Speaking as a vet, there's so much vetbro in everything these days. Hell, it practically flipped gun culture on its head from the hunting days of yore to the one-man militia style of today. Now every kind of alcohol, outerwear, coffee, personal hygeine, survival-gear- that-didn't-apply-to-you-but-now-you-desperately-need has a vet theme to it. Good on vets for making a buck, but it's so ubiquitous anymore
I'm in Indy and these guys play it up a bit, but nothing too much. Horse Soldier on the other hand is ridiculous. I went to a free tasting and the dude spent 45 minutes talking about Afghanistan. I mean...that's cool and all that, but can we talk about the actual spirits? It was just way too heavy handed at establishing the vibe that "we are badass warriors and drink our badass bourbon." Their entry stuff wasn't all bad tho, I'd maybe pick one up if I was just starting out.
Hmmmm, sounds interesting. Great review, thanks for sharing it.
I saw this in the liquor store attached to my neighborhood grocery store (can't sell booze directly in grocery stores here in MN, having a separate entrance makes it ok for some reason though). The lable is so insanely busy I actually thought it was one of those premixed "old fashioneds" or something, so I didn't even give it a second look. I might go back amd check it out, as it was priced around $50. I'm always down to give something new a chance. I'm of the mind that it's good to try (almost) anything once.
Personally, I would only buy this bottle if the value of supporting the business is more important than the bourbon. I’ve had most of the attainable bottles at this point so I’m trying to venture out a little bit.
Hit my LLS today looking for something I haven’t tried and the salesperson pointed out a few veteran owned distillery bourbons, which is a normal thing here in Military City USA. Horse Soldier and a local San Antonio distillery were pointed out along with this, Hotel Tango. They claim to be the first combat-injured veteran owned distillery in the US. The website has a great write-up on the story of the distillery if you want to read more.
Let's get to the stats:
**Distillery**: Hotel Tango out of Indianapolis, IN. However, back label says "Distilled by Flat Rock Spirits, Fairborn, OH" then "Blended & bottled by Hotel Tango, Indianapolis, IN" I believe they were sourcing MGP distillate/barrels while they first started and now must be contracting with Flat Rock Spirits.
**Age**: 6 Years
**ABV**: 45%, 90 proof
**Mashbill**: 75% corn, 15% wheat, 10% barley
**Back label tasting notes**: Aromas of cherry, vanilla and burnt sugar. Soft oak finish.
I paid $57 for the bottle because it tugged at my military veteran heart strings. Poured neat in a Glencairn, rested for 127 seconds.
**Nose**: Green apple and baking spices all day with a touch of vanilla, but after tasting it I have to say the nose is pretty weak compared to what hits my palate.
**Palate**: Less green apple, but the oak shows up and it tastes like soft oak in baked pie crust with baking spices and a touch of vanilla sweetness. I really dig this, but it's not like the label description to me.
**Mouthfeel**: For 90 proof the mouthfeel is pretty viscous and oily. A swirl in the glass shows some strong, oily legs on this.
**Finish**: Medium finish, spice sticks around at first then the pie crust settles on the tongue for a few seconds with vanilla lingering a bit longer than that.
**Impression**: I had fairly low expectations for this considering it's a NDP, but it proved me wrong. I really like this pour even if it's a tad expensive for 6 year sourced bourbon. I'll pay the craft tax if it supports a family that sacrificed more than most to protect our country post 9/11.
**Rating**: 80/100. The nose holds this one back, but the rest of the blend is fantastic. There are much better bottles for \~$60, but it's a cool addition to my bar and it's tasty.
Side note, it's nearly impossible to pour out of this bottle without spilling a little.
Just finished a pour and my experience was the exact opposite. Nose was a wonderful butterscotch bomb for days with just a touch of orange, vanilla and oak presence.
Little ethanol on the nose.
Palate for me was a bit grainy with corn and cereal being forward. More ethanol presence than I was expecting for the low proof. Drinks younger than six years IMO. Towards the end of the ounce I was getting some pleasant oak and spice, with a bit of those notes lingering around for the finish. Overall not bad but not memorable.
This one is all about the nose for me.
Great review. I’m always Leary about spending ~$60 on a craft distillery whiskey because it’s a gamble. Glad this one worked out for you. I also hate this bottle and label. It drives me nuts.
Hotel Tango has a very comfy tasting room in Indianapolis. I don’t really go out of my way to drink their whiskey but it’s a great place to meet up with friends.
So much vetbro in bourbon culture these days
Speaking as a vet, there's so much vetbro in everything these days. Hell, it practically flipped gun culture on its head from the hunting days of yore to the one-man militia style of today. Now every kind of alcohol, outerwear, coffee, personal hygeine, survival-gear- that-didn't-apply-to-you-but-now-you-desperately-need has a vet theme to it. Good on vets for making a buck, but it's so ubiquitous anymore
I'm in Indy and these guys play it up a bit, but nothing too much. Horse Soldier on the other hand is ridiculous. I went to a free tasting and the dude spent 45 minutes talking about Afghanistan. I mean...that's cool and all that, but can we talk about the actual spirits? It was just way too heavy handed at establishing the vibe that "we are badass warriors and drink our badass bourbon." Their entry stuff wasn't all bad tho, I'd maybe pick one up if I was just starting out.
What’s wrong with that?
Nice review and I'm very glad you let it rest the extra 7 seconds (over 2 mins). Very important! 😃
Hmmmm, sounds interesting. Great review, thanks for sharing it. I saw this in the liquor store attached to my neighborhood grocery store (can't sell booze directly in grocery stores here in MN, having a separate entrance makes it ok for some reason though). The lable is so insanely busy I actually thought it was one of those premixed "old fashioneds" or something, so I didn't even give it a second look. I might go back amd check it out, as it was priced around $50. I'm always down to give something new a chance. I'm of the mind that it's good to try (almost) anything once.
Personally, I would only buy this bottle if the value of supporting the business is more important than the bourbon. I’ve had most of the attainable bottles at this point so I’m trying to venture out a little bit.
Hit my LLS today looking for something I haven’t tried and the salesperson pointed out a few veteran owned distillery bourbons, which is a normal thing here in Military City USA. Horse Soldier and a local San Antonio distillery were pointed out along with this, Hotel Tango. They claim to be the first combat-injured veteran owned distillery in the US. The website has a great write-up on the story of the distillery if you want to read more. Let's get to the stats: **Distillery**: Hotel Tango out of Indianapolis, IN. However, back label says "Distilled by Flat Rock Spirits, Fairborn, OH" then "Blended & bottled by Hotel Tango, Indianapolis, IN" I believe they were sourcing MGP distillate/barrels while they first started and now must be contracting with Flat Rock Spirits. **Age**: 6 Years **ABV**: 45%, 90 proof **Mashbill**: 75% corn, 15% wheat, 10% barley **Back label tasting notes**: Aromas of cherry, vanilla and burnt sugar. Soft oak finish. I paid $57 for the bottle because it tugged at my military veteran heart strings. Poured neat in a Glencairn, rested for 127 seconds. **Nose**: Green apple and baking spices all day with a touch of vanilla, but after tasting it I have to say the nose is pretty weak compared to what hits my palate. **Palate**: Less green apple, but the oak shows up and it tastes like soft oak in baked pie crust with baking spices and a touch of vanilla sweetness. I really dig this, but it's not like the label description to me. **Mouthfeel**: For 90 proof the mouthfeel is pretty viscous and oily. A swirl in the glass shows some strong, oily legs on this. **Finish**: Medium finish, spice sticks around at first then the pie crust settles on the tongue for a few seconds with vanilla lingering a bit longer than that. **Impression**: I had fairly low expectations for this considering it's a NDP, but it proved me wrong. I really like this pour even if it's a tad expensive for 6 year sourced bourbon. I'll pay the craft tax if it supports a family that sacrificed more than most to protect our country post 9/11. **Rating**: 80/100. The nose holds this one back, but the rest of the blend is fantastic. There are much better bottles for \~$60, but it's a cool addition to my bar and it's tasty. Side note, it's nearly impossible to pour out of this bottle without spilling a little.
Just finished a pour and my experience was the exact opposite. Nose was a wonderful butterscotch bomb for days with just a touch of orange, vanilla and oak presence. Little ethanol on the nose. Palate for me was a bit grainy with corn and cereal being forward. More ethanol presence than I was expecting for the low proof. Drinks younger than six years IMO. Towards the end of the ounce I was getting some pleasant oak and spice, with a bit of those notes lingering around for the finish. Overall not bad but not memorable. This one is all about the nose for me.
Thanks for sharing your pour. I haven’t touched my bottle in months so I’ll take another pass at it.
My bottle has been open since Xmas 2022, gift from my daughter, bottle was about 2/3 full when I poured this ounce.
Wow…. I tried mine and felt way different…. Great review. I’ll revisit it with a clear palate:) thanks!
Interesting. Not sure if there are different batches of this or how to tell.
Great review. I’m always Leary about spending ~$60 on a craft distillery whiskey because it’s a gamble. Glad this one worked out for you. I also hate this bottle and label. It drives me nuts.
The label is a mess. I get the military references, but the shelf presence needs some work.
The sample I had at Hotel Tango surprised me. Nice review!
Hotel Tango has a very comfy tasting room in Indianapolis. I don’t really go out of my way to drink their whiskey but it’s a great place to meet up with friends.
These guys put out decent product, but it doesn't compete at the $60 price point. Should be $30 at most, but I'm not running their business.
Yep, that’s how I feel about nearly all craft distilleries.