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Splinter Group Spirits Straight Edge Bourbon

Easy Drinking Winey Bourbon

3 389

@VictorReview by @Victor

5th Apr 2019

0

Splinter Group Spirits Straight Edge Bourbon
  • Nose
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  • Taste
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  • Finish
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  • Balance
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  • Overall
    89

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Distribution of ratings for this: user

  • Brand: Splinter Group Spirits
  • ABV: 42%

Splinter Group Spirits is an Independent ager and bottler which sources spirits from various distilleries. Straight Edge Bourbon is a blend of 5, 7, and 8 yo bourbons from unnamed distilleries in both Kentucky and Tennessee, which are then finished by Splinter Group in Napa Valley wine casks.. The mashbill is 70-17-13 Corn-Rye-Barley-malt.

The reviewed bottle is owned by my sister and was opened 6 months ago. The sample was taken when the bottle was first opened, and is now being reviewed after 6 months in the sample vial

Nose: beautiful; lovely, fragrant, a little floral, with wine blending well with rye bourbon, which is something which you cannot assume will occur. Sweet and sour balance each other very well. Easy and attractive. This is one of the best wine-finished bourbon noses I have encountered. Water raises the pitch and brings out additional sweetness. Score: 23.5/25 neat; and with water added

Taste: the translation of flavours from the nose is excellent. Easy and beautiful. You taste mostly wine flavours and wood flavours. Water added bundles the flavours and reduces complexity. 23/25 neat; 21/25 with water added

Finish: medium length of finish; loses the sweet eventually and finishes slightly sour. Water added blurs the flavours on the close. Score: 21.5/25 neat and with water added.

Balance: very good balance in the nose and on the palate; good balance on the finish. Score: 22/25

Total Sequential Score: 90 points neat; 88 points with water added

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Strength: 22/25

Quality: 23/25 very nice wood and wine flavours

Variety: 21.5/25 good variety

Harmony: 22/25 very good harmony in the nose and on the delivery; good harmony on the finish

Total Non-Sequential Score: 88.5 points

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Comment: I was very favourably surprised by this bottle when my sister opened it up. For easy drinking everyday bourbon, which is "more-ish" this will do nicely. This is a well-done wine cask finish bourbon, without a sulphur problem. Wine and rye do not always mix well, but this one succeeds in creating a very pleasant diversion. What larger significance does this particular whiskey have? I think that it shows that some of these many US independent bottlers can 1) do a good job, 2) be more creative than merely to bottle what they have purchased, and 3) show the maturity to be able to supervise a successful wine cask finish. This Straight Edge, which has a picture on the label of a Straight Razor, is pleasant and relatively light, but very worthy for that mellow easy drinking mood. When I see my sister I am going to look forward to drinking a little more of this

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3 comments

@paddockjudge
paddockjudge commented

@Victor, again, another nice review. I expect NDP bourbons to be worthy of the price tag. It's good to see an above average mark for this one. I'm confused about the mashbill. With three separate bonds (assumed) from distilleries in two states, One would be forced to presume that all the mash bills were of the same proportion for the stated mash bill of _ 70% corn, 17% rye, 13% malted barley, from the Straight Edge Bourbon web site. Interesting.

5 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Victor
Victor commented

@paddockjudge yes, I got the mashbill information from their website. No explanation was given as to how it was determined or calculated. My supposition is that Splinter Group did some calculations, using the mashbills of whatever number of individual products went into the blend. There could be different bourbons combined all of which were independently produced at that mashbill, but that seems the less likely possibility to me.

As you know I am very skeptical of "wine-finished" bourbons in general, both because of sulphur-tainted wine casks, and also because of the combining of wine with rye grain. Some work, some do not. This one does.

5 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

@paddockjudge NDP bourbons ought to be inexpensive and accessible to all.

Oh wait, you don't mean Canada's NDP... do you?

5 years ago 1Who liked this?