Brian’s Hudson Baby Bourbon Review:
written 11-October-2019
HUDSON BABY BOURBON REVIEW:
Over the years, while reading various bourbon and whiskey related articles, Hudson Baby Bourbon would occasionally pop up as a bottle to put on one’s bucket list. When fortune shined, I secured a bottle and into the bunker it went. Nearly six months later, after unpeeling the wax seal, I put the dark polished mahogany liquid to the test. Frankly, I don’t get the hype. For me, this is almost not good enough to be “just okay”. At best it was unexpected with a viscous and nice but peppery mouthfeel. But an unusual aftertaste overpowers most typical flavours one finds in a bourbon at the low end of the “premium” price spectrum.
HUDSON BABY BOURBON VITAL STATS:
Region: Gardiner, NY, USA
Distiller: Tuthilltown Spirits
Mashbill: 100% New York Corn
Pot-distilled
Cask: 3 Gallon New-Charred Oak
Barrel Char Level: unpublished
Barrel Entry Proof: unpublished
ABV: 46% (92 proof)
Age: 3 months (from the Tuthilltown Spirits’ website: “The aging/wood to whiskey ratio is much higher than standard whiskey or bourbon.”)
Distillation Year: 2016
Batch: 11
Bottle: 3911
Price: $49.95 USD in Idaho
Availability: Not readily available in all regions of the USA.
Learn more at Hudson Distillery.
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
For the evaluation, I shared this spirit neat from Glencairn glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.
Check out her review for this bourbon here!
NOSE:
There is an unexpected strong ethanol alcohol aroma when the Glencairn of Hudson Baby Bourbon is brought to the nose. The sensation dissipates quickly into a dusty grain shed of hulled corn. An unusual peppery aroma competes with custardy vanilla simple syrup. The sweetness is almost masked by burnt sugar and hazy light smoke of oak and bitter hazelnuts.
PALATE:
At first sip, the liquid is a bit harsh; a quick bite with a little burn on the tongue then warming as it goes down. More than detected on the nose, its dusty grain and corn gives way to pepper and an added sensation of grated ginger. The mix of liquid, dust and spices create an unusual (and unwelcome) aftertaste which does its best to overwhelm any light traces of vanilla and burnt caramel. What flavours do remain are limited; earthy hazelnuts and burnt oak.
Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Hudson Baby Bourbon is unbalanced as it tickles with a viscous but peppery mouthfeel. It is quite rough around the edges as it gives the tongue and roof of the mouth a mild burn when swished. In the Glencairn, a smooth layer of whiskey forms a scallopy edgeline, creating thin legs which return quickly into the Auburn and Polished Mahogany upon a good swirling.
FINISH:
This bourbon has a medium finish with a lingering aftertaste of earthy dusty corn. There may be a trace of burnt caramel there as well, but little to no oak remains in the Glencairn when the dram is gone. While I do get a gentle warming, for so much press, Hudson Baby Bourbon is a disappointing juice.
MY RATING: 70/100
Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? No
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.
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