Distillery: Undisclosed (Tennessee)
Proof: 90
Age: No Age Statement
Mashbill: 80% Corn, 10% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
Price: $50
Company
Grain & Barrel Spirits is based in South Carolina and also makes Chicken Cock Whiskey and Dixie Vodka.
In September 2021, they partnered with Elvis Presley Enterprises to create two Elvis-themed whiskeys—Elvis Whiskey (Tennessee Straight Whiskey) and Elvis Rye.
Production
Since this is a Tennessee whiskey, it was made using the Lincoln County Process (which means it was filtered through charcoal before entering the barrel) and was distilled in Tennessee (although we don’t know where).
This is the same process used to create whiskeys like Jack Daniels and George Dickel.
Nose – 90/100
The aroma is sweet with hints of citrus, apple, and toasted oak.
Palate – 90 /100
The palate is thin and filled with sweetness. I tasted hints of caramel, oak, and dark fruit. It’s tasty, pretty basic, and easy to drink.
Finish – 86/100
The finish is pretty short and oak-forward with light pepper. Pretty basic.
Value – 83/100
Everything is solid until you read the price…$50. I’d have a hard time buying a bottle for $50 when it’s in the same price point as really good bourbons like Maker’s 46, Woodford Double Oaked, or even Buffalo Trace (for under $30).
But again, this is a really solid whiskey. There’s nothing wrong with how it tastes or how it was made. The price is the main issue for me. If this was a $30 whiskey, I’d give it a gold.
Verdict – 87.25/100
We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.
Scoring System:
- Platinum – 95+
- Gold – 90 – 94
- Silver – 80 – 89
- Bronze – <80
We received samples in order to do this review. But rest assured, this doesn’t influence our rankings.
Hunter Branch is the Founder and Director of Editorial for Bourbon Inspector. He has been writing about and professionally reviewing bourbon since 2020 (and has been drinking it for much longer). He’s been able to interview big names in the bourbon industry like Trey Zoeller from Jefferson’s Bourbon and his work has been featured in publications like TastingTable, Mashed, and more.