Corsair Triple Smoke is among my favorite Corsair whiskeys. Like almost everything else they do it’s a unique and interesting take on a standard whiskey, which in this case is a single malt whiskey. Though unlike most single malts, even from Islay, it’s not just peated, it’s smoked. They start by malting 3 batches of barley, one at a time, and to arrest the malting process they smoke each batch with something different.
One batch gets smoked with peat, another gets smoked with Beachwood and the third gets smoked with Cherrywood. Then all 3 batches get mixed together and go through the traditional grinding, fermenting and distilling process and the resulting liquid is put in their small barrels and left to mature for a few months. When it’s ready – no set time frame here – it’s dumped, bottled and the Corsair Triple Smoke is born.
Corsair Triple Smoke Info
Region: Tennessee, USA
Distiller: Corsair
Mashbill: 100% Malt – Peat, Cherry & Beachwood Smoke
Cask: New charred oak (15 gallon barrels)
Age: NAS (typically age for 5-10 months)
ABV: 40%
Price: $50
Corsair Triple Smoke Review
EYE
Light amber
NOSE
Touch of smoke, caramel, toffee, citrus, char, fresh herbs and orange candy followed by a light peppermint-like note. The nose is surprisingly light on the smoke aspect and it acts more like accent than anything else.
PALATE
Charred wood, sweet bbq smoke, malty sweetness, light grain, butterscotch fudge and light notes of mesquite and young sawdusty wood. The smoke is much more present on the palate and it’s awesome. I feel like I’m eating ribs but I’m drinking whiskey.
FINISH
Medium in length and layered with notes of smoke, butterscotch fudge, sugar cookies and mesquite bbq.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Good balance, medium body and a soft easy texture.
OVERALL
Just writing about the Corsair Triple Smoke makes me want to jump in my car and head to Bludso’s or Baby Blues (LA BBQ joints) right now. The aroma is a bit light on the smoke and instead carries more of the sweet notes, but the palate has a nice thick layer of smoke that gets balanced against the sweet and woody notes. All of which roll up to a hearty and rustic character that makes me want to do something “manly”.
One swig of Corsair Triple Smoke and I want to put on a flannel shirt, head to the woods, kill a wild boar with my bare hands, rub spices into its ribs and cook it over a fire I built with my now calloused, blood and spice stained hands. It makes me want to go all modern caveman on something and being an Eagle Scout and a home cook I could handle most that testosterone laden scenario. However, since I live in Los Angeles and wild boar, thankfully, don’t rove Griffith park I’ll have to settle for going to Bludsoe’s or Baby Blues instead (LA BBQ joints).
It’s pretty clear to see that In every way I enjoy the Corsair Triple Smoke and when I visited the Corsair distillery last year I got to try some of it straight from the cask and let me tell you… cask strength is a completely different ball game. The cask we pulled from, and the power behind its delivery, laid it out as a legitimate A- whiskey right out of the gate and if they ever offer an uncut version of this whiskey you should do what you can to get a taste. Though until that day comes the standard 40% Corsair Triple Smoke is a mighty fine stand-in.
SCORE: 87-89/100 (B+, not consumed at home)
