New from Call Family Distillers, The Reverend Sour Mash Whiskey is meant to recognize a part of Tennessee distilling history.
The Reverend Daniel Houston Call was a 19th-century preacher, farmer, grocer and distiller. As a young man, Call worked with two younger boys — Jasper “Jack” Newton Daniel and Nathan “Nearest” Green — at his family distillery in Lynchburg, TN. All three gentlemen would go on to help develop and define the category of Tennessee whiskey.
Aged for more than four years in new, charred oak and first-fill bourbon casks, this liquid underwent the maple charcoal filtration process first developed in Lincoln County, TN.
Bottled at 90 proof, The Reverend Sour Mash Whiskey has an aroma of ripe red apples, cinnamon buns, cardamom, raisin cake and fresh ginger, the company reports. On the palate is tart cherries, charred orange peel, honey butter and roasted pecans. The finish brings brown sugar, peaches, rye spice, cured tobacco leaves, toffee and light-toast American oak.
“The recipe for The Reverend is a nod to its place in American whiskey history,” says Nick Scarff, Chief Innovation Officer B.A.R. Brands and Master Blender of The Reverend. “Reverend Daniel Call was making whiskey before bourbon was a recognized category, so our spirit is a blend of high quality sour mashes that drink like a robust, full-flavored bourbon. The maple-charcoal filtration — also known as the Lincoln County Process — changed the way whiskey was made in Tennessee, starting in the 19th-century. Utilizing this technique yields a clean, complex, and approachable whiskey, making The Reverend a go-to for smooth, neat pours, with a high percentage of rye that helps it stand out in a cocktail.”
The Reverend is now available on- and off-premise in seven states — NC, TN, GA, NH, OR, MI and MA — for a suggested retail price of $35.99 per 750-ml. bottle. It’s on track to reach a distribution of in 25 states by May 2024, and nationwide distribution by the end of 2024, the company says.
