Koval - Four Grain Single Barrel Whiskey (750ml)

The profoundly innovative, Chicago-based Koval distillery opened in 2008, and has focused steadily on the Midwest's unique grain offerings. While three of the characters in their four-grain whiskey are familiar (malted barley, rye, and wheat), the final component comes from oats. The whiskey spends its 3-4 years of aging in heavily charred, new Minnesota oak barrels - each expression Koval produces is single-barrel - and arrives in its bottle at 94 proof. Offering a genuinely unique drinking experience, its nose is comprised of baked banana, sweet brioche, cardamom, and dried herbs with an underlying earthiness. Shortbread, orange peel, toasted grain, and another hint of savory herb complete the palate. Intriguingly complex and a worthy venture outside the grain norm, it's a very fun whiskey to sip neat or with a large rock.