Review #671 - Oregon Spirit Straight American Bourbon
Oregon Spirit Distillers was founded in 2009 in Bend, Oregon. They produce a range of whiskies, including bourbons, ryes, wheat whiskies, and even malt whisky; this entry-level bourbon that we're looking at today is actually a four grain bourbon. The mashbill is made up of 66% corn, 18% rye, 8% wheat, and 8% malted barley.
After fermentation and distillation, this spirit goes into new American oak for a minimum of 4 years; the final bottling strength is 47% ABV (94 proof).
Oregon Spirit Straight American Bourbon
USA - Bourbon
Price: USD 40 (2025)
Age Statement: 4 Years
Strength: 47% ABV
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 3 months; bottles at 100%, 70%, and 30% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Sweeter notes of caramel, butterscotch, and vanilla or creme brulee combine with lighter floral or herbal notes. There's a bit of a pine scent showing youth, as well as lavender; anise and chai add a spice side. Peppermint and cinnamon are accents, but in the background, there's a bit of a wet cardboard note.
Palate: The mouthfeel is medium-thin; it's a bit funky and unusual, with rye notes like peppermint and herbal grain balanced by simple syrup, butterscotch, and spicy cinnamon. A cardboard note returns from the nose, and it grows more funky with time; soft notes like lavender and linen can be found from time to time.
Finish: Oak grows stronger, bringing both sweetness like caramel and spice like cinnamon. The flavors mellow out and become simpler; it's a medium length finish.
Final Note: A bit of an unusual bourbon. We often find that four grain bourbons have a slightly funky, grain-forward profile, and this one does actually show signs of both rye and wheat inclusion in the mashbill with the combination of soft sweetness and spice. The mouthfeel leaves a bit to be desired, and the lower strength shows more in the finish, where the flavors die out more quickly. Overall, it's fine, but the unusual profile means we won't come back to it as often as other bottles.
As for value - it's okay. The price on this bottle seems to be fluctuating between $35 and $45 over the last year in our area; currently, it sits in the middle of that range. This bourbon does display some unusual flavors, which makes it interesting, but there are more consistent and solid options in the price bracket.
Our Average Rating: 5.0 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.82
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other reviews of whiskies from Oregon:
Review #471 - McCarthy's 5 Year Single Cask #157 - Westmoreland Liquor Pick
Review #303 - McCarthy's 6 Year PX Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt
Review #302 - McCarthy's 6 Year Oloroso Cask Finished Single Malt
