About
Nevada H&C Distilling Company, a company based out of Las Vegas, Nevada, launched the brand “Smoke Wagon” a little over a year ago by taking MGP high-rye bourbon and bottling it in four different products.
The raised imagery of desert sage, the Nevada state flower, can be found on the Silver Dollar bottle as well as the amber Smoke Wagon bottles and in the label of the Straight Bourbon. The Morgan silver dollar (replicated on the bottle’s face) was minted in Carson city, the state capitol. It is the perfect symbol and name for our vodka due to its Nevada significance and the fact that silver dollar vodka is silver filtered.
Smoke Wagon? Does that mean it’s smokey? Smoke Wagon is actually old west slang for the 1873 Colt single action army revolver or “the gun that won the west”. Our logo stamped in wax consists of two crossed Smoke Wagons over the state of Nevada. Below it is our motto and a quote from Seneca, bibamus moriendum est. The literal translation is “drink, for we must die” but the meaning is more along the lines of, drink and enjoy today because we won’t be around forever. We can only assume Seneca meant to drink responsibly, of course.
Just released in fall of 2019, the goal was to create an affordable everyday bourbon that had that unique and unmistakable Smoke Wagon Flavor, consisting of delicate sweet notes with a rye spice finish. Barrels with our same high rye mash bill were racked on the top two floors of the warehouse and never rotated. The higher the floor the hotter it gets in the summer causing more expansion and more movement into the wood. Because we don’t chill filter, these combined aspects create a bourbon that is rich and creamy beyond its years. Never rotating the barrels ensures there are no harsh tannin flavors and the high rye mash bill adds a delightfully spicy and nutty finish.
Tasting Notes
NOSE: Honey, toasted nuts and with some oak and heat.
PALATE: Creamy mouthfeel with Initial rich sweet notes of honey and caramel.
FINISH: Nuts, oak and pepper spice.