A Great Barley Malt, If You Can Find It
I remember being first impressed with Hudson Whiskey when they came onto the scene with their Baby Bourbon years ago. When they followed it up with this 100% malted barley release, I had to grab a bottle.
Sadly, the release has since been discontinued before Hudson revamped their entire product lineup during a major rebrand last year. They still have the Baby Bourbon (under a new name) alongside three different rye experiences, but the barley experiment has ended for now. At the very least, though, I can share this tasting with you!
The nose has strong notes of toffee and maple syrup, as well as almond. The palate develops nicely, bringing in dark chocolate with a deep nutty flavor on top of oak spice. The medium finish is mostly heat, but not unpleasant in nature, as the influence of the pure barley malt is clear.
In terms of complexity, there's a little more to it than a one-note whiskey, but there isn't anything too complicated going on. A 100% barley malt isn't that common as a mashbill, so it also gets some points in terms of uniqueness. If you can manage to find it, the Hudson Single Malt is an excellent example of a pure barley whiskey, and it's worth seeking out if that's your thing.
