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.
So we all know about Koval in Chicago. Wait, what? You don’t know? Well please read about the well regarded Chicago distillery which we wrote about recently while I wait.
Well, are you done yet? Great!
So what is millet? It is an ancient grain that is naturally gluten free that isn’t a single plant species but rather about 500 different species of grass seed worldwide. It is a drought resistant grain popular in Uganda and Ethiopia as well as in Tibet and across Asia.
As stated in the above article a common use of it is bird feed, but it has also been used in beer and whiskey making for centuries, being known as the fourth grain in some circles of whiskey manufacturing.
Koval uses the “heart cut” of the grain for distillation from local framers who grow it organically. Then they age it in new American oak from Minnesota. While Koval doesn’t come out to say it, I am 90% sure that they are using pearl millet in the making of their whiskey. The interesting thing is, that while the whiskey does have a unique profile, it is also all organic, kosher and naturally gluten free.
While most won’t care about those items, it is nice to know that I could share this with my kosher conscious friends and we can enjoy a dram together. Shalom!
As for my tasting notes for Koval Single Barrel Whiskey:
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Color- medium amber colored
Nose- vanilla, smoke and star anise to a licorice
Taste- caramel, all spice, millet grain (not the same as rye or corn) and slightly sweet
Finish- slight burn/heat, short to medium and smoky dryness to it
I give the Koval Single Barrel Millet Whiskey an overall score of 78.
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