If you would have told me when we started Barrels and Mash two-and-a-half years ago that I would one day be scrolling through a porn star’s Twitter feed while doing research for a whiskey blog post, I would have thought you were joking. Yet here I am sitting in Kate and I’s whiskey den on the morning after Thanksgiving, sipping on some coffee, and looking through the incredibly uncensored content on Joanna Angel’s personal feed. Did you know you can put full-on hardcore porn on Twitter? I didn’t, but now I do. Kate also knows because I totally made her look at it so I wasn’t the only one browsing boobies within 15 minutes of waking up.

So why did I just scroll past an image that says “Jews Love Black Cock” on this peaceful November morning? Well, because Joanna Angel, an “American alternative pornographic and mainstream actress”, just released a whiskey called Doom’s and she (or rather the company marketing the product) was kind enough to send us a bottle for review.

We first learned about this whiskey more than two years ago when we interviewed Scissortail Distillery owner Garrett Janko (here is that post). Back then Garrett mentioned he would be distilling Doom’s and stated that it would be a blue corn whiskey, but the small amount of info I was able to find does not confirm that. What I was told is that Doom’s is a blend of two whiskeys, a 80% rye, 20% barley whiskey aged for 26 months in standard 53-gallon American white oak barrels which is then blended 50/50 with another Rye whiskey. At least that’s what I can gather from this info I was sent.

I reached out to Garrett Janko for information on how a porn star in California and distillery in Oklahoma teamed up and for more details on the production of the whiskey but never heard back. Should he respond I’ll update this post with the information.

What we do know is that the back of the bottle clearly conveys that this is supposed to be whiskey with some attitude as it states “No bullshit. No apologies. No excuses.” then says “Shots await.” which leads me to believe that this is not being marketed as a “sit in your silk PJ’s and sip on this whilst listening to old Otis Redding records”, which is totally what I’m about to be doing.

Per the Doom’s website, it looks like the whiskey is only available online and at a few bars in California but if it sees anywhere near the distribution of other Scissortail products like Leadslingers Bourbon, it may start to pop up in more states.

Alright, enough chit chat, time to crack this bottle and see how it is. Sips await.

Disclaimer: This product was provided at no cost to Barrels and Mash with no strings attached.

Company: Doom’s

Distillery: Scissortail Distillery

Location: Moore, OK

Mash Bill: Blend of two rye whiskeys

Age: 26 months

ABV: 50% (100 proof)

Released: Fall 2017

Price: $47

Color: Straw

Nose: The rye spice is the first thing that stands out in the aroma, followed quickly by a raw grain and a little bit of astringency. The youth is pretty evident, however I’m a big fan of young ryes. The nose is a little hot, but behind the heat is some subtle green apple and watermelon candy vibes that come out more as the pour opens up. Some faint oak is kind of chilling in the background as well.

Taste: My first sip surprised me with how much fruity candy stuff was going on. My favorite thing about younger ryes is the green apple jolly rancher thing I always get, and this has some of that. Mind you, it’s nowhere close to something like Willett 2-year rye (which I tried side by side with this for a comparison. That whiskey is incredible). Along with the fruity candy things is some anise and cinnamon. Anise is always my least favorite thing in ryes as that specific flavor can easily overshadow others for me. The proof is nice on this and lends a pretty decent texture as well as a pleasant peppery burn with that rye.

Finish: As soon as the candy fades, the anise takes over and leaves me with a plastic-y thing coating my mouth (I always associate anise with plastic for some reason). The finish is dry and astringent with some pine notes accompanying the anise.

Overall: I’ll start by saying that this is the best whiskey that I’ve had from Scissortail. While its age is definitely obvious, and all my favorite things about young rye aren’t dialed up as high as I would prefer, it’s a decent sip, and overall I like it more than I don’t. The finish is what really hurts it for me and when considering it in the context of a shot, the finish is really all your going to get which is a bummer. While it’s not going to be something I would seek out when I’m in the mood for a younger pour given that I’ve got things like Willett and Peerless on the shelf, I would reach for it over some other, more standard, pours such as Jim Beam White or Woodford.

If you come across a bottle of this, don’t shoot it. Take your time and let it hang out on your palate for a second before you slam it down and high five your favorite porn star.

Rating: 3/5