Sazerac’s microdistillery A Smith Bowman has released the second Bourbon in its Abraham Bowman Oak Series.
The series explores cask maturation in different oak varietals. Following its inaugural release in March that featured French oak, the new expression focuses on American white oak.
On choosing American white oak, A. Smith Bowman Distillery’s head distiller, David Bock, said: “We know American white oak is today’s trusted wood for ageing whiskey, but this experiment is about testing numerous oak varietals in pursuit of making the best whiskey possible.
“American Oak, as the tried-and-true oak for whiskey making, is a vital part of this experiment as we compare numerous experimental oak options.”
Bottled at 67.5% ABV, the expression is said to have a ‘sweet’ aroma of tart apple and dried berries. The pallet then brings a ‘balance of complex flavours’, with an immediate taste of raspberry jam followed by hints of a smokey undertone.
The finish is described as ‘exceptionally smooth’ with persistent sweetness lingering throughout.
Most Bourbons aged in American white oak are typically done so for four to six years, however the distillery said it aged American Oak, a blend of liquids, for 12 years in charred American white oak barrels – bringing an ‘exciting new dynamic in its pursuit of making the best whiskey possible’.
On the longer ageing period, Bock said: “Immediately, what stood out to me was how different American Oak was in comparison to our John J. Single Barrel Bourbon, which is aged for about 9.5-10 years.
“A whiskey that has sat for 12-plus years has the potential to be too oak forward, but I am very pleased that American Oak has a delicious balance of flavour components.
“When blending American Oak, we landed at 135 proof to showcase the tart apple paired with hints of pepper notes, which makes a really enjoyable spirit that I think our fans will love.”
Abraham Bowman Oak Series: American Oak is available for a suggested retail price of US$79.99.
It can only be purchased through an online lottery, which will run from 25 November to 2 December. The winners must then pick up their bottle in person at the A. Smith Bowman Gift Shop when purchasing. Entries are limited to one per person.
A Smith Bowman was part of its owner Sazerac’s recent auction for charity where the American whiskey producer auctioned some of its ‘most prized’ spirits to aid recovery efforts following Hurricanes Milton and Helene.
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Author: Rupert Hohwieler
