Disclosure: the sample for this review was provided at no cost. Our tasting notes and score are our own.
A little background
Stillman’s Sonder 10 Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a 10-year-old bourbon from Stillman’s Sonder, released by Dancing Goat Distillery. It is aged in both Andean and American oak barrels, with several components of the final blend seeing a second, double-oaked barrel process. In the six months before bottling, the barrels were spoon proofed and oxidation was encouraged through short fills and vatting. It is bottled at 94 proof (47% ABV) and sells for $70. The mash bill is undisclosed.
The whiskey began as a collection of orphaned barrels. From 2010 to 2016, distillation at MGP in Indiana included a series of large exploratory test runs that left a number of barrels unused, and the Maas family acquired and curated those stocks over time with the goal of releasing them as 10-plus-year-old whiskey. The name honors three generations of the family: Duane Maas, a stillman who worked on production methods and quality standards for spirits such as Seagram’s and Chartreuse beginning in the 1950s and consulted on the early development of Dancing Goat Distillery before his passing in 2016; his son Tom Maas, a brand builder who helped guide heritage whiskey brands and usher in the era of small-batch bourbon; and Tom’s son Nick Maas, who now works at the still and blending table.
(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)
Color
Dark GoldNose
Milk chocolate, toasted caramel, sweet stewed strawberries, raisins, and baking spice.
Palate
Brown sugar, vanilla, caramel, toasted oak, espresso, walnut, baking cocoa, pipe tobacco, and baking spice.
Finish
Long, with toasted oak, milk chocolate, brown sugar, espresso, raisins, and vanilla cream.
In closing
Stillman’s Sonder 10 Year Straight Bourbon balances dessert-like sweetness with mature oak. Milk chocolate, toasted caramel, sweet stewed strawberries, and raisins lead the nose with a touch of baking spice. The palate opens on brown sugar, vanilla, and caramel before moving into toasted oak, espresso, walnut, baking cocoa, pipe tobacco, and baking spice. The finish is long, with toasted oak, milk chocolate, brown sugar, and espresso fading into raisins and vanilla cream.
This is a good example of why higher proof isn’t always better. At 47% ABV, it is easy to enjoy while still delivering a flavor profile that is pleasantly complex, with the chocolate and brown sugar sweetness keeping the oak in check. It shines neat but would also work well in a cocktail. At $70, it is a really good value for a 10-year-old bourbon, and it could easily be a staple on my shelf. I wouldn’t hesitate to pour it for even the most seasoned aficionados.
Stillman’s Sonder 10 Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey
94 Proof
