Tag: Whisky (Page 2 of 7)

Press Release: Buffalo Trace Distillery Announces Experimental 12-Year-Old Wheated Bourbon Release

April 23, 2020 / BSG / 0 Comments

For the first experimental collection release for 2020: Wheated Bourbon Aged Four Years, Cut with Water, Aged Eight More Years. You can read the full press release from Buffalo Trace Distillery below.

Images courtesy of Buffalo Trace Distillery

FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY(April 23, 2020) Buffalo Trace Distillery is releasing its first experimental whiskey for 2020, a wheat recipe bourbon aged for four years, cut with water, then re-barreled and left to age for another eight years.

The barrel, filled with Buffalo Trace’s wheat mash recipe and entered into the barrel at 114 proof, was put away to age in one new barrel on Dec. 10, 2007. After four years of aging in Warehouse C the barrel was removed, the bourbon was cut with water to lower it down to 100 proof, and then put back into the same barrel and left to age another eight years in the same warehouse.

Although unusual to interrupt the aging process, the distilling team at Buffalo Trace is pleased with the results. “We’ve always known water was a necessary component in making whiskey,” stated Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley. “This experiment helped us to understand how important a role water actually plays in whiskey production. The result of this experiment led us to a bourbon that is actually one of my favorite experiments.”

Wheatley describes this bourbon as having a “nose that is sweet and floral, with notes of oak, vanilla, and a bit of leather. There’s a really smooth creamy mouthfeel here. The taste is a pleasing balance of butterscotch, honey, and wood with a crisp finish.”

This is the 23^rd experimental release from Buffalo Trace Distillery, having started with its first experimental release in 2006. In total, there are more than 25,000 experimental barrels of whiskey aging in the warehouses of Buffalo Trace Distillery, the largest number of experimental barrels ever held in inventory at the National Historic Landmark Distillery, and most likely the world. Each experimental barrel has unique characteristics that differentiate them in distinct ways. Some examples of experiments include unique mash bills, types of wood, and different barrel toasts. Buffalo Trace also has an experimental warehouse, Warehouse X, which is designed to explore the extent of environmental influences on the flavor profiles of whiskey.

The Experimental Collection is packaged in 375ml bottles, and each label includes all the pertinent information unique to that barrel of whiskey. These whiskeys retail for approximately $46.99 each and will be available in May. Experimental Collection releases are generally quite small and have limited availability.

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BSG Review: Willett 4-Year-Old Family Estate Bottled Small Batch Rye

March 5, 2020 / BSG / 0 Comments

Distilled By: The Willett Distillery, Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (KBD)

Location: Bardstown, KY

Parent Company: N/A

Class: Straight Rye Whiskey

Proof: 106.2 (53.1% ABV)

Age: 4 years

Mash bill: Barely Legal Rye (thought to be 51% Rye, 34% Corn, 15% Malted Barley)

This Willett Family Estate Bottled Small Batch 4-Year-Old Straight Rye Whiskey is a continuation of Willett’s own product that has been coming out with a new older variant each year since the 2-year-old was released in the summer of 2014.

BSG REVIEW:

Color: Amber

Nose: Black pepper, cinnamon, oak, vanilla, orange zest

Palate: Black pepper, orange, blackberry, cinnamon

Finish: Dry, cinnamon, orange zest, oak

This 4-year Willett is a rye that didn’t disappoint. The nose started things off with some black pepper and cinnamon that eventually gave way to that familiar oak and vanilla before uncovering a citrus note that presented as orange zest. The taste kept the black pepper and orange notes alive right up front. Then, it veered off of the citrus note and came across the mid-palate with blackberries and cinnamon. The finish dried up with the cinnamon, orange zest and oak notes sticking around all the way through a mild Kentucky hug. If you are a fan of barely legal rye whiskies, I definitely recommend that you give this one a try.

BSG Score: 90/100

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Press Release: Buffalo Trace Distillery Announces Blanton’s Gold will be Available in the U.S.

February 27, 2020 / BSG / 0 Comments

I’ll admit, when I received the press release from Buffalo Trace today, I felt a little excited and a little apprehensive about what I was about to read after the headline. You see, Blanton’s Gold has been one of those export-only bourbons that I keep on my list of bottles to seek out when I travel abroad. For the past several years I almost always find it in a bar, if not in a liquor store, every time I visit Japan. I now have an affinity for the 100-plus proof bourbon category, and Blanton’s Gold was a nice treat to be able to pickup when I am outside of the U.S.

Though, I am excited at the chance that I may be able to have an occasional pour of Blanton’s Gold at a bar inside the U.S. in the future, I hold almost no hope for being able to find a bottle for purchase on the shelf in my market. With it being a once per year, very limited release, I’m going to say this release will definitely become one of those bottles that gets lumped in with the annual BTAC raffles selling at higher than the SRP of $120 for the foreseeable future. I only hope that I continue to have good luck in finding this treat of a bottle in the export market during any future travels abroad. Keep your eyes peeled when this one comes out, maybe you’ll get lucky and have the chance to grab a bottle yourself. You can read the full press release from Buffalo Trace Distillery below.

FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY (Feb 27, 2020) Fans of Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon have long asked for the Gold Edition to be available in the United States. This summer those bourbon lovers will get their wish. Available as a limited release in 2020, Blanton’s Gold will be released once every year in the U.S.

This is the first time the Blanton’s Gold Edition has been made available in the U.S. Previously the only version of the Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon available to fans stateside was the Original Single Barrel, bottled at 93 proof. While Blanton’s Original will still be available, the Gold Edition is now joining the ranks.

“We’ve seen Blanton’s soar in popularity over the last few years, and fans have asked us for the Gold version in the U.S. too,” said Kris Comstock, senior marketing director. “We’re thrilled to fulfill their requests this summer.”

The 103 proof Blanton’s Gold Edition is the same recipe as Blanton’s Original, but the proof is greater. The bottle showcases a horse and jockey atop its stopper, in various poses to mimic running a horse race. The eight different horse and jockey stoppers feature a letter that collectors save to spell out the brand name “B-L-A-N-T-O-N-S.” The horse and jockey on the Gold Edition is gold in color.

Tasting notes for Blanton’s Gold describe it as having a nose marked by honey, heavy rye, dried fruits, vanilla, and chocolate. The taste is described as full and rich, marked by apricot, butter, pepper, light honey, and oak. The finish has been called long, with toffee and apple, developing on pecan and caramel.

Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon is the world’s first single barrel bourbon, created in 1984 by Elmer T. Lee. Named after former distillery president Colonel Albert B. Blanton, Elmer recalled how Colonel Blanton would handpick “honey barrels” from the center cut of Warehouse H for the many parties Blanton held. Many years later, the Distillery called upon Elmer to create a new bourbon in 1984 and Blanton’s was born – the world’s first single barrel bourbon.

Today, Blanton’s Single Barrel has become one of the most revered and award-winning bourbons on the market. The Blanton’s Gold Edition was the second version created, after the Original 93 proof. Gold will be available in the U.S. on a very limited basis for a suggested retail price of $120. For more information on Blanton’s Gold Edition visit www.blantonsbourbon.com.

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BSG Review: J.W. Dant Bottled in Bond Bourbon

February 12, 2020 / BSG / 0 Comments

Distilled By: Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc.

Location: Distilled in Louisville, KY; Bottled in Bardstown, KY

Parent Company: N/A

Class: KY Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Proof: 100 (50% ABV)

Age: NAS (at least 4 years)

Mash bill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley

J.W. Dant bottled in bond bourbon is named after Joseph W. Dant, who started distilling at the age of 16 the mid-1830’s. The Dant family has a long history of distilling, however, the J.W. Dant brand name was sold to Heaven Hill in the 1990’s. Joseph started out distilling using two halves of a hollowed out log that was filled with fermenting mash and had copper steam pipes running through the log to start the distillation process. This family history has inspired Joseph’s great-great-grandson J.W. “Wally” Dant to announce in the Summer of 2019 his purchase of 220 acres to build Log Still Distillery on the old property that was most recently home of Gethsemane Distillery (shut down in 1961). Due to Heaven Hill’s J.W. Dant brand name ownership, his name isn’t expected to ever show up on a bottle produced by the new Dant family distillery.

BSG REVIEW:

Color: Amber

Nose: Heavy oak, sweet corn, citrus zest, hint of banana

Palate: Caramel, corn, heavy oak

Finish: Long, black pepper, oak, slightly medicinal

J.W. Dant is a budget-friendly offering coming in around $15 for most consumers. It starts with a nose that is heavy on the oak with some sweet corn trying to come through. There is some citrus zest and a hint of banana as well once the big oak aroma passes. The taste brings some caramel and corn flavors but still with that big punch of oak dominating the palate over everything. This bourbon finishes pretty long with some black pepper spice to go along with all that oak. I did pick up a slight medicinal note that pops out at the very end that could be off-putting for some people. Though I find this bottle to be a decent everyday budget bourbon offering, I do believe I would give the edge to another comparable Heaven Hill product, Evan Williams Bottled in Bond (White Label).

BSG Score: 78/100

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How can you afford to try so many whiskeys?

January 30, 2020 / BSG / 0 Comments

There are a few questions I frequently get when someone finds out how many bottles of whiskey I keep in my bar inventory. I don’t own near as many bottles as what I see pictured in the collections showing up everyday in my Instagram feed, but over the past several years I have acquired quite a few more than most in my circle of friends and coworkers. Now, before I get to answering the question of the day, let me give a quick explanation of how I classify the three types of bottles that are in my possession at any given time.

My bar is constantly evolving and though some bottles end up being a one and done, others have taken up permanent residency getting replaced as soon as a bottle is killed. Now, the first rule I hold myself to when buying a new bottle is that nothing in my collection is immune to having the cork popped or screw cap cracked. However, there is one more tier in the classifications I assign in my head when I open a new bottle: the extended stay guest. This will come into play as a major factor when answering the question at hand in the title of this post.

My Primary Bottle Classifications:

One and Done
Permanent Resident
Extended Stay Guest

When you love trying all the new things, one thing is for sure, FOMO (fear of missing out) is very real. It would be easy to go way overboard with the spending when, in today’s booming whiskey market, there is constantly something new being released. We have more whiskey options to choose from now, both limited and new regular releases, than I could ever hope to be able to try in any given year. So, what can I do to give myself more opportunities to taste the stuff I can’t possibly afford the time nor money to constantly hunt and buy all year long? Cue the extended stay guests in my collection.

I take Buffalo Trace’s beloved Freddie Johnson’s words to heart that good whiskey is meant to be shared with family and friends. His words have had a lasting impact on how I manage my desire to chase bottles and deal with the FOMO. When I talk to friends and coworkers about whiskey, which is quite frequently now that most of them know about my love of tasting and reviewing every whiskey (especially bourbon) I can get my hands on, I frequently end up offering to give them a pour of something special they haven’t tried yet from my bottles of “extended stay guests.”

I started keeping a box of capped 2 ounce glass bottles on the shelf with my bar glassware. They only cost me $11.99 for a box of 12 glass bottles with caps from Amazon. These glass bottles are perfect for sampling out whiskey that can’t be shared in person. I never expect to get these bottles back, and at $1.00 per bottle the cost is insignificant. I’ll spend that any day to experience the bonds of friendship that sharing whiskey has afforded me over the years. However, more times than not, the gift of a shared pour has resulted in a reciprocal gesture. This, in turn means that I’m not replacing sample bottles as often and reveals the answer to the original question: How can you afford to try so many whiskeys?

The more people that learn this lesson from Freddie, rather than clinging to their allocated bottle flipping mindset, the better off our whiskey community will be. Outrageous secondary prices will begin to fade and more enthusiasts will have had the opportunity to try their unicorn whiskey. Open your bottles and quit being greedy with your “investment” purchases of allocated and hard to find bottles. You will be happier in the long run when you begin to realize the lasting bonds and memories that can be gained from sharing good whiskey with family and friends. Cheers!

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Tag: Whisky (Page 2 of 7)

Press Release: Buffalo Trace Distillery Announces Experimental 12-Year-Old Wheated Bourbon Release

BSG Review: Willett 4-Year-Old Family Estate Bottled Small Batch Rye

BSG REVIEW:

Press Release: Buffalo Trace Distillery Announces Blanton’s Gold will be Available in the U.S.

BSG Review: J.W. Dant Bottled in Bond Bourbon

BSG REVIEW:

How can you afford to try so many whiskeys?

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