Distilled By: Taconic Distillery
Location: Stanfordville, NY
Parent Company: N/A
Class: Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Cognac Casks
Proof: 90 (45% ABV)
Age: 3.5 years
Mash bill: 70% Corn, 25% Rye, 5% Barley
Taconic Distillery releases periodic limited production runs of their Dutchess Private Reserve Bourbon that has been finished in various other casks. This Cognac cask release is one of those highly sought after limited production finished bourbons. All of their offerings are non-chill filtered and their aging process occurs in shipping containers rather than in traditional barrel warehouses, or rickhouses. The founder, Paul Coughlin, is just about the nicest person you’ll ever talk to and their head distiller, Brandon Collins, formerly of Buffalo Trace, is just as personable. The company was established in 2013 and was inspired by a passion for the outdoors through hunting and fishing. The distillery facilities were officially completed in August of 2016 in the Hudson Valley of New York.
BSG REVIEW:
Color: Light amber, very clingy short legs on the glass
Nose: Sweet stone fruit (plum), caramel, oak
Palate: Oak, vanilla, nutmeg, plum
Finish: Medium-long, buttery, oak, plum
The Cognac cask finished Dutchess Private Reserve bourbon is a light amber colored whiskey with short legs that just cling on the sides of my Glencairn glass for days! The nose starts with a burst of stone fruit in the form of plum. I also get the lighter notes of caramel and oak through the aroma after you get past the initial plum note. The taste brings out more of the oak than the nose did, along with the more familiar vanilla note. I also find a bit of nutmeg along with the plum as the whiskey crosses the mid-palate. I would say this one has a medium-length, buttery finish that lingers with the oak and plum notes through the final moments. The stone fruit notes throughout the entire experience and that buttery finish really hit the sweet spot for me. I loved this whiskey from start to finish even though I’m not a huge fan of Cognac in general.
I have already tasted a few other offerings from Taconic and have to say that these guys are doing something right. Keep an eye out for more BSG Reviews on Taconic Distillery products! I can only hope that their distribution makes it to Indiana and Kentucky soon so it’ll be easier to get my hands on it. If they are in your local market, don’t overlook these bottles.
BSG Score: 91/100
Images courtesy of taconicdistillery.com and @taconic_distillery on Instagram.
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