saying you turned to Templeton instead. Templeton is easily the MOST marketing driven NDP in the biz. At least WW makes an honest (though not great tasting) product. Templeton had to have the truth about their “prohibition recipe” whiskey (MGP juice + added Clarendon flavoring) dragged out of them kicking and screaming. So I have to give the nod to Wyoming Whiskey in that category.
I bought a bottle from Batch #23. A waste of money. Smells like shellac and tastes like paint thinner. Have not figured out what to do with it.
Interesting. I’ve read that batched 21 & 21 are pretty good, but you’re the first batch 23 I’ve read about. That sounds a lot like whatthe batch 18 I have has turned into. I’m trying to finish the bottle so I can do an empty bottle update and I’m having a real difficult time doing it.
Hey there!
I was glad to find this website and read the comments. I’ve just returned from SoCal and was thinking of getting a bottle for my relative’s birthday. Do you know what batch they are on? I almost got one of the first bottles (maybe that was a good thing not to?) I’d like to get one this week to send. Any suggestions or recommendations?
Hi Roberta,
From what I’m reading online the later (20+) batches are a whole lot better than the younger ones. So if you’re going to get a bottle I’d recommend going with a batch 21 or higher if you can find it.
We visited Kirby on 8/25…took a very informative tour and tasting…..I was not impressed with the tasting….however, having been born and raised in Wyoming I purchased a bottle for my home bar…..I have friends that are into bourbons more than I am and they all loved it. I’m guessing the tasting didn’t go well as I hadn’t eaten for about 6 hours…maybe my ‘taster’ wasn’t working well…..I have since enjoyed it after dinner with a nice cigar…the bottle is empty and I will be ordering more as it’s not available in SoCal… Batch 21
Thanks for sharing and thanks for sharing the batch #. I’ve been hearing good things about batches 20+. This batch 18 I’m struggling to get through. It’s gone form “not bad” to terrible in less than a year. I’m really glad to hear they got some better stuff coming out now.
Have been looking forward to WW ever since I heard about it and how can you go wrong with a Maker’s Mark background. I bought a bottle and tried it tonight. Wow, not sure we are talking about the same bourbon. I haven’t paid much attention to the “Nose” of a bourbon before. Bourbon smells like bourbon to me. The exception would be WW. The nose carries over to the he taste and lingers in the finish. None of these are pleasant. Medicinal comes to mind. Way over priced and hyped. No thanks.
What batch is yours? I’ve read a lot about how much the batches have varied and I’m curious what yours is. Mine has turned into a very hard mineral rock of a whiskey over time and when I do the Last Glass re-review for this batch (18) it’s getting dropped several points. It’s gone from not bad to terrible in less than a year as it’s oxidized in the bottle.
I liked it a lot. I grabbed it randomly in a Yellowstone store and then grabbed it again and again. Got me through 2 weeks with the family in the woods. Very clean, I thought. And refreshing, if a whiskey can be that. My palate is not so refined, I mostly know what I don’t like and there was nothing objectionable in this. A delight.
Hey Archibald, do you happen to know which batch(es) your bottles were from? I’ve heard that the later batches have been better and I’m curious what you picked up if you have that info.
I do not. Whatever is on the shelves currently in Yellowstone. I got 2 from the Canyon store. You could call them and they might know, though that last time I was through they were cleared out. I tried the branded Yellowstone bourbon, which was regrettable.
I’ve heard that about the Yellowstone bourbon, but I haven’t tried it myself. I’ll give the store a call and see if they know. I’m very interested to see how it changes from batch to batch.
I haven’t gotten to try it yet but am looking to in the next week or two when I go to visit my home town Green River, Wy.
Hey Bryce,
I went to HS in Green River so I know the area well :) My two recommendations for this whiskey would be 1) Try before you buy if you can, Maybe at one of the bars down on Flaming Gorge Way. 2) Don’t get batch 18. I’m down to about the last 2 glasses on this one and at this point it tastes like bourbon flavored mineral water with how much that harsh mineral aspect has taken over.
Just finished another vacation to Yellowstone and the Tetons and I stumbled across this in a chop house in Cody. With each dinner in the area (two weeks worth), I had a Wyoming Whisky before diner. I found it to be an excellent whisky that is smooth and carries some very pleasant citrus tones. I always drink my whiskies over the rocks and this smoothed ou the drink. I like it far better than Makers Mark, which is a good whisky as we’ll. This is now one of my favorites. I ultimately bought two bottles in a store in Jackson, with one being a Christmas gift for a friend. I checked and WW is not available in California, so I will order it directly from the distiller in the future when I need more (won’t be long).
Very good find on another wonderful vacation to my favorite spot in the world.
What batch did you get? Because batch 18 (the one I have) didn’t start off with a bang and has gotten progressively worse as the bottle makes it’s way to empty. That minerality in this bottle has almost taken over the entire whiskey at this point.
Well, I hope they have made some improvements. Gonna go by today and check it out and will give my feedback after I try it out.
Awesome, would love to hear what you thought of it.
I tried batch 21 which was alright. Over all it wasn’t the type of Bourbon I would probably purchase. I’m not saying it’s bad, but just not the type of Bourbon I like to sip. Also the tour guide admitted they shouldn’t have release batch 1 and 2 which were premature and still had a bite which John Nordwall mentions below in another comment.
Interesting. Batch 18 still has a ton of bite to it and the strongest astringency I’ve encountered in a whiskey. Maybe I’ll try it again when it hits batch 40+
We have bottles from Batch 4, 6 & 8 !, Very disappointed ! Wish they had a satisfaction guarantee on the Bottles. I would return them. I’m thinking about going to Kirby to leave
the Bottles on their door steps. Very sad we had hoped for so much more.
That’s too bad, I was hoping I just got a not-so-good batch. I was hoping for a lot more and it’s just isn’t coming together. I haven’t finished this bottle yet to do an empty bottle update on it, but mine has turned and it’s getting more astringent and more minerally with each glass I pour. I hate to do it, but it’s going to have to get a downgrade in score when I finally do the update.
It’s 2020 and I had a glass of this at a friends place and found it to be really good. Do you think that something may have change since you reviewed this small batch version? The one I drank was bottled Aug 2 2019 batch 62.
Thanks, Cliff
Hey ClifF! I’ve reviewed a couple other of their more recent batches and I agree completely. They’ve matured a lot and are putting out some good stuff these days. Cheers!
I had really high hopes for this when it finally came out but this is not good whiskey. I bought 4 bottles of the first batch and I still have 3 left. I hope the later batches are better than the first release.
Batch 18 wasn’t that great and the astringent character is actually getting stronger the lower the bottle gets and I might end up docking it a couple of points when I do my empty bottle recap on it. Like you I had really high hopes and it’s just not delivering for me, though I do hope they dial it in and start pumping out killer bourbon soon. Maybe their rye will be better.
John: my wife and I are in complete agreement with you. We are profoundly disappointed and I should have bought Stranahan’s for about the same price!