I just received the heaviest bottle of Bourbon I have ever hoisted. This 750ML bottle is so heavy it could give you a hernia. And on top of that, it is shaped like the largest hip flask I have ever seen. Trust me, if you attached this bottle to your hip, you would hobble about like a peg legged pirate. This baby weighs in at 4 pounds but feels like 24 pounds. So, of course it comes from Texas where bigger is always better.

This small batch bourbon is high-rye bourbon because it dials back on the corn and doubles up on the rye and goes through a proprietary fermentation process. The mash is distilled in traditional copper pot stills and then aged in dark #4 charred oak barrels. The whiskey is then combined with the limestone-filtered water of the Devil’s River and finishes with the company’s proprietary chill filtration process. Sounds like these good old Texas boys have gone through a whole lot of thought and work to whip up this bourbon. If I can lift this bottle one more time, I’ll pour a bit and get to the tasting.

The color is a golden amber and the nose is sweet with bourbon, honey and caramel, along with a touch of rye and a hint of oak. On the palate, I immediately get a taste of melon followed by the sweetness of honey and then the oak. The rye takes a back seat but is still quite noticeable and tasty. The sweetness overlays a touch of spiciness, and that touch feels tingly and welcome and makes this mouthful just that much more interesting. The finish is sweet, spicy, warm, and citrusy and lasts a medium amount of time, actually just long enough to make you want to take another sip.

This is not a heavy handed bourbon, but it is one that is loaded with flavor that won’t overload your palate. One ice cube mellows this bad boy right out and goes a ways to combine all those flavors even more.

Devil’s River Bourbon whiskey is 90 proof (45%ABV) and available in very heavy 750ML bottles for a suggested retail price of $29.99

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By George Brozowski