Review #714 - River Roots 7 Year 'Sea of Kings Vol. III' American Malt Whiskey - r/Bourbon Pick
River Roots is an Ohio-based non-distilling producer (NDP), meaning they source barrels of whisky or other spirits from distilleries around the US. The company was established in Cleveland, Ohio, by co-founders Ryan Lintz and Tom Gray; their focus is on selecting the best barrels of unique whisky.
Here's an unusual example from them: a California-distilled (undisclosed distillery) American malt whisky, which was made using a mashbill of 88% malted barley and 12% malted rye. The other unusual item of note here? A monstrous bottling strength of 74.31% ABV (148.62 proof), placing this firmly in 'hazmat' territory. The malt whisky spent a total of 7 years and 10 months aging, and it yielded 156 bottles after that maturation period.
This single barrel was a pick done by T8ke for the r/Bourbon community, and it was available through the mailing list early in 2025.
River Roots 7 Year 'Sea of Kings Vol. III' American Malt Whiskey - r/Bourbon Pick
USA - American Whisky
Price: USD 130 (2025)
Age Statement: 7 Years
Strength: 74.31% ABV
Details: Not chill filtered; 156 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 3 months from a sample (thanks u/JewishJawnz !). Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Strong mint leaf and chocolate notes, hot cocoa and cocoa nibs. Coffee and caramel build as well, and we get hints of baking notes like graham crackers and tiramisu. There's a bit of ethanol heat with that strength; orange peel and mint toothpaste are accents.
Palate: The mouthfeel is thick, and it's a bit hot, but absolutely packed with flavor. Tons of chocolate candy, caramel, chocolate cake, and then coffee again - very rich and decadent. It leans sweet overall, but we do get a bit of a menthol fizz and a hint of bitterness in that coffee. Brown sugar and cardamom arrive; later, we get a note of rich porter beer.
Finish: Sweet chocolate, so much chocolate - s'mores, with marshmallow and graham cracker. Quite malty, but also caramel and vanilla; there's a bit of a chalky, starchy note in the background. Subtle rye notes like mint come and go, and we get a hint of bitter, heavily-roasted coffee. Oak builds, a little bit leathery; it's a long finish, and texture is still great.
Final Note: This must be one of the most in-your-face whiskies that we've ever tasted. A big part of that is the strength, of course, but the flavor profile here is so unique with the combination of waves of chocolate, mint, and caramel. That malty backbone is a treat, too; while the oak presence didn't start too strong, it really picks up in the finish, adding a nice spice. This is a great whisky, a lot of fun to taste, but the high strength means we would probably only go back to it once in a while.
Value is about average in our books; unique single barrels like this can be a bit expensive, and this falls into that category at $130. That said, it's hard to find any other bottle with a comparable tasting experience, so this could be worth it to the right buyer.
Our Average Rating: 7.8 / 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: 6.19
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 American/malt whisky reviews:
Review #634 - Balcones ZZ Top Tres Hombres
Review #209 - Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey
