Tennessee-based Chattanooga Whiskey has some out-there expressions as part of its long-running Experimental Single Batch Series, but experiment #42 may be the wildest of the series so far.<\/p>\n
\nMade from a 5-grain mash bill, this finished whiskey was made with four varieties of malted rye, including a cherrywood smoked malted rye and a dark roasted caramel malted rye. Aged for over four years, the whiskey was finished for three months in barrels which previously held a German-style amaro liqueur made by the Chattanooga Whiskey distilling team. Together, the whiskey and finishing barrel showcase a harmonious one-of-a-kind flavor profile \u2013 rimming with sweet and spicy characteristics \u2013 perfect for the winter months.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth the whiskey and the finishing barrel are extremely unique in their own rights. Our rye malt whiskey was made with a custom-smoked malted rye, crafted by our friends at Riverbend Malthouse in Asheville, North Carolina. Meanwhile, our finishing barrels previously held an amaro that was made with 14 fruits and botanicals, including dried bilberries, sour cherries, star anise, and sarsaparilla,\u201d said Grant McCracken, founding distiller. \u201cTogether, the rye and the amaro work beautifully together, bringing out the best of both worlds.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The finished product is four years old and comprises four barrels in total.<\/p>\n
We gave it a whirl, and it\u2019s every bit as weird as you\u2019re expecting.<\/p>\n
The nose is complex to a point of bizarreness, a near-baffling mix of prune raisins, smoky tea leaf, rhubarb, and the first whiff of a grass fire. Dark and dank up top, notes of dark chocolate fade into a gritty and ashy creosote quality with time in glass.<\/p>\n
The palate sees an equally wild ride. While the initial rush of flavor is effusive and fruity \u2014 all raspberry and sweet blackberry syrup \u2014 things quickly change and the experience becomes rather medicinal, melding camphor, licorice, and tobacco notes before taking a more savory bent that evokes the taste of roasted meats. The camphor quality becomes intense before a final touch of sweetness creeps back into view \u2014 in the form of a little chocolate and some well-toasted coconut.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s gone soon enough, however. And what lingers on the tongue just about forever is that amaro-driven pungency, with very bitter gentian, pipe tobacco, and tons of menthol overwhelming the senses. The fade-out is powerfully medicinal in a way that I can hardly describe otherwise.<\/p>\n
In case the tasting notes aren\u2019t clear, I\u2019ll say it outright: This experience was so wild that I still don\u2019t even know if I liked it or not, despite two nights of trying to make sense of the thing. The thing of it is that I really love amari, which is why I requested a sample to begin with. I guess I was expecting something in the way of a bottled Paper Plane.<\/p>\n
This is not that.<\/p>\n
110 proof.<\/p>\n
B \/ $70<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Batch 042 – Amaro Finished Rye<\/h2>\n
\t\t\t\tUSD70<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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