By Richard Thomas
Rating: B+
(Credit: Richard Thomas)
Lexington Brewing & Distilling’s Town Branch 7 Year Old Single Malt is a product of brewstilling synergy. Whether the whiskey was made with the distillery’s pot still is unknown, but what is known is that it was aged for seven-plus years in old Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale barrels. That drink, in its turn, is the brewery’s staple Kentucky Irish Red Ale aged in used bourbon barrels, and for years now at least some of those barrels have come from the distillery’s own bourbon output. The Kentucky single malt is bottled at 87 proof, very in tune with Irish and Scottish malts.
The Whiskey
The look here is green straw (meaning not dried, so pale yellow). The scent conjured nothing so much as a bowl of Roman pulsum to me, but I know it is most unlikely anyone reading this knows what I’m talking about, so I’ll break that down. It’s like pottage, a cooked cereals dish, flavored with things like leek and herbs. Sitting next to the bowl of pulsum is a cup of fruit cocktail.
Sipping on the pour reveals a pretty chewy whiskey. The scent isn’t really all that suggestive of the flavor profile, which is much sweeter, running with a malty, citrus blossom honey accented by a caramel note and a touch of cinnamon and wood. The latter is what runs into the finish initially, turning a touch peppery, but as that fades away it leaves a light barn tobacco note.
The Price
A bottle of this should set you back $40, and at that price it’s well worth picking up for anyone interested in American malts.