Bourbon

Bourbon Review: J.P. Trodden Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey

We review J.P. Trodden Small Batch Bourbon, a wheated bourbon made in Washington State and named after the distillery owner's grandfather.

OVERALL RATING

8
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Tasting Notes

About:

45% abv, 90 proof, aged a minimum of 2 years in new American Oak Barrels. The mash bill is 70% corn and 30% winter wheat.
Appearance:
The bourbon is a really light golden color, with thin, sharp legs to match.
Nose:
On first glance, it smelled astringent and sharp. It opens up into a sweet, grassy notes. Everything about this whiskey seems very light and airy, but it’s not lacking in complexity. After I let it sit for about five minutes, notes of caramel and tarragon showed themselves. Overall, the smell is pretty mellow.
Palate:
This is a spicy bourbon! It looks really light and the liquid is also pretty thin, so I wasn’t expecting such a packed flavor profile. I was very surprised. The smell also doesn’t do it justice. It starts off with a base: a warm, lovely burn lay on my tongue from start to finish. Slightly sweet notes of figs and dark cherry accents show themselves mid-palate, while tannins leave my mouth feeling somewhat dry. On the finish, I notice vanilla sweetness and a slight nuttiness, maybe almond. I definitely liked it; it’s a whiskey I would break out around the holidays to warm me up on a cold day. Because of the complexity and unique ways each layer of flavor work together, I can see how much care they put into crafting this bold flavor profile.
Finish:
Comments:

I was really surprised by the spiciness of this whiskey. It was as intense as a very spicy rye, but didn’t taste like rye at all. J.P. Trodden Small Batch Bourbon was warm and spicy, but still balanced. I favorite part was the whiskey’s long finish that left me with a warm, full feeling.


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.

Shauna McKnight

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