In my experience, “[insert blank] killer” is a cheap term used to glamorize the flagrantly mediocre as something remarkable. My first exposure to this was through the 2004 videogame Killzone, which some touted as Sony’s “Halo killer” prior to release. Now don’t get me wrong, I have a soft spot for that old, clunky FPS; multiplayer bots and plenty of weapons with secondary firing modes in the mid-2000s? Yes, please! But to say it came remotely close to matching either Halo games released up to that point? That’d be like comparing New Riff Single Barrel to Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch.

So when word began spreading about Smokeye Hill Barrel Proof, a supposed “George T. Stagg killer” based on its performance in the ASCOT Awards for best small batch bourbon, I rolled my eyes. This only intensified after learning what other whiskeys were up for contention in that category: E.H. Taylor Small Batch, Smoke Wagon Small Batch, and Ben Holladay Rickhouse Proof. Hardly an even playing field.

If you’re not familiar, the ASCOT Awards is a spirits competition where industry professionals evaluate multiple whiskeys across various categories. Like many spirits competitions, the ASCOT Awards are conducted blind, or without knowing what whiskeys are being tasted. This specific competition is championed by Fred Minnick, with the name being lifted from him constantly wearing an ascot during reviews, livestreams, interviews, etc.

So what exactly IS Smokeye Hill?

The brand is technically owned by Hazelwood Spirits Company, which was founded by Blake Johns. Beyond some painfully generic marketing speak, Smokeye Hill is allegedly named after an area in Arizona amidst “the rugged landscapes of a renowned cattle ranch” which, in combination with the surrounding area, was described as a safe haven for bootleggers during Prohibition. Some other claims are made about the brand’s history and connected locale, but I struggled to find anything concrete to back up any of it.

As for the whiskey itself, Smokeye Hill comes from an undisclosed mash bill of blue corn, yellow corn, rye, and malted barley. The brand pitches blue corn as an heirloom grain, but yellow corn can also be heirloom. This also gives the team some wiggle room to label the whiskey as four-grain. This base is actually distilled by Ross & Squibb with the bottle claiming that it’s “exclusively distilled for Smokeye Hill in Lawrenceburg, IN,” but is “barreled, aged, and bottled in Colorado Springs, CO.” The whiskey spends at least five years in 30 and 53 gallon oak casks, with char levels ranging from two to five. Like most barrel proof products, it also forgoes chill filtration.

One final note: the Smokeye Hill batch that won the ASCOT awards was 65.5% ABV. The one I’m reviewing is 65.7% ABV, so potentially more representative of a bottle you might see or try.

Nose: Cornbread, Pound Cake, Vanilla Custard, Buttercream

Buttery, Floral, Earthy

Palate: Cornbread, Caramel, Cracked Pepper, Burnt Orange

Bright, Oily, Aggressive

Finish: Warm Honey, Black Tea, Flan, Chamomile

Warm, Syrupy, Long

Let’s get the elephant out of the room: I don’t think Smokeye Hill Barrel Proof is a George T. Stagg killer, not even the disappointing 2023 release. Best case scenario it trades blows with some Stagg batches, which isn’t something to shrug off nonchalantly. But even then, it depends on who you ask and where their tastes lie. If you’re all about the more traditional, moderately oaky Kentucky bourbon profile, bottles the likes of Stagg will put Smokeye Hill to shame. For those more receptive to whiskeys with a strong, mostly effective grain presence, there’s a chance for Smokeye Hill to come in with an upset.

I always feel the need to justify that whiskeys with grain-forward profiles aren’t inherently inferior. Although it’s true that increased maturation time typically results in a more refined product, thanks to any combination of added depth, complexity, and overall cohesion, all great aged whiskey starts with great new make. With Smokeye Hill Barrel Proof, the younger, more flour-adjacent notes are honed in just enough to give you impressions of a more mature and fulfilling whiskey. I’d even say these characteristics are a net positive given how rich and full-fledged they can come across.

However, there’s a lack of refinement to the overall experience, not unlike Old Forester Barrel Strength products. Things start quite positively on the nose, bringing copious bakery-like notes with a floral underpinning. The upfront flavor profile is similarly enjoyable, but it doesn’t take long for the initial balance to feel thrown off with heat and oddly aerosol-like associations. This continues on into the finish, where the overarching flavor profile takes a tea-like turn, all with the off-putting notes intact. Truth be told, Smokeye Hill Barrel Proof comes across like a young, cask strength single pot still Irish whiskey with its oily texture and less refined nature. I definitely enjoy it more than I don’t, but the pitfalls are frustratingly strong. All things considered, it’s a decidedly mixed experience that struggles to inspire any real enthusiasm.