Thirteen years has served this blended cask-strength Bourbon well — it’s lightly sweet and smooth.
John Little of Smooth Ambler Spirits set out with his father-in-law to make something his adopted state of West Virginia would be proud of. In 2009 that dream became a reality when they opened up their distillery in the tiny town of Maxwellton — which sits in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains. They have a single, small batch still. But sales have done well and they are up to approximately 80 barrels per month produced across two shifts. In-house they produce two Whiskies, two Gins, a Rum, and a Vodka. They also market the “Old Scout” brand of limited edition, blended Whiskies which are sourced from other sources and collected by Whiskey-lovers.
Smooth Ambler Old Scout Single Barrel Select 13 Year is a bottle of powerful awesome.The first thing you need to know is that it’s a high-corn Bourbon — the mash bill includes 84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% malted barley. Most people think that this yields a sweeter, mellow Whiskey. But since it’s bottles at cask strength, it’s “mellow” at full volume. And because this is a genuine single-barrel spirit, the exact proof/ABV varies and there are subtle differences in flavor profile. The exact specs for your bottle will appear on the label. That also means that this is a limited release, so get your share while you can.
Smartass corner:
The name Smooth Ambler fits the laid-back, easy-going style of the the locals who take their time, but always get where they’re going in style.