PENNA Dutch Malt Whiskey Review

Jarrod Lapato -

BOTTLE DETAILS

  • DISTILLER: New Liberty Distillery
  • MASH BILL: 100% Malted Barley
  • AGE: “Aged at least 6 months” – A bit of digging suggests it is comprised of a blend of spirits ranging from 1 ½ to 2 years of age.
  • YEAR: 2017
  • PROOF: 102 (51% ABV)
  • MSRP: $49.99
  • BUY ONLINE: New Liberty Distillery Spirits locator can be found here.

JARROD'S NOTES

NOSE: Overripe Plum  |  Barley Mash  |  Caramelized Spice

TASTE: Burnt Sugar | Sweet Bread | Saturated Oak/Cork | Chocolate Malt

FINISH: Long and intense. It starts with a tart chocolate-spice that slowly comes back around to the sweeter stone fruits and cinnamon spice. The new oak is always lurking in the shadows and, despite its higher ABV and younger age, the heat doesn’t distract from the intense flavor of this malt. Even at 102 Proof, it went down with ease.

SHARE WITH: With its 100% malted barley beginnings, the obvious choice would be to share this with your favorite single-malt scotch fan. But I see this as being compatible with a much broader range of whiskey enthusiasts. It’s got the spiciness of rye, a sweet side for the bourbon fans, and a rich, malty Speyside character for the scotch lovers. Probably not the first choice for the die-hard peat heads out there, but the intensity of flavors here should still warrant consideration.

WORTH THE PRICE: Overall, I would say it is. Sure, a few years ago $50 would be unreasonable for a whiskey this young, but with the current state of the whiskey market and the onslaught of so-so craft whiskeys flooding that market, this single malt offering stands out in my opinion.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: I have a feeling that once you try it, you’ll want a bottle. That being said, the product locator not only lists the liquor stores that carry the product but even in my small town, lists several local watering holes where you can try it out first… just enter your zip code to see what’s close to you.

OVERALL: This doesn’t happen all too often, but I blurted out a “Wow” as the first sip was still working its way around my palate… without losing a drop, mind you. The intensity of flavor is something you just don’t encounter in your average, every day whiskeys and the char-forward new oak barrels certainly have a say in the final profile. It has a beautiful deep bronze coloring and long, clinging legs that slowly work their way down the inside of the glass. The mouthfeel is surprisingly adequate, and while a little added water does its part to mellow things out a bit, I preferred this whiskey neat, in its full, unadulterated form.

BRAND NOTES

he Pennsylvania Dutch came to America from Germany in the 17th century. This Dutch Malt Whiskey, made with traditional “Munich” style of malt, is a fitting tribute to those early pioneers whose rich traditions and enduring legacy still lives on today.

Some of the first whiskey distilled in America hailed from this storied region, where what we ate and drank relied on what we planted and harvested. We’ve sourced our two-row barley from Deer Creek Malt House in Chester County, PA, for a depth of flavor only possible using traditional floor malting techniques.

Flavor Profile/Tasting Notes:

It all begins with the grain. Sourced from only the best 2-row malting barley grown in small batches in Pennsylvania, this malt has characteristics of caramelized nuts and toasted bread. A glass of Pennsylvania Dutch Malt whiskey begins with ripe fruit on the nose, followed by a subtle spice flavor that deepens to a lingering dark chocolate and coffee finish.

Disclaimer: New Liberty Distillery provided Bourbon & Banter with a sample of their product for this review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.