Pinhook 10-Year Vertical Series Bourbon Review – 115.9° Proof

BOTTLE DETAILS

• DISTILLER: Multi-Grain Producers (MGP)
• MASH BILL: 75% Corn | 21% Rye | 4% Malted Barley
• AGE: 10 years
• YEAR: 2025
• PROOF: 115.9 (57.95% ABV)
• MSRP: $99.99
• BUY ONLINE: Breeze or text to buy at 833-332-2118

STEVE'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: All bourbon drinkers, especially those who love old, complex, robust and mannerly MGP liquid.

WORTH THE PRICE: Yes. $99 for well made, well aged bourbon sold by a craft NDP? Bargain!

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bottle if you can get it. But don't pass it up at any bar.

OVERALL: To get a feel for this Vertical Series initiative, read this from the Pinhook news release:

The Vertical Series captures the ethos that defines Pinhook: To make the best whiskey, not the same whiskey every vintage. The collection began with the inaugural 4-Year in 2019, and originally planned through 12 years, it has now been extended to follow 1,350 sourced MGP barrels all the way to 16 years. Each release provides a rare chance to explore how age shapes a whiskey’s character, with every chapter bottled at the proof that best highlights its unique profile.

The nose starts with a little dried rye and grilled beef aromas before giving way to classic bourbon notes of old, wet oak, baking spices, dark caramel, candied cherry, tobacco, flamed citrus, Milky Way bar and dried dates.

On the palate, everything is in balance: toasted oak, black pepper, clove, leather, bitter chocolate, Mexican hot chocolate and toffee. Go away for a few minutes and return to freshly baked bread. The finish is long–as in turtle-crossing-the-finish-line long–and it lingers and warms for a solid minute before leaving a little menthol behind. I’m don’t generally love dry finishes, but this one rewards with tingle and spice, representing careful and perfect aging. As wine folk would say, "There's a lot of structure here."

This bourbon is a study in patience. Knowing the founders of this brand, they didn't expect this whiskey–the first barrels they ever bought before moving to distill at Castle & Key distillery–would turn out as well as it has. But they figured out that it would and moved quickly to turn it into a vertical series. That's the kind of innovation drinkers like: simple, straightforward and differentiated without gimmickry. Knowing they're going to extend this Vertical Series to 16 years led me to pour 100ml reference bottles of this and the 9 year to have on hand as the series progresses and ends.

BRAND NOTES

This year’s release represents a deepening maturity within the series, showcasing a complex nose of burnt orange, brioche, butterscotch, and clove, and a palate layered with brandied cherry, salted caramel, candied pecan, and cinnamon stick.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.