- Julia Thiel
- Journeyman Distillery’s O.C.G. apple cider liqueur
The Chicago Independent Spirits Expo is one of my favorite events of the year; the offerings from the hundred-odd distilleries that participate always include new spirits from distilleries I already know and like, new spirits from brand-new distilleries, and well-established spirits from well-established distilleries that I’ve just never happened to taste before. The next day, though, regret always sets in: a product not of overimbibing the night before (not usually, anyway), but of looking again at the list of participating distillers and realizing what a small percentage of their spirits I managed to try before I reached my limit.
- Julia Thiel
On the other end of the age spectrum from Quincy Street’s “baby bourbon” was WhistlePig, the ten-year-old rye from Vermont (currently made in Canada, but the brand is now starting to make its own whiskey). Incredibly spicy and complex, it tasted like honey, oak, and blackberry, with less of an alcoholic burn than I’d expect from a 100-proof whiskey—though as I sipped, the burn quickly increased. They also had the soon-to-be-released Boss Hog, aged for nearly 14 years and bottled at about 120 proof. This year’s version, called the Spirit of Mortimer after owner Raj Bhakta’s recently deceased pig, is sweet and smooth—again, surprisingly smooth given the high alcohol content, with more vanilla and a toasty maple syrup flavor.
