Hudson Whiskey NY Baby Bourbon, 35 cl

Product Information

Illinois’ FEW Bourbon is a unique expression. The mash of corn and Northern rye with a slight dose of malt adds a very North-meets-South feel to the spirit. The juice is then aged in barrels that range in size from five to 30 gallons. The final ripple is the wood used in the barreling, Minnesota oak. That particular species grows much faster than other oaks and has a much tighter grain, making absorption broader in the smaller format. Opening mine up revealed a hat, t-shirt, canvas bag, enameled shaker, brass bottle opener and two bottles of their whiskey. The box felt like opening up a new pair of shoes and was very impressive to receive. If I could award their marketing team a gold star, I would.

The facility itself dates to 1788, when the eponymous Mr. Tuthill founded a grist mill to supply flour and other grains to the local region. The area became known as Tuthilltown (although that won’t help if you put that in Google – try Gardiner, NY instead) and is the quintessential bucolic New York location. Ownership changes came when Tuthilltown Distillery (the name of the distillery that makes Hudson products) was bought out by Scottish distilling giant William Grant & Sons in the spring of 2017. WG&S saw the potential in having an American Distillery in their portfolio and saw that Hudson Distilling had a lot of room to grow.Share With: This is definitely a bourbon to share with others who know enough about bourbon to appreciate it’s unique production characteristics as well as it’s unique taste. If you have bourbon loving friends who haven’t tried it yet I suggest you all go in on a bottle and try it at your next tasting event. I also think it makes a great entry level bourbon for those that would benefit from something with a milder and sweeter taste before diving into some of the more traditional bourbons. Okay, so we know “straight bourbon whiskey” has been aged over two years and we know “bourbon whiskey” has not met that legal requirement. Is it even worth seeking out bourbon without the “straight” moniker? Yes. There are nuances and innovations happening that are upending the norm and leading to wholly new expressions. They’re not going to bear the slowly unfolding qualities of a 15-year-old Pappy, but they’ll certainly grab your interest. This corn whiskey has personality, even though it isn’t quite ready yet. The producers of this American bourbon have done things their way, uncompromising yet experimenting. Writing their story in a unique and interesting way. With a bit of ice, nothing really changes. All of the flavors that were there originally remain there, which is not the typical experience. Usually when you add a bit of ice it tones down the stronger flavors and mellows things out a bit, but in this case there might not be anything to mellow out. The flavors were deliciously balanced to begin, so the ice just cools it down. Our Tuthilltown Spirits Distillery is a small, family-owned business that strives to produce the best whiskey it can. Hudson Whiskey is made using only the finest ingredients, such as corn, malted barley, rye, and water.

Hudson Baby Bourbon is an interesting expression, aged in small 2 gallon barrels and “sonically matured”. Yes, you read it right! The 100% corn spirit and the casks get some agitation with the help of bass speakers. Every bottle has been hand-filled and numbered, and sealed with a wax. No carbon or chill filtration has been used. One of Hudson’s earliest products was Hudson Baby Bourbon. This youthful bourbon managed to sell based on clever marketing techniques and fierce territorial pride from their locals rather than because it was actually good. My previous review of it was not kind and I took a lot of flak from those who had a fierce loyalty to the brand.Seriously, we’re not making any of this up. The process and science produce exact results every single time. No angel’s share. No opening up barrels to taste year after year, hoping they pop. Lix, of course, has won a slew of awards from both the engineering community and for his whiskeys. They also changed the name to “Bright Lights, Big City.” If that doesn’t sound like a name you’d give to a bourbon, I’m right there with you. But Hudson explains it away by saying that they want to be different from the other guys both in attitude and the way they market their whiskey. I suppose by giving it a name like that, they have achieved their objective. Palate: More of the same from the nose. The flavors are young and grainy with a sharp sting of ethanol and artificial sweetener. The notes are harsh and astringent, reminding me of acne cleaners from my teenage years. There are fruits here, but they’re mainly unripe apples. There’s little sweetness overall. I also find an acidic note like coffee grounds as well. That was a taste that confused me.