American Fifth Bourbon Review

A new offering from a young startup whiskey maker that’s trying to make a name for themselves in the market with a four-grain bourbon. Made from Corn, Wheat, Malt and Rye, the American Fifth Bourbon is a combination of all four of the main grains in making bourbon. A non-traditional approach to traditional ingredients.

American Fifth Bourbon

While using four+ grains in a bourbon is nothing new, it’s nowhere close to the norm so it’s worth a shout. It’s also worth mentioning that they use the smaller 30 gallon barrels compared to the traditional 52 gallon and somehow have kept it from tasting like sawdust. Which we’ll cover in more detail in the bourbon review below.

American Fifth Bourbon Review: Details and Tasting Notes

In American Fifth Spirits’s Words:

We use world class local grains, gently mash, painstakingly ferment, precisely cut, appropriately age and hand bottle. Our distiller’s senses of sight, taste & smell are used to evaluate our small batch process to ensure quality. Made from 63% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malt and 5% rye, our four grain bourbon rests in 30 gallon barrels to reveal layered depths of flavor. Aromas of brown sugar, clove, and maple, with remarkable flavors of vanilla, marzipan, caramel raisin and fig.

American Fifth Bourbon: Details (price, mash bill, cask type, ABV, etc.)

Region: Michigan, USA

Distiller: American Fifth Spirits
Mash Bill: 63% Corn, 20% Wheat, 12% Malted Barley, 5% Rye
Cask: New Charred Oak
Age: 12 months
ABV: 45%

Price: $50*

American Fifth Bourbon: Tasting Notes

EYE
Ruddy caramel

NOSE
Roasted corn, caramel, wood, baking spice, cocoa and light bits of vanilla and citrus.

PALATE
Toffee, coffee, lumber, citrus, sap sweetness, raw grain and cocoa.

FINISH
Medium-short -> Wood, citrus, spice and cocoa.

BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Ok balance, medium body and a soft drying feel.

American Fifth Bourbon is good. Young, woody and not too deep or complex, but good. There is a lot of promise in this whiskey.

American Fifth Bourbon Review: Overall and Score

More mature than expected for a young whiskey from a cold climate. Aroma is soft and lovely with a balanced delivery of sweets, grains, spice and wood. Palate carries more of that dry woody “craft” style to it but keeps it in check, a bit, with the multi-facted sweet notes. The finish is my least favorite aspect as it fades out quick and bitter.

American Fifth Bourbon is not a bad whiskey. It’s young and, showing this well this young, it hold tremendous promise for the future. This is going to be a distillery to watch. So long as they keep this up, they’re going to be a distillery that makes some waves in the coming years.

SCORE: 81/100 (B-)