Watershed Bottled In Bond Bourbon Review
For my first taste of Watershed Distillery, this was a solid if unspectacular bottled-in-bond bourbon. It doesn’t have many youth notes and is more apple- and rye-forward (though the mash bill is undisclosed), and I found it a great mixer for a Manhattan or a less-sweet Gold Rush.
BOTTLE DETAILS
- DISTILLER: Watershed Distillery, Columbus, Ohio
- MASH BILL: Undisclosed
- AGE: 4 Years
- YEAR: 2021
- PROOF: 100 Proof (50% ABV)
- MSRP: $49.99
- Buy Online: Watershed Trusted Retailers
DAVID'S NOTES
SHARE WITH: A rye drinker interested in spicy, rye-forward bourbons.
WORTH THE PRICE: Hard to justify – at four years old, you can also get an OGD for a similar profile at half the price, or seven-year-old Heaven Hill BIB for $10 less.
BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar – Try this at a bar or the distillery. It is a good product and solid for just four years old, but at $50 it’s worth trying first to see if you think it’s ready. I would buy a bottle at $35-$40.
OVERALL: For my first taste of Watershed Distillery, this was a solid if unspectacular bottled-in-bond bourbon. It doesn’t have many youth notes and is more apple- and rye-forward (though the mash bill is undisclosed), and I found it a great mixer for a Manhattan or a less-sweet Gold Rush, as the honey and apple notes elevate each other. As a neat pour, the black pepper can easily overpower the rest of the flavors.
A tight nose opens with just a hint of dark honey and savory apples. Black pepper and cider power the taste, with oak and spice lingering on the finish. Applewood joins the nose after some air as does roasted corn.
BRAND NOTES
Bottled In Bond is a rare and recognized mark of quality and transparency. Watershed Bottled In Bond Bourbon is made in a single season right here at Watershed Distillery, then aged in our bonded warehouse. Aged four years and bottled at 100 proof, the result is a pure and flavorful bourbon.
Each batch is a true snapshot of the bourbon we were producing at the time of barreling. The quality of the spirit is an authentic reflection of the grit and hard work that we have been putting in at Watershed since we started in 2010.
- NOSE:Aromas of red apple, toasted oak
- TASTE:Flavors of caramel, chicory and dark cherry
- FINISH:Lengthy, smooth finish with notes of spice
WATERSHED DISTILLERY RELEASES BOTTLED-IN-BOND AND NEW BLENDED BOURBON
Craft Distillery Launches a New Premium Bourbon Portfolio
COLUMBUS, OHIO (June 21, 2021) – Today, Columbus, Ohio-based Watershed Distillery is proudly unveiling its reimagined bourbon portfolio which releases on July 1 and includes not one, but two new bourbon products that celebrate the brand’s experience and bourbon-making credentials.
The first of the two bourbons is Watershed’s Bottled-in-Bond, a highly-anticipated offering. Made from a selection of its favorite barrels all from a single season, Bottled-in-Bond is a snapshot of the Watershed story and a reflection of hard work and authenticity. Bottled at 100 proof this bourbon is the same great recipe those who call for Watershed are accustomed to, with a higher alcohol by volume and carrying a rare and recognized mark of provenance and transparency.
“We started making bourbon in 2010 with just one product, which was good. But over the years we’ve worked hard to get better and better, moving from a two-year bourbon to a four-year, and more recently to one of our limited offerings, a six-year barrel strength bourbon,” shares Greg Lehman, CEO and founder of Watershed Distillery. “The launch of our Bottled-in-Bond is the next step in the evolution of Watershed bourbon. Consumer interest in our higher proof, more premium limited-time bourbon offerings has blown us away, and we know this product will be exciting to them.”
The second bourbon, a premium tri-blend bourbon called Watershed Distillery Bourbon, is made by blending Watershed’s standard bourbon with its six-year apple brandy finished bourbon, is rounded out with a sourced bourbon, handpicked to meet a specific flavor profile. The result is a unique and complex four-year age stated offering bottled at 90 proof.
“In recent years, our team has grown more passionate about bourbon blending” shares Lehman. “Our focus with this blend is flavor, and we think our innovative six-year apple brandy finished bourbon is the perfect defining ingredient to build an elevated and unique offering—it turned out better than we ever imagined.”
Watershed Distillery releases its new bourbon portfolio at a time when consumer interest in American whiskey is strong and registrations of new U.S. whiskey expressions are at a 50 year high. Both offerings will be available in 750 ml bottles in select markets throughout the U.S. (Ohio, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, and New York). Watershed’s Bottled-in-Bond (50% ABV / 100 proof) will be available for a suggested retail price of $49.99 and Watershed Distillery Bourbon (45% ABV / 90 proof) will be available for a suggested retail price of $39.99. The current Watershed Bourbon offering will phase-out of the market before the end of the year. All of Watershed’s single barrel bourbon, limited-time releases, and its other spirit offerings, including its award-winning family of gins, remain unchanged.
Disclaimer: Watershed Distillery 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.