Tallbird American Whiskey: 7-Year Bourbon Blend for $25

Wanderfolk Distillery, Oklahoma’s first legal distillery, has launched Tallbird American Whiskey. It is a blend of seven-year-old straight bourbons priced at $25, a nod to the “Whiskey of the Golden Age,” when well-aged bourbon didn’t cost a premium.

Tallbird blends straight bourbons distilled in Kentucky by Bardstown Bourbon Company and in Tennessee by TN Distilling. The whiskey was then aged in Guthrie in 53-gallon new American white oak barrels with a #3–4 char. It is bottled at 93 proof (46.5% ABV) and built for classic cocktails like Old Fashioneds, Manhattans and Sours.

“We’re committed to creating spirits as unique and distinctive as those who enjoy them,” said Jeffrey Cole, Head Distiller, Wanderfolk Distillery. “Tallbird is a Whiskey of the Golden Age – a time when a well-aged bourbon wasn’t something you paid a premium for and when quality was something could expect without a sky-high price tag. Good doesn’t have to be expensive.”

Cole is a pioneer in Oklahoma’s craft beverage industry. He was the founding president of both the United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) OKC chapter and the Oklahoma Distillers’ Guild, and he has opened more than a dozen bars across the Midwest.

Tasting notes

Nose: Sweet marzipan and cardamom, with citrus and tropical mango
Palate: Rich butterscotch, crunchy graham cracker and a hint of leather
Finish: Sweet and creamy, like a tres leches dessert

About the name: “Tallbird” comes from nicknames given to aircraft during the sonic boom tests of the 1950s and ’60s. The label shows an American cowboy riding one of those aircraft like a mechanical bull, a playful nod to the brand’s Oklahoma roots.

Specs

Style: American Whiskey, a blend of straight bourbons
Age: 7 years
Sourced from: Bardstown Bourbon Company (Ky.) and TN Distilling (Tenn.)
Aged in: Guthrie, Okla., in new American white oak barrels with a #3–4 char
Proof: 93 (46.5% ABV)
Price: $25 (750mL)

Where to buy:

Tallbird is sold online through wanderfolkspirits.com and at craft spirits retailers in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma. Wanderfolk’s Tasting Room, at 124 E. Oklahoma Ave. in Guthrie, opens to visitors later this fall.