Officially launched in 2016, Mulholland Distilling is the pet project of actor Walton Goggins, best known for his roles in "The White Lotus" and "The Hateful Eight." The brand's American Whiskey is made from a mashbill of 94% corn, 4% rye and 2% malted barley. The spirit is distilled in Indiana, aged in Kentucky and bottled in L.A. No age statement on the bottle.
A slight burn on the tongue gives way to a gentle warming of the chest. There are flavors of artificial cherries and cabernet with a sudden bright burst of riesling. A thin mouthfeel gives way to a dry finish with lingering notes of almond.
Darker flavors are followed by a surge of dry, tannic spice that brings in notes of leather, cigar box, and pronounced barrel notes. This robust finish is pleasantly interrupted by the appearance of a rich toffee note, which is itself joined by a bone-dry snap of sawdust.
This is youthful whiskey, and on the palate, the caramel corn notes are quite prominent, lightly spiced with ginger and touched a bit with camphor. The finish is rustic but well-sweetened with maple syrup notes to avoid any medicinal quality.
