Review #158: J.T. Meleck High Proof

COST: $58 for 750mL bottle (Total Wine in Louisiana)

AGE: 4 yrs

MASH BILL: 100% rice

PROOF: 118

I feel like 2024 was the year that J.T. Meleck became a name that everyone in the American whiskey community came to recognize. It seemed like whether it was their standard 96 proof offering or single barrels, J.T. Meleck was receiving rave reviews left and right throughout the year. So, when I was traveling back to South Carolina from Texas at the end of 2024, I decided to drop into a Total Wine in Lafayette, LA just to see if they had a bottle. Sure enough, they had a few! After debating between the standard 96 proof American Rice Whiskey or the High Proof, I decided to go with the High Proof. They're the same age statement, and same whiskey, just 118 proof vs 96 proof. So, while not completely cash strength, the high proof is certainly less diluted than the 96 proof, plus, I can always add a little under 0.5 oz of water to a 2 oz pour to proof it down to 96 proof myself. Let’s see if it lives up to the hype and fanfare it received last year!

This bottle is from batch 424. Reviewed neat in a Glencairn (unless specified otherwise in parenthesis).

APPEARANCE: A dark whiskey for 4 years old with a dark caramel brown color (1.6). The color tracks with that of other distillers in the gulf states, perhaps indicative of that high heat aging creating really deep barrel penetration. Medium looking viscosity on the side of the glass.

NOSE: Rich sweetness, big brown sugar, baking spice, and vanilla notes. Sweeter notes of chocolate covered strawberries and dessert wine. There's a slight ethanol tingle, but it kinda plateaus and doesn't prevent me from picking up notes. There's a light herbal note, almost spearmint like, a touch of citrus, and a spicy oak note is ever present in the background. Good nose overall and not what I was expecting. (Proofed down to 96 proof completely knocks off the burn and brings out a little toasted marshmallow note, cream, and graham cracker.)

PALATE: Fatty mouthfeel, caramel, a light medicinal cherry note but shows up more prominently with a good chew, a distinctive rice wine note that makes me think of a cherry or date flavored sake. A little bit of cinnamon heat, but there’s also more proof heat here than on the nose. A little tannic oak that carries over into the palate. (Proofed down to 96 proof this still has a little tingle on the palate but also a creamier mouthfeel…didn’t expect that. It shows more cinnamon, some seasoned oak, and tapioca.)

FINISH: Medium length finish and rather dry. This has mostly tannic oak with some caramel and vanilla. The dryness again makes me think of hot sake. There's a light fruit sweetness that shows up a bit late and fades out along with the tannic oak. (Proofed down to 96, the finish doesn't come across nearly as dry. The flavor profile doesn't change much other than the sake vibes are basically gone and there's a bit more vanilla cream.)

RATING: 6.8/10

OVERALL: There’s way more sweetness in this than I expected. My only experience with rice whiskey has been a few Japanese whiskeys, but this was nothing like that. This was rich and robust versus more delicate notes that I’ve found in Japanese whiskey. I think the hot, hot gulf coast aging has some impact in that regard. While there was a little proof heat, for this only being 4 years old I expected a lot rougher experience coming in at 118 proof. I was very pleased with this as it provides familiar flavors that as a bourbon lover I would gravitate towards while providing a unique experience unlike anything I’ve had previously. I can absolutely see why I’ve seen some killer reviews of their single barrels. It lives up to the hype!

1 | Disgusting | ...I've not subjected myself to this level

2 | Poor | Balcones Lineage

3 | Bad | High West Double Rye, Jefferson's Ocean 28

4 | Sub-par | Weller's SR, Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select

5 | Good | Buffalo Trace, Sazerac Rye, Green River Wheated

6 | Very Good | Blanton's, Holladay Bourbons, Eagle Rare

7 | Great | Baker's 7yr SiB, BBCo Origin High Wheat, 1792 BiB

8 | Excellent | Most ECBP batches, JD SiB BiB, High West MWND Act 11

9 | Incredible | Woodford Reserve Batch Proof 121.2, BBC DS #7, Four Roses OESQ

10 | Perfect | Found North Batch 08