Caramel corn | Hay | Sweet corn | Ginger | Touch of raspberry | Light oak

Butterscotch | Brown sugar | Coffee bean | Cornbread

Grain | Corn | Cayenne pepper | Raspberry | Black cherry | Sweet oak | Short

45th Parallel Spirits and its distillery are located in New Richmond, Wisconsin. They are a grain-to-glass producer, with their grains coming from a farm eight miles from the distillery. Their pot-distilled bourbon is aged for at least 5 years in Ozark white oak barrels.

45th Parallel Spirits, which opened in 2007, began producing vodka and gin and released its first bourbon in 2012. Among their many finished bourbons, wheat whiskey, rye, and bottled in bond bourbon, 45th Parallel celebrated the launch of its first 10 year old bourbon in 2024. The company’s 92 proof Border Bourbon is an ongoing release and is their most popular product.

The bourbon has a strong caramel corn scent that emanates from it. This sweetness rolls into sweet corn and hay, with a pinch of ginger also pulling through. On the backend, touches of raspberry and light oak are present, capping off an enjoyable aroma. The palate starts with butterscotch and brown sugar before transitioning to a slightly bitter coffee bean note and ending on cornbread. Grain comes through during the bourbon’s finish and are joined by an interesting blend of cayenne pepper, raspberry, black cherry, and sweet oak.

The bourbon is grain-forward, which is most noticeable during its finish, though it does dissipate quickly. Its flavors are distinct and sweet but are primarily quick hitters. The coffee bean and cornbread on the palate and cayenne pepper, raspberry, and black cherry on the finish are by far the bourbon’s standout flavors. The flavor profile does grow on you, but additional maturity is needed to help round off the bourbon’s rough spots and deepen its flavors. Aging in a cold climate like Wisconsin can dramatically slow the aging process, and this is likely why this bourbon seems like it would benefit from more time in the barrel.