There are many ways of finishing bourbon after it has reached maturity. Some distilleries will take their bourbon and place it in a wine cask to impart some of the fruity sweet notes of the wine, like we did with our first installment, the Marquette Cask Bourbon. Finishing a bourbon has become a more common practice in the distilling world in recent years, and our Special Finish Amaro Cask Bourbon is just one example of how this technique can be used to enhance a bourbon.

To get started on the process, we will start with our high proof spirit and start soaking an array of botanicals in it (chicory bark, wormwood, and orris root to name a few). We will let these soak for a day before adding fresh orange peel to the mix. That will soak for couple of days before the botanicals are pulled out and the coffee from Madcap Coffee is added in. We will take this and place it in a used oak barrel. We allow this to age for 3-4 months to impart the flavors of the Amaro Pazzo to the barrel. We will remove this and then refill this barrel with another hand selected Straight Bourbon barrel. This refilled barrel is allowed to age another 8 months and 19 days before it was emptied, bottled, and passed to you as our Amaro Cask Bourbon.

The Amaro Cask Bourbon is a unique take on a barrel finish. At the end of the day though, we just really wanted to stick some coffee in a bourbon as an afternoon pick-me-up.

Month One: Marquette Cask Finished Bourbon Whisky

We’re excited to introduce Long Road Distillers’ 12-month special finish bourbon series. Each month of 2024, we’ll be releasing a unique cask finish bourbon whisky. We’ll pair each release with an in-depth look at how these spirits have been produced right here on our website, written by someone on our team. 

This first release in the series is the Marquette Cask Bourbon Whisky, something we’ve been working on for years. This Straight Bourbon has undergone a carefully controlled aging process: initially matured for two years, three months, and eighteen days in charred and toasted new American oak barrels, followed by a secondary maturation for one year, two months, and seven days in ex-Marquette red wine casks, sourced locally from a Michigan winery. This dual-phase aging method enhances the bourbon’s complexity and introduces nuanced flavors.

Central to this bourbon is its mash bill, comprising locally sourced Michigan corn, red winter wheat, rye, and malted barley. This selection of grains not only highlights Long Road Distillers’ dedication to regional agriculture but also plays a critical role in defining the bourbon’s flavor profile and chemical composition.

On the palate, this bourbon presents an intriguing array of flavors. It starts with a fruity, bright, and juicy profile, a result of the esters and congeners developed during fermentation and initial aging. The finish is notably dry, a characteristic influenced by the tannins and other compounds imparted by the red wine casks.

At 93 proof (46.5% ABV), this bourbon offers a robust yet balanced bite, indicative of its careful distillation and aging processes.

This series is more than a collection of unique bourbons; for us, it’s a monthly study in the variables of bourbon production and aging. Each release will demonstrate a different aspect of Long Road Distillers’ curiosity in spirit creation, with casks previously used to age products as varied as honey to our Grand Absinthe. Join us as we explore the impact of these variables on flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel.

Stay tuned for our next release: Grand Absinthe Cask Finished Bourbon, where we’ll continue to enjoy the spirit aging and special finishing. In the meantime, we invite you to experience the complexity and craftsmanship of Long Road Distillers’ first release in this exceptional series: Marquette Cask Finished Bourbon, now available at our tasting rooms and select Michigan retailers.