You might be wondering what exactly is an American Independent Bottler and why you should pay attention to this growing movement. In short, American IBs are companies or individuals that purchase spirits from distilleries and then bottle them under their own label. This idea of sourcing, selecting, and offering unique expressions that may not be widely available otherwise isn't new by any means and, in fact, originated in Scotland many moons ago. The likes of widely popular IBs such as Signatory have seen massive success as a result and operate in near total transparency like Two Souls Spirits do (as do other notable American IBs) compared to their modern-day counterparts who, well, do not. This means every little detail you want to know about the whiskey they've bottled will be available to you.
The tradition in Scotland, however, is historically more respected than here in the United States, even with good old Garvin Brown sourcing and blending for a brand he was creating during the 1800s. Non-distillery producers, the title used here in America, seem to lack the same level of prestige compared to those doing the same act of sourcing and blending in Scotland. Was this difference due to the quality of the product? Or was it a lack of trust in the consumers? There's some debate, but the reason may be loosely due to "rectifiers"—the people who took whiskey produced by distilleries and rectified it by adding flavoring or herbs or something totally unsafe. A big reason why the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 came about, actually, was in backlash to those rectifiers. Regardless of why independent bottling in America has been such a struggle in the past, we're in the here and now, and there is change in the air.
We are currently in a time when whiskey is more available than ever. The individuals championing independent bottling are pushing really great whiskey into the market and rectifying the often dubious response many whiskey aficionados have toward sourced whiskey. With awards being handed out to several IBs introducing new and exciting distilleries and in-depth articles being written in a well-deserved positive light, this is a great and exciting time to be a whiskey enthusiast.
Two Souls Spirits is one such independent bottler curating a way for consumers to experience premium craft spirits easily. On their website, they say:
Our mission is to hand-select exceptional, distinctive spirits from top craft distilleries across the US. We are committed to full transparency, collaboration, and sharing our partners’ stories and products with a national audience. We want to be your personal curator of American craft spirits. Let us do the hard work for you.
Co-founded by two friends over a simple shared meal out one night, James and Chad of Two Souls Spirits have been bottling single barrels from various craft distilleries throughout the United States since 2021. With quality spirits being released by highly respected craft distilleries multiple times throughout the year and long-term plans to eventually blend the barrels they buy, Two Souls Spirits is here to stay.
Packin' Wheat is Two Souls' latest release from partner J. Carver Distillery. This is one of the oldest barrels from J. Carver's rickhouse to date and was also aged in an Atlas barrel—a now shuttered cooperage known for outstanding flavor profiles their barrels imparted on spirits, which is pretty neat if you ask me. Also, for those wanting a quick and dirty on wheat whiskey, it is different than wheated bourbon, which is absolutely a thing. With a mash bill of 71% wheat, this expression is outside the parameters required to be considered bourbon since only 20% of the mash is made up of corn. And if you know your bourbon, you know at least 51% of corn is required. What makes a wheated bourbon is the use of wheat in the mashbill (anywhere from 1%—49% wheat), but without that dominant 51% corn, the mashbill cannot be considered bourbon. All of that nerdy stuff aside, how does Packin' Wheat taste? I'm ready to find out.
Company on Label: J. Carver Distillery (Bottled by Two Souls Spirits)
Whiskey Type: Wheat Whiskey
Mash Bill Percentages: 71% wheat, 20% corn, 9% malted barley
Proof: 128°
Age: 8 years
Further identification: This is the first ever single barrel or cask strength wheat whiskey from J. Carver with an MSRP of $114.99
Nose: A hefty aroma wafts up from the glass, like opening the door to a neighborhood diner on a Saturday morning, well into their breakfast rush. Layers of thick butterscotch syrup drip perfectly over a tall stack of germ wheat pancakes with sliced plums bubbling in a fun-sized personal cast iron skillet. This is rich. This is different. This has me wandering down a dry dirt path toward a weathered park bench damp with evening dew. Deeper inhales bring in well-worn leather boots and a mahogany grandfather clock in a drafty tiled hallway. I'm ready to sit back, relax, and take a taste.
Returning to the nose after a sip ushers in oodles of rich vanilla with whiffs of roasted coffee beans and a frothy milk top. Werthers hard candy, slightly broken from being in the bottom of a purse for so long, bounds into the nostrils as the liquid level gets lower. The empty glencairn smells of dried apples and antique bookshelves.
Palate: Stewed fruit shimmers across my tongue, most notably cherries and plums with dark brown sugar, black pepper, and clove. The tingles on my lips inform me of the proof, but it knows its place amongst these flavors and acts more like an extra blanket to add warmth rather than accidentally poking yourself with a searing hot poker. A second sip brings in soft leather and a kiss of nilla wafers already melting on your tongue. The linger is long like a horizonless field of waving wheat and wildflowers. Several more sips, enjoyably taken in between appreciative inhales of this wonderful nose, deepen the creamy dark fruits that presented so eagerly at the top of the glass. Caramel, clove, and cinnamon balance with the fruit in perfect symmetry. But, my goodness, the leather that has continuously waltzed in throughout my time with this glass—it has me grinning from ear to ear. My final sip is a flash of hot off-the-griddle germ wheat pancakes, perfectly rounding out this experience.
TL;DR: a range of flavors impeccably executed by a whiskey that drinks above its age
Rating: 4/5
This eight-year whiskey brings forth such a robust flavor profile that some double-digit-aged whiskeys have difficulty achieving. Two Souls, tongue-in-cheek, blame the angels for taking more of their fair share from this barrel, meaning the evaporation rate was relatively high during aging, leaving the bottling rate relatively low, which may explain why the flavors are presented as they are. Maybe it was the shuttered cooperage the whiskey was aged in. Or, perhaps, it was the Minnesota landscape and weather. Regardless, I love it when a sip leaves me eager to learn more about a distillery's terroir, cooperage, and rick houses, which was absolutely accomplished with this pour.
Comments