As the story goes for so many young professionals, Filibuster Distillery started out in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington D.C. and eventually moved to the Northern Virginia suburbs. Well, calling Maurertown, VA, the suburbs may be a bit of a stretch. Nevertheless, Filibuster aims to maintain its original home’s contentious character as it pays homage to the great American tradition of freedom of expression. Nice backstory, but lets see if the bill passes with the Filibuster Distillery Dual Cask Bourbon review!

Dual Cask Bourbon consists of a 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% barley mash bill. Filibuster maintains a commitment to use local ingredients from Virginia. Additionally, they use limestone water from the Shenandoah Valley. Aged for 4 years in a New White American Oak barrel, Dual Cask is fittingly finished in 2 seasoned wine casks. Though Filibuster began as a blending operation, the bottle states this bourbon as distilled by Filibuster itself. Finally, my bottle (batch 47, bottle 2280) carries an age statement of 4 years and 90 proof (45% ABV). Now, on to the debate!

Bottle and Appearance

In the bottle, Dual Cask exhibits a brown color resembling ginger bread and lightens slightly in the glass. After a swirl, the bourbon forms a medium thickness bordering on thin that leaves behind skinny and fast but broken legs. The bottle itself provides ample information, including mash bill, philosophy, approach and bottle number. Always a good idea for an upstart distillery to share this content and help a potential consumer tilt in their direction.

Nose

Lifting the glass to the nose, Dual Cask produces a powerful searing effect in the nostrils. Reminiscent of a notably hot and dry day in the Sahara Desert, this effect penetrates deeply and effectively clears out any congestion in the sinuses. Unsurprisingly, a dried out hay scent fills in the vacuum left behind this tour de force. Fresh wood also emerges, as does bran cereal topped with brown sugar. While the flavors generally work (or at least don’t detract), the nose here is completely dominated by the effect.

Palate

On the palate, Dual Cask generates a prickle sensation within the mouth. Notes of sweet corn pop out first, but is quickly followed by the peppery spice of the rye. Next, a sharp wood taste akin to that of a pine tree punches through. Finally, a green vegetable taste bubbles up with the (albeit greatly diminished) spice remaining. This mixture feels like cabbage or mustard greens. Dual Cask offers a nice body, and the palate lands somewhere between exotic and boring.

Finish

As the bourbon makes its exit, it does so with a notable alcohol burn. Momentarily and very fleeting, hints of butterscotch waltz through. However, it takes a left turn as this flirtation devolves into a sweaty stale fish effect. While that’s the best descriptor for what Dual Cask does here, oddly it’s not as bad as it sounds. It ultimately finishes with an aluminum linger. Despite the description, the finish actually does not completely derail the whiskey and actually lends a sort of cryptic, ancient feel to it – kind of like finding a skull in Parisian catacombs.

Drinkability

Recommend Dual Cask over ice. The ice brings out sweeter aspects with a pronounced honey flavor entering the fray. It also tones down the metallic aftertaste, though the alcohol burn continues on. The name Filibuster resonates with this whiskey as it feels like its debating itself with its quick turns and jumps in flavor and profile. It will certainly work to pour a dram or two of this while debating politics with your friends and family.

Food Pairing

The first time I ever heard of someone eating chicken and waffles, I giggled because I never encountered such a dish. Next thing I knew, restaurants specifically dedicated to chicken and waffles began appearing. Before I begin rambling and yelling at clouds, Filibuster Dual Cask Bourbon would be a good drink to serve with chicken and waffles. Both seem a bit odd at first, but eventually the harmony becomes apparent and a trend is born.

Facial Hair Rating

Filibuster’s Dual Cask Bourbon receives the Side Whiskers Facial Hair Rating. Worn by teenagers and aging men alike, Side Whiskers never seem to land on that sweet spot of maturity and vigor. However, every man wears them at some point and often yearns to return to them…just generally doing so a little late.

Overall

To conclude Filibuster Distillery Dual Cask Bourbon review – a little all over the place. There are times while drinking it that I couldn’t tell if I loved it or hated it. It certainly leaves a mark, and brings some unique tastes to the table. Nevertheless, the degree to which those unique tastes are welcome and satisfying remains open for debate. This isn’t to question the craftsmanship behind this, but rather ask whether or not it hit the mark. In the end, I wonder if I allowed myself to get acquainted with a whole bottle perhaps I would fall in love with it. It’s a real possibility since that sometimes happens after getting through the bottle. For now, however, this is a good whiskey with room to grow.

Final Grade: B-

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