Over the holidays, we received a package from a Wisconsin family member. Inside were two of our favorite things – Door County Coffee and bourbon – Door County Bourbon Whiskey, to be exact. Let’s see what the story is behind this Lake Michigan bourbon.
Craft Distilling with Local Flair
This bourbon is produced by Door County Distillery in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Doors opened in 2011 and owners describe their process as “craft distilling with local flair”. The distillery produces a long list of spirts, including vodkas, gins, whiskeys, bitters and moonshines. Over the past several years, Master Distiller Kyle Thomas and his crew have received several prestigious awards from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for their gins, vodkas, and single malt whiskey.
The Tasting
The mash bill and age for Door County’s Bourbon is undisclosed. It is bottled at a low 80-proof. From the bottle and the website, there is the statement,
From mash to barrel, this is an American style bourbon with a Door County twist: a corn base with a pleasant bite round out this traditional spirit.
Color: Sun-kissed straw. Without an age statement or the words “straight bourbon”, I suspect this is sub-2-years in age.
Nose: Very light. Honey and circus peanuts (you know, those summertime candies you had as a child) and trail mix (peanuts, candy, fruit).
Palate: Honey with light spice. Some apple fruit notes along with more circus peanuts. While the flavor isn’t over the top, I keep finding myself going back for another sip.
Finish: Medium. Honey and spice.
Overall: This is definitely youthful. There have been some young bourbons that I’ve relegated to cooking or marinating. But to be honest, though, I found myself going back for one more sip. Is this great bourbon? No, not yet. But this is pretty good young bourbon. I’m hoping they let this continue to age, as I’d love to experience a straight version as well as a bottled-in-bond.