One of our perennial favorites among the local California distilleries, Wright & Brown had another great booth at Whiskies of the World San Francisco this year. This Oakland-based shop always has a great variety of artisanal whiskey and rum on display, so let's see what they had for us this time around!
Wright & Brown Straight Rye
Their flagship whiskey sports a mashbill of 70% unmalted heirloom rye and 30% malted barley. The nose leads with sour notes that give way to a subtle sweetness. The palate leans into that sweetness while bringing classic rye characteristics to the foreground. The finish is extremely long, with a heavy dose of cinnamon spice.
Wright & Brown Straight Bourbon
Wright & Brown's bourbon features a high-rye mashbill composed of 65% corn, 23% rye, and 12% malted barley. It has a surprisingly fruity nose reminiscent of a berry compote. The medium mouthfeel is well-balanced between spice and sweetness coming from the corn in the mashbill. The finish brings out a nice clean bite on the end, rounding out a classic bourbon profile.
Wright & Brown Bottled-in-Bond American Single Malt
One of the few bottled-in-bond single malts in the United States, this whiskey draws on malted barley sourced from California, Washington, and Ireland. Nuttiness leads on the nose, like a trail mix full of almonds, walnuts, and dried fruit like apricots and cranberries, according to one of our companions. This leads into a light, clean mouthfeel, with the palate featuring more nutty flavors along with a bit of oakiness as well as citrus and floral notes. The medium-length finish has a beautiful cinnamon spice to warm the tongue.
Wright & Brown Aged Rum
Distilled from Georgian black strap molasses, this rum is aged for two years in ex-bourbon barrels. The nose blooms with caramel and burnt brown sugar, classic scents for an aged rum. The palate is smooth with a medium-light mouthfeel, leaning heavily into the caramel. The short finish is a mix of spice and bitterness at the end.
Wright & Brown is surely one of the most exciting young distilleries on the West Coast today. Everything they make is so delicious that it's hard to pick favorites when you just want to keep drinking them all. However, if I were forced to choose, I'd probably go for their Bottled-in-Bond Single Malt due to the unique profile it offers. I'm also very interested in seeing their aged rum develop more complexity and wean off the bitterness on the finish once it gets a few more years in the barrel. Overall, there's a lot to like and no one will walk away disappointed after trying what Wright & Brown has to offer!