Case in point, we have still-young bourbon brand Puncher’s Chance, a non-distiller-producer (NDP) currently selling two products: A flagship, moderately aged Kentucky bourbon, and a 12-year-old bourbon from Tennessee finished in California Cabernet Sauvignon barrels, labeled The D12TANCE. Both of its products are sourced, but both hail from different sources. And in the case of both, they’re buying whiskey from companies that also didn’t distill the original juice.
Despite launching in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Puncher’s Chance has grown rapidly, and they’ve now appears they've settled on two labels - an affordable classic bourbon and the other an “ultra premium” release. Here is Paste Magazine's review of both releases.
Puncher’s Chance Bourbon
MSRP: $34.99
Mashbill: 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% barley
Puncher’s Chance The D12TANCE
MSRP: $128.99
Mashbill: 84% Corn, 8% Malt, 8% Rye
One glance at that MSRP is enough to make it clear that Puncher’s Chance The D12TANCE is being aimed at an entirely different demographic than the accessible, $30, high-value flagship bourbon. This one was unsurprisingly produced in more limited quantities—just 70 barrels of 12-year-old Tennessee bourbon (the mash bill tells us it’s Dickel, though that’s never a surprise), finished in French oak California Cabernet Sauvignon barrels and bottled at a slightly higher 48% ABV (96 proof). That MSRP would perhaps be a bit high if this was simply a 12-year-old selection of Dickel (which tends to be more affordable than most), but the wine barrel finish gives it a novelty that is considerably harder to price.
On the nose, The D12TANCE started off a little slow for me, but quickly bloomed into something striking with more time in the glass, transforming from caramel corn and cocoa powder to an increasingly rich and spicy profile of clove, cinnamon and chai-like warming spices. The secondary wine barrel finish really seems to have driven some warm, sweet baking spices into the aroma, which is something I quite like.
On the palate, this is also very spicy, with cinnamon and cardamom meeting toasted oak, vanilla and subtle fruit notes of strawberry and cherry. The vinous “wine” character doesn’t show up strongly, but the French oak barrels do make a huge impression via their aromatic spiciness and vanillans. There’s some tannin as well, which leads to a finish that turns more dry, but thankfully doesn’t dry out the palate excessively, as some particularly spice-rich bourbons tend to do. All in all, I really think the French oak character here is lovely—quite expressive, particularly as time goes by, to the point that it might actually be too much for some drinkers. If you enjoy bourbon that is heavy on oak-infused baking spice notes, though, The D12TANCE is quite a delight.
The original story, as it appeared on www.pastemagazine.com, can be found here. Jim Vorel, the original author and reviewer, is a Paste staff writer and resident beer and liquor geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.
No comments:
Post a Comment