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🥃Review #61: Chattanooga Whiskey - Intergalactic Comet Crusher - Batch Alpha

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Chattanooga Whiskey - Intergalactic Comet Crusher - Batch Alpha on a deck

This extraterrestrial branded bourbon liquor was released by Chattanooga Whiskey Company on June 24, 2025 for World UFO day. It appears to be a custom mash bill bourbon that blurs the line between whiskey and gin by adding 42 distinct botanicals. Botanicals are substances or ingredients derived from plants like roots, berries, seeds, peels, bark, nuts, or spices. Intergalactic Comet Crusher - Batch Alpha (presumably the first of multiple releases to come) has manufacturer tastes notes "like having your brains smashed out by a bag of lemons dipped in 42 karat gold " which gives me Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy vibes. Chattanooga Whiskey experiments with their whiskies more than most and I usually enjoy the result. Just know that when they're gone, they're often gone for good. 

🛒Sourced: Purchased at Chattanooga Whiskey $49.99 - 750ml

Gifted to me by my brother and his partner - Thanks for contributing to my hobby and filling my cup!

🧪Proof: 84 proof, 42% ABV - 

🎨Color: R3 - A medium orange-ish tone

The binary code above the government warning says "Enjoy responsibly. Do not drink and drive." The raised text and frosty bottle are a nice touch. 

🥔Mash Bill:   Classified. Chattanooga also has a Limecello whiskey liqueur out that is based on the signature Barrel 91 mash bill which is undisclosed proportions of Yellow Corn, Malted Rye, Caramel Malted Barley & Honey Malted Barley. I would suspect that this bottle also is based on Barrel 91.

Batch size is 12 barrels. Infused with 42 Botanicals. Why 42? It's the answer to the meaning of life; that's why! Now you just need to know what the question is. Yep, confirmed Hitchhiker's Guide references. 

"Intensity: 6EQUJ5" is a reference to the WOW! Signal which was received in 1977 by Ohio State University's Big Ear radio telescope. The signal originated from the Sagittarius constellation and was believed to have all the hallmarks of intelligent origin. I was not able to identify any meaning with the recipe coordinates or observables flavor text. 

👃Nose: Very strong with lemon cream, kitchen soap, juniper, perfume, and maybe a touch of pine essence. There is quite a bit going on and I can easily believe there are 42 botanicals in this thing. 

😜Palate: After the punchy nose, I'll admit I was a bit timid with my first sip. It is fairly smooth on the palate with little heat and medium thickness, more syrupy than I would have thought for the proof. On your tongue, it absolutely oozes lemon. There is a good amount of sweetness and the trademark Chattanooga malted grain flavor can be found in the background. Beyond the significant Lemon, there is sort of a herbaceous buzz that I have a tough time separating into parts, but the experience is overall pleasing.   

💦Finish: A short swirl of lemon creme that fades away leaving a bit of sweet stickiness on your lips. 

🏆 Overall:  5.5/10 - Good, Interesting Flavors - For the neat rating, I'm scoring it as a bourbon rather than a cocktail component, see below for that breakdown. This is potentially the least bourbon-like bourn liquor I've tasted to date, but not necessarily in a bad way. Intergalactic Comet Crusher is somewhere between Limoncello and Gin.  I like it. I've always been a sucker for lemon/lime bouquet and this definitely delivers. There is little to no wood influence apart from perhaps a hit of vanilla in the creme notes, and the botanicals overshadow most of the mash bill components' malty flavors. As such, I believe the only major impact of using a bourbon instead of a neutral spirit is in the delightful smoothness on the palate. A little time in the wood seems to have really helped knock any edge off of the spirit. All-in-all, I'd take this over most gins and behind most bourbons for neat drinking. Most will find this one to be a clear love-it or hate-it.  

Used in a Cocktail - The Crusher Tonic

As a gin adjacent beverage, I'm throwing some in a gin and tonic:

  • 2oz Comet Crusher
  • 4oz Tonic Water
  • 1 Tablespoon of Lime Juice
Stirred heavily and put over ice in a lowball glass with lemon peel for garnish.  

🍸 Cocktail Rating:  8/10 - Excellent, The Weirdness Just Works - It really is similar to a more flavorful, delightfully lemony gin. I do much prefer it in a cocktail. There is just quite a lot going on in this bottle, and I think I may have been a bit overwhelmed neat. Unlocked with a little bit of tonic, Intergalactic Comet Crusher really shines. I can clearly make out clementine, anis, grape skin, and honeysuckle in addition to grandma's lemon meringue pie. I can't wait to try a regular highball with soda instead of tonic; think a little bit less sweetness will let more flavors shine through as well. 

💵Would buy again? Yes - I just poured another Crusher Tonic. I'm both amazed, confused, and happy all at the same time (I'll come back an update - don't worry). I'm don't typically drink cocktails, but might just have to start doing so with this bottle!

⚖️Rating Scale: 

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out 
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume it by choice. 
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws | Struggle to get through the bottle
4 | Serviceable | Mixing or ice recommended.
5 | Good | Drinkable Neat | An agreeable dram indeed.
6 | Very Good | Any flaws offset by interesting flavors | A cut above.
7 | Great | You find yourself reaching for this one often | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Serve to Impress Guests | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite | You guard this bottle jealously.
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