Berkshire Bourbon Whiskey

Nose: This has a light, citrusy nose. It has hints of alcohol and later sniffs bring out hints of lemon. Palate: This has a light, refreshing taste and it is very smooth. It contains a classic bourbon base taste (although a bit light and slightly youthful) that combines with a rich maltiness (that you might expect from a longer aged bourbon). The mouthfeel is a bit on the light side. The finish is fairly short and what little heat it has is felt as a nice warming down the throat. Later sips bring out some of the citrus flavors that are hinted at in the nose and the rich maltiness gives way to more fruity sweetness. It is very faint, but there’s just a hint of rye spice that comes through in the finish. There’s not a lot of complexity in this one, but it makes for a nice, simple, unpretentious sipper. Comments: This one surprised me when I first got it. It is a rare example of something made outside of Kentucky, in a state not known for whiskey production, that actually isn’t half bad. This is 86 proof and is put out by the Berkshire Mountain Distillers in Sheffield, MA. Yeah, that’s right, Massachusetts. Is it great? No, it isn’t remarkable, but it is very drinkable and it goes down easy. The label doesn’t tell you much, other than it is “distilled from grain”, it is “triple distilled using a traditional pot still method and is aged in virgin American white oak barrels.” This is the kind of bourbon where you don’t mind having another glass because of its easy drinkability. The mashbill is reported to be 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley. The corn comes from a farm just a few miles from the distillery (which has been around since 2007). The distillery makes a wide variety of products, including a bunch of non-whiskey, but their website doesn’t show an aged version of their bourbon, which is a shame because I suspect a few extra years in the barrel might make this a very interesting one. I not only can’t remember what I paid for this, I can’t remember where I got it (maybe it was a gift?). The distiller’s website does not show it as available in MD or Va (or NC or PA….or most other places I might have bought it). Total Wine lists it for $35 (where it is available). At that price, if you see it, it is probably worth getting if you’d like to try something a bit different than your regular, average daily.