Kings County Distillery, Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 4 years old, 50% ABV

JSW has been on a bit of a bourbon kick of late, probably associated with the hot weather hitting the northeastern US in Summer 2019. This particular whiskey is what this bourbon kick started when Jeff from JSW was up in NY for his Executive Bourbon Steward class in July 2019.

Color: a deep, dark caramel more than amber.

The nose is sweet and salty caramel corn, orange zest, a good bit of cinnamon and other brown spices on a fresh oaken platter.

The palate is sweet and salty corn that is quick to greet a rich vanilla caramel. Orange and cherry marmalade go with the kettle corn and spices with so little oak tannin that it is extremely surprising.

Kings County uses a mash of 80% corn and 20% malted barley, which is rather unique as one does not read about many two grain whiskeys, let alone a two grain bourbon. As I’m not a huge rye fan, and tend to prefer low rye or wheated bourbons, this whiskey was an epiphany for me. I like it instantly. The flavors are just on point, the ABV is perfect, and the only knock on this whiskey to be offered by this critical writer is that at $49 for a 375 ml bottle, it is expensive and the bottle waaaaaay too small. This is a gem of a whiskey!