We reviewed Craft Distillers’ Low Gap White Wheat Whiskey two years ago. Who knew that the company would radically broaden its horizons to launch plans for four different Low Gap whiskeys, a Wheat (previously reviewed), a Rye (reviewed below), a Bourbon (coming soon), and a mystery blend (coming after that)? Will a mere four white whiskeys cut it?
On top of that, all of these whiskeys are going to be aged, as God intended, of course. Two years after the introduction of Low Gap White Wheat, the aged, two year old version is now available. We sampled both the new white rye and the aged wheat. Thoughts follow.
Low Gap White Rye Whiskey is made from malted rye, double distilled in Craft Distillers’ antique copper pot still. There is lots of malty grain on the nose, but it’s quite mild, not the hoary, fuel-infused character you get from most white whiskeys. On the tongue, it’s surprisingly mild. Yes, the expected notes from the granary come through, but the rounded body also offers light orange and mandarin notes, banana, and a touch of coconut. The finish is grassy, and slightly smoky. A quite credible white whiskey. 85.4 proof. B+ / $45
Low Gap California Wheat Whiskey 2 Years Old takes Low Gap White Wheat, made from double-distilled, 100% malted Bavarian Hard Wheat, and drops it into three kinds of barrels: new American oak, used Bourbon barrels (from Van Winkle), and used 350-liter Limousin oak barrels (formerly used for Germain-Robin brandy). It’s young stuff, and the barrels are still doing their magic here. On the nose, it’s enigmatic… lightly woody, the grain character still dominating. The body’s a different animal. A rush of vanilla sweetness hits you first, quickly followed by huge Cognac notes. That Germain-Robin has done a real number here. The finish is all raisins, Sugar Babies, plums, and a chocolate finish. It’s got very little resemblance to any conventional whiskey on the market, which is a good and a bad thing. Anyone walking into Low Gap expecting a light version of Maker’s Mark is going to be in for a real shock. But who doesn’t like trying something new? 84 proof. B+ / $65
craftdistillers.com
As “relaxation drinks” go, Just Chill is one of the better products on the market. Since its 2011 introduction, the product has been a success, and now the company is rolling out two new flavors plus a slightly revamped can design.
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