Youthful grain | Fruit punch | Maize paste | Light oak | Ethanol

Youthful grain | Young oak | Rye spice | Brown sugar

Canned fruit cocktail | Bold rye spice | Lightly charred oak | Lingering prickly heat

Two Souls Spirits is an independent bottler headed by James Estrada and Chad Civetti. Known as “The Whiskey Doctor,” Estrada has written for Bourbon Sippers and co-hosts the Whiskey Uncut Podcast. According to Two Souls Spirits, they intend to “curate craft spirits from across the United States” that are “big, bold, 100% uncut and unfiltered, and exceptionally rare.”

‍For this release, the company bottled a bourbon from Rush Creek Distilling out of Harvard, Illinois. The distillery is said to have been started over drinks one day at a local tavern by founders Mark and Todd Stricker, Jay T. Nolan, and Jeff McCarthy. Rush Creek makes several different American whiskeys, with the company producing two different bourbon recipes: a 16% rye and a 25% wheat bourbon.

‍Opening with a blast of youthful grain, the nose reveals additional scents of maize paste and light oak, which give it a craft vibe. The fruit punch aroma that is weaved throughout, however, provides a nice contrast to the youthfulness initially presented. The midpoint and finish bring forth similar flavors with youthful grain and oak playing prominent parts, along with a clear influence of the rye in its mashbill. While the bourbon carries a 6 year age statement, it comes across as a bold, youthful sip thanks to its high proof and grain forward nature. The sip has its interesting moments thanks to its fruit punch and canned fruit cocktail notes, however, this comes across as a more typical youthful craft distilled whiskey.

‍The bourbon in review comes from barrel number RC1, which produced a total of 144 bottles.