The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Richard Thomas
Rating: B-
Smooth Ambler Big Level
(Credit: Richard Thomas)
Out in West Virginia, Smooth Ambler is making the transition from bottler of sourced whiskeys into a fully fledged distiller. Big Level, released in the summer of 2018, is a major step in that transition. This isn’t a mix of in-house and sourced whiskeys, but an entirely in-house production.
This is a wheated bourbon, made from a mash of 71% corn, 21% wheat and 8% malted barley. This was distilled using a mix of column and pot stills, and aged for at least five years in full sized, 53-gallon barrels charred to level 4. The whiskey is bottled unfiltered at 100 proof.
The Bourbon
Once in the glass, Big Level looks like the polished copper it was distilled in. Swishing the glass yields a lightly oiled coat and scattered tears.
The nose reminded me of plums and tangerines, seasoned with cookie spices and mint. A little vanilla cream is daubed on the top, and a hint of cedar in the background ties up the scent.
In strong contrast to the scent, and quite the opposite of what I was expecting for a wheated bourbon, I took a sip and found a dry whiskey. Pleasant, still as soft as a wheated bourbon should be, but dry all the same. The flavor has vanilla and cedar, plus a modest current of citrus zest, with spiciness coming up on the back end. The finish follows from there, running moderately spicy and dry.
The Price
Expect to pay about $55 for a bottle of Big Level.
