Adventurous Stills began distilling in Tempe, Arizona in 2015 with a can-do, pioneer attitude toward their spirits. Everything they bottle is grain-to-glass, distilled and aged on site using a custom-fabricated mash tun and two hand-fabricated copper stills. What makes those homemade stills “adventurous,” you ask? Well, each of their offerings, which include four whiskeys, a rum, a vodka, and an agave-based spirit, are intended to showcase “new and interesting” flavors, per the website. We received a bottle of their single barrel Peralta Bourbon, which uses unspecified “specialty grains” to enhance chocolate and spice notes and is aged in new oak for an unspecified amount of time (described online as a “gentle rest”). Let’s get on with this adventure, shall we?

The nose speaks to that “gentle rest” in the barrel, with some youthful fresh oak and silage notes. That said, nothing comes across as raw or sharp like you often get in younger bourbons, and there’s a nice lacing of chocolate malt balls and chewy caramel that builds as it opens in the glass. On the palate, the chocolate notes are prevalent, with bitter baking chocolate and some sweeter, creamier dark Belgian chocolate notes. It’s a big, chewy bourbon for this proof with a generous, peppery heat. The malt notes intensify on the mid-palate and subside to reveal subtle fruit and baking spice. The finish is medium length and drying with notes of sawn lumber and cocoa powder. Still drinking a touch young, but showing impressive body and complexity.

90 proof. Reviewed: Batch #30.

$47 / B+ / adventstills.com 

Adventurous Stills Peralta Bourbon

$47

8.5

Rating

8.5/10