Litchfield 6 Year Double Barreled Bourbon Review

In-Depth Review

If you were asked to name a whiskey brand coming out of Connecticut, you’d be forgiven if you couldn’t come up with one. Not exactly located in the heart of bourbon country, Litchfield Distillery is a micro distillery hailing from a Litchfield, CT, a town of less than 10,000 residents. Founded in 2014, by brothers Jack and Peter Baker, Litchfield distillery has quietly been making bourbon whiskey the good old-fashioned way – using homegrown grains from nearby areas and producing full grain to glass spirits in-house.

Being a small distillery, Litchfield has focused its efforts on small batch releases rather than establishing consistent big product lines. This has led them releasing more than 18 different types of spirits since its founding – from whiskey, to vodka, to gin, and even an agave spirit. Today, we are going to dive into their 6 year Double Barreled bourbon release, bottled at 45% ABV from a mashbill of corn, barley, and rye, and finished in a secondary barrel for a bit more oomph. This sample bottle was generously provided to a family member of mine when they stumbled upon the distillery while visiting Litchfield (shoutout to Jack Baker for providing this sample and being so kind and hospitable!). So let’s dive in and see what double barreling and 6 years in Connecticut weather can do to bourbon!

Age: 6 Years

ABV: 45%

Cask: New oak finished in an additional barrel

MSRP: $60

Distillery Name: Litchfield

Review Date: 10/24/24

Color: Solid Caramel

Nose: The nose starts off with a big wave of fresh cut wood - like opening a new cedar chest or waking through the Home Depot lumber section. Then comes the caramelized sugar, cherry syrup, and a fruity butterscotch note. This is a warm, inviting nose that doesn’t shy away from its wood forward character.

Palate: The palate is dripping with heavy toasted wood, barrel char, and spun vanilla sugar. After a few sips, the heavy toasted wood fades away and becomes like biting into warm cinnamon sugar pancakes covered in maple syrup. There’s a touch of black pepper and wood varnish that can leave a bit of a craft funk but it’s very well restrained. The mouthfeel is decent but nothing special while the heat is kept at bay at only 90 proof.

Finish: Short to medium finish with more lingering oak mixed with waves of baking spice. The finish sits on the back of the tongue, leaving behind barrel char, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla frosting.  

Final Thoughts: Litchfield 6 Year Double Barreled bourbon leaves me with a good first impression of the brand and gets me excited about what’s to come. While not the most unique bourbon I’ve tasted this year, this is a solid whiskey for those looking for a bit more oak in every sip. It never shies away from the heavy oak and infuses each sip with a dollop of cedar and barrel char that may not be to everyone’s taste. Regardless, it’s well-balanced, easy to drink, and leaves you with very little to complain about. I’d be fascinated to try this side by side with their non-double-barreled bourbon to see how much of the oak character you can attribute to that secondary maturation. This is a solid daily drinker that is trying hard to put Litchfield, CT on the bourbon making map.  

Score: 87