A conversation with Investment Whiskey founder Mike Steinkamp

The name on the label is apt. Investment Whiskey founder Mike Steinkamp is a financial advisor whose interest in whiskey and bourbon recently grew into a new business. After attending Moonshine University in Louisville, Kentucky, Steinkamp partnered with Royce Neeley from Neeley Family Distillery to help choose barrels for Steinkamp to taste before selecting whiskeys for additional aging in specific casks. It’s that mix—for instance, in the case of Investment Whiskey’s initial release last year, a whiskey aged five years and then kept in a port wine cask for 10 weeks—that creates a memorable, limited-release flavor. (The brand’s two initial releases, port- and Madeira-finished options, can be found at ABV Barrel Shop for $150 each.)

What sets Investment Whiskey apart from other finished whiskeys on the market? We source from craft distillers. Neeley Family Distillery makes two barrels of whiskey per day. Each of those barrels is very important to their reputation and livelihood. Most sourced brands choose their barrels based on age, price, or mash bill. We select our barrels based on taste. I don’t want to know anything about the barrel when I’m tasting them. We want the finishing barrel to complement the great whiskey we add to it. This requires multiple tastings during its time in the barrel to ensure the perfect balance. In the end, we make whiskey that we like… If all else fails, I’ll have whiskey that I love for a long, long time!

What inspired the decision to finish the whiskey in port barrels for that initial release? I’ve enjoyed other port finishes in the past. I wanted to create something similar using craft distilling techniques in a single-barrel, cask-strength version. One of our goals at Investment Whiskey is to complement great barrels of whiskey with finishing. We do not want the finish to take over the nose or palette. We taste the whiskey during the finishing process several times to be certain that the finish doesn’t overpower the whiskey. The nose is sweet vanilla, raisin, and toffee with stone fruit, tobacco, leather, and grains on the front of the palate. Herbal and citrus form in the center of the palate, and the finish has notes of honey, lemon, and a hint of port wine.

For the second release, how does the influence of Madeira barrels differ from that of port barrels in shaping the whiskey’s taste and complexity? Every series is a different single barrel. I love the variety and nuance that single-barrel offerings give our brand. It also means that we will never be able to re-create a release. Once it’s gone, it is gone. That’s my long way of saying that it’s hard to isolate the impact that the Madeira cask had on the finished product, because we’re comparing two different starting products. In general, though, I would say that Madeira is a little more complex: The nose is spiced pear and apple, with crisp Granny Smith apples on the front of the palate. Bubble gum and rum form in the center of the palate, and the finish has notes of peppery spice and madeira wine.

Are there plans for further experimental finishes or releases? Definitely—we plan on having a release every three to four months. We have a plan for next year, but barrel availability may cause us to pivot a little. While I won’t give away any of the anticipated finishes, I can tell you that we’re committed to making finished whiskey that we like in cask-strength single barrels.