Bottled in Bond Bourbon

The Basics:

Wiggly Bridge Distillery  

100 proof  

4 year age statement

$70 MSRP

Nose:

Clove, honey, snickerdoodles, oak, brown sugar, and apple pie

Palate:

Rye, cinnamon, cookie dough, grass, cloves, light caramel, nuttiness, peanut brittle

Cinnamon scones

Finish:

Medium finish with notes of dried cherries, medium oak, barrel char, grass, leather, and cinnamon Red Hots 

Small Barrel Bourbon

The Basics:

Wiggly Bridge Distillery  

86 proof  

2 year age statement - matured in 30 gallon barrels

$50 MSRP

Nose:

Freeze dried apples, vanilla extract, green oak, rich honey, potpourri, cardamom, vanilla frosting, and dried rose petals 

Palate:

Apricots, sweet corn pudding, oak, clove, and honey

Grape Dum Dum lollipops 

Finish:

Short finish with notes of cinnamon Big Red bubble gum and dark chocolate walnut brownies

Final Thoughts:

Wiggly Bridge Small Barrel and Bottled in Bond (BiB) were the first bourbons I've tried from Maine. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of notes I was able to pick up from each of these, with the BiB edging out the Small Barrel. The BiB brought more traditional bourbon notes of cinnamon, brown sugar, and charred oak, while the Small Barrel tasted a bit young with floral, sweet corn pudding, and green oak notes. While the BiB was the clear winner for me, the price might deter some people given the competitive nature of the bottled in bond market.