Company: Amador Whiskey Co.
Distillery: Amador Distillery – sourced from Willet Family Distillery
Region: El Dorado Hills, California
Aging: Aged 3 years in new charred American Oak Barrels then finished in Napa Cellars Chardonnay Barrels for 9-12 months
ABV: 43% ABV
Proof: 86 Proof
Mash Bill: 65% Corn, 20% Wheat, 15% Malted Barley – sourced wheated bourbon from Willet Family Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky
Non-Chill Filtered: No
MSRP Price: $40
Amador Bourbon Chardonnay Barrel Finish Tasting Notes
Appearance: Golden Honey
Nose: Rich vanilla, caramel, toffee, light fruits, apple, peach, cinnamon, wheat grain, slight nutty note
Palate: Heavy nutty notes, almond, peanut, vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, light fruits, citrus notes, candied apricot, light oak, odd candy note that I can’t quite place…maybe laffy taffy
Finish: A bit of a funk on a medium finish – has a bit of heat and spice to it with nutty, sweet, and butterscotch notes
Is Amador Bourbon Chardonnay Barrel Finish an Approachable Whiskey?
This is a bottle I would consider purchasing when you want to be able to drink whiskey at a wine lovers dinner.
While it’s got a bit of heat and spice to it, it is a perfect opener for a party to find a whiskey finished in Chardonnay barrels.
This whiskey won’t be for everyone, but if you enjoy a good chardonnay, you will appreciate the attempt at the similarities on this one.
Is Amador Bourbon Chardonnay Barrel Finish Complex?
Amador Bourbon Chardonnay Finish has a few layers of complexity and flavor.
You can definitely notice the Willet flavor notes on the base layers of this whiskey, with additional wine flavors stacked on top.
And while they aren’t the deepest layers, they do offer a unique experience that you won’t find with other whiskeys.
What are Amador Bourbon Chardonnay Barrel Finish’s strongest attributes/flavors?
Amador Chardonnay Finish’s strongest attribute is that it is a whiskey finished in Napa Cellars Chardonnay barrels.
While there are other whiskeys out there that are finished in wine barrels, Savage and Cooke Second Glance Bourbon being one of my favorites, it is rare to find one finished in Chardonnay barrels.
This is sure to pique some interest if you arrive at a wine-lover dinner party with this bottle.
Is Amador Bourbon Chardonnay Barrel Finish a go-to whiskey?
Amador Bourbon Chardonnay Barrel Finish has a lovely nose and an adequate flavor profile.
While it’s not a whiskey I would drink on a regular basis, it does go well with food and does carry through some of the more wine-like flavor notes that could pair well with your meals.
Is Amador Bourbon Chardonnay Barrel Finish priced accurately to its quality?
Amador Bourbon Chardonnay Barrel Finish has a slightly higher price than I would expect.
It is understandable that the additional effort of aging the whiskey in Chardonnay Wine Barrels may boost the price up a little bit, but I would be more likely to buy this bottle if it were in the $25 price range.
Conclusion for Amador Bourbon Chardonnay Barrel Finish
I really enjoy the nose on this pour.
It is quite pleasant and full of rich flavors.
However, on the palate, this whiskey has a bit more heat than I would prefer and the light fruits and citrus peel flavors are a bit offputting to me when I’m expecting a whiskey flavor profile.
If I consider this pour more like what I would expect from a glass of wine, then I can appreciate the flavors a bit more.
Overall, this is an interesting bottle and I am glad that I tried it for the unique flavor profile.
This is a bottle I would recommend trying with fans of wine who will have fun experimenting with some whiskey with flavors they may recognize.
Let Us Know What You Think
I hope you enjoyed this tasting experience with me.
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Thanks for reading and cheers!
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