Review by: zSolaris

Distillery: Loup River

Region: St. Paul, Nebraska

ABV: 43%

Price: $45

Batch No.: #4619

Age: 2 Year.

Color: 1.3, Russet/Muscat.

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Nose: (according to the wife) Not a whole lot going on here, just some caramel.

Palate: Much like the nose, there isn’t a whole lot going on. There’s a caramel with a bit of baking spices mixed it. It has a pleasant amount of warmth without any youthful burn. Fairly smooth but not a whole lot going on flavor-wise.

Finish: Short. Tinge of the baking spices, not a whole lot going on again.

Conclusion: Loup River is a small distillery in central Nebraska run by a farmer who puts grains he grows himself into his whiskey. I’ve reviewed his corn whiskey in the past and found it to be surprisingly good. His bourbon doesn’t quite live up to the same standard. It’s very easy to drink, being a lot smoother than you’d expect a youthful whiskey to be. The few notes that do pop up in the caramel and baking spice are very pleasant, especially with the tad bit of warmth, there just isn’t enough going on. Not bad, but I think I’ll stick to his corn whiskey.

Final Score: 72.

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.