Pursuit Spirits Episode 002

A little background

This is the second barrel released by Pursuit Spirits and is a 14yr Straight Bourbon Whiskey distilled in TN.  Bottled uncut and unfiltered at a strength of 60% ABV or 120⁰.  Show notes from Pursuit Spirits: “Quercus alba.  Look it up.” *Side note- it’s the species name for the White Oak, which will become clear shortly why it is so appropriate.  Years of college tuition to teach Biology finally paying off!

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn.)

Color in the glass

Dark Mahogany (seriously this is dark whiskey)

Nose

Dark cherries jump out of the glass but once my nose is in the glass they were overpowered by walnuts, charred toffee, leather, cedar cigar box, and sandalwood.

Palate

Bitter dark chocolate, salted caramel, leather, dusty tobacco, and star anise. Slight soapiness from the heavy oak influence.

Finish

Damp musty oak, nutty, drying, and a little tannic. It is very waxy and goes on for several minutes.

In closing

Wow this whiskey is no shrinking violet and not for the faint of heart.  This barrel tastes and feels like it was aged for several years longer than the 14 listed, everything about it is dark from the color to the finish.  This is a challenging whiskey that rewards those that take their time with an experience that is fleeting in this day and age of younger and younger whiskey being passed off as special releases (well great old whiskey still exists but you usually need to know a guy that knows a guy).