Review: Crittenden’s Cut Above Mississippi Blues Berry Bourbon
The spread of the concept of finishing bourbon in various types of casks is largely a result of the work of Woodford Reserve and Angel’s Envy. Today, the American whiskey industry is in a perpetual arms race to see who can come up with the next unique finishing cask to grab consumer intrigue. Despite their popularity, many consumers are also miffed by the lack of transparency that often accompanies finished whiskey. As consumers crave more knowledge of the whiskey they consume, it can be a problem that we typically know so little about the casks used in finishing. The race to be more creative than a competitor can lead to shady practices and claims. Consumers might see a bourbon claiming to be finished in a coconut or pineapple brandy cask. Where did the producer acquire casks for finishing that previously held brandies that were distilled from fermented coconut and pineapple? Consumers will be hard-pressed to find such legitimate casks anywhere on the market, yet such claims are often made. In many other instances, the producers simply don’t know where their finishing casks originated. In cases where producers do know the origin story, they’re often not permitted to disclose. Consumers want transparency.
Crittenden Distillery is located in Kiln, Mississippi. Matt Crittenden seeks to make quality southern Mississippi whiskey and often implements creative finishes while doing so. Transparency sets Crittenden apart from its competitors, and the small distillery in Kiln paired with the Mississippi Sippers to create one of the more interesting legitimate finishes on the market. Crittenden’s Cut Above Blue Berry Straight Bourbon is distilled from a mash bill consisting of 72% corn 17% rye, and 11% malted barley. Prior to finishing, the bourbon spent just over 5 years and 8 months in a heavily charred 53-gallon barrel. The Mississippi Sippers and Crittenden’s then partnered with Klein Farms in Mississippi to finish the bourbon in a non-commercial blueberry wine cask. The blueberry wine is produced for personal consumption for family and friends, but was also used to finish Crittenden’s bourbon for 65 days. The end result is a southern Mississippi bourbon that has spent just under 6 years in barrels. Finishing with blueberry wine casks is unique, and Crittenden openly discloses the source of the wine cask. Isn’t that refreshing?
Transparency is refreshing, but does Blues Berry work?
Blueberry is as expected prominent on the nose, but not overwhelming. The overall package is that of a warm blueberry muffin made with fresh blueberries. The nose isn’t that of a muffin mix with dehydrated blueberries from the grocery. There’s a slight breadiness to nose. Adding to the fruit-forward complexity are nutmeg and vanilla. Balancing out the fruit character is a mild tobacco. The bourbon has spent a good amount of time in the heat of southern Mississippi, but the unbalanced amount of oak that I was expecting isn’t there.
The palate opens with a nice warm blueberry pie note, though it’s far from being overly sweet. It’s more of a homemade blueberry pie, rather than something made from can of processed pie filling. The blueberry note transition to a creamy vanilla and nutmeg, adding to the baked goods imagery. The southern Mississippi heat brings forth the mild tobacco again. As with the nose, I was expecting a whiskey that was heavily baked in the heat with oak notes that bordered on too bold. Nope. The mild tobacco character is a gentle contrast to the blueberry. As the fruit and tobacco tail off, the high-rye content surfaces with a twinge of black pepper. The mouthfeel is thick, but I wouldn’t call it syrupy. Blues Berry thoroughly coats the mouth with unexpected balance.
The finish displays more influence from the rye and oak than anywhere else. The tobacco note is still present, but cinnamon pokes through. The blueberry wine expresses itself in the form of blueberry skin,, rather than flesh as elsewhere in the dram. The finish is extremely long and warm.
I’m always delighted when a whiskey is interesting and actually meets my hopes and expectations. I wanted this to be enjoyable because it’s both unique and transparent. However, I was fully prepared for Crittenden’s Cut Above Blues Berry to be influenced entirely too much by oak as a result of climate. I’m both pleased and surprised to find this whiskey to be very balanced. My experience with this particular bottle leads me to want to explore other expressions from Crittenden Distillery.
120.7 proof.
A / $70 / crittendendistilleryllc.com
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