Review #145 - Yellowstone American Single Malt
From the Limestone Branch Distillery and their Yellowstone brand, we have this American single malt. It's distilled and aged in Indiana, though - a pretty good likelihood, then, that we're tasting some MGP distillate.
There's no statement on the length of maturation, but we do get a solid ABV of 54% (or 108 proof), so there should at least be punchy flavors and a solid mouthfeel to look forward to. Many distilleries and brands are trying their hands at the American single malt category these days, with mixed results - will this be one of the good ones?
Yellowstone American Single Malt
USA - Single Malt
Current Locally Available Price: USD 45 (2023)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 54% ABV
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 5 months; bottles at 100%, 90%, and 80% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: A little sharp to start, richly oaked, with some sweeter oak but also dry tannins. Herbal and chemical as the nose opens up, almost like a rye - then nail polish remover, grain, slightly earthy and nutty. There's a hint of orange and mild vanilla, some bitter caramel, hay... all over the place.
Palate: Medium mouthfeel, with sweet notes like molasses and vanilla, along with wood char and barrel spice. The chemical/herbal notes from the nose come back stronger - they're starting to take over the experience. Earthy, eucalyptus, nail polish remover, and flowers, young spirit notes; then, we do find some caramel and grain, along with clove and cardamom.
Finish: Medium-long, with lingering warmth from the ABV and some peppery charcoal. Slightly mineral and still herbal/flowery, with a hint of that chemical character lingering. There's butterscotch and soft vanilla on the sweeter side, and this mellows out to become mild overall.
Final Note: With all of the herbal spice notes, this almost drinks more like a rye than a single malt; there are a few nice sweet flavors with the baking spices and caramel, but much of the experience is dominated by the young, chemical, grainy character, especially in the palate. Did this just need more time to mature, or a different sort of barrel for aging? Not sure, but there's room for improvement.
Our Average Rating: 3.3 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 3.75
