Rush Creek is a distillery that was founded in 2017 in Harvard, Illinois as a partnership between four friends who enjoy the craft of distilling. One of the owners is the former Mayor of Harvard, which is of note because they are the first distillery in the local county there and seem to have quickly become a staple within the community. Named for the Rush Creek aquifer from which they draw their water, the emphasis is placed heavily on local sourcing and the quality of the natural resources available to them.
Rush Creek is currently selling a fairly standard opening line up of vodka, gin and two whiskeys. The local market seems to have been receptive, as Rush Creek has produced over 15,000 bottles of their core lineup in the last two years. As of now, both whiskeys are sourced, though they are moving to an in house distilling and aging program, as well as developing rums and other more diverse spirits. Their Trophy Whiskey, which will be reviewed today, is the older of the two, at nine years of age.
Tasting Notes: Rush Creek Trophy Whiskey
Vital Stats: Aged 9 years; bottled at 80 proof; distilled from grain in Kentucky, finished and bottled in Illinois,
Appearance: Thin, golden hay
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Nose: Ethanol heat, raw neutral grain spirit, paint thinner, some grassy sweetness akin to stevia or licorice root, vanilla extract as it opens up
Palate: Corn Nuts, movie theater popcorn butter, sweet caramel, light cinnamon spicing towards the mid-palate. There is a tingling (though not altogether unpleasant) ethanol burn on the swallow, with medium length finish emphasizing candy caramel.
