Founded in 2009, Oregon’s Immortal Spirits is the kind of distillery that, when confronted with a choice between doing something in-house or letting somebody else do it, always chooses the former.
That’s not a huge surprise. Immortal Spirit’s location in Medford, Oregon, places it squarely in the Republic of Jefferson, a West Coast state of mind, if not an actual state, that encompasses the gorgeously rugged terrain and pioneering inhabitants of southern Oregon and northern California. It’s the kind of place where self-reliance of all kinds is valued—an ethos that extends, judging by Immortal Spirits’ offerings, to distilling.
Immortal Spirits produces a wide range of spirits, including several whiskeys, fruit brandies, liqueurs, a gin, a vodka, absinthe, and a rum. They do an admirable job of sourcing locally grown ingredients, from buying southern Oregon fruit to growing their own absinthe herbs. Everything but their vodka is mashed and distilled in-house on a direct fire pot still, making Immortal Spirits one of the few distilleries in the nation to eschew steam- or electric-fired stills. Direct fire stills tend to pump out more BTUs and initiate more Maillard-type reactions than steam- or electric-powered stills, which some say produces a richer and more flavorful spirit.
Another unique thing about Immortal Spirits is its enthusiastic use of Oregon Oak casks. Oregon Oak is an oak species native to the West Coast that imparts a particularly spicy and nutty flavor profile (other distilleries using Oregon Oak include Westland, Rogue, Clear Creek, and Hood River Distillers).
This particular release, Immortal Spirits Early Whiskey, is a lightly aged whiskey made from locally grown two-row barley. Early Whiskey spends two months in Oregon Oak casks, while Immortal Spirits’ flagship product, a single barrel whiskey also made with locally grown grains, spends a year in Oregon Oak after its primary three-year maturation in new charred American oak.
Tasting Notes: Immortal Spirits Early Whiskey
Vital Stats: 100% barley, two months old, retails for around $40 for a 750ml bottle.
Appearance: Pinot gris
Nose: A rough-and-tumble combination of wet cardboard, lemon zest, peanut butter, and darkly toasted grain. There’s definitely a caramelized thing here, although it’s not really a confectionery kind of caramel—it’s more like the fond on the bottom of a pan, savory and dark.
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Palate: The palate is quite briny and grain-forward, with notes of green herbs like lemon balm, mint, and fresh-cut grass. There’s less heat than expected from a whiskey so young, and while it hasn’t had time to develop a lot of oak sweetness, there’s an underlying note of grain sugar that’s rather pleasant. The finish is short and warming, with a nutty quality and a distinct note of char.
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