Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered Bourbon Review
(photos by Brandon Chesbro: Outsider)
Founded in 2012, Nevada H&C Distilling Co. in Las Vegas has been releasing its barrel strength bourbon, Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered, since 2017. The high-rye bourbon, which is sourced from MGP in Indiana, is a blend of 4-year-old to 10-year-old bourbons that have been aged in a century-old brick warehouse in Las Vegas.
Uncut Unfiltered’s towering amber bottle is one of the best looking in the biz. The bottle, which is overgrown with embossed desert sage, is a blazing reminder of how the West was won with its pair of waxed-stamped dueling Colt revolvers (aka smoke wagons).
Let’s skin that Smoke Wagon and see what happens.
At a Glance
- Distilled By: MGP (Indiana)
- Aged & Bottled: Nevada H&C Distilling Co.
- Location: Las Vegas
- Style: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Age: Blend of 4-Year to 10-Year
- Bottled On: 9-14-2022 (Batch #159 C)
- Mashbill: 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley
- Proof: 113.36
- MSRP: $70
- Website | Insta
Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered: What We Say
| Nose | light alcohol, cornfield, hay, rye spice, oak, vanilla |
| Palate | vanilla, honeysuckle, baked rye bread, apple turnover, orange zest |
| Finish | medium, leather, baked bread |
| What You Can Expect to Pay | $75-$100 |
| Buy It: Now, Soon, Later, Never | Soon |
| Outsider Rating | 87/100 |
The nose on Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered opens with light astringency (but not aggressively considering its 113+ proof) followed by fresh, live grains. It’s like walking through a ripe cornfield that’s just waiting to be harvested. Sweet, fresh hay follows with, again, fresh rye. It reminds me of my fifth grade field trip to the Wonder Bread Factory in Memphis. A deeper nosedive yields a touch of oak char and vanilla sweetness. Wonder(ful) nose.
Sweet vanilla and honeysuckle greet the palate. There’s more rich oak char, with some light leather, followed by fresh-baked rye bread. The buttery viscosity is right up my alley. There’s also a tick of cinnamon with a touch of apple that coalesces into an apple turnover. Finally, a dash of real maple syrup and orange zest. Delectable palate.
The medium finish lingers with a bit of sweet leather and more fresh-baked rye bread and apple turnover notes. It’s sweet, but the rye spice is always hovering around to keep things from getting too decadent. Pour me a double (but cut me off after).
What Nevada H&C Distilling Co. Says About Uncut Unfiltered
We took the same vintage blending philosophy that we used to create Small Batch, except this time the goal was to create high proof bourbon that tasted its best neat. Uncut is so rich and sweet with an unbelievably thick mouth feel, the heat and rye spice finish are a welcome addition. It’s like milk with cookies!
Recommended Sip
This bourbon sips neat. And it’s delicious in its unencumbered state. If you’re going to drop an ice cube in your glass, rethink your purchase. Perhaps Smoke Wagon Small Batch ($50/100 proof) is more your price and proof. But, as always, enjoy your bourbon as you please.