I am a man of many faults, but one of my worst traits is that I’m quick to judge, laying down quick and sometimes brutal assessments based on limited knowledge. For instance, if a specific song doesn’t tickle my fancy, I’ll write the band off altogether. If I have a so-so meal at a restaurant, you’ll be hard pressed to get me to go back to that establishment. I dismissed cell phones at first glance as a fad because who would want to carry a phone with them all the time, and thought Beyonce wouldn’t go anywhere as a solo act.
All because I’m quick to judge. First impressions are everything to me, to a fault.
So when I had my first taste of Wyoming Whiskey’s Small Batch Bourbon more than a decade ago, and was less than impressed, I was willing to dismiss the distillery altogether. In my opinion, their first whiskey was young and lacked depth. It was fine in a cocktail, but not something I would choose to drink neat or on a rock. In other words, it was just ok, and with so much great whiskey out there, why bother with just ok?
So I moved on from Wyoming Whiskey, emotionally, and honestly never gave the distillery another thought. But then their latest bottle, National Parks No. 4, found its way onto my doorstep, and I was compelled to give the distillery a second chance. And I’m glad I did, because this whiskey isn’t just ok. It’s damn good.
No. 4 is the fourth release in the distillery’s collectible National Parks Series, each of which has honored a different aspect of Wyoming’s national parks, starting with Grand Tetons. For this latest expression, WW partnered with Yellowstone Forever, donating $150,000 to the non-profit to help protect Yellowstone.
Giving money to help Yellowstone is very cool, but this whiskey would be worth drinking even if it didn’t help protect one of the most iconic national parks in our country. To make this bourbon, Wyoming Whiskey blended 70 different barrels from their warehouse, all of which had been aging for at least five years. The result is a high-rye bourbon that’s full of complex notes ranging from soft vanilla to spicy ginger. It mellows when you pour it over ice, but I like this bourbon neat, preferably while listening to old school country like John Prine.
Also cool and worth mentioning, Wyoming Whiskey sources all of its ingredients from within 100 miles of its distillery. Making whiskey isn’t easy, and sourcing everything that goes into that whiskey is an outright Herculean feat, so kudos to them.
The whole experience has me second guessing my entire history of swift judgments. Maybe I was wrong about cell phones, and it’s possible I need to give Beyoncé another listen. I know I was wrong about Wyoming Whiskey. If the National Parks No.4 is any indication, I need to get ahold of their other bottles too, starting with that flagship Small Batch Bourbon that I was so quick to dismiss years ago. That whiskey needs a second chance.
If you need me, I’ll be sipping on Wyoming Whiskey National Parks No. 4, and writing my first country song, called “Second Chance Whiskey.”
$79.99; https://wyomingwhiskey.com/whiskies/national-parks-no-4/
