Give me a good story rooted in history based on a famous gangster out of Chicago and a bootlegging moonshiner whose old distillation methods continue to be honored in today's modern whiskey-making era, and you have my attention. Does it have yours, too?
Casey Jones Distillery, located in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, carries a storied family legacy of pre-prohibition bootleggers turned legal distillery—paying homage to the grandfather of Master Distiller Arlon "AJ" Jones and his unique square pot-distilled methods of making whiskey. Yep, Casey Jones is the grandfather, and this 10th Anniversary Founders Blend is in celebration of his legacy. Which likely wouldn't be known today had it not been for AJ and the inheritance of his grandfather's last remaining legal still. AJ felt it was only right to honor the family legacy through Kentucky craft bourbons and whiskeys. Luckily, digging through his grandfather's old archives revealed the original mash bills and, more importantly, revived the square cooper pot still his grandfather designed all those years ago. Ten years later, Casey Jones Distillery proudly celebrates tradition, craftsmanship, and family. When asked about the ten-year milestone, AJ Jones replied:
Creating your dream the way you envision it is a rare opportunity. The journey has been both challenging and exhilarating, but it’s one I've thoroughly enjoyed. Along the way, I’ve met incredible people from around the world and cherished every moment. This endeavor has been one of the most rewarding and fascinating achievements of my life. We take immense pride in Casey Jones Distillery and our award-winning Moonshines and Bourbons. To celebrate our 10th anniversary, I’ve crafted a special bottle that blends tradition and innovation, making it truly worth savoring. I believe my Grandfather, Casey Jones, would be proud of our 51.8 % ABV creation. As we look ahead to the next decade, we are committed to building on our legacy and striving for even greater heights.
Pomp and circumstance aside, I was dying to learn more about the "coffin" (the first and only square pot still) once I learned about it. Notably, why the heck make a square still? It's said that the square design could fit perfectly in the bed of a wagon or flatbed, which likely came In handy as a quick getaway when a moonshiner needed to pack up and go. Casey also put handles on his stills to help move it, and, in recognizing that the condenser would be the first part to go in a raid, he put a handle on that so it could be the first piece out. My oh my, how the times have changed from passionately packing out mini stills to the quotidian throughput of most boring beige bourbon of the massive modern column still.
Harnessing that era in present day production, AJ opened his legal distillery in 2014. The workhorse of his production has largely been a 1000 gallon hybrid pot still, recently expanded upon. A distiller with many tools in his (their) tool belt is a wonderful thing.
The original handmade square still created by the distillery's namesake was taken to a greater scale by AJ when he made a 140-gallon still by hand, presented the creation at the 2022 American Distilling Institute convention in St. Louis (pictured above), and then put it to work until it was retired in 2023. Today, "The Grandfather" is now in operation, a 200-gallon square pot still made in collaboration with Specific Mechanical, who used photos of AJ's still as a design reference and worked with AJ to recreate the iconic square shape.
So, how does square pot distilled whiskey taste? I'm certainly curious to know and am equally curious to explore a blend of bourbon barrels and, in a nod to AJ's moonshining roots, cane mash bill barrels as well. Special thanks to the folks at Casey Jones for providing this bottle in exchange for a no-strings-attached review. I'm ready to dive in, so let's go!
Company on Label: Casey Jones Distillery
Whiskey Type: Blended bourbon whiskey
Mash Bill Percentages: A blend of 50% corn, 50% cane (barrels 200 & 234) and 96% corn, 3% rye, 1% malted barley (barrel 160)
Proof: 103.6°
Age: 5 years
Further identification: This limited-edition 10th Anniversary Blend combines two five-year barrels and will be sold exclusively at the distillery for $99.99
Nose: Oh my, yes, this smells like the middle of a perfectly baked soft vanilla cupcake with the shiniest, silkiest caramel glaze. There is so much lightness and sweetness in here, gooey yet airy. If cotton candy and marshmallow fluff went on a date, the volume wafting from my glass would mimic their goodbye kiss. Swirling the liquid offers graham crackers warming by a firepit and roasted cinnamon sticks, a gentle spice that laces elegantly through the sweetness. Deep inhales bring out a slight hint of ethanol but nothing off-putting. Additional swirling produces lined paper bound in a well-loved journal. I'm intrigued. It's time for a sip.
I'm pleased to find more fruit-forward notes after returning to the nose following a few sips. I smell apple and plum pie, cooling on the counter for a late summer bite where the air has a chill but is still sticky with humidity. There's also cherry cordial syrup, molasses, and brown sugar. As the liquid grows lower, I find mint leaves and cloves. The empty glencairn smells of movie theater popcorn, hookah smoke, and dark red carpets in a drafty Victorian home.
Palate: Immediately, that pot-still creaminess makes itself known, as does the sweetness and the spice. If ever there was a soft, warm, gooey, perfectly baked cinnamon roll turned liquid, this would be it. Heat shimmers across the back of my throat, and sweetness continues to soak into my taste buds, like confectioners' sugar, caramel popped corn, and an old-fashioned glass bottle of cream soda. Additional sips bring in sweet lemon tea, and a pinch of black pepper. More sips continue the walk into Candy Land, and I'm here to play. As I continue to sip further into my glass, some sweet, cakey flavors fall off as cinnamon, black pepper, and clove kick into high gear. Late in the glass, I'm surprised to taste dark chocolate shavings on top of whipped cream. The final sip slides across my tongue in a perfect swirl of sweetness and spice as the linger puffs out remnants of campfire smoke.
TL;DR: an approachable blend for the sweet tooth in your life who likes a bit of spice!
Rating: 4/5
(Really good. I want one of these on my shelf.)
This is the epitome of shareable whiskey. I was astounded by what I tasted and that a craft distillery produced it. Hats off to the blending team at Casey Jones for reviving an old way of making whiskey. The quality shows! This pour is incredibly approachable and tastes like a good reason many on-the-fence whiskey appreciators hesitant to jump over to the craft side should hop right on over now.
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