Third Barrel Tasting at Cathedral Ledge Distillery

About 18 months ago I was in North Conway shortly the after the opening of the Cathedral Ledge Distillery.  I sampled their new make white whiskey and several other spirits and signed up for their Bourbon Club, which, among other things, gets me an invitation to participate in a Club exclusive barrel tasting every six months until the first straight bourbon is released in January of 2023.  Dan joined the Bourbon Club after coming as a guest for the first barrel tasting, and we made the trip together for the second time for tasting three.

The first barrel tasting provided the opportunity to taste 6 month old variations of the wheated bourbon, rye whiskey, and traditional (rye) bourbon.  The second barrel tasting was unique in that we tasted several different whiskies all bottled on the same day because of issues the Distillery had getting cooperage - a unique opportunity to focus on the impact of the wood.

Owner Chris Burk draws samples with
assistant distiller Karen Beck.

For this third barrel tasting, we went back to the original barrels for a taste of what had happened over the past year. We tasted two wheated bourbon samples, two rye whiskey samples, and two mid-rye bourbon samples. In a departure from previous tastings, we had the opportunity to sample all six barrels at cask strength.

What a difference a year makes!  These whiskies have come a long way since the first barrel tasting, but rather than get ahead of myself, let's get right to the notes!

Cathedral Ledge Distillery Third Barrel Tasting Notes 

Sample #1: Wheated Bourbon - The mash bill for this is 69% corn, 19% wheat, 12% malted barley. Aged approximately 13 months in a char #3 barrel.  Cask strength of approximately 120 Proof.

Nose: Caramel, oak, grain

Palate: Vanilla, caramel, bread, grass

Finish: Short, sweet finish.  Moderate warming in the chest

Sample #2: Wheated Bourbon - Mash bill of 69% corn, 19% wheat, 12% malted barley.  Aged 13 months in a char #4 barrel.  Cask strength.

Nose: Vanilla, grain

Palate: Very sweet, caramel, grain

Finish: Short, sweet finish.  Moderate warming in the back of the throat

Sample #3: Rye Whiskey - Mash bill of 54% rye, 34% corn, 12% malted barley. Aged 15 months in a char #3 barrel. Cask strength.

Nose: Mint, rye bread, new wood

Palate: Sweet and spicy.  Rye, cinnamon, and black pepper

Finish: Long, peppery finish with a long warming in the chest

Sample #4: Rye Whiskey - Mash bill of 54% rye, 34% corn, 12% malted barley. Aged 17 months in a char #4 barrel. Cask strength.

Nose: Honey, grain and baking spice

Palate: Black pepper, cinnamon and honey

Finish: Long, peppery finish with a long warming in the chest

Sample #5: Bourbon Whiskey - Mash bill of 69% corn, 19% rye, 12% malted barley. Aged 17 months in a char #3 barrel. Cask strength.

Nose: Vanilla, cherry, baking spices

Palate: Caramel, cocoa, molasses, pepper

Finish: Lingering sweet finish with notes of honey and black pepper

Sample #6: Bourbon Whiskey - Mash bill of 69% corn, 19% rye, 12% malted barley. Aged 17 months in a char #4 barrel. Cask strength.

Nose: This sample was a vanilla bomb on the nose.  Sweet vanilla

Palate: Caramel, honey, black pepper

Finish: Lingering sweet finish with notes of honey and black pepper

Closing Thoughts for this Barrel Tasting

There's no doubt that maturity makes a huge difference with barrel aged products, but it has been really amazing to observe the changes in Cathedral Ledge's three core whiskey products over the relatively short span of just under 18 months.  

Left, sample color at 6 months - Right 13-17 months.

The sample colors above tell part part of the story, but the extra time aging in the barrel has also added quite a bit of complexity and flavor to these whiskies, and even the ones we thought tasted pretty good at 6 months are significantly better a year later.

The Bourbon Club discussing favorite samples.

The mid-rye bourbon, in particular, has matured significantly and Dan and I both thought sample #6 is shaping up to be  an outstanding bourbon. In fact, when Chris polled the group to see which samples were the favorites, consensus seemed to coalesce around bourbon sample #6 and rye sample  #3.  For the most part, the group was divided only on which of those two we preferred.  

If you're a club member who hasn't been yet, there's one more tasting coming up in 10 days.  If not, you'll have to taste these whiskies another way. The wheated bourbon and the rye whiskey are both available in the distillery shop in North Conway, NH, and the rye whiskey can also be purchased at New Hampshire Liquor and Wine Outlets along with some of the distillery's clear offerings. Speaking for myself, I'm anxiously awaiting the final barrel tasting, which should be accompanied by my first opportunity to bring home a bottle of the straight (mid-rye) bourbon.