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Burning Chair Bourbon Bottle Price, Size & Guide (2023)

Burning Chair buying guide

Last Updated on February 17, 2024 by Lydia Martin

Kentucky produces around 95% of the world’s bourbon supply, leading most people to believe that bourbon should only come from this state. However, Burning Chair is among many flavorful brands produced miles away from the World’s Bourbon Capital. 

Here is our quick Burning Chair bourbon review if you’re looking for a new product to sip this weekend.

Everything About Burning Chair Bourbon

Burning Chair Bourbon

Burning Chair is a spirit brand produced by a renowned winemaker, Dave Phinney of Savage & Cooke Distillery. This product is a blend of hand-picked barrels aged for a minimum of four years and procured from Indiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

After marrying the bourbons into a desirable taste profile, Dave Phinney will finish the blend in wine barrels from Napa Valley for another eight months. The company described this bourbon as aromatically intriguing with brown sugar, caramel, butterscotch, and toasty oak notes.

Interesting Facts

Interesting Facts

How It’s Made

Burning Chair is a type of finished whiskey. After the milling, cooking, and aging processes, the blend will go through wine barrel finishing for the next eight months. 

The distillery uses Cabernet barrels from Napa Valley to craft a spirit loaded with the flavor of vanilla bean, baking spices, maple, and baked apples. But how do you make bourbon at home?

Mash Bills

Bourbon Mash Bill

Bourbon is a classification of whiskey that has to follow a strict set of government rules, including its mash bill. Burning Chair adheres to these rules with a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley.

Who Makes It?

Dave Phinney is the man behind all the processes of Burning Chair bourbon. He was born in northern California, where he also started producing various wine brands like Mercury Head and The Cellars under Orin Swift. 

In 2018, he established the Savage & Cooke Distillery in a location between Napa Valley and San Francisco called Mare Island [1].

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Flavor Profile

Palate

Burning Chair

It is a smooth bourbon whiskey loaded with vanilla bean, baking spices, maple, and baked apples. But after a few shots, you will taste black pepper and sweet honey notes.

Nose

The nose is sweeter than the palate, with subtle red raspberry and fresh strawberry notes. It is aromatically intriguing with brown sugar, caramel, butterscotch, and toasty oak.

Finish

Burning Chair with glass

The sip eventually escalates to the rich taste of red wine from using Cabernet barrels. It’s exciting, and the long finish will leave you begging for another sip.

Color

This bourbon whiskey has a rich copper appearance once poured into a shot glass.

Alcohol Content

Burning Chair back part

This bourbon whiskey contains 88 proof or 44% ABV. Since it is a young spirit with unique blending techniques, its alcohol content is relatively lower than other whiskey brands. 

Price

The Burning Chair bottle ranges from $55 to $65, a bit more expensive than most whiskey brands. However, it offers a decent and flavorful addition to your liquor cabinet. 

How Do You Drink Burning Chair Bourbon?

Bourbon cocktail

You can drink the Burning Chair straight or on the rocks. The low alcohol content makes it easier to sip neat without cutting through the heat with water. 

However, you can get creative and craft this bourbon with your favorite cocktails. You can also follow the famous Burning Chair cocktail recipes listed below. 

Compared to Other Bourbons

Compared to Other Bourbons

Jim Beam

Jim Beam is cheaper than Burning Chair, with a price ranging from $15 to $20 for a 40% ABV bottle. It is one of the great bourbon products of Jim Beam Distillery.

This bourbon has a fruity aroma and smooth palate loaded with vanilla notes. It has a gentle, sweet mouthfeel with light caramel and honey flavors. 

Woodford Reserve

Woodford Reserve

The 43.2% ABV bottle of Woodford Reserve almost has the same alcohol content as Burning Chair but at a slightly lower price of $35 to $40. It is a product of Brown-Forman, Kentucky.

It has a sweet vanilla entry to the palate with creamy caramel and oak resin in the middle. The end is delicate with a slight smoke and spice notes.

Wild Turkey

Wild Turkey is another cheaper brand from a Kentucky distillery, with bottle prices ranging from $25 to $30. It has a higher alcohol content of 50.5% ABV than Burning Chair. 

This brand has a decent aroma and delightful smooth mouthfeel. The vanilla, nutmeg, oak, and maple notes are more prominent in the middle, leading to a long and drying finish. 

Popular Burning Chair Bourbon Cocktail Recipes

Popular Burning Chair Bourbon Cocktail Recipes

Wine of Wyoming

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces of bourbon
  • 2 ounces of ginger lemonade
  • Soda water (optional)
  • ½ strawberry muddled or puréed

Instructions:

Pour the bourbon, lemonade, and strawberry into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake the mix until well-chilled, then strain over ice in a highball glass. Add soda water for a more refreshing drink. Garnish with sliced strawberry.

Serving: 1

Double Black Manhattan

Double Black Manhattan

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • 1/2 ounce Averna amaro
  • 1/2 ounce Cherry Heering liqueur
  • One dash of Angostura bitters
  • One dash of orange bitters
  • Cherry

Instructions:

Pour the bourbon, Averna amaro, liqueur, Angostura bitters, and orange bitters into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Stir the mix until well-chilled. Strain it into a chilled rock glass, then garnish it with cherry. Serve and enjoy.

Serving: 1

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can you drink Burning Chair bourbon straight?

Yes, you can drink Burning Chair bourbon straight. Its alcohol content is lower than most brands, giving you enough bite and heat in every shot. 

Where is Burning Chair bourbon made?

The making process of Burning Chair Bourbon took place in Savage & Cooke Distillery, located in Mare Island, California. Although Dave Phinney sourced and hand-picked barrels from different states, he blended the bourbons and aged them again on this island. Learn how to properly store bourbon here

What is Burning Chair Bourbon?

Burning Chair Bourbon is a brand of bourbon whiskey that has gained attention for its unique flavor profile and distinctive packaging. It is known for its rich and complex taste, featuring notes of caramel, vanilla, and a hint of spice. The name “Burning Chair” is inspired by the intense passion and commitment that goes into making this bourbon, aiming to create a memorable and bold experience for whiskey enthusiasts.

Where is the Burning Chair Bourbon?

Burning Chair Bourbon is produced in the United States. Specifically, it is crafted in California, reflecting the growing trend of bourbon production expanding beyond traditional regions such as Kentucky. California’s distilleries have been gaining recognition for their innovation and contribution to the evolving landscape of American whiskey.

How long is Burning Chair Bourbon aged?

Burning Chair Bourbon is aged for a minimum of four years. The aging process plays a crucial role in developing the bourbon’s flavors and characteristics, as it allows the spirit to interact with the oak barrels, gaining complexity, color, and depth.

What’s the smoothest bourbon whiskey?

The title of the “smoothest” bourbon whiskey is subjective and can vary based on individual taste preferences. Different bourbons offer various flavor profiles, and what one person finds smooth, another might prefer a different style. Some bourbons often praised for their smoothness include Maker’s Mark, Blanton’s, and Woodford Reserve. Ultimately, the smoothest bourbon is a matter of personal preference.

Is Burning Chair Bourbon good?

The quality and enjoyment of Burning Chair Bourbon depend on individual taste preferences. Reviews and opinions on this bourbon are subjective, as with any spirit. Many enthusiasts appreciate Burning Chair for its unique flavor profile, smoothness, and the passion that goes into its production. It has received positive feedback for its rich and well-balanced taste. However, the best way to determine if Burning Chair Bourbon is “good” is to try it yourself and see if its characteristics align with your personal palate preferences.

What bourbon is John Wick drinking?

In the John Wick film series, the character John Wick, played by Keanu Reeves, is often seen drinking a bourbon called Blanton’s. Blanton’s is a premium bourbon produced by Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky. Its distinctive bottle shape and the fact that each release is single barrel make it easily recognizable. The choice of Blanton’s in the movies reflects the character’s sophisticated and refined taste.

How much alcohol is in Burning Chair Bourbon?

Like all bourbons, the alcohol content in Burning Chair Bourbon is regulated by law and must be at least 40% alcohol by volume (ABV). However, many bourbons, including Burning Chair, typically have an alcohol content higher than the minimum requirement. Burning Chair Bourbon, for example, has an alcohol content that falls within the common range for bourbons, usually around 45-50% ABV.

Who made the Burning Chair Bourbon?

Burning Chair Bourbon is produced by Savage & Cooke, a craft distillery located in Vallejo, California. The distillery was founded by Dave Phinney, a winemaker and creator of the renowned wine brand “The Prisoner.” Savage & Cooke is known for its innovative approach to whiskey production, and Burning Chair Bourbon is one of its notable expressions.

What is the difference between whiskey and bourbon?

While all bourbons are whiskey, not all whiskey is bourbon. The key differences lie in the production process and specific legal requirements. Bourbon is a type of whiskey that must meet certain criteria, including being made in the United States, containing at least 51% corn in the mash bill, and being aged in new charred oak barrels. Bourbon also has specific regulations regarding distillation proof and aging. Whiskey, on the other hand, is a broader category that includes various types such as Scotch, Irish, and rye whiskey, each with its own production rules and regional distinctions.

Who made the Burning Chair Bourbon?

Burning Chair Bourbon is crafted by Savage & Cooke, a distillery founded by Dave Phinney. Phinney, known for his success in the wine industry, ventured into the world of spirits with the creation of Savage & Cooke. The distillery focuses on producing high-quality, unique expressions, with Burning Chair Bourbon being one of its notable releases.

Final Thoughts

Burning Chair is a new brand in the bustling world of distilled spirits created by a wine legend, Dave Phinney. He opened the Savage & Cooke Distillery in 2018, naming it after two unknown factory workers of Mare Island.

Dave Phinney succeeded in his approach to creating the Burning Chair after working in the wine industry for decades. This brand has an approachable flavor profile that, after a few shots, will still leave you begging for another sip.

References:

  1. https://www.forbes.com/sites/drosengarten/2018/06/25/the-dynamic-david-phinney-a-napa-wine-legend-turns-to-spirits/amp/
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