Sunshine Reserve American Whiskey

Sunshine Reserve American Whiskey Review


Sunshine Reserve American Whiskey – Producer: Manhattan Moonshine Company. ABV: 42.5%. No age statement. Grain bill: mostly oats, with smaller proportions of rye, smelt, and malted barley (exact proportions undisclosed). Price: $50.

Nearly two years and many reviews ago, I had the chance to enjoy the Manhattan Moonshine, a lovely white whiskey from upstate New York. I loved it and said so and figured I wouldn’t hear from company co-founder Will Kehler again.

Well, color me thrilled to be wrong. The Manhattan Moonshine Company has now come out with the Sunshine Reserve American Whiskey. And it’s a real beaut.

It uses the moonshine as a base–note the unusual grain bill, oat-based and corn-free–and ages it for an undisclosed period primarily in convection-baked oak, rather than charred. The company also says it ages the whiskey at an unusually low proof for a lighter, sweeter profile and less dark wood notes. (The details aren’t disclosed.)

On to the tasting. There’s calf leather and pipe tobacco on the nose, along with Gala apple and bacon. The palate is supple and rich and delightful, with baking spice, hickory, and burnt ends from BBQ. The finish is quite abrupt–perhaps at a slightly elevated ABV it would last longer.

I really enjoyed this one and I can’t wait to see what Manhattan Moonshine/Sunshine Reserve does next. In the meantime, if your local doesn’t have Sunshine Reserve, they sell online at shinereserve.com.

Cheers, friends! – TM

The producer graciously provided a sample for review. As always, our opinions are 100% our own.

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