Reservoir distillery is a US craft producer in Virginia. They tend to make whiskey with mashbills that only include one specific grain (encouraging drinkers to create their own blend). This is more or less what That Boutique-y Whisky Co has done: they are offering a bottle of wheat, rye and corn.
We’re trying the bourbon expression, which is a composition of 80% corn, 10% wheat and 10% rye.
Reservoir Distillery 2 yo (46,6%, That Boutique-y Bourbon Company 2018, Batch #1, 963 btl.)
Nose: dry, charred oak at first, but increasingly backed by sweet notes, like cherry jam and raspberry ganache. Maple syrup as well, lots of cinnamon powder and hints of cocoa nibs. Crushed black peppercorns and some cedar wood in the background. The sweet, buttery corn is taking center stage here.
Mouth: drier now, with a fairly plankish and fragrant wood style. Herbs, clove and heavy char. Also peppery notes and aniseed. It is kept in check by generous hints of vanilla and popcorn, some orange and chocolate. Caramelized notes too.
Finish: medium, still showing a slightly fragrant woody note, pepper, sweet spice and chocolate.
A nice bourbon with heaps of character, even after merely two years. There’s a lot of charred oak, but just the aromas rather than the dryness, thanks to the bigger sweetness. Worth a shot really. Still available from Master of Malt.