High Bank Distillery Co. Whiskey War

A little background

High Bank Distillery Co. is a distillery located in the Grandview neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. Their whiskey, Whiskey War, gets its name from a local saloon owner, Henry Corbin. In 1875, Henry Corbin took a chance and opened a saloon in an area known to strongly oppose the consumption of distilled spirits (suburb of Columbus called Westerville). A large Methodist contingent had settled in the area establishing a university, several local churches, and the home of the Temperance Movement. This would later become the headquarters for the Anti-Saloon League. As Henry Corbin was about to open his saloon, it was destroyed by dynamite. In 1879 he made a second attempt and it too was blown up. It was said before the first explosion, Henry came outside to address the protesters with two pistols drawn. The Temperance Movement spun this act in print which has been credited to ignite the “Whiskey War” of prohibition and launched the Anti-Saloon League. They also make a barrel proof version. More information on their blending process will be published in that review. This rye-heavy whiskey is their 88 proof version. It is no younger than two years old and can be found at an MSRP of $36.99. High Bank Distillery Co. has not made this for mass-production yet, but if you get the chance to grab a bottle, I would encourage you to do so.

(Tasted neat from a Halo Glass)

Color

Autumn Honey

Nose

Black pepper and a hint of dill are at the forefront of the nose. Caramel and a light sweet corn scent follow up to even things out. A faint scent reminiscent of a crushed pretzel comes in for a nice surprise at the end of the nosing. Rye and pepper make up a majority of the nose in a very beautiful way.

Palate

The palate is thick, much thicker than one would expect from an 88 proof whiskey. Black pepper, rye spice and dill lead the palate. Sweet corn settles on the mid-palate. It definitely does not stop there. After the initial taste, a pulse of flavor washes over the palate that gives a heavy black pepper spice. The sensation of a pretzel makes itself present again at the back of the palate. This packs way more of a punch than I was expecting: as far as the power of the flavors goes, it makes me not believe that it is only 88 proof.

Finish

The finish is long and jam-packed with yeasty bread notes from that pretzel taste, along with the spice of the black pepper. As the finish moves along, a candy-like note appears on the back palate: something like what your mouth tastes like a few minutes after eating a blue Jolly Rancher (I know that sounds out of left field, but just trust me). It is a fantastic finish.

In conclusion

Wow. What an incredible whiskey. The master distiller did an incredible job researching and blending to create this whiskey. I can honestly say that this is the best modern whiskey under 100 proof that I have had; I am completely blown away. The complexity, intensity of flavors, and finish are unmatched at this proof. I would buy this any day of the week for the price, it is worth every penny. If you are able to get a bottle of this, do it: especially if you enjoy lower-proof whiskies. It really does not get much better than this.