Smoke Wagon Straight Rye - Bottled in Bond
$69
Smoke Wagon Straight Rye – Bottled in Bond
Proof: 100
Age: At Least 4 Years
Distillery: Aged and Bottled by Nevada Distilling Company
Type: Straight Rye Whiskey – Bottled in Bond
Mash: .51% Rye, 49% Corn (Per the bottle) Possible misprint and it may actually be 51% Rye, 45% Corn, 4 Barley.
Website: Nevada Distilling
*Disclaimer: A score of 5 is the midpoint for my reviews. Above 5 I like it. Below 5 I didn’t for some reason. Most of my reviews are between 4-7. It takes something really really special to go above 7 or below 4. See the methodologies for rating at the end of the article
Nose: Opens with Moderate Black Pepper. Below the Pepper you can pick up Cinnamon, Rye Spice & Subtle Vanilla. Spice dominant on the Nose.
Taste/Palate: Fortunately the palate is not a Pepper bomb. The first second on the palate it comes out strong with Pepper and Rye Grain Spice, but quickly transitions into some sweeter notes. Vanilla Custard, Honey, Sweet Tea & Carmel Corn.
Finish: Candy Sweet on the finish. Honey again followed by a reentrance of some of the spice; Cinnamon and Pepper.
Verdict: .The nose would suggest this one will come out punching. The palate and finish suggest otherwise. Nose aside, this was a very sweet sipper, but I found that it lacked bold characteristics such as Oak, Leather, & Tobacco. That’s ok. Bold Characteristics don’t need to be in every dram, but I can find a sweet sipper for much less than $65+. Overall it was good, but will take a hit in the value section.
MSRP: $65 – Would not buy again at that price. Price Ceiling: $35-40. (The most I’d pay for this bottle)
The Story: There’s Smoke Wagon hype. They typically grab MGP juice which is in high demand and age and bottle. The brand is loved by many and have a following. I spotted this bottle in my travels through Chicago and decided to give it a go. Everyone who tasted it on my snowmobile trip enjoyed the pour, but all agreed they would not pay the price of $69 that I shelled out.
The Distillery’s Story (Previously on the Smoke Wagon Site): The raised imagery of desert sage, the Nevada state flower, can be found on the Silver Dollar bottle as well as the amber Smoke Wagon bottles and in the label of the Straight Bourbon.
The Morgan silver dollar (replicated on the bottle’s face) was minted in Carson city, the state capitol. It is the perfect symbol and name for our vodka due to its Nevada significance and the fact that silver dollar vodka is silver filtered.
Smoke Wagon? Does that mean it’s smokey? Smoke Wagon is actually old west slang for the 1873 Colt single action army revolver or “the gun that won the west”. Our logo stamped in wax consists of two crossed Smoke Wagons over the state of Nevada. Below it is our motto and a quote from Seneca, bibamus moriendum est. The literal translation is “drink, for we must die” but the meaning is more along the lines of, drink and enjoy today because we won’t be around forever. We can only assume Seneca meant to drink responsibly, of course.
What you won’t find on the site is what I found in research. Like many bourbon bottles out there, Smoke Wagon or Nevada HBC Distilling Co. is a Non-Distilling Producer. They get their base contents from MGP in IN and then age in Nevada. The climate difference from IN to NV will certainly make a difference in taste from other MGP products. They then blend the juice to fit their preference. Smoke Wagon practices the blend to taste method as opposed to age to taste.
Methodologies for Rating:
1. Dump it down the drain or regift it to someone you don’t care for.
2. This doesn’t even belong in a mixed drink. Use in case of an emergency.
3. It’s really not for me, but I heard some people like it.
4. Its only good when I’ve had too many and it’s decent in a mixer.
5. Average. Not bad, but not special.
6. Above average. Good to bring to an event and you wouldn’t expect any guff from it.
7. Buy two if you see it to make sure you have one on reserve.
8. Very Very good. Constantly a GREAT POUR.
9. Superb. If I were to drink this and only this from now on I’d be a happy person.
10. Perfection is impossible. But this really comes as close as you can possibly get.
Reviewer: David S
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