Larrikin Bourbon Company is located in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, and began as Lawrenceburg Bourbon Company. The company was founded by LCDR Greg Keeley, which stands for Lieutenant Commander and hints towards the founder’s background, which is noted by the company as “a Service-Disabled Navy Combat Veteran. Greg has the unique honor of commissioned service in both the United States Navy and the Royal Australian Navy, with combat roles in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Pacific. Raised in Oz, he also served with the Australian Federal Police.” The term “Larrikin” is Australian slang, meaning “a person who disregards convention; a maverick.

‍‍Rosewater is created by steeping rose petals in water. It’s been used in food, cosmetics, and religion ever since it was created in Iran centuries ago. For this release, Larrikin proofed down their blend of 5 and 6 year old bourbons with in-house made rosewater. The company states that “at Larrikin, we make our rosewater the old-fashioned way: by brewing real rose petals and spring water in a 10-gallon pot, using oversized, petal-stuffed teabags.” The company goes on to state that “Larrikin’s founder and distiller, Greg Keeley, developed a soft spot for rosewater during his many adventures through the Middle East, India, and South Asia.”

The aroma is sweet, skewing toward classic scents with a twist. Brown sugar, vanilla, and a touch of corn syrup appear upfront, with oak and hibiscus tea following behind. There is an undeniable light floral essence present, providing an enjoyable addition to the overall aroma. It’s a very effective and pleasing introduction to the sip.

Upfront, sweet flavors pop with raspberry hard candy, followed by brown sugar. Classic flavors bubble up, revealing a tingly rye spice, along with charred oak and vanilla, which come across as slightly muddled. Unlike the nose, which allows for more expressive scents, the lower proof holds the palate back. That said, the flavors present work well together.

The sweet notes found so far in the sip quickly dissipate at the start of the finish. In their place, a combination of light dry oak, rye spice, leather, and tobacco are the main focus. Shortly after, a hint of black tea pops to add intrigue before transitioning to dry oak and light spice notes. The end of the sip is on the shorter side, with the flavors present being light and straightforward overall.

Barrel finished bourbons have been all the rage for the past decade and show no signs of slowing down. As distilleries finish their bourbon in more core staples such as various wine finishes, others are always chasing after the next new type of barrel to finish their product in, such as when Amburana finished whiskeys became all the rage a few years ago. Despite many distilleries claiming the water they use in their whiskey is the best, what you don’t see too many distillers doing is toying with the water used to proof their bourbon.

There’s a good reason for this, especially for those who actually want to bottle a bourbon. By using rosewater to proof the blend down, the product turns into a whiskey specialty, which is why Larrikin Rosewater does not technically qualify as a bourbon. While sources of water can vary (spring, reverse osmosis, river water, etc.), using infused water is akin to using a flavoring agent, which TTB rules dictate the spirit cannot be labeled bourbon as a result.

That said, as a whiskey product itself, using rosewater, or even other infused water, is something you rarely run into. Sure, it doesn’t allow the product to be labeled a bourbon anymore, but it’s very innovative nonetheless. Additionally, there is little doubt that the rosewater subtly influences the flavor profile, adding a unique twist to the blended bourbon used for this spirit. You have to give Larrikin credit for this one, as it’s one of the more unique and innovative approaches taken to help differentiate an American whiskey product in recent years.

Younger aged sourced bourbon can vary in price depending on the source and the brand releasing it. This can, of course, vary based on whether or not any barrel finishing was done. Coming in at $70 for a blend of 5 and 6 year old Kentucky bourbons is on the higher side of that spectrum, especially since the blend wasn’t finished in any secondary barrels that would add cost.

With Larrikin Rosewater, though, while there may not be a secondary finishing barrel deployed, the company did make their own rosewater in-house. This has the benefit of adding a unique flavor characteristic to the spirit. In the end, what saves this from being a below-average value is the uniqueness of this product, along with the fact that the resulting sip actually does stand out from more typical 5-6 year old Kentucky bourbons, and what is being charged to consumers is ultimately a fair price.

Larrikin deserves credit for their Rosewater release. On the surface, this screams gimmick, but in execution, it delivers an intriguing sip that is influenced by the proofing down using rosewater, but never to the point that it takes away from the sip. Instead, it helps subtly enhance the majority of the drinking experience, specifically in the nose and palate. This, of course, comes at the expense of it technically not qualifying as a bourbon.

That said, I don’t know if consumers will care that it’s not technically a bourbon as all finished bourbon aren’t either, and that hasn’t curbed their popularity. The fact that Larrikin Rosewater is a blend of 5 and 6 year old Kentucky bourbons and proofed down with an infused water may not matter to those who aren’t die-hard bourbon drinkers. I’m not sure if this will kick off a trend of various water infusions being used to proof down whiskey in the future, or how much different it is than using other infusions to flavor a whiskey. The question remains if water infusions are seen as more genuine, versus other infusions, flavor additives, or barrel finishes in general. But Larrikin deserves credit for finding a way to stand out in a very crowded market. Add in the fact that the resulting sip is unique and delivers a pleasing pour, and Larrikin Rosewater will be a whiskey that die-hard whiskey drinkers will want to try once, even if it’s just a glass at their favorite whiskey bar.