Earlier this week, I took a short solo trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C. It wasn’t supposed to be a solo trip, but my sister had a medical procedure done on Friday. So that left me going by myself.
It was a nice, short getaway. I had no agenda other than a distillery tour — which will be the subject of a future Whiskey Wednesday column — so I went out shopping for some South Carolina bourbons. I picked up four South Carolina bourbons and one North Carolina bourbon from not far across the state line; here are my reviews.
Six & Twenty 5-Grain Bourbon
Mash bill (no percentages given): corn, soft red winter wheat, barley, black seashore rye, and Carolina Gold rice
90 proof, retails for $40.99
This one caught my eye for its unique mash bill. I couldn’t find the percentages for the grains, but we know that it’s 51% corn since it’s bourbon. I didn’t know what to expect since my only experience with rice in booze was trying sake once, so I approached it with a hint of trepidation.
The rye must be prominent because it’s primarily spicy and peppery. It’s also heavy on the cereal flavors. It’s unique, and after trying it twice, I’m still not sure what to think about it. I don’t hate it, but it wouldn’t be one that I reach for regularly.
Rating 6.5/10
Beyond Distilling Bourbon
Mash bill: corn, wheat, and malted barley (no percentages indicated)
90 proof, retails for $42.99
Beyond Distilling has an interesting distinction in that all of its employees “self-identify as having a disability.” I have quite a bit of respect for those staff members, but the tag on the bottle gives it a slightly woke framing. It’s too bad they couldn’t have phrased it a little differently.
Y’all probably know by now that I’m a big fan of wheated bourbons. This one delivered on the sweetness that one should expect from a wheat-forward whiskey. It has a spicy caramel front note with earthy toffee tones. It carries heat on the back end in a surprising way.
It’s not a bad bourbon, although I have to give it a half-point deduction because the cork was a heck of a lot of trouble to get out of the bottle. I’m also calling out the hint of wokeness in the tag on the bottle. Bourbon should smell like oak, vanilla, and corn, not a mandatory HR seminar.
Rating: 8/10
Related: Whiskey Wednesday: Moonrise Distillery Poured on the Charm
Ruffled Feathers Bourbon Whiskey
Mash bill (according to Google): 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley.
90 proof, retails for $76.99
Ruffled Feathers comes from Virginia’s Ironclad Distillery, but it totally counts for this round of reviews because it’s the official name, image, and likeness bourbon that benefits Coastal Carolina University’s athletic program. As a fan of the Chanticleers’ football and baseball programs, I was glad to spring for this one as a treat.
It has an appealing blend of heat and sweetness. I’m not crazy about high-rye bourbons in general, but this one has a flavor I like despite the noticeably dry finish. And when I say dry, I mean dry: I had to drink extra water after trying this one because my throat was arid. Nevertheless, it’s a keeper.
Rating: 8.5/10
Cape Fear Distillery Frying Pan Shoals Bourbon
Possible mash bill (although it doesn’t sound quite right): 66% corn, 20% barley, 14% rye
94 proof, retails for $34.99
From the label:
Proudly Crafted in CAPE FEAR, NORTH CAROLINA
The Frying Pan Shoals is a shifting sandbar extending from Cape Fear 34 miles off the coast to the "Frying Pan Light Tower." These treacherous shoals were inhabited by famous pirates such as Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet and are known to seafarers worldwide as "The Graveyard of the Atlantic," claiming over 200 shipwrecks and garnering the region the name, "Cape Fear."
So this one hails from across the state line, but the packaging caught my attention. The neck of the bottle features a hook tied around the bottle with jute. It obviously leans heavily into the pirate theming, which appealed to me. The price also made me willing to give it a whirl.
It’s definitely corn-heavy with enough rye spice to let you know that it’s there. It’s not unappealing, but it’s also not as serious a bourbon as a purist might expect. It’s a shame the whiskey isn’t as memorable as the packaging.
Rating: 7.5/10
Jimmy Red Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Classic)
Mash bill: 100% corn (you read that right).
95 proof, retails for $59.99
The manager at Total Wine and More gave me a glimpse into the fascinating story of this bourbon, but the tag attached to the bottle gives more details:
In 2013, Glenn Roberts of Anson Mills introduced us to a rare, landrace corn known as Jimmy Red.
As legend has it, this richly flavorful, burgundy-hued corn had flirted with near extinction, dwindling down to a mere 2 cobs. Through the serious efforts of a few passionate individuals, seed stock was revived, and we were able to plant 2.5 acres of Jimmy Red corn in 2014. Nearly a decade later, we are proud to be the largest grower of Jimmy Red corn in the country.
What makes Jimmy Red corn different from other heirloom grain varieties? This deeply rooted corn has an intense flavor with sweet, earthy tones and rich minerality.
This one surprised me. It’s bold, silky, and rich. It doesn’t lean on the usual vanilla-caramel-baking-spice profile as much as it delivers a deeper, rounder version of bourbon’s core grain sweetness — rich corn, warm cereal, soft oak, and a fuller mouthfeel that makes it taste more elemental than decorative.
All corn is a bold flex if there ever was one. And this one delivers. Even if it didn’t, I’d have to give it style points.
Rating: 9/10
