Review #265 – Smooth Ambler American Whiskey
Whiskey Network Review #265 | /r/Bourbon Review #145 – Smooth Ambler American Whiskey, 99pf | 49.5% ABV
Nose: Corn syrup, sweet vanilla, creamy clove, cinnamon. Really very corn heavy and it smells like a young spirit.
Taste: Mild and sweet. It’s a bit hot, with lots of corn followed by nuances of vanilla and caramel.
Finish: Short, harsh. It grows astringent and hot. There’s a bit of spiciest also, but I can’t differentiate whether or not it’s spice or just the astringency blending in.
Overall: I like what they are doing here but it needs a great deal more work. It’s young and it shows. I’m not losing hope though and I hope that in another year or two, maybe more, their own distillate shines in ways that surpass their scouted MGP barrels now. I’m giving this a Rank 4 – it’s good but there are flaws. I have to give SA a lot of credit though – they know what they’re doing and they know how to price their experiments. Retail for this is $35-$40 and it seems they have reasonable expectations that are in check.
Rank: 4
