Queen Jennie - Sorghum Whiskey

Nose: Hmmmm…….I’m not sure how to describe the smell on this one. It is a light paint thinner scent mixed with something bitter. Palate: Hmmmm….well……this is an odd duck. This is the only “Sorghum” whiskey that I have ever had, so I don’t have anything with which I can compare it and I’m having a lot of trouble figuring out how to describe the taste. On the first sip, I got the impression that I was drinking a cheap Canadian whiskey, with something else going on or added. I think if you’ve ever had some really bottom shelf Canadian whiskey, you may know what I’m talking about. If not, well, I feel Canadian whiskey is bland. This has that blandness and then it adds a very odd combination of sweet and bitter that seem to be fighting each other to dominate your palate, but neither one really does, so you get this jumbled mix of the two. It has a medium mouthfeel and finish. There’s a little bit of heat that kicks in during the finish, but it isn’t overpowering. Bottom line: I just find the taste unappealing. Maybe if you like sorghum, you’ll like this? Comments: This is made in Wisconsin by the Old Sugar Distillery. It is 80 proof. An Internet source (not the distillery) states that this is aged 4-6 months in new charred oak barrels. OK, first off….this isn’t undrinkably awful. But it IS very different and just isn’t my cup of tea. I didn’t really know what sorghum was, so I had to do some research, which I now share with you. Sorghum is a cereal grain that grows tall, like corn. It is used as a sweetener, livestock feed and to turn into ethanol. So….this is an alternate grain to the usual corn/rye/wheat etc. It is gluten free (yeah, I don’t really understand that either), so that may be why it is used. It turns out…..this is NOT the only sorghum whiskey out there. I found at least three others (none of which are in the Flying Aces inventory). It appears that the grain is not used to make the mash (at least for this one)…sorghum syrup is used. That brings into question if it is technically a whiskey at all. I don’t have the time or energy to debate that, but if you are interested, there is information available on the Internet on this debate. I think, however, that maybe I agree with some Internet geeks who claim this should be called a rum. This bottle was a gift from someone who visited the saloon and, once again, wanted to bring something they thought I did not have. And, they were correct…..and for that, as I mentioned before, I am VERY grateful. I seriously never expect anyone to ever bring anything when they come to the saloon, but I ALWAYS appreciate the gesture (whether it is disappointing, like this one, or it becomes one of my favorites, like the bottle of High West Double Rye I once received). The Total Wine website prices this at $30 for a 750ml bottle. My bottle is a 375, so I’m thankful that the friends didn’t spend too much on it.