Review: Still Austin Bottled in Bond Bourbons – Blue Corn and High Rye
Still Austin‘s bonded expressions continue to arrive at a healthy clip. Today we’re looking at a pair of recent releases, a high-rye offering and one built around exotic blue corn. These are the second and third releases in Still Austin’s ongoing Bottled in Bond series.
Both are of course 100 proof.
Still Austin Bottled in Bond Blue Corn Bourbon – Bonded whiskey (four years old) made from a mash of 26% blue corn, 25% white corn, 44% rye, and 5% malted barley. Still Austin isn’t known for being shy with its whiskeys, and this offering is no exception, punching through the roof with notes of roasted corn, bordering on pungent huitlacoche, and plenty of mushroom and soy sauce qualities. Savory and rather unrelenting, it’s a powerful way to start a sipping sesh. The palate continues the theme but does take the foot off the gas: Here the corn is more toasted, Frito-like, and the mushrooms feel more sauteed and sedated. A touch of apple adds some much-needed sweetness, but not much, the finish leading to a drier note of old straw, toasted peppercorns, and beef jerky. A little heavy sledding, especially in comparison to the more balanced Red Corn Bourbon released last year. B- / $80 [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR]
Still Austin Bottled in Bond High Rye Bourbon – First off: All of Still Austin’s bourbons are “high rye” to some degree; the Blue Corn bottling above hitting a whopping 44%. This one actually has much less rye, with a mash of 70% white corn, 25% rye, and 5% malted barley. This is much more in line with my expectations from Still Austin, a bold but equally sweet and creamy bourbon that hits the high points of the style while offering a slight spin on its successful formula. Notes of butterscotch, vanilla custard, and a light dusting of creamy peanut butter give the whiskey a soothing quality, eventually settling in to a chewy groove that evokes an old-school candy bar. Dried figs and some cherry notes add fruit — all either dried or chocolate-coated. No complaints here either way. Oddly the “rye” character here is quite muted, and the whiskey never evokes much in the way of grassy or peppery spiciness. (Even Still Austin’s tasting notes have zero in the way of herbal character.) The finish keeps on keepin’ on, big with even more vanilla, coconut, and a pinch of baking spice — the only real nod toward rye in the equation. And you know what: I’m fine with that. I don’t consider this a classic “high rye” experience, but I like it plenty nicely as is. Frankly, I would have just come up with a different name for the release, folks. A- / $80 [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR]
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