Sweetens Cove 2022 Bourbon Release Gets Scotch Cask Finish

Sweetens Cove recently announced the 2022 release of its flagship bourbon, finished in casks that were imported from Scotland.

The news 2022 expression of Sweetens Cove Bourbon, according to those behind it, “has two specific links that tie Scotland and Tennessee together. One is the golf course in rural Tennessee. It’s a place we describe as ‘Field of Dreams meets Tin Cup’ because it’s located at the end of a gravel driveway, but offers a wildly sophisticated golf experience. The course also has a longstanding tradition of players doing a shot of local or regional whiskey on the first tee. This tradition inspired us to enter the bourbon business.

“The links Scotland and Tennessee have in common with this particular release are the lineage and the linkage back to golf, a sport that came from Scotland and made its way across the pond and into America…and up Sweetens Cove Golf Club’s gravel road in rural Tennessee.

“Secondly, the 2022 release is a blend of four Tennessee bourbons [aged 10, 8, 6 and 5 years], all finished in casks that we imported from Scotland to help us celebrate this connectivity to Scotland and bridge these two liquids together in a single bottle. For quite a while, we were trying to find a way to create this sort of magical lovechild between Scotland and Tennessee in one bottle, and we were finally able to bring these together in this release.”

“The finish is unique because it marries Tennessee and Scotland together by using scotch barrels,” said Marianne Eaves, Master Blender, Sweetens Cove Family of Bourbons, in a prepared statement, “and these barrels didn’t impart a smoky profile. They’re very lightly peated. What we got was a light oak character and a little bit of sweet fruit notes that enhances the robust Tennessee profile that we had already created as the base.”

Just 2,000 cases of Sweetens Cove 22 Tennessee Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskeys Finished In Speyside Scotch Casks are being release. Each whiskey is bottled at 114 proof and priced at $200. Official tasting notes are below.

• Aroma: Warm mature oak, leather, sweet red fruit, raisin, clove, orange peel
• Palate: Autumn spices and toast, baked apple, chewy charred oak
• Finish: Warm oak resin, hints of vanilla bean and ripe fruit