Established in 2007 in Spokane, Dry Fly is the first new distillery in the Washington State since the Prohibitionism. Unlike the more famous American whiskey, Dry Fly’s brand identity is strongly connected to the images of the Pacific North-West
Their Wheat Whiskey is an attempt at restoring an old pre-Prohibition distilling tradition with a contemporary product strongly rooted in the local territory: 100% wheat from nearby farms, this spirit ages three years in American white oak casks from local cooperage. Moreover, this special bottling adds a very peculiar 12-months finishing in casks of fortified huckleberry wine from Townshend Cellar (a wine that in the US can be classified as Port, as you can see from the label and the online images). Small batch production and 43% alcoholic proof.
- ABV: 43%
- Casks: virgin/ex-fortified wine
- Age: about 4 years
- No. of Bottles: n/a
- Price: €50 – €100
- Availability: average
TASTING NOTES DRY FLY WHEAT WHISKEY FORTIFIED HUCKLEBERRY WINE CASK FINISH
Nose
extremely sweet and mellow, it the nose starts with a whiff of vanilla and oak wood that immediately give way to an intense winey character with plum, raisin, dates, and a hint of licorice. Undoubtedly overcharged and eager to please, it’s nonetheless a good expression of the productive typology..
Palate
the first sip confirms the winey notes of the nose with more figs and dates, candied fruit, caramelized orange, and a lot of raising. There are some sweet spices like anisette, cloves, and cane sugar.
Finish
the pleasing initial intensity does not follow up with a sustained vertical expression, showing the youth of the product with a kind of short and sudden finish: more winey notes, a slightly bitter hint, and some sugar syrup on the tongue. Just a pinch of spicy heat follows after swallowing.
This particular cask finish of the Dry Fly Wheat Whiskey is a solid examples of craft distilling diving into old traditions to pair them with curious contemporary experimentation. It’s a well done product and certainly captivating, if it weren’t for the considerably high price asked on shelves with respect to its expectations. We still recommend it to curious drinkers and taste explorers.
Rating: 81