Silverthorn Reserve Whiskey - The Story, The Bottles

 

Hold on to your hats because we have a lot to unbox here!  We received these bottles just a couple of days ago and we pushed them to the top of the list because we were so &$%#ing excited to taste them!  Today we're going to discuss all things Silverthorn Reserve, including tasting and sharing our thoughts on these two bottles.  But before we share that, we want to introduce you to the brand and the man behind the label!

If the name Drew Thorn resonates with you, it's because Drew was a driving force behind the immensely popular and wildly successful Sagamore Spirit brand for many years.  Drew learned so much about the business, operations, transparency, quality and what customers want during his tenure at Sagamore.  But how will that carry over into this new project?

DTB:  What was the moment you knew you wanted to build Silverthorn Reserve after leaving Sagamore Spirit?

DT:  I had conceived of Silverthorn Reserve many yearsago, but it had always been this obscure concept that I would some day start inretirement because I am incapable of ever retiring. I very much love Sagamore –they are great people making great whiskey and I am still very close with them. However, there did come a point where my obscure retirement business startedto become much more defined in my mind, and I got so excited about it that I didn’t want to wait until retirement to get started.

DTB:  On your website, you describe this as "uniquely small" and focused on projects that do not make sense at scale.  What does that mean and what does that allow you to do that you were not able to do in a larger business model?

DT:  When you are a large model, your focus is scalable consistency. This is in direct conflict with the pursuit of excellence. Some brands can overcome this conflict (and I think Sagamore is a good example of that), but the conflict will always exist.

You also become dependent on distribution models that value quantity over quality.

Scale is also not achievable without outside financial interests – which are inclined to value quantity over quality. You become exposed to all these forces that challenge the pursuit of excellence.

I wanted to flip this on its head. Silverthorn Reserve is independently owned, it can take on projects in the pursuit of excellence knowing they would be completely unscalable even if they were well received. We self-distribute and are very selective about how many accounts we work with, so we can stay connected with our customers and quite nimble.

If I find 3 barrels that make an amazing blend – I am going to do it. A larger company wouldn’t be looking at 3 barrels in the first place, and if they happened to stumble across them by accident all they would do is blend them into a large batch to not mess with consistency.

DTB:  What's in the name Silverthorn Reseve?  How did you choose the name and what do you want to tell people from the brand name?

DT:  Silverthorn Reserve is a family name. My wife’s family is the Silvermans and my family is the Thorns and together we are the Silverthorns. I hope for the brand to become known for timeless excellent whiskies, not trends or hype. I am a product person – I have been crafting alcoholic beverages for 30 years – so I am going to spend my money and time on products and not marketing. It remains to be seen how that will play out, but at the very least it is where I will find joy in this pursuit.

DTB:  You emphasize complete transparencey and composition statements on every bottle.  What details do you consider non-negotiable to disclose, and why?

DT:  In our labeling we always share barrel origin state, mash bills, blend percentages, and barrel ages. I would share specific distilleries if I could, but that is generally considered an IP infringement, and while some suppliers are cool about it, others will send cease and desists trying to get you to pull your bottlesoff shelves. I do find that our customers are quite sophisticated though, and if they see a 2016 75/13/0/12 - KY on the label they have a good idea where that came from.

DTB:  You've described yourself as essentially a one-man show.  What part of the production process is done by you and your small team versus partner facilities?

DT:  All parts of the production process are done by us – but made possible through two great partnerships. I have a barrel storage agreement with Sagamore Spirit which allows me to directly manage my barrels. They also give me access to their blending and processing equipment and help from their team as needed for blending projects where I am dumping barrels, blending those barrels and then

returning that blend back to those barrels for slow marrying back in the barns.

My DSP itself operates as an Alternating Proprietorship through a sub-lease agreement with OLD LINE SPIRITS in Baltimore. This is also where I blend, dump, bottle, warehouse finished goods, and ship from. Their amazing team will assist me as needed for dumping, bottling, and receiving materials. So, I guess the short answer is no part of the processes is outsourced to a third party, but my model of being hands-on for every step is only possible through the amazing partnerships I have with Sagamore and Old Line – because you can’t do it all alone.

DTB:  When people hear "sourcing" or "non-distilling producer (NDP)" they (the uneducated types) assume this means "simple" or "lazy".  What do you say to that?

DT:  I can see why that might be the perception – though I think some of the excellent NDPs that have emerged have made progress changing that perception. With that said I am sure there are cases where that perception is true – if for example you source one mashbill from a very consistent supplier and send it to a third-party bottler to package it in large enough batches that the law of averages delivers a consistent product, then it is relatively simple. However, with that said, doing your own distillation is not what makes a whiskey company complex. If you are in the industry or have run distilleries before, you know that running a still is one of the simplest parts of the process. In my experience sensory and blending are much more complex. Thinking an NDP is simple is kind of like thinking being a chef is simple if you don’t also grow all your ingredients.

DTB:  We are going to taste a single barrel bourbon today and a blended port finish rye.  How do you decide when a whiskey should stay a true single barrel versus becoming part of a blend?

DT:  This is more subjective, as in I don’t have a defined framework. To be a single barrel I look for solid overall structure as well as something memorable and delicious. I have to really like drinking it on its own, and also not need it for a specific role in a blend.

We're are starting off BIG here with the Silverthorn Single Barrel Bourbon.  This has an eye-opening 13-year age statement.  The bottle we are tasting is #59 from batch 12A18 (sold out).  The current batch 12B15 is available on their website.  The non-chill filtered bourbon features a mash bill of Corn (80%), Rye (10%), Wheat (5%) and Malted Barley (5%).  The nose reminds you of walking into an antique bookshop that has leatherbound classics and a sweet aroma of baked pastries and coffee brewing.  This immediately wakes the senses in anticipation what is next.  Very nice viscosity in the glass and in the mouth.  Sweet and savory up front with homemade maple candy and caramel ribbon.  A mixture of ripe fruits such as blackcurrants and plum are joined with mild spices.  Layers of flavor develop, leading to the leather re-appearing next to cherry pipe tobacco for a lasting and satisfying finish.

ABV:  52.0% (104 proof)

Distillery:  Silverthorn Reserve

Suggested retail price:  $140.00

Drink The Bottles score:  96/100

Currently, Silverthorn Reserve has three releases and we are honored to taste two of them.  Of the three expressions currently available, they range from 10 to 13 year age statements.  It seems that Drew Thorn knows and appreciates a sweet spot, and he has found it in his Port Finish Rye Whiskey.  This 10-year old selection is a blend of two mash bills:

• 57%:  10 Year Old Straight Rye - Rye (95%), Malted Barley (5%)
• 43%:  10 Year Old Straight Rye - Corn (44%), Rye (51%), Malted Barley (5%)

This is a non-chill filtered bottle that was finished in 10-year-old Tawny Port barrels.  You don't have to be Tawny Port fans like us to appreciate the delciousness in this bottle.  Great gingerbread color with orange blossom, island fruits, sandalwood and cinnamon stick on the nose.  Lovely sweet backbone with Fig Newton cookie, caramel syrup and grandma's spice cabinet that coats the tongue.  Sweet pepper bite at the end, but in check and not over powering.  This is a really fun and intriguing bottle that is batch 1 for Silverthorn.

ABV:  50.0% (100 proof)

Distillery:  Silverthorn Reserve

Suggested retail price:  $100.00

Drink The Bottles score:  93/100

We are super impressed by what Silverthorn Reserve has accomplished thus far.  There's no doubt that we will be adding them to our "brand to watch" list and we can't wait to see what is on the horizon!