Ultra Rare Light Whiskey

The Basics: 

Bottled by Clear Water Distilling Company

90 Proof

14 Year Age Statement

$135 MSRP

Nose:

Coconut Macaroon, Almond Joy, vanilla custard, and caramel. 

Palate: 

Toasted almonds, butter, caramel, gingersnap cookies, and vanilla pudding. 

Finish:

Medium - short finish with notes of coconut chips, vanilla, milk chocolate, and nutmeg. 

René Rye-Magnac

The Basics: 

Blended and Bottled by Clear Water Distilling Company

84 Proof

Rye Whiskey and XO French Armagnac Blend

NAS

$90 MSRP

Nose:

Peaches in syrup, black licorice, maraschino cherries, and grape concentrate. 

Palate: 

Allspice, vanilla, cloves, and viscous brandy.  

Finish:

Short finish with notes of grilled peaches and pineapple, cantaloupe, and cinnamon. 

Final Thoughts:

Clear Water Distillery, located in Utah, has crafted two different whiskies unlike other expressions you would generally find at your local liquor store. The first is their Light Whiskey, a 14 year-old whiskey at 90 proof which can be summed up simply as a coconut macaroon in a glass. The coconut aroma and flavor permeates the whiskey from start to finish in a very pleasant way. The second is Rye-Magnac, which as the name implies, is a blend of American rye whiskey and French XO armagnac. The resulting product is very fruit forward with a viscous mouth-feel (think fruit cocktail in syrup), and a slight spice kick on the finish. Overall, both whiskies were enjoyable for their own reasons. The light whiskey was the favorite bringing a nice coconut flavor, however, you could taste that this was a light whiskey as opposed to a bourbon. The higher proof distillation process used to make light whiskey leaves the palate a bit thinner than what you would find in a traditional bourbon. The Rye-Magnac had great viscosity and fruit flavors, but the proof could have been a bit higher to really deliver that spice on the back-end. Check out Clear Water Distillery to see what other interesting whiskies they have in their portfolio.