Day 5 - Stillhouse Black Bourbon
- Paul Mora
- Dec 17, 2020
- 1 min read
Day 5: Stillhouse Black Bourbon
Some time ago, before the pandemic, I was wandering around one of my favorite brown liquid establishments and saw what appeared to be a can of turpentine amongst the mix of bottles. I thought “what an interesting gimmick” and moved on. I didn’t give it too more thought until a few months later I saw it again and figured, what the hell.
To my surprise I found it to be an extremely pleasant bourbon.
It’s 80 proof, but drinks far lighter. This one benefits from a rock or two. The mash is a blend of corn, rye, and barley.
You can taste the rye up front with the corn mash lingering. There is also a solid taste from the charred oak that it was barreled in, with a slight hint of ethanol. It finishes surprisingly smooth.
Stillhouse gets its color from resting with roasted coffee beans. The nose shows off the coffee with notes of caramel.
This is not really a complex whiskey, but for the price point, I thought it would be fun to share.
For me, this was just what you’d expect from a bourbon. On the nose, caramel pepper and hint of citrus. On the palate, just smooth. With a bit water, there’s a numbing bitterness on the tongue reminiscent of Seville oranges. Maybe this what you were referring to as ethanol. This’d be a great bourbon for making cocktails.
I'd pretty much agree with these reviews of the Stillhouse. This was a smooth whisky offering pepper, butter, vanilla-caramel on the nose. It is not full-bodied, but pleasant. I tasted oak and cocoa powder. And another flavor I couldn't figure out. I would enjoy this at a party, on the rocks, or as part of a Manhattan. It would be interesting to compare "production methods" of this whisky and say, the Willet.
I must admit. The turpentine can threw me off and set the tone for this review.
Sigrid is not a whiskey drinker but she's now into the "nose" thing. She has a more refined sense of smell than me and got the first snort. She says "Dark. Burnt. Kahlua." Then she passed out. After one whiff. It happens.
For me the nose was subtle to the point of being unremarkable.
Neat: Nice. A long, strong finish, overwhelming any initial impression
Water Dropper: Now noticing sweetness. The corn mash? Time to get on with it.
More water And Lot's Of Ice: Pleasant accompaniment to watching a documentary on an Egyptian tomb on Netflix.
I would not waste this on cleaning paint.
That's a well written introduction. I get your point about it being "light". The nose isn't concentrated enough for a casual whiff. After covering and wafting, the sweet smell of honey or caramel comes through. The coffee is barely noticeable but then I have allergies. My sense of smell is day to day. Totally agree that the palate is compact and simple. Also agree that complexity doesn't always signify good flavor. It is very smooth and easy. I'd definitely put it in my lineup of daily splashes.
Quite enjoyed the Stillhouse. Suppose I’m not a complex taste whiskey connoisseur. My favorite so far was actually the 1st one - the Garrison Brothers. Thanks for putting this sampler together. Quite the high point of the day I look forward to every day. Cheers!