Hudson Baby Bourbon Review: Buy or Bypass? A Tortured Bourbon Take on New York’s Most Famous Craft Whiskey
Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey
When most bourbon drinkers think of great whiskey, their minds immediately go to Kentucky. Brands like Old Forester, Wild Turkey, Buffalo Trace, and Heaven Hill have spent generations building reputations on tradition, consistency, and exceptional craftsmanship.
But what happens when a bourbon comes from somewhere completely different?
In this episode of Tortured Bourbon, we’re reviewing Hudson Baby Bourbon, one of the first craft bourbons to put New York whiskey on the national map. Long before craft distilling exploded across America, Hudson challenged the idea that great bourbon had to come from Kentucky.
Today, however, the bourbon landscape looks very different.
With hundreds of outstanding craft distilleries producing excellent whiskey, does Hudson Baby Bourbon still deserve its legendary reputation? Or has time passed it by?
That’s exactly what we set out to discover.
The Story Behind Hudson Baby Bourbon
Hudson Whiskey traces its roots to Tuthilltown Spirits, founded in New York’s Hudson Valley in 2003. At a time when American craft distilling was still in its infancy, Tuthilltown became one of the pioneers of the modern craft whiskey movement.
Hudson Baby Bourbon quickly became the distillery’s flagship bourbon and earned national attention as one of the first New York-made bourbons available across the country.
Unlike traditional Kentucky bourbons, Hudson embraced doing things differently.
Rather than following the familiar corn, rye, and malted barley recipe used by many legacy distilleries, Hudson produced Baby Bourbon using 100% New York-grown corn. That decision created a whiskey with a sweeter grain profile and a flavor unlike almost anything coming out of Kentucky.
To accelerate maturation, the whiskey was aged in small new charred American oak barrels instead of the standard 53-gallon barrels used throughout the bourbon industry. Smaller barrels expose more whiskey to fresh oak, increasing wood extraction at a much faster pace.
The result is a bourbon that developed its own identity—and one that continues to spark debate among whiskey enthusiasts.
Hudson Baby Bourbon Specs
Distillery: Hudson Whiskey (formerly Tuthilltown Spirits)
Location: Gardiner, New York
Classification: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Mash Bill: 100% New York-grown corn
Proof: 92 (46% ABV)
Age: Less than 4 years (original release)
Barrels: Small charred American oak barrels
MSRP: Approximately $45–60
Why Hudson Baby Bourbon Is So Polarizing
Few bourbons divide opinions quite like Hudson Baby Bourbon.
Supporters praise its originality and appreciate its role in launching the American craft whiskey movement.
Critics often point to the heavy oak influence created by the small barrels, along with a youthful profile that many feel lacks the balance found in similarly priced Kentucky bourbons.
Neither side is necessarily wrong.
Hudson doesn’t taste like Old Forester.
It doesn’t taste like Wild Turkey.
It doesn’t taste like Elijah Craig.
It’s attempting to be something entirely its own.
Whether that’s a positive depends on your expectations.
What We Look For in Every Bourbon
At Tortured Bourbon, we don’t care about hype, awards, or marketing.
Every bottle gets judged exactly the same way.
During this review we evaluate:
Nose
Palate
Mouthfeel
Finish
Balance
Overall value
Some legendary bottles disappoint.
Some inexpensive bottles completely surprise us.
That’s why every bourbon gets a fair shake.
Our Hudson Baby Bourbon Review
Going into this tasting, we honestly didn’t know what to expect.
Hudson has a passionate fan base, but it’s also become one of the more controversial craft bourbons on the market.
After spending time with the glass, one thing became clear.
This bourbon is…
okay.
Not terrible.
Not offensive.
Not something we’d rush out to buy again.
There are certainly enjoyable notes throughout the pour, and you can appreciate the uniqueness of the 100% corn mash bill. But when compared to the incredible selection of bourbons available around the same price point, Hudson struggles to separate itself.
For us, this wasn’t a drain pour.
It also wasn’t a bottle we’d enthusiastically recommend to friends looking for their next bourbon purchase.
Sometimes “okay” is exactly what a whiskey is.
And that’s perfectly fair.
Buy or Bypass?
That’s the question we ask throughout this episode.
Is Hudson Baby Bourbon worth experiencing because of its history?
Absolutely.
Would we choose it over many similarly priced Kentucky bourbons?
You’ll have to watch the episode to hear our complete tasting notes, our official ranking, and where Hudson ultimately lands on the Tortured Bourbon scale—from Piddlin’ all the way to Cock of the Walk.
Final Thoughts
Hudson Baby Bourbon deserves recognition for helping establish New York as a serious whiskey-producing state. Without pioneers like Hudson, today’s thriving American craft bourbon scene might look very different.
But history alone doesn’t earn a permanent place on your shelf.
In the end, every bourbon has to answer one simple question:
Would you buy another bottle?
Join us as we put Hudson Baby Bourbon to the test and decide whether this historic craft bourbon is worth your hard-earned money.
If you’ve tried Hudson Baby Bourbon, let us know your thoughts in the comments. Did you love it? Hate it? Or did you land exactly where we did?
As always…
We suffer through bourbon so you don’t have to. 🥃
