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[Please note that this article is still in the old website format and is not easy to read as is. We are in the process of converting it – thank you for understanding]

A whiskey made 100% out of sorghum, yes, it is possible, and it happens in New-Jersey.

WHAT IS SORGHUM?

While it is becoming trendy as the grain is gluten-free, it is an ancient grain named after Syria (in Latin language, syriacus, which became “sorgo” or “sorgho” in Italian). The grain has interesting properties as it grows well in dry and hot areas, which makes it very popular in Africa, Latin America and South Asia. By the volume, it is the fifth grain produced worldwide, after corn, rice, wheat and barley. While there are about one hundred species of sorghum, it is the “sorghum bicolor” that is the most used.

  

PRODUCTION:

This is molasse made of american sorghum that serves as the source of suger. The molasse is fermented and then distilled.

And it will mature in oak casks.

The inside is well charred (alligator aspect) to allow a good interaction with the wood.

The distillery does it all, from molasse to bottles. Checking the ABV before diluting is critical. Below is a alcohol meter used for this purpose:

TASTING:

James F.C. Hyde 1857 Original Sorgho Whiskey, 43% ABV. Age was 15 months when I drank it.

Nose: sweet, candy, and light butter

Palate: smooth, sweet (feel like maple syrup), almond, vanilla

Finish: rather short, still sweet

 

MY TAKE ON IT:

This spirit is promising, and I will be very interested in tasting the same whiskey with a little more maturity.

Note on March 8th: I tasted recently a new release 22 months old of the same new make, and I noticed a significant improvement in taste: the palate shows deeper and rounder whisky, still nicely sweet with vanilla and some spices and citrus; the finish is longer. Highly recommended! It looks that, as expected, age will bring only good to James Hyde.

More retail points have accepted the spirit, last being in California, and the demand is growing. A crowdfunding operation is ongoing to leverage the scaling up of this promising distillery. The confidence of the investors is high and the crowdfunding is growing quite well. Stay tuned.

 

DID YOU KNOW?

By the way, why this name? Actually James F.C. Hyde was no stranger to sorghum: he used his financial and political power to stimulate the use of sorghum as cereal to distill. He published an important work on the matter in… 1857. This NJ whiskey is a tribute to his legacy.

Do you want to give it a try? Book a tour on line. I loved it!
JERSEY ARTISAN DISTILLING, 32C Pier Lane West, Fairfield, NJ 07004
info@jerseyartisandistilling.com

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