A little background

Saint Cloud is a relative newcomer to the world of whiskey that was founded by Ray Walker, a seasoned producer of Grand Cru wines in Burgundy, France. Walker started Saint Cloud to honor his family’s roots in Kentucky dating back to the early 19th century by producing micro-batch whiskey with two goals in mind: quality and refinement. Saint Cloud sources whiskey from various Kentucky distilleries at various stages to create unique experiences through each release. This is a review of Saint Cloud’s oldest expression to date, a 12-year cask strength single barrel. This sample is from a barrel name “Zeus” and these bottles will retail for $229.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Dark Amber

Nose

There is a fair amount of ethanol emanating from the glass but this calms quite quickly despite the high proof. You are then greeted by dark brown sugar, chocolate covered cherries, plenty of baking spice, and heavy oak char. Overall the nose is quite rich and pleasant.

Palate

This whiskey didn’t have the viscosity I was hoping for, as the initial presentation is average. More of that dark brown sugar is present, but a relatively sharp spice quickly takes over mid-palate. Although there is plenty of spice that develops, there is also an underlying sweetness that provides a nice balance to the profile. Surprisingly, there is very little alcohol burn for a 120+ proof whiskey.

Finish

The finish is medium-long leaving an average mouthfeel. The rye spice continues mid-palate and is accentuated by some burn from the proof. There is plenty of burnt caramel, oak char, some dried citrus, and the slightest hint of red grape on the back end.

In closing

This 12-year-old whiskey from Saint Cloud was a pleasant challenge. The nose is full of deep, rich flavors that ultimately transition nicely to the palate, where this bourbon then showcases a nice heavy-rye character. The mouthfeel is a little thin but the flavors are big enough to entice you in for another sip. And while the finish wasn’t everything I was hoping for, especially after nosing this whiskey, it is generally pleasant with a nice balance of flavor.