River Roots Barrel Co. "Going Back to Cali" California American Single Malt Whiskey - Selected by Seelbach's

Age: 10 year and 6 months

Proof: 136.34

Mash bill: 63.6% Malted Barley, 36.4% Rye

Bottle count: 137 bottles

Tasting Notes: This takes the familiar, or perhaps not-so-familiar, California profile and gives it even more layers to sort through.

The nose has an almost Ramazzotti-like herbal, cola, and dark chocolate note leading the way before moving into sweeter notes of fresh pipe tobacco, molasses, and lemon iced tea. It’s dense, confusing, and intoxicating.

The palate is fizzy and syrupy, with Mug root beer concentrate meeting chocolate cake drizzled with sorghum before a wave of tiramisu and orange marmalade. There are still plenty of gin-like botanical pops on the palate, but the double oak profile definitely presents them in a more balanced and integrated way.

The finish is long and trailing, beginning to shed some of the darker, heavier notes in favor of lighter touches of maple syrup. It continues a bit prickly and fresh, leaning coniferous and earthy before an almost port-like fruitiness and dampness lasts even longer on the tongue.