Tighe Brothers Distillery, hailing from Denver, CO, traces its roots to a 25 gallon still. Over three years, brothers Paul and Danny developed a proprietary recipe for bourbon that increased in popularity. Eventually building upon this success, they built out an operation that distills multiple whiskies and includes a tasting room. Their love of whiskey ultimately grew out of their relationship with their grandfather, himself a whiskey connoisseur. Today, we look at their flagship product with the Tighe Brothers Colorado Whiskey Bourbon review.

Tighe Brothers Bourbon contains a mash bill of sweet corn, white winter wheat, and barley. They do not disclose the percentage breakdown of each, but both the corn and wheat are from Colorado. My bottle (batch #7) indicates a 1 year aging period and a proof of 86 (43% ABV). That’s about all the information we have on this one, so on to the tasting!

Bottle and Appearance

In the bottle, the bourbon carries a cinnamon-like reddish brown coloring. In the glass, this lightens and resembles that of apple juice. Giving it a swirl produces a light viscosity. Stretchy legs form quickly that run down the side, while new ones form just as rapidly and cycle through. The bottle itself does not provide many details regarding the whiskey, aside from the basics. Though that obviously doesn’t affect the taste, it does little to provide clarity for an otherwise small and upstart distilleries.

Nose

Moving along to the nose, Tighe Brothers Bourbon arouses a hint of a prickle sensation in effect. A hearty sweetness resembling baked goods emerges, and eventually settles into a scone approximation. Continuing with this theme, nutmeg and aniseed also begin to waft through. As these notes start to dissipate, the bourbon reveals a metallic underpinning that borders on rust. A bit of a left turn, but not necessarily catastrophic as this note merely sits in the background and doesn’t come to dominate. Overall, the nose brings enough substance to leave a make even if it could easily fall into the light category.

Palate

On the palate, a noticeable astringency comes through that leads to a spice-laden experience. Initially, notes of curry pop but quickly devolve into a rough cinnamon burn. The cinnamon continues, but morphs into french toast replete with a lurking egg background. Finally, the bourbon takes us to a rooted earthy feel with spice continually coming through – not unlike a mild radish taste. Of course, the spice is not entirely devoid of alcohol, which mixes in yet stands out enough to take note.

Finish

As we move into the finish, latex immediately jumps out casting a chemical shadow. Luckily, this doesn’t linger very long and is overtaken by what can best be described as a yellow potato taste. It’s a bit odd, but frankly comes across nicely. Nearing the end, some spice comes through and mixes with a burning sensation as it fades out. Although not necessarily a standard flavor profile on the finish, it serves enough of a purpose to neatly wrap up this bourbon.

Drinkability

Tighe Bourbon works well neat or on the rocks. Water does release additional sweetness in the whiskey along with toning down the spice. However, a soapy taste and texture emerge as well to a small detriment. Drink this whiskey by a stream while fishing or skipping rocks – easy, simple enjoyment and fun.

Food Pairing

For Tighe Brothers Bourbon, a turkey avocado panini with mozzarella cheese is recommended. The neutral yet satisfying flavors of this sandwich assist with muting the harsher notes of the bourbon while concurrently amplifying the parts that deserve it.

Facial Hair Rating

Tighe Brothers Bourbon receives the Clean Shaven Facial Hair Rating. This whiskey certainly protrudes a boyish exuberance along with a simple and clean fun. However, immaturity and shallow idealism also shine through at points. It seemingly beckons for a village elder to say “In due time, my son.”

Overall

To conclude the Tighe Brothers Colorado Whiskey Bourbon review – slow down but keep it going. This whiskey accomplishes quite a few nice things, and hits some notes very well. On the other hand, a chemical streak does run through it that seemingly pops out in every phase. However, it ultimately doesn’t detract in a significant way. I’d like to see this whiskey aged longer and not as watered down. Though this whiskey lacks sophistication, it makes up for it in its zest. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn’t. Here it does and we’re ultimately left with a very solid whiskey that has runway to improve.

Final Grade: B

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