Chattanooga Whiskey CASK 111 Review
Over the past few years, I’ve learned that I really enjoy whiskeys that explore using different malted grains. So when I first heard about Chattanooga Whiskey’s Tennessee High Malt Whiskey coming to market, I was pretty excited.
BOTTLE DETAILS
- DISTILLER: Chattanooga Whiskey
- MASH BILL: Yellow Corn, Malted Rye, Caramel Malted Barley & Honey Malted Barley
- Fermentation: Extended 7 days
- Cooperage: Toasted and charred oak barrels
- AGE: Greater than 2 years
- YEAR: 2019
- PROOF: 111 Proof (55.5% ABV) | Unfiltered | Barrel Strength
- MSRP: $44.99
- BUY ONLINE: Wine-Searcher.com
POPS' REVIEW OF CHATTANOOGA WHISKEY CASK 111
NOSE: Cocoa | Sweet Tea | Fruit Cake Spices
TASTE: Chocolate | Cherries | Toasted Oak
FINISH: Medium-long finish featuring chocolate malt and sweet oak accompanied by a pleasant chest surge (the burn).
SHARE WITH: Cask strength bourbon drinkers will enjoy this one and will likely be surprised by its age.
WORTH THE PRICE: Yes. While it's young in age, it drinks like an older and more mature bourbon.
BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bottle - absolutely.
OVERALL: Over the past few years, I've learned that I really enjoy whiskeys that explore using different malted grains. So when I first heard about Chattanooga Whiskey's Tennessee High Malt Whiskey coming to market, I'll admit I was pretty excited. Now having tried it, I can confirm that this new release from Chattanooga Whiskey only reinforces my fondness for whiskeys using a variety of malted grains.
There's a lot to love about this bourbon starting with the fact that its cask strength and unfiltered. The result is a whiskey with a beautiful mouthfeel and one that leaves long legs on a Glencairn glass. The nose surprises for being such a young bourbon. It's full of robust aromas, including a healthy amount of cocoa that hits you front and center.
Once sipped, the palate is greeted with a combination of flavors reminiscent of chocolate-covered cherries and sweet oak (the only sign that this is a young bourbon). The finish delivers a nice surging burn along with chocolate malt and more sweet oak.
This is one of the most, if not the most, unique bourbons I've tried this year – and I love it. It's not overly complicated and nuanced like a more mature whiskey. But the malt-forward flavors in this one make it a bottle I find myself going back to over and over again. I highly recommend getting a bottle and spending some time getting to know the benefits of Tennessee High Malt bourbon.
BRAND NOTES
TENNESSEE HIGH MALT
Proof: 111 (55.5% ABV)
Mash Bill: Yellow Corn, Malted Rye, Caramel Malted Barley & Honey Malted Barley
Fermentation: Extended 7 days
Cooperage: Toasted and charred oak barrels
Age: Greater than 2 years
Batch Size: 8-12 barrel; representing one select distillation run.
Handcrafted from a single fermentation in small batches, Chattanooga Whiskey 111 Cask is the unfiltered, barrel strength expression of our signature Tennessee High. By omitting the traditional filtration process, Cask 111 is able to retain every bit of flavor and complexity from the rich ingredients and long maturation process.
CHATTANOOGA WHISKEY INTRODUCES NEW SIGNATURE OFFERINGS
Chattanooga, TN, August 5, 2019 – Chattanooga Whiskey announced the release of its new signature expressions—Chattanooga Whiskey 91 and Chattanooga Whiskey CASK 111.
Following the success of the 2011 community-powered “Vote Whiskey” campaign, Chattanooga Whiskey became the first legal distillery in Chattanooga in over 100 years. “The journey of Chat- tanooga Whiskey began eight years ago,” said Tim Piersant, CEO and Founder, “We changed the laws, built two distilleries, and created our own style of straight bourbon whiskey—Tennessee High Malt—and we couldn’t be more excited to release it now.”
The signature recipe—known as “Barrel 91”— for Chattanooga Whiskey 91 was selected by Head Distiller Grant McCracken from the first 100 experimental barrels created at the Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery.
“Crafted using a 4 grain mash bill, including three specialty malts; rye malt, caramel malt and honey malt, gives Chattanooga Whiskey 91 a distinctly malt-forward flavor profile,” McCracken said. “Each step of the process has been crafted to highlight the complexity of these ingredients.” Medium bodied, Chattanooga Whiskey 91 has a taste profile of dried apricot, sweet tea, and honeyed toast, with a lingering, malty-sweet finish.
Releasing as a partner offering, Chattanooga Whiskey CASK 111 is the unfiltered, barrel strength expression of Tennessee High Malt. Crafted in small batches from a single fermentation, Chatta- nooga Whiskey CASK 111 is full bodied with a taste profile of chocolate covered cherry, toasted coconut, and cinnamon with a warming, malty finish.
“The release of Chattanooga Whiskey 91 and Chattanooga Whiskey CASK 111–100% made in Chattanooga—is the culmination of all our efforts,” said Piersant. “It fulfills our commitment to crafting the best sipping whiskey from Tennessee.”
Available throughout the Southeast, Chattanooga Whiskey 91 is bottled at 91 proof with a suggested retail price of $34.99 for a 750ml bottle. Chattanooga Whiskey CASK 111 is bottled at 111 proof with a suggested retail price of $44.99 for a 750ml bottle.
Disclaimer: Chattanooga Whiskey provided Bourbon & Banter with a sample of their product for this review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.