I don’t often write whiskey reviews, and interestingly enough, of the two or three actual posts reviewing whiskey (and/or a whiskey-based cocktail), one of them was also from Hood River Distillers. This latest review, on HRD’s Easy Rider Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, came out because the distillery launched a new brand design for the bourbon, and sent me a bottle.

The new packaging, and the media kit sent along with it, is pretty clearly influenced by the 1969 film of the same name, as well as the free-spirited motorcycle/biker culture. I don’t know if or how that translates to the booze inside the bottle, which was described in the press release thusly:

Aged for four years in new, charred American Oak barrels and bottled at 80 proof with glacier-fed spring water from Mt. Hood, Easy Rider’s layered flavors summon notes of summer sweet corn, vanilla, soft malt, and spicy peppercorn with a worn leather finish.

The whiskey itself is distilled in Kentucky (it says so on the label), though I don’t know if it was barrel-aged there as well, or aged in Oregon at HRD. Part of Hood River’s model is to source the (base) spirit from other distilleries and then water it to the desired strength and bottle at its location.

So let’s get to my notes. Of course, these aren’t going to be like my beer tasting notes—more free-form impressions as I go.

My first impression: it’s a little “hot,” meaning a touch boozy with traces of fusel alcohols. Aromatically, I’m getting the notes of vanilla, light oak, and some spiciness that I’d expect from a bourbon, tempering that booziness. On the tongue is where it’s initially hot, but I don’t mind that overly much as it tends to smooth out a bit mid-palate. It’s lightly sweet, and I do get a light corn/grain note, charred vanilla bean, and a spiciness I’d liken more to rye and mustard seed than peppercorn. There’s a pleasant lingering warmth that persists.

By my estimation, it’s a nice bourbon that’s pretty easy drinking, albeit still a bit hot. Does that fit an expectation of the free-spirited biker theme? Possibly? The $24.95 price for a 750ml bottle makes it a decently affordable option for a casual, easy-drinking whiskey, whether you’re sipping from a glass or shooting from a flask.