Review: 13 Whiskeys of Lasso Motel
So there may not be an actual Lasso Motel, but it does serve as a fun moniker for a new operation that’s sourcing, finishing, and bottling whiskey — and lots of it. By my count the company has 13 different whiskeys on the market now — mostly bourbon but also a rye and a few other oddities. Lasso Motel is surprisingly transparent about all of its sourcing, revealing the origins of each of its 13 bottles — and they’re not all from the same producer.
The creation of Lasso Motel Whiskey was inspired by president Devin Odell’s time at the storied Belmont Hotel—a now-shuttered but historic Dallas landmark reminiscent of the iconic Chateau Marmont. The hotel, once a vibrant hub for artists and celebrities, offered stunning views of the city. Encapsulated by the rock-and-roll nostalgia and the sense of history that the Belmont represented, Odell’s memories of this place laid the foundation for the timeless essence of Lasso Motel Whiskey.
“Lasso Motel Whiskey began as a passion project of mine and pays homage to the whiskey industry. While many brands draw on stories of prohibition or the Old West, we chose a product and packaging design that reflects our own style and experience. The result is a whiskey that not only shines in a glass but also stands out on a bar top. Distinguished by its heavy-grade glass decanter and paperweight cork, Lasso Motel Whiskey offers a premium consumer experience, featuring a range of global cask selections that make each bottle a coveted addition to any collection,” says Devin Odell of Dynasty Spirits. “Lasso Motel Whiskey is driven by our commitment to constant innovation and a dedication to creating unique consumer experiences. Lasso will continue to evolve, offering new products that resonate with both whiskey enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike.”
Recently we got a box with all 13 whiskeys in it, which took weeks to properly sift through. But we did, and we have thoughts.
Lasso Motel Bourbon Cognac Cask Finish – Distilled by Green River: 70% corn, 21% rye, 9% malted barley. No age statement, but finished in Cognac casks. Soft and pretty on the nose, evoking florals first, then caramel and grittier barrel char notes, as the hints of Cognac fade away. The palate is again quite gentle and easy, evoking a soft milk chocolate quality, chased by hints of raisins, baking spice, and lavender — the lattermost especially evident on the finish. The Cognac finishing here comes off as awfully restrained, which isn’t a dig. However the underlying whiskey feels a little underdeveloped, too. Agreeable, never rocking the boat. 100 proof. B+ / $70
Lasso Motel Bourbon Mizunara Cask Finish – Green River bourbon distillate, same mashbill. No age statement, finished in Japanese mizunara oak casks. Clear mizunara notes start things off on the nose, making for a savory, mushroomy, umami quality that moves from bacon fat to roasted hazelnut notes after getting some air. A big, chewy palate doubles down on nuts, showcasing a well-peppered core that evokes flavors of barrel char and burnt popcorn. Dark chocolate emerges as the more savory elements fade, finishing on a sustained, toasted oak note that never comes across as overdone. Caramel overtones temper the savoriness with time in glass, making for a whiskey that really evolves and grows on you as it develops. 100 proof. A- / $70
Lasso Motel Bourbon Rose Cask Finish – Green River bourbon, same mash as above. No age statement, finished in French rose wine casks. There aren’t a lot of them out there, but I don’t know if I’ve ever been disappointed in a rose-finished whiskey. This one’s a lot more evocative of rose wine than Penelope’s, offering a fruity and floral note that evokes the finishing barrel right away. Strawberry and orange blossom notes are effusive both on the nose and on the palate, which is embarrassingly sweet and not in a bad way. Vanilla cream and milk chocolate covered strawberries dominate, then a gently tannic quality comes into focus, evoking the initial charred barrel and tempering things before sugar takes over. The spray of aromatic pink flowers on the finish is simply delightful; possibly the best whiskey in this lineup. 100 proof. A / $70
Lasso Motel Bourbon Le Stave – Green River bourbon (see above), no age statement, finished with French oak staves (not in French oak barrels). This whiskey has a softer touch that tempers its attack and causes it to come across as really quite harmless. A gentle note of anise is evident on the nose, along with a toastier note of sesame and some earthy honey. A brown butter quality develops in short order, and that’s equally evident on the palate, which is just as easygoing with its evocation of butter cookies, Cheerios, and some gentle cinnamon notes. To call this whiskey thin wouldn’t be entirely accurate, but it does have more in common with Canadian whiskey than I ever thought possible in a bourbon. 100 proof. B / $70
Lasso Motel Bourbon Amburana Cask Finish – Green River bourbon, finished in Brazilian amburana casks previously used for cachaca. Amburana makes for a divisive impact on whiskey, and this expression is perhaps an ideal exemplar of that. Overwhelming spice and incense attack the nose here, giving the whiskey aromatics that range from gingerbread to saffron to patchouli. The cinnamon notes are extreme to a fault, and if you’re not ready for it, this Amburana Cask offering can wallop you with its spice bill. Flavors of unctuous cinnamon rolls meld with grandma’s perfume to create a potpourri experience, infused with the inimitable (and hard to describe) amburana-driven qualities of marzipan, cloves, pepper, and heavily toasted coconut. Somehow equally sweet, savory, and spicy, it’s an utter mind-scrambler that I could never fully wrap my head around. Which is why people don’t like amburana, I get it. 100 proof. B / $70
Lasso Motel Bourbon Port Cask Finish – Green River juice finished in a Tawny Port wine cask. You catch the sweet Port influence right from the start: The nose has some of that cereal punch, but it’s laden with sweet raisin elements, alongside a healthy note of cinnamon and warming ginger — then some black pepper as things develop further with airtime. The palate does not rock the boat, though there’s a more aggressive clove character and a bite of sarsaparilla — leaving behind a racy coating of spices. The finish really hits like a warm Dr Pepper, which is a tasting note I can’t say I’ve ever used. Fortunately I really like Dr Pepper, and since I no longer drink soda…. 100 proof. A- / $70
Lasso Motel Bourbon Sherry Cask Finish – You surely saw this one coming: Green River bourbon with a Pedro Ximenez cask finish — not oloroso. Aggressive sherry on the nose — bold with with that sweet and oxidized PX character, obvious from the get-go. A mix of seasoned nuts and macerated berries makes the underlying bourbon largely unparseable, save for a vague barrel char note and a slick of licorice evident. I was expecting something less than thrilling on the tongue, but the palate is rich and enveloping, and the PX really works well here. Gentle chocolate notes pair with prune, orange peel, and a heavy baking spice complement to create a finished product that is certainly dessert-adjacent but not bruisingly so. The finish fires up a curiously Eastern character, hinting at white pepper, saffron, and turmeric. Exotic, fun, and very rich. 100 proof. A- / $70
Lasso Motel Bourbon Tokaji Cask Finish – Green River bourbon finished on Hungarian Tokaji barrels. One of the sweetest and most exuberant whiskeys in the Lasso Motel lineup, this bourbon lets the Tokaji take the reins, and in glorious fashion. Sweet notes of golden raisins percolate a floral and lightly citrus-touched nose, with a note of white pepper adding a touch of intrigue. The flower petals are even more intense on the palate, which evokes rose water and lilacs, increasingly perfumed as it develops in the glass. Sweet notes of dried plums, more golden raisins, and orange blossom honey make for an appropriately dessert-like conclusion — complete with late-game notes of chocolate and cinnamon. More complex than you think, but just as delightful. 100 proof. A / $70
Lasso Motel Bourbon Naranja Cask Finish – The last of the finished Green River bourbons, this expression is finished in Spanish vino de naranja casks — white wine infused with orange peel. There’s no shortage of citrus on the nose here, not just navel orange but also grapefruit and blood orange, with an underlying layer of vanilla and some char. Similar on the palate, though not overly fruity — rather, it’s on the bitter side, with lots of orange peel rather than juice. A drizzle of sesame and some brown butter give the finish a lift, but the experience is otherwise straightforward and never able to get much beyond its citrusy roots — nor does it seem overly intent on trying to. 100 proof. B / $70
Lasso Motel Single Barrel Rye Cask Strength 10 Years Old – A racy rye from MGP — 95% rye, 5% barley, bottled at full strength (which varies by bottle). Classic rye spice kicks things off: The nose here is green and peppery, with layers of ginger, orange peel, and grapefruit abutting sweeter aromas of dates and prunes — those latter elements becoming much more visible with some time in glass. Layers of cinnamon become particularly present after that. The palate follows a similar trajectory, starting off with a heavy emphasis on punchy grass and pepper notes before moving into sweeter territory: nut butter, heavy on the almonds, and some dark chocolate. A spray of florals winds things up. This is a complex whiskey that evolves and merits more appreciation the longer you spend with it. 122.4 proof as reviewed. A- / $90
Lasso Motel Kentucky Straight Whiskey 4 Years Old – This is an oddity, made from the same Green River mash as above, but not billed as a bourbon for some reason. There’s no mention of finishing here, but maybe it could have used some. The nose is very simplistic and heavy on barrel char — indistinct and largely inscrutable. The palate surprises, however, showcasing a body that is sweet and candylike, dripping with fruit — primarily cherries in syrup. Hershey’s chocolate gives the finish an unctuous quality, then a rather industrial wone. Boozy and a bit harsh, it would come across as much less approachable were it not for all the sweetness. One to skip in this lineup. 100 proof. C / $45
Lasso Motel Kentucky Straight Whiskey 8 Years Old – This is not an 8-year-old version of the above but rather a distillate from Barton, 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley — and again not billed as a bourbon. Like the 4 year old, however, it’s quite soft and easygoing, a well-tempered clavier of a whiskey that finds a nose which leans into malted milk, caramel sauce, and a lighter char that evokes sandalwood over oak. Some green underbrush makes an appearance, and a touch of soy. The palate does not take much of a diversion, supple with buttery oak and a coconut-touched character that feels very Continental. A pinch of baking spice livens up the later stages of the sip, while the finish offers a slightly bolder punch of dark chocolate and tobacco leaf. An easy sipper if not a particularly exciting one. 100 proof. B+ / $90
Lasso Motel American Straight Whiskey 18 Years Old – Also not an 18-year-old version of the 4 or 8 year old whiskeys, but rather an 18 year old MGP corn whiskey made from 99% corn and 1% malted barley. It smells and tastes the part — an old, boozy combination of butterscotch, vanilla, and tons of buttered popcorn. Doughy marzipan is given a bit of nuance in the form of a sprinkle of black pepper, but the finish takes a vegetal turn, leaving things a touch sour on the back end. Old corn whiskey can be something of an acquired taste with its sweet, moonshiny attack, and this strays only little from expectations. 121 proof. B / $130
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