VINN Rice Whiskey’s base spirit is their baijiu which we reviewed previously. Made from brown rice and fermented for several months, it is then pot distilled three times. To make their whiskey, VINN’s baijiu is aged in new heavy charred American oak barrels. Batch #6 which I tried, had been aged for 39 months.
The nose has aromas of oak, malt, toffee-covered pecans, and butterscotch with a light burn. Mouthfeel was very pleasant, full bodied, mellow oaky, and smooth. Flavors of malt, oak, and a grainy sweetness combined with cinnamon rice pudding, almond water and hints of prune. Rounding out the experience with a slightly dry satin finish warmed by mulling spices and a lingering oak sweetness.
I might’ve said that this whiskey had an unusual character to it, but having recently sampled more than a dozen American malt whiskey’s I can see the similarities in the flavor profiles. VINN Rice Whiskey is the first Rice Whiskey made in the USA, and I found myself sampling over and over to pry the secrets out of this new and unique spirit. I was able to sample batches 4 and 5 and could taste a real progression in batch 6. For a young whiskey VINN’s entry in the market is quite good if a little oak heavy at times. When crafting cocktails think smooth Scotch or Irish Single Malt, Blood and Sand, Rob Roy or a Rusty Nail.