St. Augustine Distillery’s brand-new Toasted Finish Bourbon was released April 15. Available in-store only, this 94-proof spirit boasts a warm and inviting flavor profile unlike any other in the distillery’s collection.
St. Augustine Distillery was founded in 2013 on the dream of bringing America’s favorite spirit to the Sunshine State. Since selling the first bottle of bourbon in 2016, the distillery has remained committed to crafting the “Spirit of Florida” by prioritizing quality from grain to glass, according to company officials.
The distillery’s small, but dedicated production team seeks out both tried-and-true and brand-new production processes to honor their commitment to crafting high quality spirits.
The Toasted Finish Bourbon pairs St. Augustine Distillery’s award-winning bourbon with a modern finishing technique to create a stand-out spirit. The beginning of this spirit’s journey follows a similar path to the distillery’s flagship, Florida Straight Bourbon.
The Toasted Finish Bourbon begins its aging process by entering 53-gallon American white oak barrels that have been toasted and charred. Then, the barrels age for three to five years in St. Augustine’s unique coastal climate, which provides ideal conditions for maximum flavor extraction. The initial aging period allows the spirit to gather 100% of its color and up to 70% of its flavor from the charred oak barrels.
To create the Toasted Finish Bourbon, the distillers transferred the mature Florida bourbon out of the charred oak barrels and into barrels that had been lightly toasted for a final finishing period. This toasting process brings the wood’s natural sugars to the surface so they can be captured by the bourbon.
Just a brief time in the toasted barrels allows the bourbon to adopt a warm character featuring notes of vanilla, marshmallow and malt. The result, distillers say, is an approachable, delightfully inviting bourbon with palatable complexity.
For more information, go to staugustinedistillery.com.
