Whiskey Evaluate: Savage & Cooke Bloody Butcher Bourbon

Editor’s Observe: We acquired a evaluation pattern of this whiskey from the model. Nevertheless, in accordance with our editorial insurance policies, this has not influenced the result of our evaluation in any approach.

Savage & Cooke has emerged in recent times as one of many extra fascinating craft whiskey retailers in California. Its present iteration, which opened on historic Mare Island in 2018 underneath the possession of Napa Valley winemaker Dave Phinney, distills, ages, finishes, and bottles a spread of brown spirits, together with bourbon, whiskey, and rye. Usually, these have a wine cask affect, owing to Phinney’s wine business expertise.

One explicit curiosity Savage & Cooke appears to have for a minimum of a few of their whiskeys is native grain sourcing. All grain is grown inside 50 miles of the distillery by way of direct relationships cast with native farmers, and it’s grown to express specs.

What’s within the bottle

A more moderen subset of releases from Savage & Cooke takes the native grain mannequin even one step additional, working with extra historical heirloom varieties and assembly the bottled-in-bond standards. The whiskey being reviewed right here, Savage & Cooke Bloody Bourbon, comes from 44 barrels and might be launched yearly every spring.

Trending Tales

The Bloody Butcher heirloom corn from which this bourbon was distilled hails from a specific plot of land in Winters, California. It’s simply 35 miles from the distillery and was chosen “for its nutrient-rich soil, most solar publicity, and entry to water.”

“After we started distilling in 2018, we knew we solely wished to make use of one of the best components in our whiskey. Now that we’re at a spot the place they’re prepared for launch, we are able to actually see the worth on this consideration to element,” stated Phinney on the time this bourbon was launched. “The heirloom corn we get from close by Winters, California is the proper instance. It makes these bottled in bond whiskeys so particular. It was an extended wait, however with every new launch, we see how our persistence paid off. We are able to’t wait to get them into the palms of our followers.”

Bloody Butcher makes up 70% of the mash invoice for this providing, with the remaining steadiness being 16% Pink Winter wheat and 14% malted barley. It was aged 4 years in Seguin Moreau char #3 barrels earlier than being bottled at 100 proof. It’s priced at $99.