Orange rind | Brown sugar | Light syrup | Toffee | Canned fruit cocktail | Brown butter | Ethanol

Maple syrup | Charred oak | Leather | Caramel-covered popcorn | Bold peppercorn spice

Bold heat | Chewy oak | Molasses | Peppercorn spice | Faint canned peanut | Lingering heat

Revisiting Sutherland Distilling, Two Souls is once again focused on the company’s 100% corn bourbon. This time around, however, they decided to take things a step further by focusing on having the bourbon finished in a used maple syrup barrel. Initially founded in 2013, Sutherland Distilling closed in February 2023, making it a “Ghost Distillery.” Ghost distilleries can provide a love-hate relationship with consumers, because if you fall in love with the distillery’s whiskey, you’ll hate the fact that they no longer exist and are no longer distilling; thus, you’ll need to stock up while you can still find bottles in the market.

Two Souls Co-Founder Chad Civette let us know that the age on the bottle is actually off. Civette stated that the “label was printed before bottling got delayed, hence why it says 6.” The company further clarifies on their website by listing the bourbon as exactly 7 years old and states:

Fill Date: 1/3/2018
Transfer Date: 3/8/2024
Bottle Date: 1/3/2025

There is no denying that this is a near HAZMAT-proof bourbon, as its proof is noticeably front and center throughout the sip. It starts with a really pleasing sweet aroma that is forward with its orange rind scent and brown sugar notes, which rest on top of light syrup and a fun canned fruit cocktail flavor. The presence of ethanol is undeniable, which is noticeable in its hot midpoint that is full of bold peppercorn spice and maple syrup, along with more traditional oak and leather. This sip ends on an incredibly chewy oak note, that surprisingly adds versus takes away from the finish. It’s full of molasses and peppercorn spice, and an undeniable bold heat lingers for an incredibly long time.

Overall, the sip is incredibly flavorful and, thanks to its chewy oak note in the finish, memorable. However, there is no denying the impact the bourbon's proof has on this pour. While a high proof bourbon is expected to utilize its higher proof to pull out flavors, it’s also important to find balance but also making sure it doesn’t hold back the sip. In “Son of Ghost Barrel’s” case, the ethanol presence tries to constantly shove its way to center stage and vies for your attention. Thankfully, once you look past its influence, the flavors found behind it provide for a really enjoyable sip.

The bottle in review is number 126 out of 162.