More to Enjoy
Traverse City Whiskey Company Cabernet Franc Finish
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Distiller:
Undisclosed
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Bottler:
Traverse City Whiskey
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ABV:
48.75%%
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Age:
NAS
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Price:
$$$$$
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Intro:
We're not really sure who distilled this, but it's bottled and aged by Traverse City Whiskey Co. and finished in Cab Franc casks. We see far fewer finished ryes than bourbons, so this is an unusual opportunity, especially considering Cabernet Franc is also an unusual wine finish. Let's dive in.
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Nose:
Jammy on the nose. Red berries, cranberry, cherry, cocoa and a pinch of baking spice. Interesting, sweet and fruity, to say the least.
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Taste:
Moderate mouthfeel. This is a bit proofy despite the low ABV. Bitter oak, pepper, slate and a touch of cocoa. The wine comes through meekly here — it's not super bold, but in a rare exception, I think it could have used a touch more. There's a bitterness in the base whiskey that is a bit heavy-handed here.
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Finish:
Moderate in length, full of bitter oak, red berries, stewed fruits and a touch of tobacco.
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Overall:
After a couple of rounds of tasting, this is my least favorite of the recent experimental Traverse City releases. The rye gets lost behind the fruit and the bitterness of the oak.
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Score:
4
- Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources