04/11/2024
The Reverend
Sour Mash Whiskey
Aged 4 to 6 Years (at least 4 Years)
Maple Charcoal Filtered (Lincoln County Process)
Distilled: Not Specified
Produced by: Call Family Distillers
Wilkesboro, North Carolina - DSP-21031
45% ABV / 90 Proof
Mashbill: 76% Corn, 19% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
Barrels Used: New Charred American Oak and First Fill Bourbon Cask
Price: $36.99 (750mL)
Poured Neat in a Glencairn Glass
Appearance: Honey/Light Amber
Nose: Honey, Light Fruits and Charred Citrus, Toffee
Palate: Bright Fruits, Brown Sugar, Toffee, Honey
Finish: Extremely smooth sweetness turning into a touch of rye spice. Medium linger and viscosity.
Overall: It's no surprise how much of a Jack Daniel's history buff I truly am. So when the folks from Call Family Distillers reached out to me about this particular bottle, my senses kicked in to high gear. There's a story. There's a great story. Dates all the way back to the mid 1800s. This story is where I get drawn in. This story is one where I want to sip and read. Here, check this out from The Reverend:
"The Reverend is a small batch, hand-crafted sour mash whiskey that pays homage to seven generations of American distillers and whiskey makers. The Reverend, Daniel Call, mentor to a young Jasper Daniel and friend to trailblazing distiller Nathan Green, gave up his stake in the old No. 7 distillery to live the life of a preacher. However, his descendants carried on his early legacy of moonshining and whiskey making in Wilkes County, North Carolina, where they produce spirits to this day. This premium whiskey is aged for over four years in new charred oak and first-fill bourbon casks before using the same maple charcoal filtration process that was made famous in Lincoln County, Tennessee, to refine and enhance the spirit after it leaves the barrel." - Check out the website HERE
Sounds like the Call Family are continuing on in a process that got me hooked on whiskey very early on. That Lincoln County Process, I tell ya. I have so much respect for the attention to detail and the patience with this added step. Filtration through Sugar-Maple Charcoal brings a smoother mouthfeel and taste to the forefront while not adding, but yet subtracting impurities. It's not just the Lincoln County Process that has me comparing to Old No. 7, the fact the distillate age is 4 to 6 years also has me sitting here with a smirk on my face.
But regardless of the similarities and the lineage to such a historic brand in Lynchburg, this whiskey certainly stands on it's own. It has flavor. Check. It has age. Check. It has a "smooth" finish. Check. And now, it has a new fan. And at the SRP of $36.99, this is hard one to say no to a couple of bottles and make it a daily sipper.
"Preacher, Farmer, Grocer & Distiller" - The Reverend Daniel Houston Call, 1836-1904.
A great big thank you to the great folks at Call Family Distillers for allowing me to try this and weigh in on my notes. NC Proud!
Currently available in: North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Michigan.
Awards: Gold Masked Double Blind Tasting - 2023 Awards
