As far as we now are into the modern brown liquor boom, it can be safely assumed that quite a lot of whiskey drinkers have a good grasp on what a term like “bourbon” means, when they see it on a label. They know that word implies a spirit that was distilled from a mash of at least 51% corn, and they know it was aged in newly charred oak. Additional labels, like “straight” bourbon go on to imply other markers of relative quality—in that case, that a bourbon has been aged in oak for at least two years. These are the dependable crutches of the industry—words imbued with meaning that all can understand.
The industry, though, is changing. There are pushes happening in many directions at once, whether it’s “zero-ABV,” non-alcoholic spirit replacements that mimic the flavor profile of popular spirits (most of them terrible), or low-ABV aperitifs such as the surprisingly tasty Haus, which chooses not to mimic but instead markets itself as a replacement for higher-proof spirits that contains many of the same flavor notes.
And then there’s Glyph Molecular Whiskey, which is something else entirely. The product of a company called Endless West, this is an admittedly very creative and rather daring attempt to entirely eschew the processes we associate with whiskey making to make a legitimate-tasting spirit entirely with chemistry, rather than established dogma. Which is to say: This “whiskey” (it can still call itself that, as a grain spirit) is not aged, and never comes into contact with any oak, but is still meant to taste as if it had done exactly that. This is the root of the description as molecular whiskey—the company is claiming to produce its product “from the molecule up,” leaning on molecular chemistry to achieve the flavor profile of wood-aged whiskey without either wood or age. As a result, the label bears the words “spirit whiskey with natural flavors.” Here’s how the distillery describes it:
Whiskeys owe their flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel to hundreds, sometimes thousands, of molecules that develop during distillation and barrel aging. These are the building blocks of all spirits. To make Glyph, we source these molecules directly from plants and yeasts, rather than obtaining them through distilling and aging. By using the same building blocks as conventional distillers, we create fine spirits through a process we’ve developed called note-by-note production. Our process is different, but our commitment to quality rivals the best in the business. Each component is meticulously tested for purity. Glyph is biochemically equivalent to the finest aged whiskies.
Now, it’s easy to imagine that the reaction of many whiskey geeks here would be to immediately snark, and assume this is simply a cost-saving measure, but considering Glyph’s $40 MSRP, they’re aiming for the middle-shelf in terms of comparisons at the very least. So too is the brand quick to point out the more sustainable, less resource-driven nature of what they’re creating, saying “significantly less wood, water and land is used in its production process,” as opposed to yet another microdistillery making bourbon in newly crafted barrels from the cooperage. Theoretically, there are upsides here, but the liquid in the bottle still has to measure up in terms of the actual drinking experience, even if you have a piece of paper saying it’s “biochemically equivalent.”