Fugitives Spirits Grandgousier Tennessee Whiskey 750ml

Grandgousier Tennessee Whiskey takes its name from the genial giant of Rabelais' sixteenth-century tales — Gargantua's father, a figure of enormous appetite and good humor. It is an apt handle for a single-barrel whiskey of outsized character, distilled by Fugitives Spirits in Nashville from grain rooted deep in Southern farming history.

The mash starts with Hickory Cane corn, one of the oldest heirloom varieties grown in the South, prized since the days of the Native Americans and early settlers for its flavor and hardiness. Sustainably raised in Tennessee, it is mashed and fermented with fine Irish malted barley, then run twice through copper pot stills. Before barreling, the new-make is filtered through the distillery's own handmade Tennessee sugar maple charcoal — the Lincoln County Process that legally defines Tennessee whiskey — lending a mellow caramel note and a whisper of smoke. It then rests in custom toasted and charred oak barrels.

Tasting Panel magazine rated Grandgousier an Exceptional 93 (Gold) in its May 2017 issue. At 94 proof (47% ABV), the nose is robust with caramel and sweet corn folded into butter biscuit; the full body carries a note of fresh apple, and time in toasted oak adds hints of biscuit and caramel apple through the finish.

Because every bottling is drawn from a single cask, no two barrels read exactly alike — part of the appeal for drinkers who chase barrel-to-barrel nuance. Pour it neat or with a single large cube, and let the heirloom corn do the talking.

• Size: 750ml
• Proof: 94 (47% ABV)
• Age or Class: Single barrel Tennessee whiskey, no age statement
• Origin: Nashville, Tennessee
• Distillery: Fugitives Spirits
• Style/Class: Charcoal-mellowed Tennessee whiskey (Lincoln County Process)
• Composition: Tennessee heirloom Hickory Cane corn, Irish malted barley
• Cask/Aging: Sugar maple charcoal filtered; custom toasted and charred oak barrels
• Tasting Notes: Caramel, sweet corn and butter biscuit nose; full body with fresh apple and a touch of smoke