Ogden’s Own Distillery Introduces Porter’s Peanut Butter Whiskey

Posted on by mashingin

Ogden’s Own Distillery (Ogden, Utah) has officially announced that Porter’s Peanut Butter Whiskey will join its fan-favorite line of Porter’s flavored whiskeys in August 2020.

Arriving as further proof of “Ogden’s Own’s willingness to take risks through experimentation with bold, unconventional flavor profiles through its beloved Porter’s line,” Porter’s Peanut Butter Whiskey is a Canadian Whiskey that “captures the unmistakable, one-of-a-kind essence of peanut butter and balances it with a hint of rich chocolate flavor, delivering a familiar yet subtle peanut butter presence that . . . elevates the whiskey itself.” Coming in at 66.6 PROOF, Porter’s Peanut Butter Whiskey is “an ideal candidate for any consumers looking to indulge their curiosity in the unexpected sipping experience of a peanut butter spirit, as it is completely safe to drink for those with peanut allergies.”

“Our top priority at Ogden’s Own has always been listening and catering to the feedback of our customers, the loyal community that has embraced our distillery and grown it into what it is today,” said Steve Conlin, CEO and Co-Founder of Ogden’s Own. “Those who know us know that we’re not afraid to take risks and think outside of the box when it comes to our products, and Porter’s Peanut Butter represents our willingness and desire to provide our fans with a unique offering that not only taps into a burgeoning consumer trend, but slots in seamlessly with our existing Porter’s whiskey portfolio. We couldn’t be more excited to see the response. After all, who doesn’t love peanut butter?”

Porter’s Peanut Butter Whiskey is available now at Ogden’s Own Distillery (615 W. Stockman Way | Ogden, Utah) for the price of $19.99 per 750ml bottle. Nationwide availability for Porter’s Peanut Butter Whiskey is expected to follow in the coming weeks via the brand’s retail and online partners. Prost!

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Tasting Notes – Spirits Edition: Porter’s Small Batch Rye from Ogden’s Own Distillery

Posted on by mashingin

PortersRye3x800For this special Spirits Edition of Tasting Notes, we find a little escape from all the worries floating around the world these days by getting momentarily lost in a dram of Porter’s Small Batch Rye from Ogden’s Own Distillery (Ogden, Utah).

Developed to be the first non-flavored whiskey to join the Porter’s portfolio, Porter’s Small Batch Rye is a Straight Rye Whiskey that is comprised of a “95/5 blend of rye and barley . . . to deliver well-balanced flavor.”  Aged for over three years in heavy charred, new oak barrels . . . at 111 proof,” Porter’s Small Batch Rye is finished by being “blended down to 90 proof with Ogden’s Own Distillery’s signature water blend.”

Produced as a limited run of just 1,000 cases, Porter’s Small Batch Rye is available now in 750ml bottles adorned with “labels made from a real wood veneer.”  You can expect to find this Limited Release offering at fine liquor retailers located in Utah, Idaho, Nevada and Michigan. Bottles of Porter’s Small Batch Rye can also be ordered online through Hi-Time Wine Cellars (shipping available to CA, AZ, CO, FL, HI, ID, MO, ME, NE, NM, OH and WA).

Now that we are all caught up on how Porter’s Small Batch Rye was made and how we can get it, let’s pour a little into a fancy glass and see how it all comes together over some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Porter’s Small Batch Rye from Ogden’s Own Distillery

Appearance: Served neat and at room temperature into a shaped whiskey glass, Porter’s Small Batch Rye pours a honey gold in color.  When held to direct light, that honey-like hue brightens and glows softly.  This whiskey is absolutely pristine in clarity.  When jostled about in the glass, the liquid leaves a slick, wide-sweeping arc that drops thin, quick-moving tears back down into the pour.

Aroma:  Rye immediately hits the nose with an array of spicy, peppery notes that are complemented by toasted, bready grains.  Sweeter tones of caramel and tropical/citrus fruit then bloom a bit. The wood character then surfaces with light notes of vanilla and fresh oak.  Straight booze and a touch of dill spice round out the profile.

Taste:  Spicy rye takes lead here as well by supplying big notes of black pepper, clove, cinnamon and baking spice.  The barrel then smooths out those spicier/sharper edges with vanilla, caramel, toffee and oak. A dollop of honey adds a bit more sweetness while a twist of lemon brightens things up a bit.  The dill character that surfaced in the nose is light, but it does hide in the background at times.  The experience closes with some bready grains and a touch of herbal black tea.

Mouthfeel:  Medium in weight, this whiskey softly coats the palate for a moment, but it dries out nicely. Heavy on the spice at times, it does eventually find a nice balance thanks to the sweeter notes coming off the barrel and grains.  Although the nose was filled with booze, the 45% ABV is actually pretty tame on the palate and only offers a gentle warmth in the throat and belly.  Black pepper and caramelized grains are left to linger in the aftertaste.

Final Thoughts:  Despite having only aged in barrels for three years, Porter’s Small Batch Rye surprisingly drinks with a balance that you would expect from an offering that has spent a little more time on oak.  Sure . . . the nose comes across a little hot and boozy and the overall experience is filled with plenty of punchy, spicy rye character, but this younger Straight Rye Whiskey is mellowed out nicely with a hefty infusion of barrel-sourced notes of vanilla, caramel, toffee and oak.  This creates an enticing sip that can easily appeal to lovers of Rye Whiskey and also Bourbon fans who are looking to branch out into rye.  Add in the fact that this is an incredibly reasonably priced Straight Rye Whiskey (currently going for only $18.99 a bottle over at Hi-Time Wine Cellars), and it suddenly becomes really difficult to find a reason to not give this limited-edition offering a shot at making your home bar’s roster.  Seriously, make sure to keep Porter’s Small Batch Rye in mind the next time you are on the hunt for a Straight Rye Whiskey.  Prost!

Tasting Notes – Spirits Edition: Underground Herbal Spirit from Ogden’s Own Distillery

Posted on by mashingin

UndergroundPour2x375For this special edition of Tasting Notes, we journey deep into the spirits realm to experience Underground Handcrafted Herbal Spirit from Ogden’s Own Distillery (Ogden, Utah).

Proudly known as “America’s First Herbal Spirit,” Underground is a liqueur featuring a blend of “33 herbs, spices and flavors” that includes notes of “cassia, angostura, anise, cardamom, gentian, yarrow, wormwood, mate, guarana, ginseng, molasses, orange oil, lemon oil, spearmint, pure cane sugar, agave and plum.”  The characteristic that really sets Underground apart from other Herbal Spirits is that it is made with half the sugar than the competition.  Less sugar and an elevated alcohol content (80 PROOF/40% ABV) combine to result in a “less-viscous, less-syrupy shot” that is surprisingly smooth. Boasting an “incredible versatility, complexity and taste,” Underground has been awarded a Double-Gold Medal in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and selected as the “Best Liqueur in the America’s” at the Spirits of the America’s Competition.

The Story Behind the Name

 

“The origins of Underground are as complex as the 33 herbs and flavors inside the bottle.

 

From the late 1800’s to the mid 1900’s, setting foot off of the train in Ogden was often a life changing experience for a transcontinental rail traveler. The train station sat as the root of the infamous Two-bit Street.

 

‘Any man’s desire fulfilled for two bits.’ Two-bit/25th Street was a hedonist’s paradise. With no trouble from the law, a man could gamble, drink bootleg liquor, spend time with an unfamiliar lady, smoke opium, or befall a worse fate.

 

Two-bit’s dens of iniquity were all connected in their basements by a network of tunnels. It is rumored that there were miles of them. One can only imagine what activities went on underground.”

Underground Herbal Spirit is available in 750ml bottles at fine liquor retailers located in Utah, Idaho and Nevada. Bottles of Underground can also be ordered online through Great American Craft Spirits (shipping available to AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, HI, ID, IN, ME, MO, NE, NM, NC, OH, OK, SC, VT, VA).

With all that background information now out of way, it appears it is finally time to take a sensory tour of the Underground with some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Underground Herbal Spirit from Ogden’s Own Distillery

Appearance:  Poured neat and at room temperature into a tasting glass, Underground presents itself as a deep, dark brown in color.  When held to direct light, the brown hues brighten and take on a resplendent garnet tone.  Dark but not opaque, light penetrates the pour to reveal that the liquid is nice and clear. A gentle swirl allows the liqueur to coat the glass with a clear slick that drops some thin, fast-moving legs.

Aroma: The aromatics open with a distinct and nostalgia-inducing presence of high-quality root beer. Notes of anise and sweet licorice then casually roll in to wrap around and complement that root beer presence.  These notes largely dominate this area, but a woody, cinnamon-laced note (cassia bark) does work its way in to close out the profile.

Taste:  Each sip opens with tempered notes molasses, caramelized sugar, dark stone fruit, and vanilla. The root beer, licorice and anise notes then kick in to handily bridge the gap between the sweet and herbal sides of this liqueur.  Speaking of herbal, the profile closes with a lovely, balancing burst of mint, green tea, bitter wormwood, lemon and orange zest, spicy angostura bitters, and cassia bark.

Mouthfeel:  Slick on the palate, Underground coats the tongue completely but without being overly syrupy.  Mostly herbal and sweet, the balance struck here is quite nice and avoids being cloying.  The 40% ABV is definitely noticeable, offering a pleasant warmth in the throat and belly.  The finish is long and filled with root beer and a lasting cool breeze of mint.

Final Thoughts:  Although it shares some similarities to one of the most popular herbal spirits out there (**cough** Jägermeister **cough), Underground quickly proves that its intentions are to establish its own identity rather than just be a carbon-copy clone.  It does this in many ways, but most notably with the reduced level of sweetness.  Where the other guys are syrupy and cloying, Underground is balanced, smoother and far more easy drinking (even with the higher alcohol content).

Another nice aspect of this offering is that it is far more complex but somehow more approachable.  The flavors and aromas are much more relatable (see those root beer notes), avoid leaning too heavily on the anise/licorice, and the overall experience is pleasantly herbal but without being overly medicinal.  All in all, this makes Underground a tasty option that you can enjoy straight (chilled or room temp) or in a wide variety of inventive shots and cocktails.  If you are at all a fan of Herbal Spirits, you need to work your connections and find a way to bring the Underground to your home bar by any means necessary.  Prost!