The whiskey wash logo
The whiskey wash logo
Bourbon

Whiskey Acres Bourbon

BUY NOW

OVERALL
RATING

Bourbon Review: Whiskey Acres Bourbon

We review Whiskey Acres Bourbon, a true farm-to-glass bourbon from a trio of grain farmers in DeKalb, Illinois.
  • Katelyn Best, whisky writer & enthusiast.
Like Conversation

Tasting Notes:

About:
Appearance:
Deep copper
Nose:
Bright corn, hay, and raw sugarcane are predominant, along with honey and a dash of allspice. I get a tiny bit of dark fruit, as well. The distillery, in their tasting notes, mentions cornbread, which I could see, but my impression is more of fresh, vegetal corn than cornmeal.
Palate:
A little sweeter and heavier than the nose, with brown sugar and cinnamon alongside a somewhat grainier corn note, orange, cinnamon, and light oak. I can almost taste carrot cake in the crisp corn alongside the sweet sugar and spice notes. Conclusion: Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is a very corn-forward bourbon, which I find to be a nice change of pace—and it fits the distillery’s logo, besides. The juxtaposition of bright, crisp vegetal notes with sticky-sweet baking spice and brown sugar is a surprisingly effective one. At $45 a bottle, it’s relatively affordable for a truly farm-to-glass expression, and definitely leaves a unique impression. FINAL SCORE: 89/100 [SHOP FOR A BOTTLE OF WHISKEY ACRES BOURBON]
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.

Whiskey Acres BourbonGiven their location in the heart of corn country, it seems only fitting that Whiskey Acres Distilling in DeKalb, Illinois, puts their focus squarely on their grain. The passion project of three longtime farmers, the distillery is a true farm-to-glass operation, using only grains grown onsite—with corn as the focal point.
Jim and Jamie Walter, a father-son team, and their partner Nick Nagele, are farmers first and distillers second. Dave Pickerell, the former Maker’s Mark master distiller who now heads up WhistlePig and Hillrock Estate and was hired as a consultant by the trio, calls them “the most sophisticated farmers” he’s worked with, commending the detail with which they monitor every aspect of a crop’s growing conditions. That level of monitoring, along with their deep knowledge of grain varieties, means they have substantial control over a whiskey’s terroir, not usually a factor that comes up in conversation around spirits.
Whiskey Acres, like so many young craft distilleries, got their start selling unaged corn whiskey, as well as corn vodka. They also have a rye whiskey and some expressions made with heirloom corn varieties in the works. Their bourbon, which includes wheat—though they don’t specify proportions—was released earlier this summer. It’s bottled at 87 proof. No age statement is given.

Tasting Notes: Whiskey Acres Bourbon

Appearance: Deep copper

Nose: Bright corn, hay, and raw sugarcane are predominant, along with honey and a dash of allspice. I get a tiny bit of dark fruit, as well. The distillery, in their tasting notes, mentions cornbread, which I could see, but my impression is more of fresh, vegetal corn than cornmeal.

Palate: A little sweeter and heavier than the nose, with brown sugar and cinnamon alongside a somewhat grainier corn note, orange, cinnamon, and light oak. I can almost taste carrot cake in the crisp corn alongside the sweet sugar and spice notes.

Conclusion:

Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is a very corn-forward bourbon, which I find to be a nice change of pace—and it fits the distillery’s logo, besides. The juxtaposition of bright, crisp vegetal notes with sticky-sweet baking spice and brown sugar is a surprisingly effective one. At $45 a bottle, it’s relatively affordable for a truly farm-to-glass expression, and definitely leaves a unique impression.

FINAL SCORE: 89/100 [SHOP FOR A BOTTLE OF WHISKEY ACRES BOURBON]

Katelyn Best

Katelyn Best, a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, is a regular contributor to The Whiskey Wash. She has a particular passion for exploring the unique and unconventional aspects of the whisky world.

All Posts
Latest On The Whiskey Wash
Search

Trending Stories

The whiskey wash logo