The British Bourbon Society was proud to announce the winners of our inaugural Awards at BBS’ First Anniversary Celebrations on 22 April 2017. We received a huge number of votes from BBS members and the results really speak for themselves. Congrat…
The British Bourbon Society was proud to announce the winners of our inaugural Awards at BBS' First Anniversary Celebrations on 22 April 2017. We received a huge number of votes from BBS members and the results really speak for themselves. Congratulations to all of the 2017 Award winners!
Best Bourbon:
Honourable Mention: Rebel Yell 10 Year Old Single Barrel
Best Rye:
Best Barrel Proof:
Best Allocated Release:
Honourable Mention: Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 15 Year Old (2016)
Words by: The BourbonatorThe BBS train has offered up a wild ride over the past twelve months with more highlights than the Orient Express and a promise of even more beautiful vistas to come. We could think of no better way to celebrate our one year an…
The BBS train has offered up a wild ride over the past twelve months with more highlights than the Orient Express and a promise of even more beautiful vistas to come. We could think of no better way to celebrate our one year anniversary than with a monumental opus of a bourbon tasting at Milroys of Soho, the filling station where it all began, to be held on Saturday 22 April 2017.
Our first anniversary tasting attempted to answer a question posed by many, “was bourbon better back then?” In preparation for the answer, we were able to source the question with a number of old bottles from Old Spirits Co. to pit against their modern day equivalents for a side by side tasting in a battle of ‘Old vs New’. The bottles entering the Thunderdome were:
Four Roses Yellow Label 1970’s VS Four Roses Yellow Label 2017
Evan Williams Black Label 1974 VS Evan Williams Black Label 2017
Wild Turkey 8 Year Old 101 1970’s –Wild Turkey 101 2017
Blantons Single Barrel 1988 – Blantons Single Barrel 2016
Old Taylor BiB 100 proof 1960 and Old Taylor 86 Proof 1984
In our quest for the truth, we were joined by over 25 BBS members as well as representatives of the European Bourbon and Rye Association, over from Zurich for the weekend on the return leg of our ‘bourbon cultural exchange program’. It's fair to say that the EBRA team had tasted more than their fair share of American whiskey and had a well-informed opinion on all things whisky. Whilst we all dream of driving that DeLorean on a whiskey shopping trip to 1984, their heaving bunkers are proof that they’d gotten there first!
Two by two, the whiskies were introduced and poured for the room to get their palates around with a show of hands determining which was preferred. Whilst it was not unanimous, the majority voted in favour of ‘old’, which did not come as a surprise to me. My dice might have been loaded from the start with the knowledge that older bourbons from the 1960s and 1970s are generally accepted to have been some of the best ever produced although it was interesting to see that, with the benefit of tasting side by side, this was a view supported by the majority of the room.
What made bourbon better back then? This is still very much up for debate as over the years mash bills have changed, distilleries have closed (or burnt down), processes have become more industrialised, climate change has had an affect on water, wood and ageing and of course, time in the barrel all could have contributed to the taste that seems impossible to replicate in the whiskies of today. What is agreed is that due to the glut era, where supply outstripped demand by some margin, entry level bourbons most likely contained well aged stock over and above even the statement on the label. Today, with demand as high as it is, age statements are being removed from labels to ensure that distilleries are only obliged to bottle at the minimum 2 (or 4 years if a straight bourbon) which is most likely the contributing factor in the difference in quality. To be clear, it does not mean that the product today isn’t good, I would not have the obsession I have if it wasn’t, just that the product, from a taste perspective back then was on average nicer to drink.
With the tasting concluded, it was time to deliver the first annual British Bourbon Society awards, given to BBS's favourite whiskies, retailers and bars as voted for by our members. We'll have a post on our blog about that very soon but, if you can't wait, check our twitter or Instagram pages for the deserving winners that we were privileged to honour.
Words by @JordanHarperIf you could only have 10 bottles of (American) whiskey in your home bar, what would they be?One of my favourite wine bars in London — 10 Cases — has a brilliant but simple premise: they only ever have 10 cases of each of their 10…
If you could only have 10 bottles of (American) whiskey in your home bar, what would they be?
One of my favourite wine bars in London — 10 Cases — has a brilliant but simple premise: they only ever have 10 cases of each of their 10 red and 10 white wines for sale. When they sell out of one, they replace it with 10 cases of a completely new wine. As someone who has always favoured constantly enjoying new experiences over the comfort of a ‘favourite drink’, this approach appeals to me.
As a fan of American whiskey in all its forms, I have some fifty bottles of bourbon, rye and ‘other’ whiskey from the USA in my drinks cabinet, and it’s getting unwieldy, not to mention stifling me with the paradox of choice. What would happen if I took the 10 Cases approach and shrank it down to just 10 bottles? Not necessarily whittling down to the rarest or most expensive, nor trying to compile a comprehensive ‘lesson’ in American whiskey, but the ones I’d buy if I were building a collection right now (April 2017).
As an added constraint (and to make it more than just a vanity project), I’m going to try and conjure up a list of 10 whiskies available right now in the UK for a total price of £500 or less for a ’10 Cases’ refresh of my imaginary home bar.
Note: prices have been rounded-up in some cases for brevity, are subject to change based on availability and (apart from number 7) are generally available from all good whiskey specialists.
A long, long, long time favourite of mine. Probably the whiskey that got me into American spirit in the first place many years ago. Full bodied, sweet, charred oak, vanilla, toffee, a little bit of spice; the very epitome of what makes whiskey from the US unique. At 47% ABV you’re getting some serious bang for your buck, too — this is the biggest bargain in the bourbon world for me and is incredibly versatile.
Get it while you can though, it’s been discontinued in the US (to be replaced ‘Elijah Craig small batch’, no age-statement) but for now is still widely available in the UK.
Drink: When you just need a big old glass of chewy barrel juice.
The resurrected Michter’s distillery make some seriously good juice, but none of it matches the bang-for-your-buck of their barrel strength rye. This stuff is a phenomenal example of what rye whiskey brings to the table and I can’t get enough of it. Spicy, but full of caramel and vanilla notes, a touch of orange and cherry and a huge finish.
It’s a little tricky to get a hold of as it’s a limited release, but their regular single barrel rye (42.4%, £55 from Milroy’s) is a more than adequate replacement if you can’t find it. There’s probably only one rye I’d take to my desert island over this one, but that‘s not exactly easy to get hold of.
Drink: When your palate is feeling adventurous and like you deserve something special.
Wild Turkey, 56.4% (barrel strength, varies per batch)
I find Wild Turkey whiskey has one of the most distinctive flavour profiles in the bourbon world. A high rye mashbill, low barrel entry proof (like Michter’s) and a real talent for consistency means that you’re always getting a smooth, butterscotch, vanilla, maple, cinnamon and ever so slightly spicy whiskey when you buy WT – and their Rare Breed is a fine example of what they do so well, blending a mix of 6–12 year old whiskies to create their signature flavour.
If you wanted to save £20, Wild Turkey 101 is an only slightly diluted version of their barrel strength expression (50.5% ABV), keeping all of the classic WT flavours but with slightly less body and mouthfeel.
Drink: After a hard day at work and you want something spicy and punchy to knock some sense into yourself.
Less than £40 for a ten year old bourbon is something not to be sniffed at, and when that whiskey comes from Buffalo Trace — where over 200 years of distilling expertise produces some of the best and most sought after whiskies in the country — then it’s a no-brainer.
Eagle Rare 10, like Elijah Craig 12, is a classic example of Kentucky bourbon — rich and full bodied, full of maple syrup, orange peel, oak and vanilla — and is my go to bottle when I’m too tired to scan my cabinet and just want a glass of something I’m going to enjoy. They also have a lively single-barrel program (with Single Barrel selections available in BrewDog and The Cocktail Trading Company in London), which without fail I’ve always enjoyed even more than the off the shelf juice.
Drink: When you’re feeling content, and need a nice, straightforward dram to see the night off.
5. Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond Straight Rye (£35, Nickolls & Perks)
Heaven Hill, 50%
If Elijah Craig was the whiskey that piqued my interest in American spirits, it was Rittenhouse that made me realise why rye whiskey was very much the spirit of America (pre-prohibition).
There’s not a lot of subtlety to Rittenhouse 100, for £35 you get a big spicy rye punch, full of cloves and a hint of citrus. So full bodied and packed with oak and vanilla it’s like a mouthful of bourbon-soaked peppercorns. Pretty much the Elijah Craig of rye whiskies – almost improbably great value and there aren’t many ryes better at twice the price in this author’s opinion.
Drink: when you fancy a manhattan, or just being warmed into a night of excess.
Ahh, foam bananas doused in whiskey and set alight! Four Roses limited edition bourbons have become extremely sought after, and their method of blending up to ten recipes (5 yeasts, 2 mash bills) is now somewhat legendary. Given all that geekery, it’s easy to forget that at the more available and affordable end of the scale, with their Small Batch (and Single Barrel) offerings, you can pick up pretty much the same flavours but at a fraction of the price.
FRSmB is a blend of four of the ten ‘recipes’ (details here) to create a smooth, rye heavy but incredibly sophisticated and well rounded bourbon that’s quite savory — think honey on toast (and the aforementioned foam bananas doused in whiskey). It’s the John Lennon to Elijah Craig’s Paul McCartney.
Drink: When you’re feeling like something a little different, or want to show your friends that not all bourbons are created equal.
I’m a huge fan of FEW Spirits. For a young distillery, it’s genuinely remarkable how much depth and flavour Paul Hletko and his team are getting out of their barrels. I’m beginning to think that they’re concealing a time machine on the shores of Lake Michigan somewhere.
FEW’s regular Bourbon and Rye offerings are pretty great, but this very limited release to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of Chicago institution Delilahs really is something else. My first attempt at tasting notes were that it tasted like dark chocolate digestive biscuits and spiced toffee. It’s absolutely delicious and super-limited, but if I was restocking the bar now, I’d be making sure I grabbed one of these before they’re all gone.
Drink: When you’ve switched the Jazz for Blues and are seriously considering polishing off an entire bottle.
Blanton’s is a funny old beast. For the most part, every whiskey on this list is cheaper and more easily available in the US. Blanton’s have a very unusual distribution arrangement: thanks to the brand being owned by Age International (but distilled by Buffalo Trace) and being Big in Japan, they are focused heavily on the export market.
As such, bottles like Blanton’s Gold (and their Straight From the Barrel release) are almost impossible to get a hold of in the US — and when they are available are generally more expensive than buying them abroad — so for once, it pays to be a bourbon fan outside of America!
Essentially, Blanton’s Gold Edition is just an extra selective version of their Single Barrel release (widely available everywhere). It’s a lot drier and more tannic than a lot of other bourbons, but packs a HUGE oaky punch as a result. Along with a ton of vanilla and toffee, and a richness that’s almost overwhelming. This is a last drink of the night kind of bourbon, but it really is pretty great.
Drink: When you just need that one last hit before bedtime.
A crisp and spicy New Orleans style rye, a little more subtle and aromatic than Rittenhouse, unsurprisingly a great choice if you’re making a Sazerac cocktail.
You could argue that you only really need one of this or Rittenhouse in your line-up, but I think having them both here really highlights the versatility of this style of spirit.
Drink: When you’re making pre-prohibition cocktails, or fancy something spicy but gentle on your tastebuds.
And finally, something a little bit different. High West’s double rye is a blend of a sweet 16-year-old 53% rye whiskey from the Barton distillery and a much fresher and spicier 2-year-old 95% MGP rye. This results in a delicious blend of old and new: with oak and age bringing a bit of sophistication to a more vibrant younger whiskey.
It’s a great example of the interesting stuff happening in the US and a great value dram to have in your cabinet. It’s not always easily available, so grab a bottle while you can.
Drink: When you fancy appreciating the spirit of American adventure and rebelling against the age-statement chasing fanboys (and girls).
That’s it! In summary, then ten bottles you’d find hitting my shelf first if the burglars robbed my spirits cabinet blind, are:
Elijah Craig 12 (£32)
Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye (£85)
Wild Turkey Rare Breed (£52)
Eagle Rare 10 (£37)
Rittenhouse BiB Straight Rye (£36)
Four Roses Small Batch (£33)
FEW Delilah’s 23rd Anniversary (£62.50)
Blanton’s Gold Edition (£65)
Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey (£45)
High West Double Rye (£43)
That’s just under £500 for four ryes, four bourbons and one brilliant blend – if I never had to drink an American spirit outside of that selection again, I’d still spend the rest of my days drinking some really great whiskey.
Understand it’s been some time since I’ve posted and truth is, I got lazy for a while. A friend and fellow whiskey enthusiast passed away the afternoon of April 8th. He wasn’t old and had not been feeling ill. It was just one of those …
Understand it's been some time since I've posted and truth is, I got lazy for a while.
A friend and fellow whiskey enthusiast passed away the afternoon of April 8th. He wasn't old and had not been feeling ill. It was just one of those things that happens and then you're gone. The reasons for his passing are to this day still unclear. His family understandably is deeply saddened by the loss of a husband and father.
Tim was only 49 years young and had a passion for life and the things of life. My introduction to the fabled and rare Port Ellen Scotch was through the generosity of Tim. When I had trouble sourcing a hard to find Japanese whiskey, Tim again helped out. And when he was excited about a release of a 19 year old Caperdonach Scotch, Tim shared by sending bottles. It wasn't just whiskey that he freely shared but his passion for his family and work. All you have to do is peruse his Facebook page and see loads of pictures of his wife and two kids.
His passing has left a hole for many of his friends and of course his family. Too often we take for granted those that are around us only to realize when a person we care about is gone, the time was too short and regret sets in on missed opportunities of fellowship.
A group I head up, 1789b is still in a bit of shock over Tim's passing as he was one of our own. In our own way we desperately want to help the family and as such we will be conducting some charity auctions and donating the proceeds to the Davis children's 529 Education Fund.
We are partnering with Tim's employer Rockfish Innovation Group and Pappy & Co. who have graciously donated bourbon and Pappy Van Winkle Cigars.
If you knew Tim or simply want to know more, I encourage you to read some recent words from folks who knew Tim best.
It took me far too long to get there, but I finally paid a visit to the St. Augustine Distillery in, surprise, St. Augustine, Florida. Purported to be the first bourbon distilled, aged, and bottled in Florida, it seems almost too fortuitous that they waited for me to move to Florida to put some in…
It took me far too long to get there, but I finally paid a visit to the St. Augustine Distillery in, surprise, St. Augustine, Florida. Purported to be the first bourbon distilled, aged, and bottled in Florida, it seems almost too fortuitous that they waited for me to move to Florida to put some in a bottle. I started my afternoon with the free tour available to everyone before having a great sit down conversation with the CEO, Philip McDaniel, so we’ll start there.
The first thing you notice about the distillery is the amazing location. The whole operation, aside from some aging facilities, resides in the first commercial ice plant in the state of Florida. Opened in 1917, this was a crucial service providing the seafood and produce industries with ice need to ship their wares across the southeast. The building itself has a very appealing historic look and the restoration fits right in with that aesthetic. The waiting room has a series of informational displays about the history of the building as well as a great deal of space devoted to their relationships with local farmers. They clearly pride themselves on using anything they can from local, small famers, and utilize small businesses when they have to go outside of Florida.
After a brief wait, we were escorted into a video presentation room. Oh great, another video. I waited with baited breath for the Florida equivalent of the disappearing Indian in Buffalo Trace’s epically sappy intro. Oh glorious day, they didn’t actually show a video! Instead a very cheerful tour guide gave some history and introduced us as “workers”, complete with workplace safety rules. The company takes a great deal of pride in the creation of jobs in the area, so this was actually a nice touch. What came next was interesting. The crowd cheered at every mention of alcohol, and was significantly more interested in ethanol itself rather than the forms it came in. Being used to the Bourbon Trail, I have come to expect throngs of whiskey nerds wanting to drink every last drop of knowledge they can about differences in distillation, mash bills, aging practices, and the like. This crowd was obviously here to drink. And the more I paid attention, reminded me more of a cruise ship shore expedition than whiskey travelers.
The tour itself was remarkably brief with little detail, but this is exactly what the crowd wanted. These were tourists who happened to come to a distillery. In a move of pure genius by St. Augustine, the tour was about 15 minutes of going through the facility and then another 20 minutes of instruction on how to mix cocktails with their various spirits, complete with a taste of each. Samples of the straight spirits were never served. By the end of the tour, you got to try 4 cocktails, all of which had branded mixers available for sale so you can do it at home. As much as it pained me to try 3 cocktails made with clear spirits, I played along, and you know what, they weren’t bad. I found out later that they have a nearly 50% conversion rate to sales from the tour, which is remarkable. They’ve figured out their audience and played directly to it; I can’t argue with that.
It was at this point I broke away from the tour and went to talk with Philip, the co-founder and CEO. His passion for supporting the local community was instantly apparent, and this permeates every aspect of the operation. The building itself had been completely run down, and he worked with a group of local families who wanted to restore it and bring additional jobs to the area. They work with Florida farmers and companies whenever possible, and when sourcing other materials, such as barrels, they choose companies which are independently owned, like Kelvin Cooperage in Louisville. Everything they use is produced entirely in the United States, even the bottles. They have an interesting zero waste water system in production that recycles the water within their steam heating system. Sustainability, a focus on the local community, and job creation are the pillars of their operation.
The bourbon itself is interesting in many ways. Philip says he was inspired by Stranhan’s in Colorado and Maker’s Mark, and he wanted to create a spirit somewhere in the middle. This resulted in the first high barley bourbon recipe I have ever seen: 60% corn, 22% barley, and 18% red winter wheat. The barreling process was also unique, and partly due to unexpected results. The Double Barrel bourbon was originally in a 25 gallon barrel for 16-18 months. Soon it became clear that the small barrel and the Florida heat were making what would become black barrel tea. With advice from Dave Pickerell, formerly of Maker’s Mark, they put the young bourbon into used 53 gallon barrels for about another year. While technically this sounds to me like a bourbon barrel finished bourbon, Philip was confident that using the younger age statement makes the labeling correct. We here at BOTB are sticklers for semantics in bourbon, so for now we’ll just agree to disagree. The bourbon is not chill filtered. Cheers to that as we happen to love non-filtered bourbons.
The process of getting here was not easy for Philip and his crew. Initially he was not allowed to serve samples of any kind, and there was a limit on sales of two bottles per customer, per year, per label. To fix the first issue, he helped start the Florida Distillers Guild and campaigned to allow for the serving of samples. To solve the sales issue, he created 3 different labels for each type of spirit they distill. Genius. Stick it to the man.
You may have realized by now that I haven’t talked much about how the bourbon actually tastes, and I’m not going to say a whole lot here. We’ll taste it on the upcoming cast for those of you that are dying to hear more. Briefly, it has nice cinnamon/clove notes but tastes young and somewhat scotchy/irish whiskey-y (that’s definitely not a word) from the high barley. I’m not a big fan of young bourbons or barley based spirits, so this on isn’t on my favorites list, but may hit the spot for some Crusaders. That said, I still want you to buy something from St. Augustine, be it the bourbon for cocktails, or perhaps the gin, which is phenomenal. Off the still at 160 proof the gin was unbelievably epic, and I would buy that all day. I want you to buy something to support what these guys are doing with the knowledge that their goal is a quality brown spirit and they are bound-damn-determined to make one. They have the motivation, the sense to seek out experts to help with what they don’t yet know, and are committed to bettering their community. Think of it kind of like a Kickstarter contribution, but one where you actually get to purchase an existing product that you can make a tasty cocktail with. If you can find the port finished bourbon, that one is actually darn tasty. One that I haven’t yet been able to get my hands on a bottle of unfortunately.
If you’re in the area definitely stop by and see for yourself, the difference in experience from the Bourbon Trail is worth the (free) price of admission by itself. And make sure to check out the Ice Plant next door to get some of their spirits in a carefully crafted cocktail. We didn’t have time on this trip, but will definitely put that on our docket next time we’re down. Cheers to you Philip for an excellent afternoon and your efforts to spread the bourbon gospel to Florida. We at BOTB salute you!
As a bonus, here’s my recipe for making an Old Fashioned with St. Augustine Double Cask Bourbon:
Muddle the orange slice (sans peel) with brown sugar, bitters, splash of water and splash of bourbon. Top with remainder of bourbon and stir. Add ice and stir to chill. I serve mine on the rocks with a flamed orange peel and homemade maraschino-ish cherry.
Solid Bourbon/Rye Pours you’ll find on most shelves.
In no order
Four Roses Small Batch
Woodford Reserve
Blanton’s
Buffalo Trace
Elijah Craig
Knob Creek
Bookers
Evan Williams
Angels Envy
Noah’s Mill
Wild Turkey 101
Russell’s Reserve
Makers Mark
Pikes…
Solid Bourbon/Rye Pours you’ll find on most shelves.
In no order
Four Roses Small Batch
Woodford Reserve
Blanton’s
Buffalo Trace
Elijah Craig
Knob Creek
Bookers
Evan Williams
Angels Envy
Noah’s Mill
Wild Turkey 101
Russell’s Reserve
