Spirits of French Lick Lee W. Sinclair 4-Grain

A little background

Spirits of French Lick Lee W. Sinclair 4-Grain Bourbon is bottled at 90 proof and comes in at a retail of $35. It is distilled by Spirits of French Lick in West Baden Springs, Indiana and has a four grain mashbill consisting of corn, oats, wheat, and caramel malt. The bourbon is aged a minimum of two years and is unique in that it uses two distinct yeast varieties. The first yeast pulls out the grain profile and the second yeast pulls out fruity and nutty esters for distillation. The oats add a creamy mouth-feel to the profile and a sweet aroma while caramel malt, which is typically used for brewing, ads a layer of sweetened aroma over the base of the grains. This bourbon is double pot distilled, and number 2 charred oak barrels are used for aging.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Copper

Nose

On the nose, there is plenty of corn, allspice, dough, vanilla and apple.

Palate

The palate has notes of grapes, corn, caramel, allspice, and very prevalent sweet fruits such as raspberries. This bourbon has unique flavors to go along with a light to medium viscosity that coats the tongue and top of the palate. When water is added, the nose becomes very floral, the palate becomes very sweet, and the finish disappears.

Finish

The finish on this four grain bourbon is short to medium in length with the grapes and raspberries really standing out. There are also notes of allspice, dough, and cinnamon.

In conclusion

Overall, this is an interesting bourbon with some unique flavors. For being 2 years old, there are some good things going on, but it is definitely still a few years away from developing the distinct flavors that could really set it apart. It is also still a little too corn forward for my taste. With that being said, if you are someone who enjoys a corn/dough forward bourbon with some unique flavors, this one might be worth a try. I am very excited to see what the company releases within the next couple of years and to watch their offerings continue to develop3