Doc Swinson’s straight bourbon whiskey finished in sherry casks tasting notes.

Distilled in Tennessee | Doc Swinson's Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in a Sherry Cask | Bottled in Washington | $49.99* | 90 proof | 12 years | 84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% malted barley.

The whiskey.

Doc Swinson's, located in Washington State, sources whiskey to finish in different barrels. This bottle is part of their Alter Ego series. I think it is the name of their single barrel program, and that Total Wine & More picked this bottle. It is a 12-year-old bourbon distilled in Tennessee. I do not know which distillery. They had 10 barrels of bourbon that filled 6 sherry casks (they are larger.) Producing 1900 bottles in all. 

The taste.

The light amber color does not say you are about to sip a 12-year bourbon. A variety of aromas fill your nose, from creamy caramel or is it cinnamon bread or caramelized sugar. The undertones of grilled apricot struggle to reach your nose. A deep fruit and vanilla flavor hit your tongue before the oily texture washes it away. As the oil fades, you get a fruit sweet and tangy barrel char. I initially mistook the tang for a fruit tang, but it is barrel char. Most likely from the charcoal filtering process. The whiskey leaves a slight spice throughout your mouth. 

The takeaway.

If you like bourbon and sherry finished whiskeys, then give it a shot. However, it is not the best sherry finished bourbon I have tasted. The finish's char flavor is a turnoff for me, but it might be what you want for the Tennessee whiskey fans. 

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