Review: Old Hamer Bourbon 10 Years Old

West Fork Whiskey has been cranking out juice since 2014, moving from its roots as a NDP to producing its own products with a distinct focus on Indiana heritage styles. Old Hamer Bourbon is crafted from a very unusual mashbill of 99% corn, 1% malted barley, a fact which Jacob has dug deep into in his previous reviews of the whiskeys. Now, celebrating 10 years of being up and running, it’s releasing its oldest whiskey with this mashbill to date: Old Hamer 10 Years Old.

Ready to dig in? Let’s go!

Old Hamer Bourbon 10 Years Old Review

This is a funky, unusual bourbon, and one which I feel will probably be divisive to drinkers. The nose kicks off with barrel char on top of barrel char, slowly fading to evoke aromas of burlap sack, wet hay, and mixed greenery ranging from bell pepper to rosemary, all rather tarry and laced with umami-like notes of soy and roasted mushrooms. There’s a nutty dark chocolate note somewhere in the mix, but it is quickly overwhelmed by the impact of the barrel.

The palate continues the theme of ruddy ultra-savoriness that the nose connotes, initially striking the tongue as quite smoky and dense. Tarry creosote battles against flavors of well-roasted corn, almost burnt, served with sides of charred brassicas, more of that soy sauce, and over-torched sugar crust on a serving of creme brulee.

As the finish arrives, the 99% corn mashbill really starts to take over, evoking the funk of Mexican huitlacoche as a pungent, mushroom-laden conclusion erupts. The barrel breaks down entirely by this point into charry funk of burnt grass and cracked black pepper. The sweetness of bourbon is all but absent  There’s something to this whiskey, but I fear it’s simply too far gone.

100 proof.

B- / $85

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