There's no better time to explore a craft whiskey than on Small Business Saturday. Coming off the wonderful palate calibration that is Thanksgiving dinner, I am rested and invigorated to taste some of what the Fall has to offer for learning opportunities. Rather than tasting the umpteenth release from one of the bourbon giants, I will offer an exploration of one of Kings County's finest. If you're not familiar with the brand already, their website offers a simple introduction:
Kings County Distillery is New York City's oldest, largest, and premier whiskey distillery, the first since prohibition. Founded in 2010, Kings County makes handmade bourbon, rye, and other whiskeys out of the 123-year-old Paymaster Building in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
I happen to know the brand very well already, having explored some of their earliest single barrel offerings. I've also visited them for a barrel pick experience which was an enjoyable day trip. You're here for the 7 year bottled-in-bond release though, so let's dive into that!
Company on Label:Â Kings County Distillery
Whiskey Type:Â Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Mash Bill Percentages:Â 80% NY corn, 20% UK malt
Proof: 100°
Age:Â 7 years
Further identification:Â This is batch 12 of Kings County bottled in bond series which is blended by Ryan Ciuchta; I purchased this from their gift shop while I was there for a single barrel pick
Nose:Â Salted caramel popcorn hits my nose first. Hints of the sea are in the air as I deeply inhale. A quick rotation between browned butter, wooden park benches and green pepper aromas immediately paint a vivid picture of the bustle of New York. Raisin and delicate pear suggest further dried fruits or perhaps their skins are ahead. The smells emanating from the glass slowly become light over time before roaring back with deep barrel funk after a long rest. Overall the nose is delicate and bready like a well made scone sitting in a coffee shop, waiting for a hungry patron.
The lowering liquid level of the glass carries the redolence of milk duds, pie crust and whipped cream. After some time barrel funk comes back in strongly alongside dark cherry skins and raspberry jam. White Wonder bread in a brown bag lunch can be made out on the deepest level of rumination my senses can muster.
Palate:Â My first sip is balanced and cohesive elevating pear, grape soda and peach rings. It comes across almost sugary sweet like a small exploratory nibble of something you've never tried before from the candy shop. Another sip layers in caramel, slightly tart oak and angostura bitters. A longer sip and swish puts sweet warmth into the cheeks as raspberry thumbprint cookies come to mind. Late in the glass things become delicate and soft much like the arc that the nose followed. The sturdy bones that poised the glass before have liquified, leaving a pool of chocolate pudding, sweet cream and sweet tart effervescence. Yum! At last sip, I arrive back at a familar doorstep. Sweet tarts whisper from a distant memory, vanilla ice cream is ahead, and a comfortable languor washes over me. The finish is medium with a cream cheese danish presentation that appears well below proof.
TL;DR: Lovely fruit tones dance on the tongue before a delicate, drinkable bready profile takes over
Rating:Â 4/5
The bottled-in-bond release I have here is just wonderful whiskey that puts blending prowess on full display. This doesn't drink like any of the single barrels that I have tried from their distillery before, of which I've admittedly been a prior critic. While I do believe that some complexity has possibly been blended (and proofed) out, this bottle has managed to sneak into an incredibly comfortable corner of my mind. I have found myself going back to this far more often than anything else that is on the docket for review lately which usually means I'm excited about it. A craft whiskey distillery putting out a 7 year bottled-in-bond product? Yeah, that's a #SmallBusinessSaturday win. I can safely attest that the folks at Kings County know how to make good whiskey. If you know anything about New England culture, you'll know this kind of praise for something out of NYC would never come unfounded from a diehard Masshole.
Speaking of, if you're a Masshole like me - go get yourself the 6 year & 9 month, 53 gallon single barrel pick that we did with Mass Bourbon Alliance & Liquor Junction. You won't be disappointed!
