Ohio’s Echo Spirits is the creation of two former engineers turned whiskeymakers, Joe Bidinger and Nikhil Sharoff, who not only distill their own hooch, they also turn sourced and blended whiskeys — some of which are constantly changing.

That can make for some complexities at shopping time, as releases are constantly being replaced by something entirely different, and tricky for us reviewers, who have to form a general opinion about a distillery based on a single point in time.

Engineer Series 25A is the fifth batch in the lineup, which began in 2023 (batches are denoted by two-digit year, then the order of production in that year — A, B, C…).

Batch 25A — Trail Mix — is a blend of two identical Kentucky-based whiskeys from Bardstown Bourbon Company. They have the same mashbill (60% corn/36% rye/4% barley), and both are aged over five years. How are they different? Only one of the two components was double-oaked by Echo Spirits for an additional 1 year and 1 month, spent in a low-char, heavy toast New American oak barrel from Speyside Cooperage.

58% of the blend is double-oaked. 42% is straight from the original barrel. 357 bottles produced.

Let’s taste.

Echo Spirits Engineer Series Batch 25A Review

There’s lots of fresh peanut on the nose here, paired with sweet butterscotch and some marzipan notes. The impact is creamy and sweet — not at all like the grittier and more rustic peanut shell character you often find in younger whiskeys. Time in glass helps to evoke a sharp hint of acetone, but it’s just a whiff, and surprisingly not off-putting. Some expressed orange oil notes are also evident in the mix.

The palate is sweeter even than the nose suggests, creamy peanut butter blended with honey to kick things off. There’s some classic baking spice here plus ample vanilla and a hint of mint. The whiskey evolves to show some fruitier notes in its midsection, a gentle raisin character and just a hint of citrus, before a thick layer of milk chocolate rolls over you on the finish. There’s ample lingering heat, with a reprise of spiced peanuts.

Best of all is the cost — at $53 this is a completely fair price for a barrel-strength limited edition release that has tons going for it. Grab it if you see it.

113 proof. Reviewed: Batch 25A “Trail Mix.” 357 bottles produced.

A- / $53 / echospirits.com

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