Brother Justus Cold-Peated American Single Malt Whiskey Review.
Brother Justus Cold-Peated American Single Malt Whiskey Review.
I received this spirit as a review sample from Brother Justus, linked here. It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.
American single malt continues to be one of the most exciting categories in whiskey right now, and Brother Justus is clearly aiming to push that frontier even further. Their Cold Peated American Single Malt immediately caught my attention, not just for the concept, but for the story behind it.
Brother Justus, the distillery, draws inspiration from a real historical figure during Prohibition. Brother Justus believed that while whiskey was illegal to make it wasn’t immoral. Through his knowledge of copper pot stills and whiskey, he assisted over 1,600 family owned distilleries make a living during the times of Prohibition. That mindset of independence and craftsmanship feels like it carries forward into everything this distillery does.
The distillery’s focus on local sourcing is one of the most compelling parts of their story. Water is pulled from the Mississippi River less than a mile away. Is sourced within roughly 30 miles of the distillery. The barrels are crafted from Minnesota white oak, often referred to as some of the coldest-grown oak in the world, harvested from forests around 80 miles away.
Instead of drying malt over peat smoke, Brother Justus pushes their new-make whiskey through a peat during filtration. The peat itself comes from ancient glacial remnants roughly 125 miles from the distillery. They call this the Aitkin County Process, a nod to the Lincoln County Process used in Tennessee whiskey, but tailored to their own regional identity and approach. Nothing is smoked here. No malted barley exposed to peat fires. This is peat introduced through contact and filtration rather than combustion.
This release is branded as the world’s first “cold peated” whiskey, and I was genuinely excited to see how that idea translated into the glass.
Age Statement: N/A.
ABV: 43%.
Mash bill: 100% Minnesota malted barley.
Area of Distillation: Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Appearance: Tarnished gold.
On the nose:
On the nose:
Right away, this is not what I expected, and I mean that in the best way. There’s a subtle smokiness on the nose even though nothing was ever smoked, which is fascinating by itself. Sweet barley takes the lead, followed by cereal grain, honey, and a light caramel drizzle.
Then comes the peat influence, but not in a traditional ash-and-smoke way. Instead, it’s earthy, slightly herbal, and oddly fresh. There’s an almost mint-adjacent sensation—something herbal and cooling without being minty. Beneath it all, you start to find maple candy sweetness and green apple orchard notes. The oak is present, but it doesn’t dominate. It just gently frames everything. No ethanol bite. No harshness. Nothing feels rushed. This doesn’t come across young at all, which is impressive at this proof point.
Taste:
That light smokiness fades on the tongue, and the whiskey instead leans heavily into herbal spice, grain sweetness, and rich texture. It almost drinks like a rye at moments due to the herbal character, but the barley’s sweetness never lets you forget what it is. Granola, honey, and soft caramel continue on the palate, joined by wood sugars and mild oak tannin. Despite bottling at 43% ABV, it drinks like something closer to 46–48%. The body is viscous, coating the palate with a light oiliness that gives it presence well beyond its proof. Surprising enough, at times the taste reminds me of a younger scotch whisky or even a lightly peated irish, but with an American backbone.
Finish:
As the swallow fades, maple becomes the star. Not fake sweetness, real, almost craft-style maple syrup character. It lingers sweet but restrained, like maple candy rather than sugar. Earthiness stays in the background, offering contrast rather than weight. The finish is calm, controlled, and far more refined than you’d expect from something this experimental.
Final Thoughts:
This whiskey is unapologetically different. It isn’t trying to be a Scotch clone, and it doesn’t need to be. It sits in its own lane, somewhere between American single malt and peated whisky, without fully committing to either. When you consider the local sourcing, experimental process, and quality in the glass, it starts to justify itself. I would personally love to see a higher-proof or older release in the future just to see where that peat character might go. But even as it stands, this is a bold, creative, and enjoyable pour.
If you’re an American single malt fan, this should be on your radar. If you’re a Scotch drinker who doesn’t want heavy smoke but enjoys earthiness and texture, this might surprise you. And if you’re a bourbon fan looking to expand your palate, this is a fantastic bridge bottle into a new style.
Rating: -A (Amazing).
Cost: $99.99 for 750ml.
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Learn more about Brother Justus via the link here: https://brotherjustus.com/
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