A few weeks ago, I made a quick trip to the liquor store to pick up a bottle of whiskey. Alie and I had been invited to a gathering at a friend’s house and Alie suggested we bring a bottle of whiskey to celebrate the occasion. I grabbed a bottle to share and while I was standing at the checkout, I happen to notice a bottle of Wyoming Whiskey National Parks No. 2 sitting on the counter.
After making sure it hadn’t been claimed by someone else, I purchased it on impulse. It turned out to be a good decision. When I visited the store the following week, I mentioned I had grabbed a bottle and found out the store’s stock has already sold out. Rather than opening the bottle to try right away, I held on to it to bring with us on our trip to Wyoming.
Wyoming Whiskey National Parks Batch
In June 2022, Wyoming Whiskey released its second National Parks Batch. The first edition, Batch No. 1, was released during the summer of 2021 and honored Grand Teton National Park. Through the sale of Wyoming Whiskey’s limited release, they raised $120,000 for the organization.
For the second edition, Wyoming Whiskey honored Yellowstone National Park with Batch No. 2, released in 2022. It just so happens the limited edition release also coincides with the 150th anniversary of Yellowstone National Park. On the surface, this appears to be excellent planning by the folks at Wyoming Whiskey.
For each bottle of Wyoming Whiskey National Park Batch No. 2 sold, the company donates $5 per bottle, up to a maximum of $150,000. The beneficiary this year is Yellowstone Forever, an organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Yellowstone National Park. It is a great way for Wyoming Whiskey to help protect one of the most unique spaces that just so happens to be located in their back yard.
Thomas Moran’s Artwork
The National Parks Batch No.2 label is adorned with artwork from Thomas Moran. The image features Tower Fall in the foreground of Sulphur Mountain. Moran created the image in 1871, when he assisted a Yellowstone expedition team cataloging the wonders of the area for presentation to Congress. Moran’s artwork helped persuade Congress to deem the area a national park. The images he created also helped Moran rise to national prominence. Coincidentally, our bottle of Wyoming Whiskey National Parks Batch No. 2 traveled with us to Moran, Wyoming.
About Wyoming Whiskey
Wyoming Whiskey was born in 2006. David DeFazio, Brad Mead, and Kate Mead apparently grew bored with practicing law in Jackson, Wyoming, and decided to start a whiskey business. Who can blame them? Whiskey is certainly more interesting. The Meads, who are also ranchers, had previously explored starting a winery but felt that the environment in Wyoming would be better suited to creating whiskey. The group was able to partner with a former Maker’s Mark distiller, Steve Nally, to help them launch Wyoming Whiskey.
Unlike other whiskey start-ups, DeFazio and the Meads were content to create their distillery from scratch and prepared to wait several years to produce their own whiskey. They selected a location in Kirby, Wyoming along the Big Horn Valley. They purchased all the equipment, partnered with local farmers for the grain, and set out to become the first legally recognized distillery in Wyoming.
By December of 2012, Wyoming Whiskey was finally ready for its big debut. It appears to have sold very quickly, but a quick scan of the reviews from that time indicates it wasn’t well-liked. Even our friends from Wyoming bash Wyoming Whiskey for being “not very good.” There is even a rumor that one of the owners tried to buy back their whiskey because of the poor quality. This led to some internal changes within the company to help them improve their consistency and product offering.
Repairing a Tarnished Image
Wyoming Whiskey hired a consultant to help with batch consistency, which led to marked improvements in their whiskey. In 2018, Wyoming Whiskey partnered with Edrington, the makers of Highland Park and The Macallan. Since that time, Wyoming Whiskey’s quality appears to have improved substantially, but its reputation still suffers.
I had my first pour of Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch in the summer of 2021. While I can’t say I was blown away, I definitely found it to be very drinkable, much to the amazement of my Wyoming friends.
On our drive back to Colorado, we made a stop in Kirby, Wyoming to visit the distillery. We dropped into their gift shop to partake in a free tasting. Yes, free. We were able to try six different bottles during our visit. We left with two more bottles for the collection. Since they are distillery exclusives unlikely to be duplicated, they’re for our personal collection rather than a future review.
Although our guide Nichole could neither confirm nor deny the rumor about the owners buying back the first few batches of their whiskey, she did acknowledge some of the quality control issues Wyoming Whiskey faced during its first few years. A big issue is that Wyoming’s climate makes it challenging to age whiskey.
During the winter, when the temperatures drop to well below zero, the aging process essentially stops until spring when the weather warms. As a result, a four-year whiskey from Wyoming Whiskey wasn’t refined enough. To combat the problem, Wyoming Whiskey upped the age to five years.
Some distillers will rotate their stock around the warehouse, so it benefits from aging in different locations. Wyoming Whiskey doesn’t have the manpower to accomplish that task. Instead, where a barrel is placed is where it stays until it reaches maturity. This results in different characteristics from barrel to barrel depending upon where the barrel is placed in the warehouse.
Wyoming Whiskey National Parks Batch No. 2
The Wyoming Whiskey National Parks Batch No. 2 is a small batch offering from Wyoming Whiskey that is aged for 5 years. It is distilled from a mash bill that included 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley, making it a “wheated bourbon.” It is bottled at 105 proof, so it offers a little kick.
According to the Wyoming Whiskey National Parks Batch No. 2 website you’ll find the aroma of chocolate, leather, and vanilla on the nose. On the palate, you’ll notice baking spices, vanilla creme, caramel, and a hint of cinnamon. Wyoming whiskey describes the finish as peppery, yet smooth.
Tasting Notes
On the nose, I noticed hints of chocolate and vanilla. There was a dry sweetness to the aroma, definitely similar to the scent of leather. I thought about drinking the National Parks Batch No. 2 in some leathers on a horse after smelling this whiskey.
Alie noticed the aroma was smooth, much more so than the taste. She noticed the sweetness of butterscotch and the flavor of apple cider vinegar. The butterscotch flavor reminded her of a single barrel expression we tried at Wyoming Whiskey’s distillery. She felt there was an oily texture to Batch No 2. Alie noted some of her impressions *might* have been influenced by the two Hazy IPAs she had at the local brewery before coming home to break out the bottle. She really enjoyed the bottle the first couple of times she sampled it, but wondered if it had lost something in the week since we initially opened it.
After taking a sip, I noticed the caramel on the palate immediately. Caramel was a prevalent flavor found in many of the Wyoming Whiskey Expressions we tried while visiting the distillery. The caramel is followed by a light vanilla flavor. Wyoming Whiskey National Parks No. 2 finishes with a lingering tingle like cinnamon or pepper leaves behind in the mouth.
Finally! Another whiskey where the distiller’s proclaimed tasting notes actually showed up on my taste buds. Either we’re getting better at this tasting stuff, or it is accurately described.
If you wanted to use this in a cocktail, we suggest a whiskey-forward beverage, such as an Old Fashioned or Manhattan, so you don’t miss out on the complex flavors. We liked it best used as the base in our Honey Maple Old Fashioned. The caramel and creamy vanilla notes of Wyoming Whiskey National Parks Batch No. 2 paired well with the maple syrup, creating a rich sweetness.
Our Ratings
Drinkability: 3.5
Intensity: 3.3
Personal Preference: 3.8
Beginner Friendly: 3.6
Availability: 2
Overall: 3.7
Final Thoughts
Alie and I varied pretty widely with our thoughts on this batch. I liked it a bit more than she did and she rated it much lower. Her impressions of Wyoming Whiskey National Parks Batch No. 2 were very different on the third tasting compared to the day we opened it on our trip. We’ll just have to chalk it up to personal preference, or those beers she had beforehand.
Wyoming Whiskey National Parks Batches have rapidly ascended over the past two years. The first batch was well received, but many believed it would benefit from a boosted proof. Wyoming Whiskey made some adjustments to the second batch and it paid off. The National Parks Batch No. 2 sold out quickly at the distillery and at liquor stores luckily enough to receive a few bottles. It is definitely an upgrade from their standard small batch offering.
If you haven’t tried Wyoming Whiskey or haven’t tried their product in a few years, we suggest you give it a go. If you’re near Kirby, you can drop into the distillery for a free tasting. Hopefully, you get to meet Nichole who happens to be an excellent host. If you aren’t near Kirby, Wyoming Whiskey distributes to all 50 states, so you’re likely to find their small batch expression in a store or restaurant near you.
Happy Exploring!
