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Whiskey Review: St. George Baller Whiskey

We review St. George Baller Whiskey, "a California take on the Japanese spin on Scotch whisky" that's crafted by a popular San Francisco Bay Area distillery.

OVERALL RATING

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St. George Baller Whiskey

Tasting Notes

About:

Appearance:
The Baller Whiskey is a light golden straw tone in the glass, a warm and buttery yellow.
Nose:
Malty and grain-forward at first on the nose, the spirit opens quickly and with considerable intensity. Some funkiness and fruit expands into warm beer mash, old school cherry and cream sodas, root beer barrel candy, and charred fruit. The front end of the nosing experience smells just like a candy store burning down. After opening, salted pickled plums (umeboshi), brine, and char come together more coherently. The nose becomes driven by umami and beach campfire.
Palate:
The first impression on the palate is summer BBQ realness, with warm malty beer and relish-covered potato chips. Hot soda and barbecue Lays come next. Dried seaweed, sweet rice crackers, and warm root beer transition the palate from sweet and salty to umami. Brine, pickle, smoke, sugar, and salt make for an incredibly complex flavor profile. A lingering, bread-y sweetness on the finish melds with light funkiness and smoke. Conclusion: The Baller Whiskey may very possibly be the only whisk(e)y I’ve ever had that utilized the coveted “fifth taste” of umami. It hit every flavor of a good meal, in a Wonka-esque Three Course Dinner Chewing Gum manner. Drinking and reviewing this whiskey was an absolute pleasure, and highly entertaining to boot. The Baller Whiskey is exactly the kind of whisk(e)y that I love and that keeps me in love with whisk(e)y. While certainly not an everyday sort of whiskey, I can easily imagine The Baller Whiskey becoming a coveted collectible. FINAL SCORE: 94/100
Finish:
Comments:

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Savannah Weinstock

Savannah Weinstock is a graduate of Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, where her Environmental Studies thesis delved into the intersection of Scotch Whisky, sustainability, and the commodification of nature and culture. During her thesis research, she spent time living and studying in Glasgow, Scotland, visiting and interviewing distilleries across the country, with a particular focus on the Hebridean Isles. Savannah is currently immersed in the industry, gaining firsthand experience with whiskey, spirits, and cocktails on a daily basis.

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