One of the BEST Craft Distillers - Islay of American Whiskey

Summary

In this engaging review, Ryan explores Rock Filter Distillery's unique approach to whiskey-making, drawing parallels to the distinct flavors of Islay Scotch. He delves into the distillery's innovative use of Cherrywood-smoked grains, creating a fusion of smoky and sweet flavors reminiscent of Midwest campfires. Ryan's personal anecdotes and vivid descriptions of tasting the Fence Jumper and Black Hammer whiskies provide a sensory journey that highlights the distillery's identity and the craftsmanship behind their products.

Takeaways

• 🥃 The video discusses Rock Filter Distillery, a craft distillery known for its innovative approach to whiskey production.
• 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳 Ryan compares Rock Filter to the Isle of Islay in Scotland, known for its distinctive, heavily peated scotches, suggesting Rock Filter has a similar unique identity in American whiskies.
• 🌲 The distillery is based in Minnesota and uses Cherrywood to smoke many of their grains, imparting a campfire note with a bright, fruity sweetness.
• 👨‍🎓 The founder of Rock Filter Distillery is a veteran, and the brand's website features humor and a narrative of transitioning from combat to distillation.
• 🌽 The 'Fence Jumper' is a bourbon with a mash bill of 51% Axin green corn and 49% Cherrywood smoked winter rye, named after animals sampling the corn.
• 🔨 The 'Black Hammer' is a cask-strength, 100% corn whiskey with a third of the grains smoked with Cherrywood, offering a robust and unique flavor profile.
• 👃 In the tasting notes, the 'Fence Jumper' offers a semi-smoky rye whiskey nose with butterscotch and a hint of campfire, while the 'Black Hammer' has a deep, maroon color and a nose reminiscent of old Jack Daniels with a farmland and apple fritters scent.
• 👄 The taste of the 'Fence Jumper' is grain-forward with smokiness and sweetness, evoking memories of Midwest farm culture and bonfires.
• 💰 The 'Black Hammer' is priced around $70-75 and is described as unique, adventurous, and very drinkable, with flavors of campfire smoke and harvest particulates.
• 🏆 Rock Filter Distillery stands out for its unique identity and flavor profile, setting it apart from other craft distilleries and making it a notable choice for whiskey enthusiasts.
• 📦 The video encourages viewers to try Rock Filter products for a unique whiskey experience, suggesting that it would pair well with Southern barbecue flavors.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video by Ryan?

The main focus of the video is to explore and review the products of Rock Filter Distillery, a craft distillery known for its innovative approach to whiskey making.

What does Ryan appreciate about craft distilleries?

Ryan appreciates that craft distilleries should innovate, push boundaries, and do so successfully without creating an unpleasant drinking experience.

How does Ryan describe the whiskeys from Rock Filter Distillery?

Ryan describes the whiskeys from Rock Filter Distillery as having a unique profile with a campfire note, bright fruity sweetness from being smoked with Cherrywood, and having a strong identity similar to the Isle of Islay in Scotch whisky.

What is special about the 'Fence Jumper' bourbon from Rock Filter Distillery?

The 'Fence Jumper' bourbon is special because it contains 51% aoxin green corn and 49% Cherrywood smoked winter rye grains, giving it a unique flavor profile with a campfire note and a bright, fruity sweetness.

What is the significance of the name 'Fence Jumper' for one of the whiskeys?

The name 'Fence Jumper' comes from an incident where the distillery's oxin green corn was sampled by animals that jumped the fence, thus 'tasting' and approving the corn.

What is the mash bill composition of the 'Black Hammer' whiskey?

The 'Black Hammer' whiskey has a mash bill of 100% corn, with a third of the grains smoked with Cherrywood, and it is bottled at cask strength.

What is the proof of the 'Fence Jumper' bourbon?

The 'Fence Jumper' bourbon is 94 proof.

How does Ryan relate the taste of the whiskeys to his personal experiences?

Ryan relates the taste of the whiskeys to his childhood memories of being on a farm, experiencing Midwest farm culture, bonfires, and the smell of harvest dust in the air.

What does Ryan suggest about the uniqueness of Rock Filter Distillery's products?

Ryan suggests that Rock Filter Distillery's products are unique and have a strong sense of identity that can be easily recognized among other whiskeys.

What advice does Ryan give to those who want to try something different from the usual whiskey options?

Ryan advises those looking for something different to try Rock Filter Distillery's products, as they offer a unique and enjoyable tasting experience that stands out from typical whiskey options.

How does Ryan describe the community engagement on his channel?

Ryan encourages community engagement through his Patreon supporters and invites viewers to join their Discord community, emphasizing the value of the shared experience and discussion around the whiskeys.

Outlines

00:00

🥃 Introduction to Rock Filter Distillery's Unique Whiskeys

Ryan introduces the audience to Rock Filter Distillery, a craft distillery in Minnesota known for its innovative approach to whiskey making. The distillery, founded by a veteran, is praised for pushing boundaries with its unique smoking techniques, particularly using Cherrywood to impart a distinct campfire note to its whiskies. Ryan likens the distillery to the Isle of Islay in Scotland, known for its peaty Scotches, suggesting that Rock Filter is the 'Isle of American Whiskies'. The distillery's products, Fence Jumper and Black Hammer, are highlighted, with the former being a 51% corn, 49% Cherrywood smoked Rye mash and the latter a cask-strength, 100% corn whiskey with a portion smoked. The distillery's humor and approach to life after service is also appreciated by Ryan.

05:02

🔥 Nostalgic Tasting of Fence Jumper Bourbon

Ryan shares his tasting notes for the Fence Jumper bourbon, a 51% corn and 49% Cherrywood smoked Rye whiskey. He describes the aroma as reminiscent of a smoky rye whiskey with a bright, crisp campfire note and a hint of butterscotch. The taste is grain-forward with a smokiness that differs from the peat smoke found in Scotch, evoking memories of Midwestern bonfires. Ryan appreciates the sweetness and nuttiness, comparing it to trail mix, and notes a slight lack of the butterscotch flavor present in the nose. The whiskey's lower proof makes it a good introduction to the distillery's unique profile.

10:03

🌾 Deep Dive into Black Hammer Corn Whiskey

The Black Hammer, a 100% corn whiskey with a third of the grains smoked with Cherrywood, is described as having a deep, maroonish color reminiscent of cognac. The nose offers a blend of farm and dust, apple fritters, and a hint of bacon fat, suggesting a robust sweetness akin to molasses and caramel. Ryan finds the taste to be a perfect blend of campfire smoke and harvest particulates, with a sweetness that is subtle yet robust. He considers the Black Hammer a heavy hitter and a fantastic representation of the distillery's unique identity, making it a standout product on his shelf.

🏆 Rock Filter Distillery's Distinctive Identity and Recommendation

Ryan concludes by emphasizing the unique identity of Rock Filter Distillery, which sets it apart from other craft distilleries. He believes that the distillery's distinct flavor profile would appeal to those familiar with Midwestern and Southern barbecue cultures. Ryan recommends the distillery's products to those seeking something different from the usual whiskey options, suggesting that the Fence Jumper is a great introduction to their unique style. He encourages viewers to try Rock Filter's whiskies and share their thoughts, expressing gratitude to his Patreon supporters and hinting at upcoming reviews of other whiskey varieties.

Keywords

💡Craft Distilleries

Craft distilleries are small-scale operations that focus on producing unique and high-quality spirits. They are known for innovation and pushing the boundaries of traditional distilling methods. In the video, the host emphasizes the importance of craft distilleries doing what they are 'supposed to do,' which includes offering unique and successful products, as opposed to just being 'weird offbeat' and unpleasant to drink.

💡Innovation

Innovation in the context of the video refers to the process of creating new methods, ideas, or products. It is a key aspect of what makes a craft distillery stand out. The host appreciates that craft distilleries should innovate, suggesting that this is a fundamental part of their identity and what makes them successful and appealing to consumers.

💡Boundaries

Boundaries here refer to the limits or edges of what is traditionally accepted or done in the distilling industry. The script mentions that craft distilleries are 'supposed to push boundaries,' which means they should explore new territories in flavor profiles, production methods, or marketing strategies, setting themselves apart from larger, more conventional distilleries.

💡Rock Filter Distillery

Rock Filter Distillery is a specific craft distillery mentioned in the video that is based in Minnesota. It is characterized by its unique approach to whiskey production, particularly its use of Cherrywood-smoked grains. The distillery is also noted for its small operation size and the founder's background as a veteran, which adds a unique narrative to the brand.

💡Cherrywood Smoked

Cherrywood smoked refers to the process of using cherrywood to impart a smoky flavor to the grains used in whiskey production. This is a signature technique of Rock Filter Distillery, giving their whiskey a distinct 'campfire' note that is both smoky and sweet, creating a unique flavor profile that is central to the video's discussion.

💡Mash Bill

A mash bill is the recipe of grains used in the fermentation process to create whiskey. In the script, the host discusses the mash bills of two specific products from Rock Filter Distillery, 'the fence jumper' and 'the black hammer,' highlighting the unique combinations of corn and rye grains, some of which are smoked with Cherrywood, contributing to the whiskey's flavor.

💡Proof

Proof in the context of the video refers to the alcohol content of the whiskey. The host mentions that 'the fence jumper' is 94 proof, indicating a relatively lower alcohol content, making it more approachable for some drinkers. In contrast, 'the black hammer' is cask strength, meaning it is higher in proof and thus more potent.

💡Fence Jumper Bourbon

Fence Jumper Bourbon is one of the products from Rock Filter Distillery discussed in the video. It is named after an incident where animals jumped a fence to sample the distillery's corn, and it has a mash bill of 51% corn and 49% Cherrywood smoked rye. The name and story behind it add a layer of humor and authenticity to the brand's identity.

💡Black Hammer

Black Hammer is another whiskey product from Rock Filter Distillery featured in the video. It is a 100% corn whiskey with a third of the grains smoked with Cherrywood, and it is bottled at cask strength, making it a 'heavy hitter' in terms of alcohol content and flavor intensity.

💡Sarcasm

Sarcasm in the video is used to describe the humorous and tongue-in-cheek tone of the distillery's marketing and website content. The host appreciates this approach, citing it as part of what makes the distillery's identity unique and appealing, such as the description of their transition from a combat zone to distillation.

💡Flavor Profile

The flavor profile refers to the range of flavors and sensations that a whiskey delivers. The host discusses the unique flavor profile of Rock Filter Distillery's whiskeys, which includes smoky, sweet, and campfire notes, as well as the distinct use of Cherrywood that gives their products a standout characteristic among other whiskeys.

Highlights

Introduction to a favorite craft distillery known for innovation and successful boundary-pushing.

Comparison of the distillery to the Isle of Islay in Scotland, known for its heavily peated, smoky scotches.

Rock Filter Distillery's unique approach to American whiskies by smoking grains, resulting in a distinct campfire note.

Description of the distillery's background, located in Minnesota, and its founder's transition from the military to distillation.

The distillery's use of humor and sarcasm on their website, reflecting the founder's personality.

Introduction of two products: Fence Jumper, a bourbon with a unique mash bill of 51% corn and 49% Cherrywood smoked Rye, and Black Hammer, a cask-strength corn whiskey.

The story behind the name 'Fence Jumper', relating to animals sampling the Oxin green corn.

Tasting notes of the Fence Jumper, described as grain-forward with a smoky, sweet, and nutty profile.

Comparison of the smokiness in the Fence Jumper to American Midwest bonfires, evoking memories of farm life.

Tasting notes of the Black Hammer, characterized by a deep maroon color and a nose reminiscent of old Jack Daniels.

The Black Hammer's unique profile, described as a blend of campfire smoke, harvest particulates, and a robust sweetness.

Praise for the distillery's ability to create a unique and identifiable product among a sea of craft distilleries.

Discussion on the challenges faced by craft distilleries in standing out against established legacy distilleries.

Recommendation of Rock Filter products for those seeking unique and drinkable whiskey options.

Personal connection to the whiskey, evoking memories of the Midwest and its farm culture.

Invitation for viewers to share their thoughts on Rock Filter products in the comments section.

Acknowledgment of Patreon supporters and a preview of upcoming whiskey reviews.

Transcripts

[Music]

hey everybody welcome back to the

channel my name is Ryan today we're

going to be diving into what is becoming

one of my favorite craft distilleries

and it's because they're doing what I

think craft distilleries are supposed to

do they're supposed to innovate they're

supposed to push boundaries but also you

want them to do it successfully and not

be something that's weird offbeat and

and maybe unpleasant to drink this is a

Distillery it's I guess the way that I

would describe it I would liken it to

you think of the way that Isa does

scotch you know You' got your different

whiskey regions in Scotland but Isa the

island of Isa is really known most for

things like having heavily peed smoked

you know Pete smoked uh scotches so they

get really campf firy as opposed to like

a sweet and fruity you know Highland

scotch or you know those honey and

biscuit space sides scotches it sort of

takes on an identity of its own and Isa

is sort of recognized for that well what

rock filter Distillery is doing with

their whiskey is similar in that regard

where I think that're they're almost

like the ISA of American whiskies

because they are smoking a lot of their

their grains and you tend to get a lot

of these like wonderful campfire noes

but they're doing it with things like

Cherrywood so it's got this bright

fruity sweetness uh to that campfire

note so I'm going to dive into some more

of their products today and and I'll let

you know what I think about them sound

good so I've covered um the Red Rider

Rye from them before on the channel and

I loved it I thought it was delicious

I've actually got a bottle of it on the

way to my house right now so quick

refresher rockfilter Distillery is in

Minnesota The Distillery is just a a

real small operation not a very big team

the guy that started it is a a vet you

know he served and so a lot of their

stuff on their website has this great

sort of tongue and cheek humor to it

like hey went from a combat zone to the

American corporate world both of those

sucked now we're doing distillation

that's pretty cool stuff like that which

I I appreciate a healthy dose of sarcasm

but he's living the simple life now

farming making whiskey selling whiskey I

like it the two things we have here are

the fence jumper and the black hammer

the fence jumper is 51% corn not just

any corn it's aoxin green corn which is

unique to the area and then 49% of the

mash is uh Cherrywood smoked Rye grains

specifically winter Rye so very simple

mash build there 5149 but different

takes on that traditional Mash Bill and

that one is 94 proof it's named the

fence jumper because apparently their

oxin green corn was growing and uh they

lost some of their yield because some of

their animals decided to hop the fence

and Sample the grains and uh gave it

their seal of approval so there WR up

says originally tasted and approved by

the Bold herd a rogue contingent of our

livestock violated a fence line to

sample the emerald ears of our rare axin

green corn lesson good fences make more

bourbon like I said I like their sarcasm

the black hammer the second one we'll be

tasting today is at Cask strength so

it's a little bit higher in the proof

department but this one the mash bill is

100% corn it is a corn whiskey but a

third of the Corn was smoked uh with

cherry with Cherrywood again it's sort

of their thing there right and that's

12.2 proof so that one's a lot hotter so

now you know a little bit about who they

are and what they're doing what makes

their whiskey unique let's get in on it

shall we we'll start with the lower

proof here with the fence jumper bourbon

now the Red Rider ride that I covered on

the channel earlier that one is uh

Applewood smoked but this one is

Cherrywood smoked I happen to have some

Cherrywood on hand because I use wood

chips to smoke some of my old Fashions

there's some cherry wood right here for

that exact purpose so I wonder if we can

sense any consistency here between the

wood chips themselves cells and the nose

on these whiskies it's like sweet

mosquite barbecue sauce or something

like that on that's the way the

Cherrywood smells I love it I got to say

the nose of this smells like a a semi

Smoky rye whiskey even though it's

technically a bourbon 51% of that aoin

green corn in here but it's uh bright

and crisp with a little bit of that

campfire note in there as well you get

like those worther Originals

butterscotch candies on the nose too

just a light and bright caramel sort of

a a note to it and sort of like that

Barbecue Pit Smoke on the nose as well I

love it and there's that Harvest

dustiness that I got on the Red Rider

ride I'm getting on this too which I

love that note I love autumns in the

midwest when harvest season comes around

you get that you know you go through the

farm the farm areas in the countryside

and you get a lot of that Dusty quality

in the air reminds me a lot of that

which I certainly appreciate I want to

say I almost like a little bit of a

nutmeg note on this nose too that's

great let's try

it it is so grain forward to me that

smokiness throughout all of it but it's

a smokiness that is it's way different

than that peach smoke you're used to

with your Isa scotches which I got

plenty of them up on my shelf this is

like American Midwest bonfires man one

of my best friends growing up his family

lived on a farm and I knew him through

church we went to the same church

together and a lot of Sundays I would

just go home with his family instead of

going home with my family they'd come

get me later on that Sunday evening but

would spend like my whole Sunday after

church I'd be back at uh at their Farm

they had a dog corn fields silos barns

the works and I'd be doing chores we'd

wrap up everything with a nice bonfire

outside he just grab what you could find

toss it on keep that fire burning this

takes me back to my childhood being on

the farm doing just farmand chores for a

couple of bucks with my friend and his

family grabbing bags of feed taking them

to the animals all that stuff being in

those barns those Dusty barns man this

is like Midwest Farm culture and bourbon

collided in just a fantastic way but at

the same time this one is lower proof

like I said so it is it's less of a

shock to your palette so if you wanted

to sort of try it out and ease your way

into it I think the fence jumper would

be the the way to go cuz it's a little

more timid with it it's not just going

to shock your palette and overwhelm it

with things that you're not used to

tasting in an American whiskey but it's

sweet and nutty to I think of like trail

mix you know dried

fruits mixed nuts and for it being

49% uh Rye in the mash it's not overly

spicy you know there's a little bit of a

spice note to it but it's certainly far

from being the most prominent tasting

note in that sip sweet and Smoky you

like barbecue ribs come to mind that

could be because I had smoked barbecue

ribs yesterday maybe that I'm like this

is making me want to uh visit the

leftovers that are in the fridge if I

can knock one thing about

this the one thing I would knock is I

would say I want a little bit more of

that butterscotch note that we got on

the nose to be a little bit more present

on the pallet cuz you get a lot of that

crisp and clean qualities from the Rye

itself and then that smokiness is

definitely coming through from the

Cherrywood smoked uh grains but the corn

itself I just want a little bit more of

some of that those base notes of just a

little bit of those Rich caramels and

butterscotches to be a little bit more

present on the palette but otherwise

this is this is delightful and I'm

thoroughly enjoying sipping on it let's

move on to the next one this is the

black hammer this is the heavy hitter of

the of the day here and you can tell

just on the color alone it reminds me of

cognac where it sort of got this maroon

deep maroonish color in there too along

with the brown so again this is 100%

corn whiskey a third of the grains were

smoked with Cherrywood and then nose

almost gives me like a like an old Jack

Daniels Vibe the farmand you know Dusty

Barn note that we got that I've gotten

on all the all the other products I've

had from them very present here I mean

it's it's a Hallmark staple you know

component of what makes their whiskey

their whiskey so that's that is 100%

here and I love that note but I'm also

thinking of like apple fritters on the

nose sweet and Brey love me a good apple

fritter there's heat on the nose but

there's not spice you know which is a

little different from the the last sip

we had but there's a dark Rob buness to

it where I feel like it does have on the

nose alone it's got some base end to it

I think of like a one of things that

comes to mind is actually like bacon fat

Apple campfire little bit of bacon fat

lots of grain on the nose that's pretty

fun actually let's try it

cheers man is that different I love it

so I grew up just North of Indianapolis

which if if you are familiar with

Indiana at all North of Indianapolis

you're like there's nothing there that's

the point it is all fields and farmland

that's just in between Fort Wayne and

Indianapolis that's all it is it's just

Farmland basically pocketed with small

towns with old school Midwest uh Town

centers just the Town Square you know

with a courthouse in the middle they all

look cookie cutter the same this just

makes me feel like I'm home again Farm

country Midwest yeah short Drive South

I'd be in downtown Indianapolis grew up

going to Pacers games watching the Colts

play going to Monument Circle walking

along the canal but then Northeast and

west of me all farm country you would

not guess on the palet alone that this

is just a corn whiskey that campfire

smoke the Harvest particulates in the

air those are the notes that are most

prevalent on this and the sweetness is

subtle right but it's not just like a

like a white sugar cane sweetness or

candy or confectionary sweetness it's

more like a a rounder more robust Bassy

sweetness you get on molasses and

caramel

a Chee sweetness this by the way MSRP is

75 bucks I think 70 to 75 is what I was

seeing it listed for and it's it's

pretty freaking good guys it's pretty

freaking good so here's the thing it's

like really hard to I guess describe

this because Rock filter is doing

something that I've not seen any craft

Distillery do their profile is so unique

you put it in a lineup with literally

anything on my shelf I will immediately

pick it out and be like that's a rock

filter product right there that's what I

love about a craft Distillery that that

has a very solid and rooted sense of

identity there are so many craft

distilleries out there that are

basically just trying to reinvent the

wheel they're like we'll do what the

Legacy distillers are doing we're just

going to here's our here's our bourbon

here's our weeded bourbon here's our Ry

and it's like listen man you have so

much stiff competition when it comes to

just doing what Legacy distillers are

doing like who's going to pay $ 20 extra

dollar for a small craft Distillery

bottle of 4E old bourbon whiskey when

you can get you can get Wild Turkey 101

for 25 bucks you know your local gr

grocery store it's so hard to stand out

against that how do you compete against

that and a lot of distilleries really

struggle to compete they have their sort

of local market they have to open up a

restaurant and sell a lot of neutral

grain spirits and vodka and Gins in

order to pay the bills now I don't know

a dang thing about rock filter's

financial situation but I firmly believe

that if more people drank this it would

be something that someone would want to

have at least on their shelf because it

is unique it is singular it is tasty

this is something that I you know

there's a lot of things that are really

unique but you wouldn't really reach for

them often you're like well that's

really offbeat it's weird it's

interesting if somebody comes over be

like hey you got to try this stuff this

is not that this is singular and it's

Unique and it's adventurous but it's

also very drinkable maybe it's just me

in my palette maybe it's just where I

grew up and sort of the uh memories that

it evokes but for me this is something

that I absolutely on a weekday would

would just reach for and pour an ounce

of it you know every now and then be

like yeah I'm in the mood for an ounce

of that 100% I think my two favorite uh

products I've had from them so far are

the red ridery and the black hammer that

fence jumper though is I think a a

wonderful introduction to their profile

that's unique to them that'd be a great

way to sort of just introduce your

palette to it and then go from there

something about their profile that makes

me think people who are from or visit or

like Kansas City and Texas culture

I think you would vibe with this too a

lot of their flavor profile just screams

pit smoked barbecue barbecue beans

brisket burn ends all of

it this right here I think this would go

so well with a good Southern barbecue a

sort of Tex Arcana area I think would

really Vibe with this not just the

midwesterners but there you have it

that's Rock filter if you have by any

chance had any of their stuff let me

know in the comment section what you

think about it if you have not had any

of their stuff and you're looking for

something else to add to your shelf and

you're tired of the same old same old

same old you're tired of just going to

the grocery store and seeing the exact

same options every week after week after

week and you're like I've had that

bottle eight nine 10 a dozen times on my

shelf I want something maybe a little

bit different but it's also really good

go online nobody on the secondary is

upcharging for rock filter bottles so if

you see them add them to your cart check

out get it delivered to you and give it

a fair Shake hopefully you learned some

something new about the Distillery today

and maybe you uh developed a better

appreciation for who these people are

and what they're doing and really I hope

that you try some of their stuff out if

you end up trying any of their stuff out

please do me a favor Circle back to this

video let me know in the comments

section what you got and what you

thought thanks so much for tuning in as

always genuinely appreciate each and

every one of you especially uh Dam th

who is local to rock filter who's been

sending me a lot of their stuff really

appreciate that as well and a big shout

out to my patreon supporters in general

who helped to fund all the Bots I get to

pick up and review here on the channel

we got a lot of cool stuff coming this

week I've got a bottle of stag coming

I've got uh you the latest batch of

Bookers coming I've got a Jack Daniels

12E coming I got a bottle of rock

filter's Red Rider Ry coming I got a lot

of stuff coming it's all thanks to you

guys for funding it I appreciate you all

hey get involved in our Discord

introduce yourself link is in the

description totally free to join we got

a great community of great people get in

there introduce yourself we'd love to

meet you cheers my friends may you live

richly and get better with age and I

look forward to catching you in the next

one bye-bye

[Music]

[Music]