The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Richard Thomas
Rating: B-
Jeptha Creed Four Grain Bourbon
(Credit: Jeptha Creed)
I had the pleasure of being at Jeptha Creed when they released a six month old version of their bourbon, pegged on the use of Bloody Butcher red corn grown on their own farm. Now they have moved up to an at least two years old release, made with their four grain mash bill of 70% Bloody Butcher corn, 15% malted rye, 10% malted wheat, 5% malted barley. The story is that this mash bill was derived from a shipping error back in 2014: they were sent the wrong grain, resulting in having the malted wheat and malted rye in particular.
The distillers chose to run with it. The resulting 98 proof bourbon was released just this past May at the distillery.
The Bourbon
The whiskey has a light amber appearance in the glass, but the looks are deceiving in a way. True, it is a youthful whiskey, but it’s not actually light in substance. It forms an oily coat and a beady crown, dropping thick, leaf-vein style legs down the sides of the glass.
An earthiness akin to red meat served in a clay pot characterizes the nose, with a hint of charcoal lurking in the background, so it’s a lot like being at a barbecue that Andrew Zimmern might talk about. The flavor turns hard towards caramel, seasoned with wet clay and a pinch of oak spice and barrel char. The finish goes down oaky and spicy.
It’s actually a mighty fine whiskey for a mere two year old. I’m very keen on seeing where the distillate sits in three or four years time, when it is properly matured.
The Price
This limited edition, experimental offering should set you back about $50.
