American

Whiskey Review: Finger Lakes McKenzie Pure Pot Still

With McKenzie Pure Pot Still Whiskey, Finger Lakes Distilling resurrects a traditional Irish style featuring unmalted barley and batch distillation.

OVERALL RATING

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Tasting Notes

About:

Appearance:
Clear, pale yellow with widely spaced, feathered legs.
Nose:
McKenzie smells just like that clapboard workshop where your dad keeps his table saw: a comforting masculine potpourri of linseed oil, wet paint, and woody spice.
Palate:
Rich without being weighty. A very pleasant combination of honey, citrus, chamomile, and nutmeg sits lightly on the palate before transitioning to a surprisingly long and very grainy finish reminiscent of lemon marmalade on buttered toast. Conclusion/Final Score: This is a bold-strokes whiskey. It’s neither refined nor complicated, but its flavors are clear and strong and it’s fun to drink. Unpretentious and accessible, McKenzie has that something that keeps you pouring. Score: 82/100
Finish:
Comments:

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Margarett Waterbury

Margarett Waterbury is the author of "Scotch: A Complete Introduction to Scotland's Whiskies" and a full-time freelance writer and editor specializing in the beverage industry. Her work has graced the pages of numerous publications, including Whisky Advocate, Food and Wine, Spirited Magazine, Artisan Spirit, Edible Seattle, Sip Northwest, Civil Eats, Travel Oregon, and many others. She also boasts editorial experience as the former managing editor of Edible Portland and as a co-founder and former managing editor of The Whiskey Wash. In recognition of her talent, Margarett received the Alan Lodge Young Drinks Writer of the Year award in 2017 and was awarded fellowships for the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers in 2017 and 2019.

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