Talking Bourbon is back drinking and reviewing Bourbon after a two-week hiatus. To be clear, we took a break from writing, not drinking. Today, we taste Smoke Wagon Small Batch Bourbon, an offering from the fairly new Nevada H&C Distilling Company. Founded in Las Vegas, that’s different, in 2012. Smoke Wagon emerged from the challenges of starting a distillery in a city that had no other distilleries at the time, forcing the founders to work through legislative hurdles just to get started. After securing their license, the distillery began sourcing their bourbon from MGP in Indiana. From their website, “The goal was to create an affordable everyday bourbon that had that unique and unmistakable Smoke Wagon flavor.” Smoke Wagon Small Batch has gained a bit of a cult following, partly because of its unique approach and partly due to the charismatic presence of its co-founder Aaron Chepenik, who engages with fans on social media.
Despite its following, or maybe because of it, Smoke Wagon Small Batch Bourbon remains a relatively rare find on store shelves, often tucked away behind counters due to its growing popularity. Bottled at 100 proof, it goes for $55 and has a mash bill of 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley. We could not find an age statement, just that it is a blend of younger and older barrels. This usually means it is not very old.
We have never tried this or any whiskey from Nevada. The distillery states that they age them at the top of the rick house for maximum heat in the Las Vegas sun, so there is greater expansion into the wood. We are not sure what effect this will have on a Bourbon that was probably not aged for a very long time. We were not able to determine the meaning of the name Smoke Wagon. On a side note, this distillery also makes vodka.
NOSE
Frank: Oak, hickory, vanilla, and caramel with a slight hint of sweet bread. Ice brought out a little earthy flavor, plus some leather and tobacco.
Todd: A nice nose with strong oak and rye aromas up front. Other scents include barley, green apple, and black pepper. Also getting a bit of a wet wood smell, not in a bad way. Ice didn’t do much for me.
Matt: I good diversity of aromas including rye, vanilla, leather, nuts, wood, and cereal. Getting a touch of fruit that I think I finally identify as pear. Ice made the wood more pronounced.
TASTE
Frank: I got tastes that are both sweet, spicey, and fruity, but I am having a hard time describing them. Maybe vanilla for the sweet, maybe cinnamon for the spice and maybe cherries as the fruit. I just can’t seem to nail it down. Ice didn’t make it any easier.
Todd: A little hot neat, but still getting that strong wood and rye that was on the nose. Lesser tastes include vanilla, fruit, leather, barley, and an overall sweetness, that, like Frank, I am having a hard time describing. Ice solved the sweetness by bringing out caramel.
Matt: I lost the fruit that was on the nose. A tad hot but still drinkable neat with flavors of oak, rye, vanilla, and black pepper. Oddly, maybe not considering the name, I get a touch of smoke. Ice toned it down a bit but didn’t add or subtract on the flavors.
FINISH
Frank: Medium with honey and oil.
Todd: Medium long with some spice and a little bitterness.
Matt: Medium with more sweetness.
OVERALL
Frank: Not bad, but for the price, I would drink something else.
Todd: Agree, not bad but nothing really stands out.
Matt: I enjoyed it, about average for the price range. I might buy again but won’t stock it.
Nose 4 out of 5
Taste 6 out of 10
Finish 3.75 out of 5
Total score 13.75 out of 20 barrels.
Our first experience with a Nevada whiskey was meh. Smoke Wagon Small Batch is a decent drink but the $50-$60 price range is a crowded field and to get noticed and be bought more than once, you need to stand out. Having said that, there just wasn’t much here to separate it from the masses.
Of course, over the years, $55 has become the new $30. So, you are not out a lot if you want to try it yourself. It is unique in the fact that it comes from a Nevada distillery and is somewhat hard to find. For some, the rarity of the Bourbon is all they need to buy a bottle. But if money is an issue, we would say you could find a better value than Smoke Wagon Small Batch Bourbon.