Cowboy Country Distilling was founded in 2015 and opened on Valentine’s Day 2018. Offering a wide variety of whiskies, vodkas, rums, liqueurs, and gins, drawn from the water, grains and weather of Wyoming by founder and master distiller Tim Trites. The Cowboy Country Maple Whiskey uses the same recipe as their Straight Whiskey, which is a twice-distilled bourbon with vanilla and baking spices added. This is then left to mature for a couple of years in oak barrels that once contained maple syrup. As might be expected, a visit to the distillery will also provide you with the opportunity to purchase maple syrup aged in oak barrels that once held Straight Whiskey. A virtuous circle if there ever was one.
Distillery: Cowboy Country Distilling
Region: Foreign
Age: NAS
Strength: 40%
Price: $44.55
Maturation: ex-maple syrup barrels (oak)
Location: Pinedale, Wyoming
Nose: Ash, sweet, Lyme, black treacle, tannins
Palate: Corn, citrus, smoke
Finish: Ash, corn, maple
Comments: This review had us all sampling the whiskey neat and unwatered but it may work even better as part of a cocktail or with an ice cube or three. It can handle the exploration.
Adam – The Cowboy Country Maple is a whiskey of “and then” because it never quite seems to settle into itself. There is bold corn on the nose and then ash, followed by something else that teases around the periphery of my vocabulary. The palate does not disappoint afterwards unless you are looking for a multilayered journey. The corn is the universal constant in this entire experience, occasionally partnered with an ashy edge housed within a luxuriant mouthfeel that makes the sharp edges seem even more out of place. The overall experience is not a bad one, however, as this is a clearly well made whiskey. The finish in particular teases the maple as it dances around the fading corn, evoking memory and curiosity that allow any disparate elements to fade and leave you primed for the next sip.
Kate – The corn is very forward on the nose, and slightly hot. A touch of the Lyme they spray on calcified fields. There’s also a black treacle that is such a signature of big corn in the nose. Eventually a slightly bitter element comes through. This is definitely a whisky not meant to drink on it’s own. It’s really astringent even on the palate. Like someone poured maple syrup over corn flakes. I’ve baked and cooked with this or made a maple syrup reduction. I think the Cowboy Country Maple would make an excellent whiskey cake, a maple sponge cake sort of thing. Like someone put maple syrup on their cornbread instead of honey. It causes the brain to stutter a bit. Might this not even be meant to be a sipping whiskey? This could make a killer Manhattan or Sazerac or boulevardier.
Henry – Nose of corn, corn must, chili peppers, and maple wood – not syrup – make for a robust and fearless first note to a complex and unique palate which calls to mind Swedish birch syrup liqueur, Mexican corn whiskies, smoked agave, and roasted corn flavors. Sweet and perfume-y finish completes an interesting and rich tasting experience. The maple influence of this is about the wood, the tannic nature rather than the sweetness of the syrup.
Ben – Out of the glass, it smells like corn farms after a Texas drought; fresh rain on corn that failed. It’s on its way to elote but it lacks mayonnaise. Second nose makes this balanced.
It’s on its way to elote but it lacks mayonnaise.
Bill – There’s a nice ash on the palate. Slow, happy. With putting in smoked tomato powder, it adds a lovely complexity. I would love to add the Cowboy Country Maple to my next batch of BBQ sauce.
Mike – Smells like cayenne pepper fresh out of the bottle. I do get a dustiness on the palate.
Evelyn – It’s so smoky and it’s so corn. It’s field corn, not sophisticated corn. Frontier whiskey. I would like to drink it with a rim of Tajín.
Sam – The Cowboy Country Maple reminds me a lot of mesquite smoked meat. This is very reminiscent of what meat smoked with maple tastes like and would be very nice with some smoked beef ribs.
Kim – It’s a solid corn whiskey that is great for sipping. Hints of citrus and smoke peak through the corn. I want more to it though, as it leaves me thinking about all the possibilities that could add just a hint more to it.
