Del Bac Distiller’s Cut Single Malt Review (Fall 2020)

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B+

I recently found myself emailing with Stephen Paul, founder of Arizona’s Hamilton Distillers and ardent Scotch whisky lover, about my most recent book, American Whiskey. His Del Bac whiskeys were covered in that book, with my tasting notes dating to 2016. The Whiskey Reviewer‘s posted reviews were done by another contributor and date to 2015. When I told him that, Paul replied that their products had changed a great deal since the mid-2010s, and that I should give the recent versions a try.

I agreed, and started with an iteration I was not at all familiar with, namely the Del Bac Distiller’s Cut. In this instance, it’s the Fall 2020 edition, which was made of Del Bac Dorado (mesquite smoked) stock, finished in Extra Anejo Tequila, bourbon, and American new oak casks, and bottled at 114.5 proof. This limited edition saw a production run of just 66 cases.

The Whiskey
In a nod to both the high proof and new oak aging, Distiller’s Cut Fall 2020 has a deep amber appearance. The scent was surprisingly unsmoky, but instead oozed of creamy caramel, oak and dry straw. The flavor was similar, having a foundation of that same creamy caramel plus a sliver of wood, but now with a pinch of white pepper and a faint whiff of smoke. The latter carried over into the finish, gaining a little more heft as it developed and accompanied by that same sliver of wood.

For a cask strength expression of a mesquite-smoked single malt, Distiller’s Cut was surprisingly mild… and that probably isn’t a bad thing. I think the various cask finishes sang more in the glass than the mesquite-smoking, but the native spirit sang loudest of all. Given that only smokeheads love a smoke bomb, the more moderate character of his straightforward, enjoyable American malt makes it more approachable. The smoky side is a quirk, and less likely to turn people off, and leaving it as a flavorful malt in the main.

The Price
This bottle was $80 when it was still available. The Hamilton Distillers online shop lists it as sold out, but it may still be available elsewhere. Caskers still had it in stock when I checked, prior to writing this review.