Barrel Tasting at Cathedral Ledge Distillery

On my first visit to Cathedral Ledge Distillery, I joined their Bourbon Club for the opportunity to taste several of their whiskey variations at different points in the aging process. The $100 entry price gets you a hat or t-shirt, an invitation to exclusive barrel tasting events about every six months during the aging process, and a $100 gift card in two years for their first straight bourbon release.  Dan and I took the short Drive to North Conway last weekend to attend the second night of the first round of barrel tastings, and the evening did not disappoint!

We arrived early, as the day's regular customers wound down their visits and the staff was gracious enough to provide us with water and let us hang around while they closed  up the building, brought out snacks and set up the room for the event.  We spent the time perusing the shop, looking at cocktail recipe books, and getting to know some of the other guests as they arrived. 

The building is a gorgeous post-and-beam structure with the tasting room in the front, the distillery floor in full view through glass walls, and an open loft with barrels aging on each wall.  While we chatted with other guests, hosts Christopher and Tracy Burk and other staff set out snacks and handed out placemats and note sheets while and Master Distiller James McCoy selected barrels in the loft accompanied by his wife on what, it turns out, was their wedding anniversary.

Three Bourbons, Two Ryes and One White

James McCoy draws aging samples in the loft.

For the actual tasting, Chris and James drew samples from six barrels for us to try. The first was their new make whiskey, which has been rested in a toasted oak barrel for two days prior to the tasting. In addition, they also drew an sample of their wheated bourbon, the same mash as the new make aged 270 days in a new charred oak barrel. They also drew two rye samples: one aged in a #3 char barrel and the second aged in a #4 char barrel, both aged 164 days. Lastly, they drew two samples of their mid-rye straight Bourbon, one aged in a #3 char barrel and the other in a #4 char barrel, both aged 170 days.

Chris Burk uses a copper thief to draw new make.

Chris and James did a rough proof of the samples to bring it down to the 90 range.  Chris explained that he felt you could get a better sense of the flavors at the lower proof - although I know Dan and I would have enjoyed the opportunity to try the cask strength spirit as well. Chris explained the proofing process, and how a hydrometer is used while proofing the sample for us. We also learned that all of their whiskies are double distilled in their pot still, and the column still is reserved for their vodkas and gins.  

Cathedral Ledge Barrel Tasting Notes

My placemat kept samples organized.

At last it was time to taste some whiskey!  They gave us time to sample everything and write our notes before discussing any of the samples, which gave everyone a chance to make notes without the influence of others' senses.

The notes we took are below. Obviously all of these spirits are still very young and for the most part will benefit from more time in the barrel, but it was fun to get a sense of how they are aging, and we're looking forward to seeing the differences during the Holidays.

Sample #1: New Make Whiskey: This is the wheated bourbon recipe.  The mash bill is 69% corn, 19% wheat, and 12% malted barley.  Rough proofed to 90-ish and rested 2 days in a toasted oak barrel.

Trevor's Notes:

 

Nose: Wheat bread, corn, light buttery aroma.

Palate: Wheat and corn, lightly sweet.

Finish: Grain and a mild ethanol burn.

Dan's Notes:

Nose: Rising bread dough, butter, yeast

Palate: Bright, sweet, ethanol, forward on pallet

Finish: Lingering, ethanol 

Sample#2: Wheated Bourbon.  The same mash and proof as the new make whiskey, aged 204 days in a new charred oak barrel with a #3 char.  Rough-proofed to 90.

Trevor's Notes:

 

Nose: Toasted corn with hints of vanilla and cinnamon.

Palate: Vanilla and citrus with a mild tannis on the back end like coffee.

Finish: Black licorice with a mild Kentucky hug.

Dan's Notes:

Nose:  Vanilla, hints of caramel, not heavy ethanol 

Palate: Vanilla, oak, mid pallet,

Finish:  long hug, pleasant burn, tannin dryness.  This was my personal favorite and has grate potential when it matures.

Sample #3: Rye Whiskey.  This one has a mash bill of 54% rye, 34% corn, and 12% malted barley.  Aged 164 days in a new charred oak barrel with a #3 char. The sample had been rough-proofed to 90.

Trevor's Notes:

 

Nose: Mint, lightly sweet, very little ethanol.

Palate: Sweet front end with baking spice and increasing black pepper flavor

Finish: Lingering black pepper.

Dan's Notes:

Nose: pepper, ethanol, barley 

Palate:  front of tongue pepper, light sweetness, spearmint 

Finish: long black pepper, nice hug

Sample #4: Rye Whiskey.  This has the same mash bill and age as the earlier rye but with a #4 barrel char. The sample had been rough-proofed to 90.

Trevor's Notes:

 

Nose: Mint with a hint of fresh cut hay, very little ethanol.

Palate: Sweet front end with baking spice and increasing black pepper flavor.

Finish: Lingering black pepper and a lingering sweetness.

Dan's Notes:

Nose:  mint, oak, pepper, char

Palate:  black pepper, mid pallet, spice, black tea

Finish: long deep peppery hug

Sample #5: Bourbon Whiskey.  This bourbon has a mid-rye mash of 69% corn, 19% rye, and 12% malted barley and has been aged 170 days in a new charred oak barrel with a #3 char and rough-proofed to 90.

Trevor's Notes:

 

Nose: Grain, vanilla, slightly minty

Palate: Light notes of caramel and vanilla hint at what this will become with more exposure to the oak.  Pepper notes bely the rye content.

Finish: Grain and a light Kentucky hug.

Dan's Notes:

Nose: oak, vanilla, heavy ethanol 

Palate: vanilla, char, honey, not as ethanol forward as smell

Finish: slightly bitter, dry, short finish

Sample #6: Bourbon Whiskey. Same whiskey as above, but aged in a #4 char barrel. 

Trevor's Notes:

 

Nose: Grain and vanilla.  I didn't get the minty-ness from this one.

Palate: More caramel than its lighter char brother as you might expect.  Grain and spice.

Finish: Grain with a bit of tannis and a light Kentucky hug.

Dan's Notes:

Nose: vanilla, hint cherry, 

Palate: full palate, buttery, oak, 

Finish: med long finish, spicy, dry

Wrapping Up

Hanging out by the still.

We had the opportunity to give our hosts recommendations on which of the samples they might choose as a distillery-shop only early release.  There were varying opinions, of course, but the consensus seemed to be that the #3 char rye was the most likely candidate for such a release.  The wheated bourbon seemed to be the second choice of those of us in attendance, but most seemed to agree that it could use a little more time to mature.

Our hosts graciously allowed us to linger and ask questions after the tasting, and Master Distiller James even gave us a brief tour of the distillery before heading off with his bride to enjoy the remainder of their anniversary. Personally. I'm flabbergasted by how gracious and patient she was, especially! We had a fantastic time, and even two fairly seasoned whiskey men like us managed to learn a ting or two from the experience.  If you have the chance, I'd encourage you to check out the Bourbon club for yourself! 

A Word From the Wise Guy

It’s obvious I have a love for good whiskey and one of the things I enjoy the most is craft distilling. While Jim Beam and Buffalo Trace make millions of barrels per year using sensors and computer automation; there is truly something special about a place like Cathedral Ledge where Chris and James make one barrel at a time focusing on making it the best it can be. They taste the whiskey as it comes off the still, they decide where the best flavors start and where they end. When they were in search of a cooperage to provide their barrels, they didn’t just pick up the phone and order from a catalog. They drove to West Virginia to visit the cooperage and meet with the team that works there. You can taste that passion and attention to detail in their whiskey. Everyone we met at Cathedral Ledge Distillery was fantastic, friendly and welcoming especially James’ wife who spent their first wedding anniversary helping host a couple of whiskey geeks like us. I wish great things for their future. Cheers to them! 

Cheers!

Trevor and Dan