Editor’s Note: This whiskey was provided to us as a free sample to review by the party behind it. The Whiskey Wash, while appreciative of this, did keep full independent editorial control over this article.
Let’s think about the bull for a moment. It is…associated with so much. A fruitful financial market. Strong as a bull. A bull in a china shop. Raging bull. And then there’s the bull that’s a prefix to something else. Let’s put that aside for a moment.
Gaur Spice Whiskey is named for the Gaur bull. Native to South and Southeast Asia, the Gaur is a formidable animal—the largest surviving bovine on the planet. Also called the Indian Bison, the Gaur represents bold robust strength and is respected among many animals of equal or greater size. According to Gaur Spice Whiskey’s brand information, this whiskey is “small batch American Whiskey that fuse[s] East and West Cultural traditions.”
Another offering from Spectrum Spirits, this whiskey provides even less information than its sister brand, Cavalry. I know nothing about how long it’s been aged, or in what. All we know is that “Spice Whiskey draws from the ancient Indian practices of spice-mixing. We have blended cinnamon, ginger, clove and nutmeg with complex rye mash to bring together these two worlds in a perfect union…[delivering] complex flavors and a silken texture.”
Is that bull…honkey?
Let’s find out.
Tasting Notes: Gaur Spice Whiskey
Vital stats: Gaur Spice Whiskey will run you about $25 and is 86 proof.
Color: Slight orange tint, the polished wood of a ski cabin staircase.
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Nose: Sweet! Very sweet. Vanilla, clove, garam masala.
Palate: Holy moses, is this cloying! It’s like olive oil, rolling around my tongue. And I’m not one of those people who can taste all the nuances of olive oils. I would rather glug vinegar, thanks.
Finish: Sweet! So sweet. Death by…sweet. This is like whiskey eggnog. It might—and I mean might—go okay in something like a holiday milk punch, but used as an accent, not as the main flavor.
Final Thoughts:
I want to support small business and craft whiskey. I do, truly. But it’s a flavored whiskey, you guys. Whiskey doesn’t need flavorings. It is a flavor on its own.
I could be charitable and say I’d add it to eggnog. But it tastes like eggnog already—that heavy mouthfeel of someone’s homemade eggnog–that’s gone a little off. Like when they’re really proud of it so you have to keep it in your hand to be pleasant but still keep getting that awful sweet eggy scent wafting up toward you. That’s what this is like. An awkward, awkward beverage.
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