Light bubble gum | Candy corn | Dry vanilla powder | Light oak | White peppercorn | Sweet scents are prominent

Baking chocolate | Malted milk balls | Light grain | Green peppercorn spice | Light corn | Clear malt influence

Dash of rye spice | Light dry oak | Smidge of vanilla | Light baking chocolate | Warming heat | Short

Frey Ranch Distillery was founded in 2006 by Colby and Ashley Frey on the family’s 1,500 acre farm in Fallon, Nevada. It’s the state’s only distillery to grow 100% of its whiskey grains onsite. According to the company’s press release, “Quad Malt Bourbon Whiskey utilizes the same mashbill as the flagship four grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey: 100% non-GMO [grains that include] corn, winter rye, winter wheat, and two-row barley all slow-grown on-site.”  For Quad Malt Bourbon, co-founder Colby Frey malted each of the four grains on-site, instead of only the barley, utilizing his custom-made malt drum. This limited release is available exclusively at the company’s distillery tasting room.

The malted grains used in this bourbon are evident from the get-go. The nose contains lighter scents with a focus on dry vanilla powder and sweeter aromas of bubble gum and candy corn. The palate is heavily focused on delicious malted milk balls and baking chocolate with the other notes providing a fleeting thought in comparison. Wrapping up the sip, the finish is on the shorter side but nicely allows more of the bourbon's rye influence to shine through. I give credit to Frey Ranch for taking a chance on a 100% malted grain bourbon. While you tend to see malted rye grains, it’s interesting to see the impact that the malted corn and malted wheat add to this quad mashbill mix. The biggest downside is that the bourbon’s 90 proof provides a more muted experience in the form of a short finish that contrasts against the more well-defined and delicious midpoint. It’s nice to see this sort of innovation coming out of Frey Ranch, and I look forward to hopefully seeing more from their Malted Grain Series in the future.