Koval Bourbon Whiskey (Organic)

Volume: 0.5 litres | Alcohol content: 47% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Millet rather than rye or wheat sets this organic bourbon's grain recipe apart. KOVAL uses 51% corn and 49% millet and retains only the heart cut during distillation. The heads and tails are separated, so only the middle portion of the distillate is used for the whiskey.

The whiskey matures in new charred barrels made from American oak from Minnesota. The barrels hold 30 US gallons. Smaller barrels provide a greater internal wood surface area relative to the volume of liquid, thereby accelerating maturation. As a single-barrel whiskey, each bottle comes from one barrel; whiskeys from different barrels are not blended together. The bourbon is bottled unfiltered at 47% and contains no colouring.

Mango chutney, a gentle vanilla note and the sweetness of apricot cream give the bourbon its fruity, creamy character. Peppery caramel emerges as the flavour develops, giving way to a delicate tobacco finish with clove.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, tart tropical fruit stands out against an alcoholic note. Subtle sweetness, pepper and the aroma of melted butter follow.
• Palate: On the palate, the bourbon is sweet and starchy, with a gently chalky texture. Mango chutney and vanilla complement this impression.
• Finish: The finish leaves a pleasantly powdery sensation, dried fruit, sulphured apricots and pepper. Peppery caramel provides lasting warmth before fading into a delicate tobacco note with clove.

Distillery/Bottler:

Robert Birnecker and Sonat Birnecker Hart founded KOVAL in Chicago in 2008, opening the city's first new distillery since the mid-19th century. Robert brought his Austrian family's distilling tradition with him. Together, they combined this experience with modern distillation technology.

KOVAL processes organic grain from farms in the American Midwest and handles production at its own site, from milling and mashing through distillation and barrel maturation to bottling. Distillation takes place in a custom-made copper still from Kothe in Germany. The water comes from Lake Michigan and is purified with charcoal. The American oak barrels are made by The Barrel Mill in Minnesota; KOVAL uses each one only once for whiskey maturation.

Facts: