Bourbon

Bourbon Review: Laughton Bros. Illinois Straight Bourbon Whiskey

We review Laughton Bros. Illinois Straight Bourbon Whiskey from Quincy Street Distillery in Riverside, Illinois.

OVERALL RATING

7
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Tasting Notes

About:

Quincy Street Distillery’s Laughton Bros. Illinois Straight Bourbon Whiskey is brewed with a mash of 83% corn, with a 17% mix of barley malt and rye malt. Aged for two years in new charred oak, the whiskey comes in at 91 proof. The bottle for this review came from “barrel number 4.” A 750 ml bottle will cost you approximately $55.
Appearance:
In the glass the Laughton Bros. Bourbon is a lovely marigold-amber. It has slow, medium-width legs.
Nose:
A pleasant nose. Slightly floral – magnolia, perhaps – with hints of clover, cinnamon, and cherry. You can smell a little bit of that rye spiciness in the background.
Palate:
The flavor comes in with a bit of heat. Spicy up front, followed by a nice sweetness; jalapeños and honey. That sweetness builds – a bit of a liquorish taste – before slowly and subtly fading away, leaving a mildly sweet finish that falls short of cloying.
Finish:
Comments:
I enjoyed this one. Sweet and spicy, without falling too heavily into either direction. I can’t say for certain whether this is what bourbon tasted like back in the 1800’s, but if those spirits tasted anything like this, then I’m grateful for Quincy Street Distillery’s revival. I’m a big fan of bourbons that start strong and finish smooth, and the Laughton Bros. Illinois Straight Bourbon does that particular transition well. If you’re not a fan of sweet whiskeys, this one’s probably not for you… but I have a feeling I’ll be returning to this bottle when the colder weather comes knocking.

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.

Zack Braunstein

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