Midstate Distillery - Pennsyltucky Five Grain Bourbon

Batch: Blend of 36% 7 Year Kentucky Bourbon (70% Corn, 21% Rye, 9% Malted Barley) and 64% 5 Year Pennsylvania Bourbon (53% Corn, 23% Wheat, 12% Malted Barley, 6% Oats, 6% Rye) Nose: Lots of buttery dark brown sugar. Cola, root beer, and milk chocolate follow with hints of cinnamon and sweet chiles underneath. Palate: Sweet, but also roasty, with dark caramel, brown sugar, aged oak, and more of a dark chocolate this time. Good viscosity. The chiles are a little more forward than the nose and offer a nice tingly spice against the sweetness. The cola and root beer notes are still here but have taken a back seat as nice accents. Finish: Starts off sweet and roasty. The sweetness fades fairly quickly and leaves you with the satisfying lingering roastiness along with a touch of spice. Summary: There's a saying about Pennsylvania that it is Pittsburgh and Philadelphia with Kentucky in between. It's fun to see someone taking that and turning it into a great Bourbon. One of my favorite pours so far this year. The blend feels very well balanced while also being efficiently priced. If you find yourself near Harrisburg, stop by and give this one a taste.