Caught on COLA - Bourbon

It's that time again fellow bourbon lovers and we are back with another update of Caught on COLA. Normally this would have come out on Sunday but a couple of things prevented that. One, it was Father's Day and two, I've been under the weather, so I guess better late than never. Anyhow, I'm really excited about this edition so let's not waste any time and dive right into those labels and see what's cooking in those distilleries.

Anyone who is a reader of the blog knows that I have a fondness for Uncle Nearest Tennessee Whiskey and let me tell you, I was so surprised when I came across this first label. Seems the folks at Uncle Nearest aren't happy to just settle for the 1856 and 1820 expressions. Nooooo, they've done gone out and gotten approval for Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch Whiskey. Well, that didn't sound country as hell now did it? Anyway, what does that have to do with anything? Now, I really don't know a whole lot about this release other than it's bottled at 90 proof (45% ABV) and that I am sure it lives up to the standards that we have come to expect from an Uncle Nearest release. But I did sort of reach out on Instagram to Uncle Nearest and Fawn Weaver seeking some kind of comment or possible insider information and Ms. Weaver was kind enough to reply, "Our tasting panel, Nearest's family, Keith and me are finalizing the first batch blend tomorrow... debuting at Tales of the Cocktail in July. Announcement coming soon!" So there you have it, if you are in New Orleans July 16th-21st, make sure you swing by and see what the 1884 expression is all about and let me know what you think. Hopefully I will be lucky enough to track down a bottle somehow and will be able to do a review on here as well. Here's hoping!

Next up is Odysea, a rather odd blend from Florida's Oceanside Distillery in Cape Canaveral. This is a 90 proof (45% ABV) blend of straight bourbon whiskies sourced from distilleries in Kentucky and Tennessee. I couldn't find any information online about the company other than the business license information so there is no information about the release.

Next up is another blended bourbon. This one is from my home state of Michigan and comes from Red Cedar Spirits. Each bottle of 84 proof (42% ABV) Melting Pot Blended Bourbon Whiskey "uses a popular Red Cedar Spirits bourbon as the primary spirit along with other aged Red Cedar Spirits whiskies." According to the label, the whiskey is wheat free which is interesting since there is no mention of any wheaters on their website. I also couldn't find a mention of this release either but there is mention of their Melting Pot Whiskey.

I decided to include this next entry out of Texas out of morbid curiosity maybe. I don't know. But it sort of scares me. Not as bad as the thought of the PBR whiskey release but still... Maverick Whiskey's Alamo Whiskey makes me pause for the cause. According to the label, this whiskey is bottled at 92 proof (46% ABV) after having been aged for one day in new white oak barrels. Aged one day? According to the tasting notes on their website, Maverick claims Alamo has "a nose of light brown sugar, candied cinnamon, creamed corn, and black pepper. The palate is delightfully smooth with notes of crème brulee, corn pudding, vanilla, and spice. The finish is mellow with lingering notes of spearmint, cardamom, and allspice." All that from aging just one day? Ummm.... okay! Next!

Where there's smoke there's fire, so where there's a smoke wagon there must be fire water right? In a way, yes. Because I'm talking about Smoke Wagon Bourbon from Nevada H&C Distilling Co. This MGP-sourced bourbon is bottled at 92.5 proof (46.25% ABV) and is readily available or so it seems on their website.

Wyoming Whiskey brings us our next entry with The Stargazer. This limited edition bottling celebrates mans journey to the moon 50 years ago. This 100 proof (50% ABV) bottle will only be available at the distillery (when it's released) but as for now there is no other information on this wheater (I'm guessing it's a wheated bourbon since there others are) on their website.

Our last entry comes from Colorado's Tower 56 Distilling in the form of their Tower's 56 Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Now this 90 proof (45% ABV) bourbon may have been bottled in Greeley, Colorado but it was distilled in Statesville, North Carolina so that tells me it was probably sourced from the Southern Distilling Company (I could be wrong). Tower 56's previous bourbon release is a wheated bourbon but I am not sure of the mashbill of this straight bourbon release and there is no mention of it yet on their website.

That's all I've got for now, folks! Until the next round, cheers!