Review of Whiskey Acres Blue Popcorn Bourbon

by Colonel Steve Akley

A Look at Blue Popcorn Bourbon

When my Instagram buddy Will Reigle from Chicago Bourbon said he had a couple of samples to send me, one intrigued me right away: Whiskey Acres Blue Popcorn Bourbon.

I mean I like blue corn, popcorn and bourbon. Put all of them together, and you have to have a winner, right?

This offering comes from DeKalb, Illinois distiller Whiskey Acres. The distillery itself has a great story. It's owned by three farmers (father & son Jim and Jamie Walter and their friend Nick Nagele). They are committed to quality and are a true "grain to glass" or as they say, "seed to spirit" operation with only grains grown on their farm used to make produce spirits in their product lineup.

The offering Will sent me, the Blue Popcorn Bourbon is a limited release offering they sold in September as part of Whiskey Acres' "Artisan Series."

The nose on it is great. We're talking really unique. Definitely strong on corn, but there is also orange and caramel there as well. The taste could best be described as a caramel apple loaded with popcorn... kinda like those ginormous "bionic apples" you only see this time of the year. (I mean typically they have M&Ms or chopped nuts, but, theoretically, they could have popcorn.) This is as strong of a flavor pickup as I've ever gotten. I mean I can even get it down to the apple varietal for you: Granny Smith!

This 87 proof offering even had a bit of a heat up as it move through your mouth. The finish  is a gentle warmth and the taste of that delicious popcorn covered Granny Smith caramel apple.

This is certainly a great surprise, and for a suggested retail of $29.99, it's well worth picking one up if you see it.