Big Machine Distillery Borchetta Wheated Bourbon Whisky Blue Corn Reserve
- Mar 28
- 5 min read
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
About This Spirit from the Maker
Source: Bottle
There is currently very little information about their bourbon on their website - https://www.bigmachinedistillery.com/.
From the Bottle:
Born from a legacy of craftsmanship and creativity, Borchetta Bourbon invites you to blend your own using our trio of heirloom Tennessee corn mash bills: bold red corn, smooth blue corn, and sweet white corn.
Each grain brings a distinct character, allowing you to create a bourbon that's as unique as your palate.
Your blend. Your bottle. Your story.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
How We Feel About the Spirit
🥃 Big Machine Distillery Borchetta Wheated Bourbon Whisky Blue Corn Reserve
A Rare Blue‑Corn Pour Straight From the Barrel
Some bottles you discover. Others you experience. The Big Machine Borchetta Wheated Bourbon Whisky Blue Corn Reserve falls firmly into the second category — a bourbon we didn’t just taste, but watched come to life as it flowed straight from the barrel into our glass, and eventually into the bottle we carried home.
This wasn’t a planned purchase. It was an instant “oh, we’re taking this one with us” moment.
🌽 A Blue‑Corn Rarity Worth the Hype
Most bourbon lovers know the usual suspects: yellow corn, white corn, maybe the occasional red corn expression. But blue corn? That’s a different story — earthy, rich, and deeply expressive. It’s the kind of grain that adds character without overwhelming the sweetness you expect from a high‑corn mashbill.
We’ve had red corn bourbons before (Still Austin, Big Machine’s own red corn release), and they’re sweet, approachable, and fun. But the blue corn? It brought something new — a grounded, earthy depth that played beautifully with the sweetness.
👃 Nose: Sweet, Mellow, and Shockingly Gentle for 130 Proof
The first surprise hit before the first sip.
Despite being nearly 130 proof, the nose was unexpectedly soft and inviting. We picked up:
• Caramel
• Honey
• Vanilla
• A mellow sweetness that didn’t hint at the heat waiting underneath
It’s the kind of nose that makes you pause and think, Wait… this is barrel strength?
👅 Palate: Creamy Sweetness With a Barrel‑Fresh Edge
The moment it hit the tongue, the sweetness showed up immediately — no slow build, no hesitation. Just a velvet‑smooth wave that coated the palate.
Here’s what stood out:
• A creamy, almost dessert‑like sweetness
• Strong vanilla notes
• Earthy depth from the blue corn
• A touch of woodiness — that “pulled straight from the barrel” character
• A texture that felt like velvet across the tongue
Even at 130 proof, the heat was surprisingly restrained. My wife — who usually clocks the finish before I do — called it smooth, and she meant it.
🔥 Finish: Long, Sweet, and Softer Than Expected
The finish lingered beautifully:
• Long
• Sweet
• Gently warm
• More flavor than fire
For a near‑130‑proof bourbon, we expected a punch. Instead, we got a slow, sweet fade that stayed on the palate long after the sip was gone.
🛢️ The Barrel‑Tap Moment
One of the coolest parts of this tasting was the experience itself. We didn’t sample this from a bottle on a shelf — we tasted it:
• Straight from the barrel tap
• Unfiltered, uncut, untouched
• Exactly as it lived in the wood
That first pour was all we needed. We looked at each other, nodded, and said, “Yep. This one’s coming home.”
And then we watched them fill our bottle directly from the same barrel we tasted. That’s the kind of connection to a bourbon you don’t forget.
🥃 Final Thoughts: A Sweet, Earthy, Barrel‑Proof Standout
This Blue Corn Reserve sits in a unique place:
• Sweeter than most high‑proof bourbons
• Earthier than traditional yellow or white corn expressions
• Smoother than expected for its proof
• More complex than the red corn bourbon we tasted alongside it
It’s rare, expressive, and memorable — the kind of bottle that earns its place on the shelf not just because of what’s inside, but because of the story behind it.
And for us, that story starts with a barrel, a tap, and a pour that made us say, “We need this.”
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
How To Enjoy
🥃 How to Enjoy This Blue Corn Wheated Bourbon
This is one of those bourbons that rewards slowing down. It’s bold on paper — nearly 130 proof — but surprisingly gentle in the glass, which means the way you drink it can completely shape the experience.
Below are the best ways to enjoy it, based on how the whiskey behaves and what makes its blue‑corn character shine.
🥄 Neat: The Purest Expression
This is where the Blue Corn Reserve really shows off. Neat gives you the full arc:
• The soft, dessert‑leaning nose
• The creamy, velvet sweetness on the palate
• The earthy blue‑corn depth
• The long, sweet finish
Because the heat is so restrained for its proof, neat doesn’t feel punishing — it feels indulgent. Let it sit in the glass for a minute or two and the vanilla and caramel open up beautifully.
Best for:
• Savoring the grain character
• Exploring the earthy‑sweet contrast
• Reliving that straight‑from‑the‑barrel moment
🧊 With a Single Cube: Softer, Rounder, Sweeter
A single cube doesn’t wash it out — it just relaxes it.
As the ice melts, you’ll notice:
• The sweetness becomes rounder
• The vanilla gets even more pronounced
• The earthy notes soften
• The finish becomes silkier
This is a great option if you want the flavor profile without the full barrel‑proof intensity.
Best for:
• Long conversations
• Slow sipping
• People who prefer smooth over fiery
💧 A Few Drops of Water: Opens the Aromatics
Just a splash can transform the nose. The high proof responds quickly to dilution, so a few drops are enough to:
• Brighten the caramel and honey
• Lift the vanilla
• Bring forward the blue‑corn earthiness
• Soften the initial heat even more
This is ideal if you want to explore the whiskey’s layers without committing to ice.
Best for:
• Tasting sessions
• Comparing it to red or yellow corn bourbons
• Pulling out subtle notes
🌙 Best Moments to Pour
This isn’t a background bourbon — it’s a moment‑maker. It shines when you give it space.
• End‑of‑day pours when you want something expressive
• Date nights where the sweetness and smoothness feel luxurious
• Tasting flights comparing corn varietals
• Celebratory pours because the story of tasting it straight from the barrel deserves retelling
🛢️ If You Have a Barrel‑Proof Bottle, Treat It Like One
Because you tasted this straight from the barrel, you already know: this whiskey is alive. It changes with air, temperature, and time in the glass.
A few tips to honor that:
• Use a wide‑bowl glass to let the aromatics expand
• Take your time between sips — the finish lingers beautifully
• Revisit it after 10–15 minutes; the sweetness deepens
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
Disclaimer: Cigar smoking and drinking alcohol are for adults of legal smoking and drinking age. Life’s Rants promotes the responsible and legal enjoyment of premium cigars and alcohol by individuals of legal age. We do not endorse or encourage smoking or drinking among minors.
Comments