Wood Hat Spirits Ol' Blue Cask Strength Corn Whiskey Review.
Some bottles just sit on the shelf and stare at you. This one did that to me for nearly a year. Old Blue Single Barrel Cask Strength from Wood Hat Spirits was part of a group store pick here in Indiana, originally hovering near the $90–$100 mark before eventually dropping to half price. Once the price fell, curiosity finally won.
Information on this bottling is surprisingly limited. The label states that it is grown, aged, distilled, and bottled by Wood Hat, which is a huge plus in the craft world. As a straight corn whiskey, we know the mash bill is at least 80% corn, but the remaining 20% is undisclosed. There is no age statement, and barrel size is not specified. I reached out for clarification but never received a response. So we go in with what’s in the glass.
Being craft and potentially made with smaller barrels, there are a lot of variables at play. Smaller cooperage can accelerate oak influence, and with a high-corn mash bill, the spirit itself is bound to lean earthy and grain-forward rather than sweet and rounded.
Age Statement: N/A (Single barrel).
ABV: 61.8% (Cask strength).
Mash bill: N/A (At least 80% corn according to TTB).
Area of Distillation: New Florence, Missouri.
Appearance: Dark reddish.
On the nose:
On the nose:
The nose is, without exaggeration, one of the most challenging I have encountered. It opens with an intense antiseptic quality, reminiscent of a veterinary office or sterilized medical room. There is a waxy, earthy, damp wicker note, almost like wet wood or musty corn husk.
Beneath that, there are hints of dark char and fleeting chocolate tones, but they are quickly overtaken by that sharp, medicinal edge. Surprisingly, despite the 61.8% ABV, there is very little ethanol burn. Instead, it is all about that pungent, earthy, oily oak and damp corn character. It is funky, unconventional, and frankly, difficult.
Taste:
The palate is a completely different story. It is far simpler and far more approachable than the nose suggests. Dusty sweet corn leads the way, almost like grilled corn just shy of charred. There is a buttery corn note that softens the entry, followed by earthy oak, char, and a touch of caramel. A hint of vanilla sweetness peeks through, but this is not a sweet whiskey overall. It remains dark, earthy, and somewhat heavy. The mouthfeel is oily but controlled, with a mild drying effect as it moves across the tongue.
Finish:
The finish leans back into oak and char, with lingering earthy corn and a touch of homemade caramel. The antiseptic quality from the nose reappears subtly as you continue sipping, though it never dominates the palate the way it does on the aroma.
Final Thoughts:
This is a conundrum of a bottle. The nose is rough and will likely turn many drinkers away before they ever take a sip. The palate redeems it somewhat with straightforward, earthy corn and charred sweetness, but it never fully escapes its rough edges. At the original $90–$100 price point, this is a tough sell. Even at $49.99, it is a niche pour. I respect the grain-to-glass approach and the likely use of blue corn. There is craftsmanship here. But craftsmanship does not always translate to balance.
This is not for the faint of heart, and I would strongly recommend trying a sample before committing to a full bottle.
Rating: D+ (Below average).
Cost: $99.99 for 750ml.
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