Editor’s Note: This whiskey was provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review. It should also be noted that by clicking the buy link in this review our site receives a small referral payment which helps to support, but not influence, our editorial and other costs.
Dave Schmier has been in the whiskey-sourcing business for some time. He was one of the founders of Bardstown Barrel Selections and worked in creating brands like Redemption Whiskey and Riverboat Rye. In 2015 he and his business partner sold the Redemption family of whiskeys to Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits. Soon after that, Schmier started a new project – Proof and Wood Ventures.
Proof and Wood Ventures is a company that sources its spirits, a style of business that it shares with Schmier’s previous company. All the whiskeys that were bottled under the Bardstown Barrel Selections umbrella were produced by other companies – this is not to say that sourcing is bad, and in fact, many of the folks who like Redemption Whiskey appreciated the candidness that Schmier exhibited when he revealed the source of his whiskeys.
Where Proof and Wood differs from the previous venture is the breadth of style in the spirits that it sources. Many companies that have sourced spirits in the past have chosen to stick to one house style and remain with that. Proof and Wood embarked on a more exciting journey. The company sources multiple styles of whiskey, along with rum, and even Genever. Many of these are from what Proof and Wood call The Curated Selection.
The Curated Collection is a series of rare one-off bottlings that often feature styles that are not frequently seen in the U.S. market. They have released many interesting bottlings (including a 25-year-old Light Whiskey), and recently this year, Proof and Wood released The Globe, an eight-year-old rye whiskey distilled in Poland in 2013. After the distillation, it was aged in French Oak and in used bourbon barrels. When the first maturation was completed, the whiskey was transferred to Jamaican rum casks for a months-long finish.
The Globe is 100% rye in the mash and is bottled at 99-proof.
According to Schmier, the distillery that originally produced the rye in Poland has since shuttered so this will be the last time that he can produce this style. This may be a sad reality of the distilling business, but it fits the model for Proof and Wood’s Curated Collection perfectly. If you want to try this whiskey, you’d better find a bottle fast before it is gone completely.
Tasting Notes: Proof and Wood: The Globe
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VItal Stats: Rye distilled in Poland, aged in French oak and Ex-bourbon barrels, finished in rum casks, 9 years old, 99 proof (49.5% abv), 750ml, MSRP $79.99
Appearance: Pale orange hues and rich amber tones
Nose: Aromas of cooked pastries, orange peel and honey
Palate: Sweet vanilla and cooking spices warm the palate. Lingers with notes of bread and salt water taffy. Cinnamon spices and barrel notes linger nicely on the palate, even for the higher proof.
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