🥃Review #69: Mellow Corn Bottled-in-Bond Whiskey

Introduced in 1945 by the Medley Distilling Company in Owensboro, Kentucky. Mellow Corn was created to utilize excess corn stocks while catering to a palate that preferred a lighter, less tannic, spirit than popular bourbons of the the time. Heaven Hill acquired rights to the brand in its 1993 transaction with United Distiller's (now part of Diageo), also picking up a few other historic brands like Old Fitzgerald. Since then, Heaven Hill has done little to change the brand, keeping the original label design. Somewhat unexpectedly, this retro chic aesthetic has found a happy home in the internet subculture, eliciting a cult following. The popularity of "Mellow F-ing Corn" (MFC) really took off during the lockdowns of 2020 and seemed to be a reaction to the scarcity and hyper-premiumization of the whiskey and bourbon market around the same time. Though most of the initial hype has subsided, you can still find some fair activity on r/MellowCorn and similar whiskey forums. In the service industry, Mellow Corn also performs well, achieving "Bartender's Handshake" status for its utility in understated cocktails or as the perfect sidecar for boilermakers. It's cheap, it's mild, and it's available.

🛒Sourced: $18.99 Total Wine, GA 750ml - I also have a newer 1.75L that was 34.99 at Local Vine in Vinings, GA. The big ones are pretty hard to come by unless you just have a store that loves stocking them or want to order a case. Pretty much a 25% difference in cost per ml.

Mellow Corn Bottled-in-Bond Whiskey 1.75L with a banana for scale

Poof of both bottle sizes - 1.75L Above

🧪Proof: 100 proof, 50% ABV - per bottled-in-bond regulations

🎨Color: Y5 - It's pretty yella y'all, limited legs

🥔Mash Bill: 80% Corn, 8% Rye, 12% Malted Barley - The relatively high 12% malted barley is needed for enzymatic reasons, helping to free fermentable sugars from the starchy corn. Corn whiskey can be aged in used oak containers or uncharred new barrels and do not have an explicit age requirement (bonded whiskies like this one still must sit for four years). For economic reasons, Mellow Corn ages in used Heaven Hill barrels, typically those that held HH's regular bourbon previously. Mellow Corn uses the 80% corn minimum and is barreled at 125 proof. Heaven Hill uses this same mash bill for some other limited edition releases (see the Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 2023), but they only run corn whiskey distillate 8-10 days per year so it is a very small part of overall production.

👃Nose: A bit abrasive, wafts of hard candy confection, barnyard hay

😜Palate: Nutty and slightly sweet, light of body, fresh cornbread (the savory kind), a small bit of tingle on the tongue in the turn to the finish but otherwise quite smooth and easy-going. I get a bit of circus peanut banana flavor that comes and goes. Corn itself is pretty darn neutral flavor-wise, so I think we're getting a little bit rye in the tingle. Remainder of the flavor is understated.

💦Finish: A last flash of salted praline that is quite short. It's easy to take quite a big slug at once in which case you'll receive a pleasant belly warmth of solid duration.

🏆 Overall: 5.69420 - Very Nice - It's a unique bottle with a fun following in a product category ghost town. Mellow Corn delivers on its name as an unobtrusive, corn-nut delight. While most MFC fans likely have a good number of options on their shelves, it shines for its economy, simplicity, and reliability. I find myself passing up allegedly "better" bottles for it with alarming frequency. Every whiskey enjoyer should try it at least once, though don't expect it to dethrone your favorite barrel proof or limited edition release. Goes great in most cocktails featuring bourbon, vodka, or rum.

💵Would buy again? Without hesitation sir. From a value perspective, you're getting a four-year aged, 100-proof spirit for the price of Vodka. There simply isn't much around this price point with anywhere near the smoothness of this drinking experience.

⚖️Rating Scale:

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