Distillery: Wyoming Whiskey, Kirby, WY
Proof: 96
Age: 5 years
Mashbill: 68% Corn, 20% Wheat, 12% Malted Barley
MSRP: $110
Still: Unknown, but based on annual volume, it is probably Column Still
Company
I do not think of a whiskey-making region when I think of Wyoming. Instead, Wyoming conjures images of grandeur mountains rising out of flatlands and geysers spewing from sulfur-stained grounds.
Bison roaming unfettered and moose traversing across roadways. Cowboys and big blue skies that stretch as far as you can see. I picture incredible sunsets, thousands of stars, campfires, and storytelling.
Could it be that good whiskey comes out of Wyoming?
Wyoming Whiskey, the first legal distillery in Wyoming, sold its first bottle in 2012. They have been going strong ever since. Owners Brad and Kate Mead initially wanted to go into winemaking. But the soil in Kirby, Wyoming, wasn’t suited for wine.
So, they pivoted to making whiskey instead. They were off and running after making some contacts at a Kentucky Bourbon Festival and getting help from Steve Nally (previously with Maker’s Mark).
Production
Grains are sourced less than 100 miles from Kirby. Wyoming Whiskey cooks, ferments, distills, barrels, and ages in Kirby.
Kirby, at an elevation nearing 4300’ and temperature swings from 5°F winter lows to 135°F summer highs, is far different from what we typically consider an ideal bourbon environment.
When they put the distillate into the Rickhouse, they were not going after a single barrel. Instead, the single barrel came to them as Barrel # 6051. But could these intense temperature swings produce good bourbon? Let’s find out…
Wyoming Whiskey Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review – Barrel # 6051: Tasting Notes
Nose 4/5
High corn and wheat, no rye, we’d expect this single barrel to be lovely and pleasant on the nose. It does not disappoint! From the outset, the cherry notes come shining through.
On the second inspection, I got a lot of caramel. I would have expected some of the weird grainy and earthy notes that many high corn and wheat bourbons exhibit. But there’s none of that … thank you, WW, for aging that out!
Palate 4.5/5
The intense temperature swing did not disappoint. From the first taste, there is no heat, only a smooth, sweet burst of complexity in flavors.
There’s the traditional cherry and vanilla, but shining through is the delicacy of honey and a sweetness that makes me think of warm sourdough bread with a smattering of butter.
Finish 4.5/5
The long, slow finish delights the tongue with the pleasantness of vanilla and citrus delight, with a bit of cinnamon at the very end that lingers warmly.
Value 5/5
Wyoming Whiskey Single Barrel can hold its own against any more expensive rivals. With its light copper color, big beefy bottle, sweet warmth on the nose, incredibly delightful mouthfeel, and the $63 MSRP, it’s a definite buy and share with your friends.
Wyoming Whiskey Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review: The Verdict
4.75/5
We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.
Scoring System:
- Platinum – 4.25 – 5
- Gold – 3.25 – 4.24
- Silver – 2.75 – 3.24
- Bronze – <2.75
Mike Long is a staff writer at Bourbon Inspector and has an Executive Bourbon Steward designation from the Stave and Thief Society. He’s a former “wine guy” who discovered his love for bourbon years back at a spur-of-the-moment bourbon tasting he attended. He also loves traveling throughout America with his wife of over 37 years, Debby.