Mat Dinsmore

With many new craft distilleries popping up across the country, it’s hard to know what to pick. Barrel-strength bourbon? Colorado craft rye whiskey? While I normally advocate reckless exploration in the whiskey aisle, newcomer The Steward’s Solera Bourbon fits an adventurous blend of whiskey in one bottle.

Comprised of traditional bourbons from Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana, as well as a blend of Colorado whiskeys of varying mash bills, The Steward’s Solera is a complex yet accessible 100-proof bourbon. The marriage of bourbons of different ages (explaining the “solera” in its name) also contributes to The Steward’s combination of rich flavor and super-smooth drinking.

Pouring a gold-tinted amber, The Steward’s Solera has a huge vanilla and caramel nose with slight floral notes. The caramel and vanilla continue throughout the palate, combining with its medium-to-heavy mouthfeel for an exceptionally smooth sipper. The finish is oily and lingering, with sweet malt and leather notes. Although this whiskey has a weighty feel on the tongue, this only works to disguise its 100 proof strength — The Steward’s Solera is an exceptionally smooth spirit.

If you’re in need of a bottle for the imminent arrival of fall, The Steward’s Solera makes for a perfect chilly-weather dram. With the average age of its blended bourbon clocking in at eight years and its traditional-style high proof, The Steward is also a steal at around $50. So if you have trouble making up your mind, like a little of everything, or just like darn good whiskey, give the Steward’s Solera a try. Cheers!

Mat Dinsmore is a managing partner and liquor buyer for Wilbur’s Total Beverage.