Both bottled in bond without chill filtration at 100 proof, the Yellow Leaming and Blue Clarage Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskeys were distilled from rare, regional heirloom corn crops and finely crafted into equally rare bourbons, introducing unprecedented flavors and connecting the distillery to its agricultural origins of whiskey making from centuries passed.
The Ohio Valley Blue Clarage varietal, developed in the 1920s by farmer Edmund Clarridge in Clinton County, Ohio, birthed the second heirloom grain release from a more circuitous route to the distillery, lending a marked difference to the whiskey compared to New Riff’s standard recipe, replete with fruited, spicy tones.
For the heirloom Blue Clarage corn, Erisman describes the nose as “providing an extra layer of fruitiness, juxtaposed against the clove-led spices of the 30% rye grain.” The Blue Clarage Straight Bourbon Whiskey is made with 65% heirloom Blue Clarage corn, 30% rye, and 5% malted barley.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose has touches of buttered popcorn, honey, vanilla, caramel apples, and subtle baking spices.
Palate: The taste is thick, chewy, and fruity with hints of clove underneath and touches of caramel apples, honey, and vanilla.
Finish: Finish is long and spicy with clove and a hint of peppercorns.
"All in all, this is a very cool experiment, one that highlights what bourbon might be like with bolder or more subtle contributions from the corn as the backbone of the bourbon whiskey flavor profile. Classic bourbon lovers may prefer the greater richness of the Yellow Leaming, where I expect the Blue Clarage may appeal more to those who want the high-rye profile to peak through a bit more assertively." - Jim Vorel, Paste Magazine
"At once toasty, grassy, and sweet, the nose is rich and complex — sweet but with an undercurrent of barbecue spice rub. Everything coalesces far more cleanly on the palate, showcasing peanut brittle, baking spice, and a savory, pumpernickel bread note. Slightly smoky on the palate, with notes of cocoa powder and some graphite, moving slowly into that inimitable chocolate-meets-peanut putter Reese’s quality." - Christopher Null, Drinkhacker (90 Points)
