Fugitives Grandgousier Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey

My Price: $39.99

Country/Area: Tennessee, USA

Distillery: Tennessee Artisan Spirits

Proof/ABV:94 Proof/ 47% ABV

Mash Bill: Undisclosed percentages of Heirloom Hickory Cane Corn and Irish Malted Barley

Barrel: New American Oak

Age: 4 Years

Nose: Wet Hay, Apricot, Oak

Taste: Ethanol, Corn Dust, Metallic Vanilla

Review: A friend of mine picked up a little bottle of Grangousier from Fugitives while visiting Nashville. I was excited when I learned that they were using Tennessee Heirloom corn and double distilling in a pot still. I was a little bit confused however when I learned they were using Irish Malted Barely. I was unable to find the exact quantities of each ingredient that went into this Single Barrel bottle of Tennessee Whiskey which goes through sugar maple charcoal filtering per the Lincoln County Process. The nose hits strongly of alcohol despite being at a decent but still low(ish) proof of 94. Although the nose was strong it was tough to pull out individual notes and the taste gave me overpowering ethanol before showing off some of its corn dust and metallic vanilla notes (perhaps from the Irish Malt?) I am glad my friend got a small 375ml bottle for me as it is not a bottle I often come back to. It is unique with it 2 ingredient mash bill but it seems like it is having an identity crisis with touting “local ingredients” and utilizing barley from Ireland. Overall, I recommend passing this bottle up. Cheers!

My Rating: Shoot it. I wouldn’t turn it down if offered a drink for free but I would not be willing to spend my own money on it.

May the miles you hike be filled with wonder and the glasses you raise be filled with whiskey.

Cheers!

Rating scale:

-Spit: Don’t bother with this one. If a friend gives you a dram of it, are they even your friend?

-Shoot: Good enough to get you drunk.

-Sip: Tasty enough to enjoy neat or on the rocks.

-Stock: I’d recommend keeping a bottle on hand.