On the nose, Cavalry smells much more like a decent corn whiskey than anything resembling bourbon. Redolent with corn, candy corn and vanilla, what is missing are the deeper notes bourbon lovers are accustomed to experiencing. It is a very pleasant aroma, on the whole, and different, a bit interesting.Breaking it with a half teaspoon of water on served to brighten the candy corn aroma and actually put some hard edges on the corn notes. The mouthfeel proved what Terre PURE claims to affect, even at 90 proof the mouthfeel was a barely-there sense, and there was no burn on the way down. It’s a tonsil-skipper! Cavalry’s finish was sweet, medium length, and actually hinted at pine. It wasn’t unpleasant, but was in no way remarkable. This new expression tips its hat far closer to being a light whiskey than bourbon, and it goes to show that time-honored production methods for established whiskey varieties continue to stand for a reason. Cavalry might be well-suited for mixing, and in fact there are some lovely cocktail recipes featured on their website.
