Journeyman Distillery Corsets, Whips & Whiskey

119.6 proof. The first pour I had after yesterday’s purchase reminded me of Stagg Junior batch 10 (127 proof), especially the cherry note, so tonight I decided to do a taste of each side-by-side. The Journeyman is noticeably darker in the glass despite being about 8 proof points less than the Stagg jr., and likely a few years younger. Both exhibit a pronounced cherry note, but the Stagg cherry note is a bit brighter, while the Journeyman is more on the dark or rustic side. The Stagg shows a greater level of refinement as one might expect from this highly sought after Bourbon from the country’s premier distillery, and the oak and heat are very nicely integrated. The Journeyman is generally a bit more brash and youthful, but damn if it isn’t amazingly similar across the palate, and so tasty for a 100% Michigan wheat whiskey. Overall, I have to say that I’m very impressed with this whiskey, not to mention that it is easily found in liquor stores here in southwest Michigan, whereas Stagg jr. is a dreamy unicorn in these parts (got mine in a trade). I look forward to visiting the distillery being that it’s only about an hour and a half away. Most definitely the best non-Kentucky whiskey I’ve had, and will most likely make this part of my regular rotation.

So this one will be interesting. There are some rough reviews on Distiller, but some "experts" have called this out as one of the best wheaters available. If nothing else it has a kickass name on the bottle. Let's see how she sips.... Nose is a classic wheat profile. Some caramel on the edges maybe, but overall a bit malty. First sip drops that toasted wheat. The overall palate is almost malted caramel as that wheat just floats above the juice. I definitely see where some people get chewy on this one. It does have some strong cereal notes. Despite the solid proof here it never seems to overpower. The finish is quite nice as the soft burn lingers on the edges of your tongue. So what to make of this. First, it's no Pappy (but who really expected it to). It is however a farily nice pour if you can handle the malty profile. I can definitely see why the reviews are all over the place as it has very distinct notes. The interesting thing is that the longer I take with this glass the more I am enjoying it, especially the backend. I'm not going to gush on this one, but it is better than the reviews and is definitely worth a try.

Nice dark brown color. Almost looks like a Woodford Double Oaked in the glass. The nose has me baffled. I know wheaters are soft and subtle, but I get something kinda like caramel corn on the nose and wheat bread dough before its baked. So maybe a bit yeasty? It's got a quick bite on the palate but it quickly smooths out and makes me think of cinnamon on buttered wheat toast. It even has a bit of herbal, earthy spice on the finish that I'd normally associate with rye... but with this being 100% wheat, clearly that's not it. I wonder if they use malted wheat... Maybe that's where some of those earthy notes are coming from. Either way... It's interesting enough and not offensive at all, so I consider it a good purchase, but I probably won't be eager to replace it once the bottle is drained. Honestly, I expected a much heavier wheat flavor.

Hmmm. Mixed feelings. Flavour? Big love. Big success. Caramel. Toffee. Vanilla. Spice. Bread. Pepper. Wood. A gorgeous ensemble of distinct yet integrated tastes. Powerful. Intense. The bad. That alcohol. Wow. On the nose, the first reaction was of cleared sinuses. Then in the mouth, the burn numbed my taste buds and left a raw, stripped feeling at the back of my throat. Yet the flavours still rolled around my mouth. And this was with water. I'm afraid 58.5 is beyond my tolerance. I would love to retain what I enjoyed at a lower abv but as it is, I won't be buying a full bottle however I am glad to have sampled this. Approach with caution!

Nice, boozy wheater here...so let's break it down. Nose is a bit heavy on the ethanol, but otherwise generally sweet with loads of caramel that isn't opened much with water, but a bit of simple glass time seemed to make it sing a bit more. Not particularly complex, but pleasant. Flavor is what one would expect from a wheated whiskey...hints of toffee, caramel, some vanilla...slight note of butterscotch, and with the ABV, there's definitely some burn here, but nothing over the top. A bit of earthiness which feels a bit odd, but I think adds to the complexity/enjoyment of this pour. Price and availability make this a solid dram!

Single grain 100% wheat whiskey. so damn soft and smooth. Its 117 proof should not be feared by anyone afraid of higher proofs. This is a VERY smooth drinking whiskey which is a term i typically despise. There is brown sugar to start, caramel and toffee following with some mild oak, hay and cereal notes. The finish is short but nice with a prominent brown sugar and mild spice. Im so impressed with this whiskey. It’s absolutely incredible and i must find a bottle after this tasting. While its not a bruiser which im normally used to, its a fantastic change up especially with the mash bill.