Last year I finally made it all the way down to Dennings Point Distillery - home of one of my favorite Hudson Valley bourbons - Beacon Bourbon. Located in Beacon, the distillery is owned by husband-and-wife team Susan and Karl Johnson, who co-founded the farm-to-bottle distillery in 2014. The project blended Susan's business expertise with Karl's background in distilling and chemical engineering.
Beacon Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is the flagship bourbon from Denning's Point. It is a 100 proof (50% ABV) bourbon made from locally sourced New York State grains and aged in charred white oak barrels. The mash bill is roughly 77% corn, 13% rye, and 10% malted barley. Originally the bourbon was around four years old, but in recent releases it's been more like 6YO product. Nose carries light notes vanilla, citrus zest, dried apricot, honey, and baking spice. Caramel and maple first come across the palate, followed by dark fruit and a combination of white and black pepper. Other notes are tobacco and stewed plums. Lovely warm finish, and the caramel and spice linger. A lovely bourbon.
I really loved the Beacon Bourbon Single Barrel Cask Strength 107.7 Proof. All the notes were highlighted. Some were more intense, others slightly muted. But the powerful flavors really came through. Perfect neat, or excellent against a cube of ice, I found this bottle almost irresistible.
I also loved two of the special releases, Beacon Whiskey and the Beacon Rock & Rye.
Beacon Bourbon has been a staple in the valley for a good while - and with good reason. Take a shot, and visit this charming distillery and see what hand-crafted quality is all about.