Smoky Quartz V5 Bourbon

I love exploring craft distillery offerings - so many unique and exciting whiskeys waiting to be discovered.   I particularly enjoy finding local or regional gems, and I have multiple bottles from most of the New England states, with the exception of Vermont and my home state of New Hampshire.   Smoky Quartz had been on the shelves of the New Hampshire state liquor store for some time, but my curiosity has been tempered with caution.  With a mashbill of 100% corn, aged just a bit over a year (in New Hampshire nonetheless, which is not exactly on the Texas high-speed aging curve), this whiskey seemed to have the makings of a harsh and unruly youngster.  Plus, Smoky Quartz is currently making four products - vodka, moonshine, gin, and bourbon, but the bourbon appears last on their web page.  Perhaps not their crown jewel... On Sunday, I went to my sister's house for dinner and she announced she had a local bourbon for me to try - Smoky Quartz, which she had received from a friend as a gift.   Smoky Quartz is based in Seabrook, NH and sources all grains locally.  The V5 is 100% corn, aged approximately 15 months in small (15-gallon) barrels, and bottled at 45% ABV.   The nose is full of corn and vanilla.  The palate starts with a strong hit of vanilla and caramel, followed by a moderate rush of alcohol that is not overly heavy and is tempered by a note of grassiness.  The heat and grassiness slowly fades and is replaced by a strong burst of fruit and caramel sweetness at the end of a long finish. There's no mistaking the fact that this is a young whiskey - the spice and nuttiness found in more mature bourbons are nowhere to be found, nor is there a fully rounded profile.   On the other hand, the harshness is well in check, there's an interesting progressing from the palate to the finish, and there's none of the harsh oakiness that can occur with small barrel aging.   While it's nothing groundbreaking, it's a very solid effort, and I plan to visit the distillery soon.  

Nose: Vanilla (almost cloying), corn, but an odd chemical note (is it rubber? varnish?) Palate: Oak, char, a little bit of vanilla towards the end of the palate Finish: A sweet but somewhat bitter finish, short to medium length As a New England native, I was excited to try something from Seabrook, NH. The Veteran owned distillery used a 100% corn mash and aged it for 16 months in 15-gallon white oak barrels- much smaller than the more commonly used 53-gallon. The smaller size allows for more contact with the wood and quicker aging. The process explains the end product: there's a lot of potential with its sweet profile but in it still shows a lot of youth and is rather unbalanced. I would like to see what a more mature version of this would yield.

Veteran owned American distillery making it’s way through the New England craft distillery world. Purchased directly at the Distillery in Seabrook while the Owner was bottling so he gave me a personal tour and answered every question I had. Interestingly, he is findi ng that vodka and gin are the big sellers, but bourbon is his passion. Very very drinkable and tasty - smoother than I expected. Not complex but sweet and not boozy. I will be back for more!

Very good! Definitely a bit of the ‘new craft distillery and thus not aged very long’ vibe, but it’s nice and very drinkable. Will definitely check them out in the future, hopefully a 4 year bourbon.

Sweet front of vanilla and molasses, followed by a spicy and floral finish of clove, anise, and maybe a touch of cardamom. Overall very rich and complex flavor while balanced, and enjoyable.

Burnt caramel, hickory smoke, and roasted coffee on the nose. The palate is very sweet with some chocolate and mint notes that go well with each other.