Broad Branch Big Winston
Private Select Straight Bourbon
Winston Salem, NC
Age: 7 years 8 months
Barrel #: 0047
Proof/ABV: 144/72%
Color: Deep mahogany
Barreled: 3/25/16
Dumped: 11/23/23
Mash: 86% Corn, 8% Barley, 6% Rye
Broad Branch Distillery is a beacon for the Carolina’s within the booming craft distillery world. “Little Guys” like Broad Branch and High Wire Distillery churn out incredible products every month and go through painstaking effort as they dare to be different. With Broad Branch, they have their water delivered from an artesian well nestled in the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains. New Yorkers always talk about their water being the reason their pizza and bagel dough is so good; why can’t water be one of the reasons whiskey is so good? Their hands on approach in all things from water to grain source is a testament to them daring to be different. The truth is in the bottle.
You can read more about our trip and hazmat whiskey in our recent article: https://gamecockbourbon.com/2023/12/18/whiskey-journey-what-is-hazmat-whiskey/
The name “Big Winston” comes from Winston-Salem’s proud tobacco history, and the warehouses that once aged and processed tobacco, now stores and ages whiskey barrels. It has to be mentioned that Broad Branch’s “Rye Fidelity” recently won the coveted Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition late 2023. The competition consists of 5500 entries and is the first, oldest, and largest competition of its kind. Winning a double gold is akin to an Oscar. For them to let us choose between 4 of their favorite barrels of their Big Winston is something I will always be grateful for. We chose a short barrel, which typically means the angels took a good bit of it, and that the proof has spiked from its 125-proof entry. This barrel was dumped at 144-proof, and we bottled it at 144 proof and at Cask Strength. There are 150 bottles, not the typical 200+.
Let’s get into it…
Nose: Good gracious! Loads of confectionary sugar and pink bubblegum…bazooka comes to mind. Swirling it around and letting the “Hazmat” ethanol out of the glass, my second whiff reminded me of opening an instant strawberry oatmeal packet for my son. No question this is a blend of the rye and barley coming to the surface. There is a lingering oaky vanilla and tobacco aroma that one gets from a whiskey in the 7-8 year range. I’m honestly surprised at how fruity it was on the initial nose. They should offer this bottle with a mist sprayer; I’d wear it as cologne.
Palate: To quote a friend, whiskey influencer, and whiskey enthusiast (personally has hundreds of bottles of bourbon) who tasted this bottle: “Nose-balanced and definitely craft saddle leather…Front end palate is grain forward, but definitely drinks below 144. Back half gets hershey chocolate like and that brings the malt through. Finish lingers and sits into Oak and Leather. Reminds of the Old Vault Widow Jane distillate if it were hazmat. There will be lots of people who love this one imo.” -TJ