Drink Review : Hudson Baby Bourbon

November 19, 2020
2 mins read

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A half-bottle of the splendidly-named Hudson Baby Bourbon – the first legal aged grain spirit to be produced in New York since Prohibition ended over 75 years ago. Unusually for bourbon, Hudson’s spirit is manufactured in a potstill at the Tuthilltown Gristmill (a heritage site) and is aged in small new oak casks.

Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey Review:

Repetition is key, and makes all the difference here. The light to dark graininess harmonizes so beautifully with the spirit’s oat and malty qualities. Soft, dry wood spice, oak spice, sweet oat finish, a light bitterness – the perfect ’60s pop song. Felt like it went on forever…

So, the Baby Bourbon version of Hudson’s single barrel baby rye. Quite adult, highly recommended. Hudson Bourbon makes me feel like a naughty schoolboy.

Nose: Oooh, yes! Tons and tons of rye grain and booze. Baked bread, rye bread, rye spice, rye fruit, wood, dark cocoa, woods, spice, vanilla notes, sea air, aromatic herbs, natural woody notes, brown sugar, toasted grains, moist grains, spices, sawdust, tobacco, dates.

Taste: Medium body, smooth, dry spiced rye, dry malty rye, medium-grain toastiness, rye roastiness. Spicy, warm, mild heat, fortified wine spice, potstill oak notes, brown sugar, brown sugar, candied fruits, mint, spiced, nutty rye.

Finish: Long, smooth with earthy, little wood, brown sugar, and a semblance of spicy rye spice. Sweet grains, soft tobacco, aromatic herbs. A little vanilla.

this is a superb whiskey. I would be surprised if it didn’t become a bottle-head whiskey, with its lack of commercial success. It is the most drinkable, the most interesting, and quite frankly, the best whiskey I’ve ever tasted. This is not the whiskey to take to a gathering of snooty bourbon aficionados – the world premiere of the Hudson Baby at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, in 2006, was not a success. That is a shame, because I love the Hudson baby.

Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey Review 1:

With Water: Subdued, oaky, wood, prunes, dates. More earthy.

Scent Notes: Baked rye spiced bread, oaky wood, dark cocoa, brown sugar, potstill rye, mint, honey, molasses, sour cream.

 Well, well, well. This is a whiskey you have to let sit and breathe for several seconds before beginning the review. It astounds me with the depth and richness of its initial flavor. It lingers long in its finish. Rye spice lingers. The chocolate and nutty flavors delivered at the end of the first sip persist. Very, very nice.

With Water: Well, this is now a bit too dry for my liking. With water, the whiskey loses some of its oaky character and becomes a little sweeter. I love the sherry influence here as well.

Hudson Babybourbon is exactly what it says on the bottle. A baby bourbon. The spirit is only three years old, but matured in a new oak barrel. This has the character of a much older whiskey, and I imagine the flavors would vary with the age of the spirit. Very rich and enjoyable. Hudson Baby Bourbon is aged in small, new oak barrels, with a potstill Distilled from rye, Hudson Baby Bourbon has the character of a much older whiskey. Show me a baby that tastes this good.

An interesting little bottle of rye. I just love the gold cap (or something like that). I can smell the potstill distillation and the malty sweet flavors right away. There is a very pleasant spiciness and woodiness that confirms the rye graininess. The finish has a bit of bitterness to it, but it is not overwhelming and still finishes very nicely.

Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey Review 2:

Oh yes, Hudson Baby Bourbon is a winner! Very little chinook in this, surprisingly, considering it’s distilled in New York State. This tastes like rye grain and oatmeal baked with dark chocolate. Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey will clash with some people. Some folks just don’t like malty, warm, and sweet bourbons. That’s fine. Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey is a gem. Smooth, full of flavor, rich, complex. Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey should be part of every regular bourbon drinker’s collection.

The Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey is a little bit smokey and has a pleasant graininess to it.

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