Hudson Whiskey: Four Grain Bourbon

Tuthilltown Spirits is one of the several boutique/micro distilleries popping up around the country. The distillery is in New York, and produces whiskies, rums, and vodkas. Regarding bourbon, Tuthilltown makes their Baby Bourbon in addition to the Four Grain.

As the name explains, Four Grain is distilled with four grains: corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley. The vast majority of bourbon use only three, foregoing the wheat. However, an even smaller sliver of bourbon makers use wheat instead of rye (e.g., Maker's Mark, Old Fitzgerald). Another uniqueness is its bottling, as it is sold in stout 375 ml bottles. The wax seal on the bottle also makes opening either a frustrating challenge or an exercise in calm anticipation, depending on your perspective...

Hudson Four Grain has a deep reddish amber color, like cherry wood. It's bottled at 92 proof. A few sniffs reveals a thick sweetness, candied citrus, with some peppery notes in the periphery. The smell is strong but not harsh, not sharp. Mouthfeel is cool and crisp despite the moderately high proof.

Four Grain tastes, well, grainy. It's hot and spicy, but the wheat smoothes the edges, and a sweetness pulls it all together. There's an earthy richness to it, like a Romeo y Julieta cigar. The drink finishes with an astringency, dry grass, and the candied citrus returns subtlely.

This whiskey is worth trying because it is a quality liquor in its own right, and also provides a unique basis of comparison to to other bourbon taste profiles.