Driftless Glen Apricot Brandy-Finished Bourbon
I’m going to break one of my rules here. Normally I don’t post about one-off distillery-only releases or super-limited-release single barrels, but this one has a purpose.
Driftless Glen is already a favorite of mine from the Midwest, and founder Renee Bemis is my guest on Whiskey Ring Podcast Ep. 68 (live Nov. 30). This barrel came up only briefly, but it bears talking about for its implications.
The bottle itself is Driftless Glen’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey, finished for six months in a 59-gallon French oak barrel that had matured Turkish Apricot Brandy for six years. Turkey is famous for that beautiful summery stonefruit, and while apricot brandy might not be the go-to pour it was decades ago, it’s still damn tasty.
On the podcast, Renee spoke about Driftless Glen’s openness to trying new things: basically, if you want to try finishing or full maturation in a specific barrel, give them a call and see what happens. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t, but they’ll try it, and to me that’s exciting.
Then, take it to the next step: what if it works? What if the pairing - in this case, Driftless Glen’s own bourbon and the Turkish Apricot Brandy - brings out the best in each other, like coffee and chocolate?
Yes, it’s a distillery-only bottling that’s long gone, but it’s such an incredible example of finishing skill that it meant more to me than the pairing. Brandy finishes are fickle. People largely think that because it’s fruit and/or wine that it’ll be sweet and syrupy when it’s really more likely to be somewhat dry and fruity like an oaky white wine. If you do like brandy finishes, you know they can be overpowering if left in too long (and conversely too light if the finishing is too short).
With this barrel, Driftless Glen picked the exact right time to pull the liquid. The French oak has a mild, background role, providing some peppery and perfumy oak on the backbone. The apricot brandy was indeed on the sweeter side but was tempered by the oak, highlighting the inherent fruit-and-nut mix of Driftless Glen’s bourbon. I don’t know why I feel this is important, too, but the whiskey lost proof during the finishing (the base bourbon is 96º whereas this is 92º).
I’m fully behind my recent statement that three trends will define American whiskey in 2023:
single malt,
increased transparency from larger, heritage brands, and
the evolution of finishing from a fad to a respected technique.
This falls squarely into the third bullet point. Finishing is a technique and a skill. Anyone can throw a barrel of bourbon into a raspberry marshmallow s’mores cask (you know which brand I’m talking about) and call it “finishing,” but few can truly finish a whiskey with intentional and careful balance between that whiskey and the finish. There are some who are trying it and getting better, and even if they’re not there yet, the trend is positive for me.
Bourbon in particular is of interest, as I think the most work and care needs to be taken when finishing corn distillates (in comparison to rye and American single malt, for example). This never loses the bourbon character underneath, a promising sign.
I hope you can find a pour of this, but if not, don’t worry - keep an eye out for the next (finished) release from Driftless Glen. I can promise you this, whether you like it or not: the finishing will be done well.
Driftless Glen Apricot Brandy-Finished Bourbon Whiskey: Specs
Classification: Bourbon Whiskey
Origin: Driftless Glen Distillery
Mashbill: 60% Corn, 20% Rye, 20% Malted Barley
Proof: 92 (46% ABV)
Age: 4+ Years Old, Plus 6 Months Finishing Time
Location: Baraboo, Wisconsin
Driftless Glen Apricot Brandy-Finished Bourbon Whiskey Price: N/A (was $79.95)
Driftless Glen Apricot Brandy-Finished Bourbon Whiskey Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Orange blossom honey. Thin rims, quick legs and small droplets.
Nose: The apricot brandy is immediately front and center, but the bourbon is far from hidden. Dry Werther’s candies, pink grapefruit, dried apricots. No proof or astringency on the nose. The Driftless Glen character emerges more clearly after the initial burst of apricot fades, settling to a pleasant balance.
Palate: Comes out more balanced up front than the nose did. Solid brandy burn on the whole tongue, peppery and mildly astringent from the French oak. Grapefruit and apricot fruitiness continues. Corn as it’s shucked, Meyer lemons and stone fruits being squeezed. Mouthfeel is thin-to-medium, building on the chew with a bit more oaky astringency. The barely-there proof stays insistently on the front tongue, not coating but also not leaving anytime soon. The palate is largely apricot brandy while the bourbon is around the corners of my mouth and under the tongue.
Finish: The astringency builds for a second before drying and dying off. The grapefruit and apricot notes reassert, laying lightly on the palate and settling into my full mouth for several minutes.
Overall: Just like Driftless Glen’s core bourbon, this also accomplishes its purpose. The bourbon base is well-represented behind and under the apricot brandy, which is never too sweet or too drying. Remains the apricot and pink grapefruit party in a delicious way. A great example of how to finish bourbons.
Final Rating: 7.4
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary
8 | Excellent | Exceptional
7 | Great | Well above average
6 | Very Good | Better than average
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary
4 | Has promise but needs work
1-3 | Let’s have a conversation
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