Four Grain Straight Bourbon is created by Laws Whiskey House, a grain-to-glass distillery located in Denver, Colorado. This whiskey has a four grain mash bill consisting of 60% corn, 20% heirloom wheat, 10% heirloom rye, and 10% heirloom malted barley. All the grains used by Laws come from two local family-owned Colorado farms. This bourbon is aged in 53 gallon (240 litre) charred oak barrels for at least three years. However as it is a marriage of aged whiskey, which include whiskey up to ten years of age.
Laws’ Bourbon is produced in small 100 barrel batches. Each batch sees the grain milled, cooked and then fermented on-site along with the distillation and maturation. Rather uniquely Laws uses heirloom varietals of wheat, barley, rye, and corn. These are grown at high altitude by two family-owned farms – the Cody’s in the San Luis Valley and the Ohnmacht’s on Colorado’s eastern plains. Heirlooms varietals rarely provide the highest yield but often become distinctive and high quality spirits. These grains are grown at high altitude over 7,000 feet / 2,135 metres above sea level.
Laws also practice open air, on-grain sour mash fermentation which adds character in Colorado’s high altitude terroir. That involves thin air, hot days and cool nights. Located in the Rocky Mountain region, the city of Denver, is known as the ‘Mile High City’ due to its elevation of 5,280 feet / 1,609 metres above sea level. For context, the tallest mountain in Scotland, Ben Nevis, stands at just over 4,400 feet / 1,345 metres above sea level.
Laws Whiskey House started in 2011 led by founder Al Laws. It has since become more of a collaborative affair with no one person deemed as Master Distiller. Rather, everyone who works in the distillery has joint responsibility to produce the best spirit possible.
Bottled at 47.5% ABV, Laws Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey is available from retailers in Colorado as well as direct from the distillery for $65.
Our Tasting Notes
This whiskey is a deep burnt amber colour. The nose is characteristically bourbon with bitter orange and glacé cherries, honey, dried coconut and vanilla sugar with sweet cinnamon. This whiskey goes beyond that with a yeasty note like wholemeal bread dough and floral notes akin to dried roses. Underneath this is some spicy and herbal notes of clove and menthol.
To taste, the yeasty character is at the forefront alongside ripe intense banana, apricot and peach fruitiness. There are armfuls of icing sugar and sweet vanilla that deepens over time into a bold caramel. Milk chocolate and dried coconut meet with toasted peanuts as the flavour profile evolves. Next comes a spicy, but sweet, gingerbread plus bitter orange oil that lasts well into the finish. The combinations are delicious. A distinct oaky quality develops late on also, as does that hint of rose.
The finish is intensely woody, delivering both mouth-watering tannins and dryness. It partners with plenty of spices – think of red peppercorns, cloves, nutmeg and dusty cinnamon. The cereal characteristics also grip the taste buds well, especially once the sweeter elements have faded.
What’s The Verdict?
This expression from Laws Whiskey House is clearly a wood heavy style of bourbon, but has more than enough sweetness, fruit and floral character to balance. This whiskey takes you on a journey through flavours, delivering what is expected of a bourbon, and then giving something more. It is an excellent example of a bespoke American whiskey from a team that shows extreme care in the making of their spirit.
We picked this bottle up at the distillery shop following a visit. We found that the amazingly friendly, dedicated and intelligent individuals there had passion and dedication. It makes us appreciate the collaborative approach this distillery is taking, and from the taste of this whiskey, it is working.
