It’s the last couple of days before this project wraps up, and it’s been quite a while since I penned a review for you guys. In general I tend to stay away from reviews, because the chances are you guys will have already tried these thing by the times I got my glommy mitts on them. However, The Frontier Whiskey is something a little bit more unique.
A while back, I reviewed Most Wanted Gin. At the time, I mentioned that it was decent enough, but there was a very harsh bite on the end of it which can be levered to your advantage if you’re so inclined. Definitely not a sipping gin, but pair it with some ginger beer and you’ve one hell of a kick in the teeth. I was surprised and nervous when I discovered that the makers of Most Wanted had plans to expand. And by plans to expand, I mean they wanted to make every kind of liquor.
…
Uh-oh.
I’m a firm believer that good liquor companies, if they really want to create a solid product, will focus on one product and do it well.
The Macallen does scotch.
Absolut does vodka.
Jim Beam does bourbon.
And so on.
Take a gander at Most Wanted’s list:
Hmmmm
And while their gin was drinkable, it was no great shakes really. Not bad, just not drop-out-of-your-seat good. But, because I appreciate the fact that they’re Kansas’ first distillery since Prohibition, I was happy to see my favorite local spot (Comanche Beverage Outlet), was now carrying their pioneer whiskey. Naturally, it had to be tried. There’s no way I could describe myself as a Kansas cocktail expert without trying the local wares. Plus, at roughly $16 a bottle, it’s pretty damn affordable.
Affordable, however, doesn’t exactly mean good. And usually, it means the opposite. But here I am, your humble servant taking one for the team.
I crack open the bottle and take a deep whiff. The first hit is of strong vanilla — almost like a Canadian whisky. There’s no harsh burn on the end of the smell, so that’s a good sign. Tasted neat, you can tell it’s not one of the “big dogs” of whiskey. That same vanilla smell that was hanging out hits you full blast in the face, then follows up with a bit of a grain alcohol aftertaste. There’s a harsh, but not unpleasant, burn going down on the end.
Over ice, that heat is mellowed a little bit. Still very sweet, but truth be told, not as bad as I was expecting.
Actually, as the ice began to melt and the water tempered it, it’s pretty damn tasty. This is an 80 proof whiskey, so it has a kick. But, really, it’s going to replace your top-dollar whiskies, but it’s still pretty damn good. Color me pleasantly surprised. Don’t drink it neat though. Seriously.
Cheers!
— Mark
Cocktails, 365 
[…] you swung by to jaw a bit earlier today, you would have seen my more in-depth review of the Most Wanted Pioneer Whiskey, an interesting little whiskey concoction from the other side […]