The name comes from the popular 16th century novel, about Califa, the mythical queen of an island that was then thought to be the Garden of Eden. This mythology is where the name California is derived. The bourbon and rye are named for Queen Califa’s army of 500 gryphons. A gryphon is a legendary creature. It has a body, tail, and hind legs of a lion, with a head, wings and talons of an eagle. The Gryphon was known for guarding treasure and priceless possessions.
Enter stage left: Gryphon & Grain and their eye-catching, art deco, subway tile bottle. With a buttoned-on collar and a deep wax dip, the brand really spared no expenses on this presentation. It's a gorgeous bottle, hopefully designed to match the quality of the whiskey within, right? That's always the question when you see bottles like Weller Millenium sitting on the shelf for a cool $7,000+. Is the whiskey within any good? Luckily for you, this bottle retails for around $70, and brand manager Brian Kirby sent along a bottle for me to find out for you. This was part of a larger tasting group that got together to meet the brand owners, an event set up by Jason and RoCo Wine & Spirits as representatives of the California branch of the far-reaching but vibrant and cohesive whiskey community. Though we all received different single barrels, one sentiment was pretty common throughout the group: the rye was exceptional. That event was held at the beginning of this year, as you can see from the snow-laden background and bare branches from my amateur photography below, but I've stuck with this bottle month after month, introducing as many people as I could to it along the way. Without giving too much away in the introduction here, the review that follows is a summary of my 9 months spent getting to know Gryphon & Grain inside and out.
Joe Wagner and Kyle Stroud took on the spirits world together starting in 2014, producing a brandy first, then eventually a bourbon, rye, and single malt after some trial and error. The two met through grapes—you might already recognize Wagner's name if you're familiar with Napa wines like Caymus, Quilt, and the thick red wax of Belle Glos, as he's the rockstar behind those brands. The care and attention to detail Kyle and Joe brought to the wine world has translated handily to spirits. In my conversation with the two, it's clear that they are both characters. I see Joe as the outgoing leader, the face of a brand, and a powerhouse of energy and enthusiasm. Kyle is the details guy. You need both of them to produce great whiskey. Layer in a marketing guru like BK, and you've certainly got a recipe for success.
What sets Gryphon & Grain apart from the crowd is their interesting cooperage choices: their barrels are assembled with a combination of American oak and French oak staves—a pseudo-finish if you will. The looser-pore French oak definitely imparted some great character. The wood they use is also 3 year open-air seasoned, a fairly standard practice for producing good wines, and, as it turns out, it applies to whiskey too. 2 years or less is the industry standard for open-air seasoning in whiskey these days, so it's great to see producers leaning in on a more expensive process that produces whiskey with less of the harsh tannins that exist within younger oak. Translating the experience of effectively aging wine in oak barrels is an art form that the team didn't take lightly. Patiently waiting until the bourbon and rye were north of 4 years was another great move from Gryphon & Grain. Whiskey nerds should be nodding along with me at this point.
Now that you know the brand, let's dive into a full review of my long journey with the whiskey within!
Company on Label: Gryphon & Grain (Isla de Califa, Modesto California, also known as Copper Cane Wines & Spirits—something will stick eventually!)
Whiskey Type: California Straight Rye Whiskey
Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed proportions of estate grown Merced rye, Mapes Ranch corn, and malted 2-row barley
Proof: 96°
Age: 4 years
Further identification: This is barrel # R-7, bottle # 109, batch # GR1 that was recently released at an MSRP of around $70
Nose: Lemon frosting greets the nose with sweetness and poise right away. Bakery treats like scones, croissants, and doughnuts float up through the nose in confectionary delight. The glass offers a sweet Bazooka Joe tone alongside spring florals that is really nice. Subtle earthiness and a distinct oily characteristic give off the feel of a vintage whiskey with elegance and grace. It's a sweeter rye with hints of honey, marmalade, and a robust backbone of slightly smoky biscuits. Graham cracker develops well with time in the glass. Let's have a sip.
Coming back, I find all this wonderful butterscotch has bloomed in the glass. I like it even more now. As it rests, more subtle floral tones proliferate. It's quite apparent that good wood has been used in the maturation process. The empty glass smells of cacao, confectioners sugar, coconut husk, and grape skins.
Palate: Mmm. This lands marvelously on the tongue with a distinct character that has likely never been produced before. Subtle smoky oak leads the way before rich graham cracker, honey, and freshly baked artisanal bread slide across the tongue in silky wonderment. Another sip offers lemon ginger tea loaded with oodles of honey. Mmmh. This soothing dram is proofed perfectly for an oily mouthfeel, as I find lemon frosting sitting in the mouth on a long linger. Sipping later in the glass reveals buttered dinner rolls, hints of clay, and lemon rind. The mouthfeel sticks around for quite some time with wintergreen and herbal tea. The overall profile reminds me of the scenery of a cranberry bog and crunching on a Granny Smith apple. My last sip is filled with frosted lemon biscotti and a hint of vintage funk.
TL;DR: Flavorful, oily pot-distilled rye whiskey bottled at just the right proof for stellar quality
Rating: 4.5/5
While this bottle did start to fall off in quality at low fill, high oxidation levels, most of the bottle was thoroughly enjoyed. I shared it with countless other whiskey enthusiasts, who all agreed that it is a wonderfully unique whiskey that deserves a spot on your bar shelf. I look forward to trying more from this brand moving forward, as regionalization once again takes hold in the era of the rye renaissance.
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