Editor’s Note: We received a review sample of this whiskey from the brand. However, in accordance with our editorial policies, this has not influenced the outcome of our review in any way.
Savage & Cooke has emerged in recent years as one of the more interesting craft whiskey outlets in California. Its current iteration, which opened on historic Mare Island in 2018 under the ownership of Napa Valley winemaker Dave Phinney, distills, ages, finishes, and bottles a range of brown spirits, including bourbon, whiskey, and rye. Often, these have a wine cask influence, owing to Phinney’s wine industry experience.
One particular interest Savage & Cooke seems to have for at least some of their whiskeys is local grain sourcing. All grain is grown within 50 miles of the distillery via direct relationships forged with local farmers, and it is grown to precise specifications.
What’s in the bottle
A more recent subset of releases from Savage & Cooke takes the local grain model even one step further, working with more ancient heirloom varieties and meeting the bottled-in-bond criteria. The whiskey being reviewed here, Savage & Cooke Bloody Bourbon, comes from 44 barrels and will be released annually each spring.
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The Bloody Butcher heirloom corn from which this bourbon was distilled hails from a particular plot of land in Winters, California. It’s just 35 miles from the distillery and was chosen “for its nutrient-rich soil, maximum sun exposure, and access to water.”
“When we began distilling in 2018, we knew we only wanted to use the best ingredients in our whiskey. Now that we are at a place where they are ready for release, we can really see the value in this attention to detail,” said Phinney at the time this bourbon was released. “The heirloom corn we get from nearby Winters, California is the perfect example. It makes these bottled in bond whiskeys so special. It was a long wait, but with each new release, we see how our patience paid off. We can’t wait to get them into the hands of our fans.”
Bloody Butcher makes up 70% of the mash bill for this offering, with the remaining balance being 16% Red Winter wheat and 14% malted barley. It was aged four years in Seguin Moreau char #3 barrels before being bottled at 100 proof. It is priced at $99.
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