Nicely done 4 grain white whiskey that is mellow and delightful on its own.
Notes:Glenrose is a small distillery even by micro distillery standards – they only had a 4 plater 30 gallon multipurpose still from Artisan Distiling. They just recently added a 100 gallon Bain-Marie multipurpose from StillDragon and a small home brew experimental rig.Using 4 different malted grains grown and malted in New York State and local springwater from their well they produce this white whiskey in very small batches, making it on of the hardest whiskies to find but worth the effort tracking down .Using a blend of malted grain, wheat, corn, barley and a good dose of malted rye to give it some spice , the distillery of the father and son team of Jim and Matt Sloboda ferment the resulting beer ( as it is called – it’s not the bottling kind) or wort which they then distill it in their Moonshiner Company 4 plate hybrid pot stills after ruining it through a copper stripping still.
Appearance: Sparkling clear, on swirling it coats the glass with an oily grain coating thin edge line that then starts to form tears along the edge line.
First Impression: Crisp, clean integrated grain scents with oily notes waft gracefully from the glass. Smells like a fresh from the oven good multigrain bread with sweetish grain and alcohol notes .Very little alcohol is readily apparent, grain is very forward.
Taste: Very smooth somewhat oily entry from the malted grain, making for a smooth flow of grain germ/oil with the sweet sour of the rye backing up the sweetness of the corn, the barley malt and rounding out the wheat which provides some lightness and traces of vanilla.
Drinks: Best enjoyed on its own, either on the rocks or chilled to be appreciated at its fullest. Makes for a nice Old Fashioned and works in a number of rye based drinks,but because of the other grains, it makes for a lighter,broader whiskey taste than a straight rye.
Bottle: Clear glass jug in the shape of an antique ceramic jug, down to the cylindrical body then a shelf to the rounded shoulder leading to the finger ring and short neck. Heavier decanter type bottom lends an attractive appearance and adds a nice sense of heft to the bottle. Large parchment colored ⅔ wrap paper label looks has good abrasion and spill resistance so bottle stays looking nice. The hand drawn portrait, looking like and old school wanted poster makes a distinctive label that can be spotted at a distance and gives the bottle an overall rustic feel. Closure is a natural cork topped by a disk of finished wood and a clear plastic neck capsule.
Other: Glenrose also produces an Apple Shine ( an unaged Applejack or Apple Brandy) 2 Pear Brandies, Batch 1 and Batch 2, Snow Devil Gin , and an aged whiskey in the works for later release. Check their Facebook or website pages for updates.
Final Thoughts: Nicely done and very smooth. Great grain flavor and mellow profile make it a great choice if you are trying to get a fear of flavor vodka drinker to broaden their horizons.
Website: http://www.glenrosespirits.com
Fairly simple and straightforward webpage- easy to navigate and full of humorous drawings too.
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/glenrosespirits
More up to date with more photos, events, etc., ( Whose isn’t?)