Illinois-Based Blaum Brothers Releases Four-Year-Old Bourbon

The new Blaum Bros. Straight Bourbon is said to be the oldest craft-distilled Illinois bourbon whiskey readily available in decades, having been aged at least four years in full sized barrels.
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Galena, Illinois-based Blaum Bros. Distilling has announced their first bourbon release, Blaum Bros. Straight Bourbon Whiskey. According to a prepared statement, at four years old, this expression is “the oldest craft-distilled Illinois bourbon whiskey readily available in decades.”

It seems this craft distiller is eager to defy the reputation many craft whiskeys have earned for being either too young or over-oaked after accelerated aging in small barrels, with co-founder and chief distiller Mike Blaum explaining, “We could’ve taken shortcuts to bring a product to market sooner, but we’re in this for the long haul. A four-year-old bourbon is pretty old for a craft distillery, but it’s the youngest whiskey you’ll ever see from us moving forward.” Blaum Bros. has been selling a sourced and house-finished bourbon to fill in the gaps while this release matured, allowing them to hold off until this expression was ready.

Blaum Bros. Straight Bourbon
Blaum Bros. Straight Bourbon (image via Blaum Bros.)
The result is a four-year-old straight bourbon made with a mash bill of 72% corn, 23% rye, and 5% malt, and bottled at 100 proof. It appears the grain comes from various sources, but the distillery does call out the fact that the rye was sourced from a single Illinois farm and also that the grains include non-GMO corn and rye.

“We’re so excited to release this Illinois Bourbon Whiskey, using Illinois grains and using traditional production techniques. Far from a distillery trying to quickly crank out a product with small barrels, we’re trying to pay homage to the rich distilling history of our great state,” added co-founder, CEO and distiller, Matt Blaum.

The distillery’s tasting notes are below:

Quick whisky question

Single malt is everywhere, but what does it mean? We want to know what the word “single” means to you. Three quick questions, under a minute.

Which stages must take place at the same distillery for a whisky to be called “single malt”?

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Must the barley in a single malt be grown in the same country the whisky is made in?

How would you describe your whisky knowledge?

  • Nose: Honey, apple, and leather — with a hint of wet oak and hay
  • Palate: Rich and complex, with caramel, roasted peanut, cinnamon, and dried orange.
  • Finish:  Wood spice, with a kiss of nutmeg and rye bread.

Blaum Bros. whiskeys are currently available at the distillery or at stores in a handful of states.

Katelyn Best

Katelyn Best, a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, is a regular contributor to The Whiskey Wash. She has a particular passion for exploring the unique and unconventional aspects of the whisky world.

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