Orange zest | Fresh wood | Fruit cocktail | Bright & lively opening

Malty with a caramel base | Anise | Clove | Tobacco

Flush of rye spice | Savory tobacco | leather | Sugary oak | Long with a malty backend

Excelsior, which comes from New York’s motto meaning “Ever upward,” is made from floor-malted barley, wild fermented in open air tanks, and then distilled by Coppersea Distilling in direct-fired copper pot stills - a technique they refer to as “Heritage methods.” The mashbill is somewhat unusual, containing a high percentage of malted barley, and the flavor profile succeeds in highlighting the best of both grains. While the whiskey is only two years old, it offers a surprisingly well constructed array of flavors, maximizing the effect of barrel aging but also showcasing what must be exceptional distilling by Coppersea, as the qualities of the base grains show through clearly. A fine whiskey, even at a young age.