Koval Single Barrel Bourbon Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B-

Koval enjoys a prominent reputation in the craft whiskey scene, and in my opinion this boils down to two things. They were an early entrant for one thing, starting in 2008 as the first post-Prohibition distillery in Chicago. The second thing is what most whiskey geeks notice upon seeing their wares on a store shelf: everything aged whiskey they do is a single barrel.

Yet to me, it’s the technical details of what Koval has been doing that fascinate, not the line comprised entirely of single barrels. This bourbon, for example, is a two-grain whiskey made from 51% corn and 49% millet, so it’s safe to say the new make is unlike any other bourbon out there. These are aged for two to four years in Minnesota oak casks (much like their neighbor, FEW Spirits), and bottled at 94 proof.

The Bourbon
This whiskey was bottled unfiltered and is made with a very high content of an unorthodox grain, and I think it shows in the glass, right from the start. It’s a viscous, dirty golden liquid, and a coating of the glass drops chunky, slow-moving tears off a respectable crown.

A sniff gives a toffee aroma, accented with a dash of vanilla extract and a hint of oak. The flavor is surprisingly spicy, with currents of cinnamon, cardamon and pepper in the main, with a solid hunk of oak and just a hint of caramel. The finish goes down woody and spicy, but not hot.

The Price
Expect to pay $50 a bottle for this item.