Samuel Maverick Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Call me a purist, but I don’t think a Texas distillery can call itself a Texas distillery without a barrel proof whiskey. Doesn’t have to be bourbon - but there should be something that would knock a cowboy back.
Despite Texas’ vastness, I find one or two characteristics in many of their barrel proof whiskies. First, there’s a honeyed-eucalyptus note, like if you took a Ricola honey-herb and took away any hint of medicine. The second is a uniquely Texas darkness, a forceful concentration of flavor no doubt driven by the different terroirs present.
For Samuel Maverick’s Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey, I don’t get much of the first note but the second note is plentiful. Barrel char, dark caramel, and toasted honey abound in a whiskey that is just over two years old. How?
San Antonio is a relatively mild climate as far as Texas is concerned. There’s freezing temperatures in the winter, goes up to 100ºF in the summer, moderate humidity throughout, and higher-than-average diurnal shifts, especially as you get farther from the river. Notably, Maverick has multiple maturation areas: in addition to the bank vault mentioned in the previous two reviews, there is also a barrel house farther out of the city surrounded by dirt and cacti. These non-traditional barrel houses experience even greater diurnal shifts while remaining humid, suggesting above-average wood interaction with below-average evaporation (perhaps this is why the barrel proof is 114 rather than the 130º+ that others like Garrison Bros. are putting out).
This bottle is, in a word, outstanding. I know Maverick would prefer to be a distillery that happens to be from Texas rather than a Texas distillery, but I believe this is the highest score I’ve yet given for any whiskey of any type from Texas, an 8.4. The flavor profile is redolent with brown sugar and French oak spices, a filling mouthfeel, smoky barrel char, and a sweet-savory flavor that reminds me of sweet soy sauce and grilled, honeyed pork. On that note, I should amend what I said earlier - there’s plenty of honey in this dram in multiple forms, bringing forth a sweet note when the spice or savory facets get too strong. At 114º, this drinks closer to a dangerously sippable 105-110º.
I would gladly buy a full bottle of this. Well done.
Thank you to Maverick Distilling for providing this sample free of editorial constraint.
Samuel Maverick Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey: Specs
Classification: Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Origin: Samuel Maverick Distillery
Mashbill: 72% Texas-Grown Corn, 18% Rye, and 10% Malted Barley
Proof: 114 (57% ABV)
Age: 2+ Years Old
Location: Texas, United States
Samuel Maverick Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey Price: $65
Samuel Maverick Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey: Tasting Notes
Eye: Bright fossilized amber. No rims, sagging teardrops all over.
Nose: Intense smoke and meatiness, sweet soy sauce caramelizing on grilled meats. Smoked honey, pleasant rye spice keeping the sweet brown sugar at bay. More porky than beefy if we’re being specific, but the meatiness is undeniable in the best way.
Palate: Warm honey in oversteeped and slightly astringent Earl Grey tea. So much honey. Honey clusters and oats, a solid proof burn that hits only once then fades behind the spice. Mouthfeel is filling, but not coating - maybe a thin layer at most. The meatiness is here, but not as overly as on the nose. Dark brown sugar with clove and cinnamon spices.
Finish: So much brown sugar and coffee cake crumble. Baking spices and dark, maybe buckwheat honey. Medium length with cinnamon building throughout.
Overall: This is flat-out delicious. Tastes like it’s finished in French oak or a honey cask, but to my knowledge it hasn’t been near either. Rich and sweet bordering on decadent, kept in check by spice and depth. Would gladly have a bottle.
Final Rating: 8.4
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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