Smoke Wagon Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey
Smoke Wagon · MGP of Indiana (bottled by Nevada H&C Distilling)
Smoke Wagon Small Batch is one of the best values in sourced bourbon. The high-rye mash bill gives it spine, while careful barrel selection from MGP's warehouse ensures a char-forward but never acrid profile. A daily drinker that punches well above its price.
Nose
Toasted caramel and brown sugar rise first, followed by threads of charred oak and dried orange peel. A warm corn sweetness anchors everything with a dusty, almost tobacco-like quality.
Palate
Medium-full body with a buttery entry that gives way to dark cherry, vanilla bean, and a distinct charred wood note. Baking spices — cinnamon, allspice — develop mid-palate with impressive balance.
Finish
Medium-long with lingering charred oak, caramel, and a pleasant rye pepper snap at the very end.
- Mash Bill
- 60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
- Barrel Type
- New charred American oak (Level 4 char)
- Bottled in Bond
- No
- Single Barrel
- No
- Wheated
- No
Cocktail Suggestion
Ember Old Fashioned — 2 oz Smoke Wagon Small Batch · 0.25 oz demerara syrup · 2 dashes Angostura bitters · 1 dash orange bitters · Stir over ice, strain into rocks glass with large cube, express orange peel.
Food Pairing
The charred oak and brown spice in the bourbon mirror the bark on slow-smoked brisket burnt ends, while the whiskey's sweetness cuts through the fat and salt.
Aaron Chepenik founded Nevada H&C Distilling in Las Vegas and built the Smoke Wagon brand by hand-selecting barrels from MGP's Lawrenceburg, Indiana distillery, bringing desert heat and Midwestern grain together under one label.
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