Two James Spirits Enters Smoky Territory With J. Riddle Peated Bourbon

Two James Spirits out of Detroit, Michigan, is known for putting out some rather unique craft whiskies. One of the more recent ones, Catcher’s Rye, we reviewed to rather mixed results earlier this year. Innovation is again striking this distillery, as they’ve just unveiled a new peated bourbon known as J. Riddle Peated Bourbon.

Peated bourbons are a pretty rare animal at the moment, even in this super experimental craft whiskey world we’re seeing unfold. To date, the only other expression of note has been the Kings County Peated Bourbon out of New York. The formulas for each seem a little similar in terms of mash bill, athough in the case of the Two James expression we are looking specifically at a mix of 79% Michigan corn and 21% Scottish barley, which I assume was already exposed to peat smoke before the distillery got their hands on it.

J. Riddle Peated Bourbon is said to have been aged in full-sized, 53-gallon new American oak barrels. There is no specific mention of age with this release, and what few tasting notes are available I’ve put below for your consideration. This whiskey, which has already been released in Michigan, is bottled at 91 proof and prices around $54 a bottle.

The mash bill possesses subtle notes of vanilla, buttered popcorn, sea salt, fresh cut grass and light smoke.