Brown sugar | Dark toffee | Mexican vanilla extract | Nougat | Marshmallow fluff | Hint of jasmin | Faint orange rind | Well integrated aroma

Orange zest | Baking spices | Cinnamon spice | Hint of leather | Charred oak | Black peppercorn | Creamy

Chewy oak | Leather | Cinnamon spice | Rye spice | Earthy

Founded in 2008, Middle West Spirits is based out of Columbus, Ohio and states that they’re “focused on elevating the distinctive flavors of the Ohio River Valley.” The company produces bourbon, rye, and wheat whiskey, along with barrel finished versions of each. In order to produce this distillery only release, the company blended together 4 year old Middle West Dark Pumpernickel Rye and Wheat Whiskeys. This blend was then further aged for an additional 1-2 years in Vino de Naranja casks from Spain. Specifically, Vino De Naranja is produced in Huelva and Málaga in Andalucia, Spain, and is a white wine created by resting white wine with orange peels. The company states that “each double cask barrel was bottled as a single barrel at cask strength (with proofs ranging from 119.7 to 123.1).”

Middle West Spirits Vino De Naranja Whiskey opens with a well integrated aroma that delivers rich scents in spades. Brown sugar, dark toffee, and Mexican vanilla extract combine with a faint orange rind scent. This orange influence from the Vino De Naranja casks carries forward to the midpoint, morphing into an orange zest note and combining with a slurry of flavors to form a creamy mouthfeel. Rounding out on more earthy flavors, the finish displays chewy oak and dry leather along with various spice notes.

The extra time Middle West Spirits allowed the blend of Soft Red Winter Wheat Whiskey and Dark Pumpernickel Rye to mingle together in the Vino de Naranja casks is prominent throughout the sip. While the Vino de Naranja casks impose a variety of orange notes throughout, they definitely play more of a supporting character role versus being the main star. Instead, what is most noticeable with this whiskey is how well utilized its individual parts are, which, when combined, make for a very well integrated sip that’s full of flavor.