By
George Brozowski
Sacrilege!
Blasphemy! Who ever heard of Bourbon being made in
Oregon? Everyone knows Bourbon only comes from Kentucky! It's
as if Cognac started to come from Brazil or Tequila was being
produced in Canada - it's just not supposed to happen. Well,
it turns out that Bourbon is not quite as heavily regulated
as Cognac and Tequila and Bourbon can actually be produced
anywhere in the USA and still be called Bourbon. Turns out
that before we voted in our current "do nothing congress",
the congress of 1964 actually did something and declared in
a resolution, that they actually passed, that Bourbon is a
"distinctive product of the United States". That
was also the last time Congress passed any legislation at
all!!
Burnside
Bourbon is rumored to be 71%-75% corn (20% more than
the legal minimum) with 15% barley and 10% rye. Well, let's
see how this Oregon bourbon fares against Kentucky bourbon.
It is a pale golden honey color and has a very light nose
to match. It does not have a deep oaky nose like most Kentucky
bourbons but instead has a light oakiness about it with accompanying
hints of vanilla and cinnamon. It is also light on the palate
with the sweetness of the corn coming through first and then
gently followed by the oak and vanilla and a hint of citrus.
The finish is smooth and short leaving a nice after taste
of slightly oaky bourbon. It is a relatively young bourbon
at only 4 years which accounts for its delicate flavor and
uncomplicated depth. At $27.99 per 750 ML bottle it is a bit
on the high side but worth it. It holds up well on the rocks
and does not get lost in mixed drinks.
The
Burnside Oregon Oaked Bourbon is first barrel
aged for 4 years in new oak barrels and then spends 60 days
in heavy-char Oregon oak barrels for that finishing touch.
I sure hope those 60 days make a huge difference because this
bourbon is almost double the cost ($49.95 per 750 ML bottle)
of its sister bourbon. Oh Yeah, there's a difference! The
nose is deep and smoky and oaky and then sweet with touches
of vanilla and cinnamon. The palate presents a bit more complicated
and layered with the sweetness of the corn again stepping
forward followed by the vanilla and cinnamon with everything
being surrounded by smoky oak. The finish is longer and stronger
but still quite smooth and sweet and yet smoky. This bourbon
definitely has the depth and layers of flavors I prefer but
that certainly does not take away anything from the previous
bourbon. The flavors here are more concentrated and deeper
and the smoky accents really add a lot of flavor. Looks like
it just might be worth double the previous Burnside
Bourbon but at a price point of $50.00 it begins
to go heads up with some of those Kentucky bourbons but I
do believe it can hold its head up high. Go figure, they do
make decent Bourbon in Oregon.
For
more Rants & Raves click
here.
www.eastsidedistilling.com/