Bluestone Manor Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a 5-year-old sourced bourbon made from a 70% corn, 25% wheat and 5% malted barley mashbill. Produced by Hudson Valley’s Spirits Lab Distillery using New York-grown grains, it is bottled at 90 proof. The whiskey hosts a suggested retail price of $45 and is marketed by Dorinda Medley, a cast member from Real Housewives of New York. The brand is named after her Massachusetts home, and the bottle design is reminiscent of Buffalo Trace’s Rock Hill Farms.
The palate opens with oak, plus a fleeting espresso bitterness. Adding water coaxes richer mocha, plus hints of hazelnut and butterscotch into the long finish.
In the end, this is a quite balanced and decently flavorful dram—not very complex, but quite easy to enjoy and more composed than you see in a lot of comparable craft bourbon.
This spirit is a solid choice for those who aren't necessarily bourbon drinkers, but are interested in exploring it. The initial heat on the nose is nicely inviting and the smoothness on the palate makes it very approachable. Its soft, straightforward character makes this an ideal whiskey for taking one's time to enjoy.
