The Last Straw sCorn 49% ABV Whisky - All Sprouted Corn, and All Organic

Photo Credit: Mike Hook of The Last Straw Distillery

Last Straw Distillery is located just north of Toronto, in the township on Vaughn. While they’re aging traditional whiskies, and they released their first rye late last year, they’ve also dug deep into the archives by fermenting and distilling in the ways of moonshiners. 

And I don’t mean that in a gimmicky way. I mean it in a way as they’re producing spirits the way they used to do it in the “old days.” Sugar and corn. 

But the bottle being reviewed here isn’t moonshine. sCorn is 100% malted/sprouted corn whisky. It’s actual whisky, aged for three years in new oak char no. 3. No moonshiner bothered fermenting malted corn. It’s too time consuming. It’s also unnecessary.

The vast majority of whisky uses commercial enzymes to aid fermentation. In Scotland, it’s illegal. In Canada it’s very legal. In the US, it’s legal but for the specialty categories like Bottled-in-Bond, Bourbon, rye, etc... Basically the higher-priced stuff. Though, even that’s only partially true—Commercial enzymes are still used to help speed up the process.

So your traditional bourbon (51% unmalted corn minimum) has rye (for flavour) and malted barley. Products like Mellow Corn, are made of 80% unmalted corn mash (and aged in used oak). No one really malts corn, and certainly not 100% of it. 

There’s not much written about sprouted corn, other than that it’s time consuming. But this malted corn didn’t come way of Last Straw Distillery with intention, but rather by happenstance. As Johanne mentions in her review, the sprouted organic corn came way of the now defunct Toronto Distillery Co. They were going to throw it out. Don of Last Straw took it in. He aged it in new oak. It was an expensive risk for a small distillery where barrels come at a premium. He likes it. They have more coming. 

If you’re interested in buying this whisky, it’s a one-barrel run production available only at the distillery or through their online store. 

Last Straw sCorn 49% ABV
Distillery: The Last Straw Distillery
Category: Canadian whisky, 100% Corn, Organic, Malted Corn
Score: Become a Patron!

Nose: Fresh oak tannins (pencil shavings), custard vanilla sweetness, touches of char, leather, and maybe even tobacco to round out that tasting group. It could be toffee, or pie crust that’s a touch too crisp (that light char note). Either way, it’s an inviting nose with lots of interesting components. Left in the glass, the new oak-notes come through as the more complex notes dissipate. It’s a little unstable at 49% ABV, but I like it! Whisky should change in the glass. 

Palate: New oak tannins, touches of caramel and char, buttery, nutty, and youthful. There’s the barest liquorice chocolaty note toward the finish, and it has some dark spices that are hard to identify. 

Conclusion: This one is a little too unhinged for the traditional scotch drinker looking for smooth, but for me it hits the sweet spot of volatile and flavourful that I love seeing from micro-distilleries. Young micro-distilleries will never compete with the big distilleries on smooth and complex. They don’t have the barrel production. What they do have, though, is the opportunity to produce something the “big” distilleries won’t. You’re not drinking a twelve year old scotch, you’re drinking a three year old new-oak-aged 100% sprouted organic corn whisky. The flavours of corn (limited) and oak are in competition for attention, and the result is an enjoyable whisky that’ll peek your palate’s interest. 

Also have a look at In Search of Elegance for positive another take! 

Disclaimer: Thanks to Last Straw for sending me a sample! It had no influence on my review.