Smokeye Hill Bourbon is produced by Hazlewood Spirits and pays homage to a geographical landmark in Arizona. The company was founded by Blake Johns, whose family has owned the land around Smokeye Hill for generations. The company states that “During the era of American Prohibition (1920-1933), when the production and consumption of alcohol were outlawed, Smokeye Hill and its surroundings emerged as a secluded haven for bootleggers."

‍‍The whiskey used to create Smokeye Hill Bourbon is produced in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, at what is presumably Ross & Squibb Distillery (MGP). The company states that a proprietary mash is used, containing heirloom blue corn, yellow corn, rye, and malted barley. Once distilled, it is barreled, aged, and bottled in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This implies that the raw distillate is trucked over to Colorado before being barreled. The company uses a mix of barrels to produce the bourbon, stating that it is “aged in new American White Oak 30 & 53 gallon barrels. No.2, No. 3, No. 4 & No 5 barrel chars.”

A base of cornmeal and yellow cake forms the foundation for the bourbon’s aroma. A ground tobacco scent reveals itself upon deeper inhalation, along with white peppercorn and charred oak. Light baking spices and cinnamon powder make up the tail end of the aroma. It’s a straightforward and light opening to the sip.

A light, sweet orange jasmine note mingles with white peppercorn spice and faint oak. A thin caramel note is also present along with light vanilla and baking spices. It’s a slightly thin mouthfeel, which is surprising for the proof, and similar to how the bourbon started, its midpoint is straightforward and toned down in delivery. Thankfully, the flavors come across as more defined, and the sweet orange jasmine note adds a hint of intrigue.

A gentle rye spice starts the wind down of the sip. Additional lightly charred oak and white peppercorn join in, along with a touch of vanilla. Its flavors pack up in short order before leaving behind a light heat that lingers briefly.

While many bourbons are sourced or contract distilled, usually the bourbon itself is barreled onsite before being transported. Transporting the distillate to barrel the spirit elsewhere is rare, however, it does happen. What’s unique about Smokeye Hill is that instead of transporting the bourbon to Arizona, it is instead trucked out west from Indiana to Colorado. A little bit of a headscratcher, seeing as the company doesn’t discuss the tie to Colorado anywhere on their website.

That point aside, Smokeye Hill does expose consumers to a corn grain that isn’t too common, in the form of blue corn. While red corn, specifically Jimmy Red corn, has been gaining ground as of late, blue corn is a grain that represents the southwest, and does tie into Arizona and the landmark the brand is named after. The resulting taste on the flavor profile is subtle, adding a slight intrigue in the palate from what you see from a typical yellow corn bourbon. I give the company credit for adding blue corn to the mashbill, alongside yellow corn, since this isn’t a grain varietal that is typically used in Indiana distilled bourbon; however, it has only a subtle impact on the overall taste.

Not distilling your own bourbon, especially when you’re transporting it to another state to be barreled, adds cost. Add in a unique grain, and the costs quickly keep going up. While the means of production and a slick bottle design, in part due to its heavy stone cork topper, come at a cost, the resulting sip doesn’t live up to expectations.

Even with rising prices, the $70 range of bourbons opens up consumers to a lot of options. While those in the southwest may be partial to the story behind Smokeye Hill, everyone else is expecting to be wowed a little. The fact of the matter is that this is an average bourbon at a price that is bordering on premium. The end result is a lopsided value proposition that makes for a hard price justification for Smokeye Hill Bourbon.

Distilled with blue corn in Indiana, barreled and aged in Colorado using various barrel sizes, and bottled at 93 proof, Smokeye Hill Bourbon on paper has the makings of a great bourbon. While the resulting sip is pleasant, and the palate pulls in an intriguing sweet orange jasmine note, the overall sip is just average. The grain doesn’t have as much impact as I’d expect, nor does the use of the 30 gallon barrels, which in theory should give the resulting blend more depth. There’s nothing wrong with being average; however, with a $70 price tag, expectations are set high, and in today’s marketplace, consumers should receive more.