Dry Fly Distilling Port Finish Wheat Whiskey

I was looking for something fun to taste from my shelves and found a bottle of Dry Fly Distilling Port Finish Wheat Whiskey . I've had this bottle since some time last year and when I first cracked it I was a little underwhelmed. It seemed tight, a bit tannic and had an edge of bitterness. I could have come back to it at any time, but I think it needed a moment to breathe and open up a bit.

Dry Fly touts themselves as 'Washington's First Distillery' and are proponents of the farm to bottle movement.  They contract with farmers in eastern Washington to source their grains, and make a wide variety of products from vodka and gin to whiskey and bourbon.  One of their products is even a three year aged triticale whiskey.

This Port Finish Wheat Whiskey was tasted neat in a glencairn.


It's fairly light and golden in color.

The nose is decently expressive with plum and raspberry fruit, light grain, a technical cleanness and brightness.

The palate is sweet, bright and fresh, with cake icing, powdered sugar and a light spice.

The finish is medium in length, clean, sweet sugar cookie and frosting, and some plum and plum skin.


I'm really happy with this whiskey though it wasn't what I was expecting. I've had other Port or alternative finish whiskies and was expecting deeper flavors or dried fruit, baking spices and a richer mouthfeel. What I got was something light and fresh, with more sugary notes (not even veering toward caramel) with fresh fruit tones.

I do recommend this whiskey. It's the only Dry Fly whiskey I have had a chance to try and usually runs around $30 for a 375ml bottle. It's composed of their two year Washington wheat whiskey that is further aged at least six months in their neighbor's (Townshend Cellars) used huckleberry port casks.

I couldn't find out what the mash bill is, whether it is 100% wheat or has other grains mixed in.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Manhattan Cocktail

My cocktail of choice is the Manhattan.  It's made up of two parts whiskey, one part sweet vermouth, two dashes of bitters and a couple of cherries.  It's the perfect combination of sweet and dry, herbal and complex.  It's just a classy cocktail.

Not all whiskey works well in a Manhattan.  There are various factors that affect how well it will blend.  These include proof, sweetness/dryness among other flavor components.  I love barrel proof whiskey and especially like using a barrel proof bourbon in a Manhattan.  The higher proof is a great compliment to the sweetness of the vermouth and cherries and mixes well with the herbal complexity of the vermouth and bitters.

Here is a Manhattan made with Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon (135.6 proof), Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, Fee Brothers Barrel Aged Bitters and Luxardo Cherries.   Fee brothers creates a batch of bitters released every year that they age in barrel until it reaches the optimal flavor profile.  If you can find some, it usually makes a nice addition to any cocktail.  My standard bitters is Peychaud's which adds a sweeter, more cherry note to your drink.

This is the perfect mix of sweet, herbal and bitter in one cocktail.  The higher proof Bourbon really has a chance to shine and isn't lost like many lower (read 80 proof) bourbons.  There is bright cherry flavor, a nice bitter component, lots of sweetness from the vermouth, whiskey and cherries, and a dry, wood/oak character.  I think Elijah Craig's tendency toward woodiness really plays well in this cocktail.

For the Love of Barrel Proof and Cask Strength Whiskey

I love barrel proof whiskey.  I am unashamedly a fan of bottled in bond bourbon at 100 proof.  Even barrel proof rye and bourbon such as Michter’s and Wild Turkey Rare Breed, which rarely top 110 proof are exciting.  My true love in barrel proof whiskies are the Bourbon and Rye bottling that top 130 proof.  To be a bourbon, it must be bottled at 80 proof (40%) or higher.  

 The difference in concentration and flavors from 80 to 86 proof, or 80 to 90, or 80 to 100 can be dramatic, all adding more complex flavors to the finished product.  Distillers traditionally cut their barrel strength whiskey with distilled water down to 80 proof (or the desired proof) to increase yields or to make a more standardized product.  Old Forester bottles their standard bourbon at 86 proof, Makers Mark at 90 proof, and others such as Jack Daniel’s and Jim Beam stick to 80 proof for their standard line.

To be considered Bourbon in the United States the whiskey must not be distilled past 160 proof and must not enter the barrel at more than 125 proof(among other things).  Some producers such as Makers Mark and Wild Turkey add water to their distillate before putting it in barrel to lower the barrel entry proof.  This affects what flavors are extracted from the new charred white oak barrel.   Depending on the aging length, evaporation, location of the barrel in the rickhouse and other factors the "Barrel Proof" or "Cask Strength" whiskey removed from the barrel may be higher or lower than when it entered.  In my experience Bourbon tends to be higher and some cask strength Scotch tends to be lower.

My favorite barrel proof bourbons are the Stagg Jr and Elijah Craig,  Stagg Jr comes from Buffalo Trace Distillery and the Elijah Craig is crafted by Heaven Hill.  Both top 130 proof and offer an intense concentration of color and flavor.  Elijah Craig has offered a so called "Hazmat Release" topping 140 proof that shouldn't be brought on commercial airliners.

The Stagg Jr is made from the Buffalo Trace mashbill number one which contains at least 51% corn and 10% or less rye along with malted barley.  Each release differs in proof and the one I have is 132.1 proof.  My cocktail of choice is the Manhattan with Bourbon, sweet vermouth, bitters and cherries.  Barrel proof spirits work especially well in this instance, with the high proof and strong flavors of the bourbon matching the sweetness and herbal complexity of the vermouth, bitters and cherries.  Try the Stagg Jr in one of these and you will not be disappointed.  

The color is   a dark amber.

The nose is rounded with vanilla and oak, cinnamon, creme brulee, brown sugar syrup and coffee.  It becomes more effusive and rich with the addition of a little water or ice.

The palate has some heat of alcohol at 132.1 proof.  There are rich flavors of butter and toffee, some burnt sugar, vanilla and oak. There are some higher toned fruity esters such as banana and raspberry.

The finish is smooth considering the proof.  There is a throat coating buttery caramel character.

My current favorite Bourbon is the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.  The batch I have clocks in at 135.6 proof.  It runs about sixty dollars.  Tasted neat out of a glancairn glass.

The color is a dark mahogany.

The nose is full, with rich brown sugar notes, sweet caramel, wood and a hint of grain husk, almost dusty.

The palate is huge, rich and concentrated, with some alcohol burn, it is smooth and velvety feeling, with flavors of brown sugar, toffee, wood/oak, some red berry fruit character and cinnamon and nutmeg.

The finish is nice and dry.  There is an instant warming sensation followed by brown sugar syrup, a medium length wood/oak flavor and a hint of coffee bitterness.

This is one that I can highly recommend and will pick up when I have the chance.  They've made nine or ten batches at this point and I'm sure that they all have distinct nuances and flavor profiles along the traditional Elijah Craig sweet/rich/oak flavor profile.

I've enjoyed other barrel proof whiskies including the EH Taylor Barrel Proof Rye.  Many producers are recognizing the demand for barrel proof offerings and are starting to release more as special releases.  Bulleit and Knob Creek are about to release their own barrel proof offerings.

WL Weller 12 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

The Weller Bourbon line is one of my favorites and it is becoming harder to find as it has become more popular and barrels from this lineup are being saved for more prestigious (and hence more expensive) bottlings.  Crafted by Buffalo Trace Distiller in Frankfort Kentucky, the Weller lineup is a wheated mash bill.  While the exact percentage of grains used in the mash bill isn't widely known for this brand, the rye (and possibly some other part of the grains) has been replaced by wheat.  It is still at least 51% corn which is one of the factors that qualifies it to be named as Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

This is the twelve year expression of the Weller lineup at 90 proof (others include a 90 proof seven year? Special reserve and a 107 proof version the Antique, along with the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection version).  It is getting harder to find, but when found at around $30, it's a steal in the Bourbon world.

Tasted neat in a glencairn  glass out of a 750ml bottle.

The color is mahogany.

The nose is rich, with buttered toffee notes, caramel, a bit of alcohol heat, sea salt, caramel, honey, taffy and a light wood/oak note.

Initially the palate is wide and forward with wood/oak notes, a medium alcohol burn,  is sweet, rich, honeyed, full of caramelized sugar syrup and vanilla.

The finish is medium length, some alcohol burn is apparent, along with flavors of warm honey, beeswax and wood.

92/100

I always enjoy this bottle and would use it as a regular drinker if it was more widely available.