The Block Distilling Co Four Grain Straight Whiskey

The Block Distilling Co. honors tradition while still pushing the boundaries of flavor and method. This Four Grain Straight Whiskey is a perfect example. Starting with the grain, using wheat, rye, and malted barley is all fairly common. It is the high volume addition of oats that create the distinguishing earthy complexity and creamy mouthfeel of the spirit. Next, we have the distillation method. Most whiskey is pot distilled, requiring two distillations to reach whiskey strength, but not this one. This whiskey is single, short column distilled allowing the distiller to have finite control of the proof of the whiskey. Control of proof means control of the resulting flavors. Thus only the flavors we want go into the barrel for aging. That oak barrel also stands apart from the rest. The oak used by the cooper to make this cask is allowed to rest for three times longer than the standard whiskey barrel. That extra time spent in the "seasoning" stage breaks down the green, grassy, astringent notes. Why is that important? The barrel is a massive flavor creator in the final spirit so making sure that the wood only has good flavor to give means better whiskey with more complexity and a smoother finish. Did we mention it sits in these full size 53 gallon casks for two years!