August, 2021 - BourbonSphere

Random Stuff: News & Commentary From the Ol’ Inbox

Due to the fact that my wife, and tasting partn…

A Glass of Whiskey with smoke in the background and the words: Random Stuff.

Due to the fact that my wife, and tasting partner, just got home from Yellowstone National Park last night I thought I’d share some of the more interesting items that have landed in my inbox over that last few days. I’d like to start including more news anyway so this will be a nice test of the concept.

Four Roses Announces 2021 Limited Edition Small Batch

IMAGE: A bottle of Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2021

NEWS: Big news today out of Lawrenceburg, KY as Four Roses has announced the impending release of the 2021 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon. According to the press release the bourbon is “Non-chill filtered and bottled at 114.2 proof, the 2021 Limited Edition Small Batch features four different hand-selected batches aged 12 to 16 years. These batches represent four of the distillery’s 10 distinct Bourbon recipes – a 16-year-old Bourbon from the OBSV recipe, a 14-year-old OBSQ, a 12-year-old OESK, and a 16-year-old OESV.” There will be 14,500 bottles and the suggested retail price is $150.

COMMENTARY: So at one point, this would have been the most exciting news of the bourbon year for me. It was the bourbon that we celebrated with when we reached my wife’s cancer-free milestones. These days, if it wasn’t for the taste they send me, I’d never be able to even review it much less enjoy a bottle. It just isn’t available without paying ridiculous black market prices. I’m sure it will be delicious but I’m done hunting limited releases. Because of the emotional cancer connection, this was the last one I went out of my way to try to get my hands on, but these days I’m happy with a pour of something readily available. If I happen to be drawn in a lottery or something, I’ll probably pick it up but otherwise, I will enjoy the taste I received. And I’ll have a full review later in the week.

Fred B. Noe Distillery Unveiled at the James B. Beam Distillery Co. Campus

NEWS: Jim Beam is showing off a new distillery. The Fred B. Noe Distillery will, to quote the press release, “serve as an innovation playground for Fred’s son & 8th Generation Beam Family Distillery Freddie Noe as he carries on the Beam family legacy in pushing the boundaries of bourbon, as well as the new home of crowd favorites from the James B. Beam Distilling Company’s award-winning Super-Premium portfolio, including Booker’s Bourbon, Baker’s Bourbon and Freddie’s own creation, Little Book Bourbon.” Whisky Advocate is reporting that the distillery will spend 10 months fulfilling the needs for Booker’s and Baker’s Bourbons while leaving around two months for experimentation.

COMMENTARY: This probably isn’t the most exciting bit of news from the consumer standpoint. It doesn’t sound as if this distillery will open to the public. But as far as I’m concerned, anything that helps the big boys to innovate and experiment is good news. I’ve been really pleased with the editions of Little Book that have come out so far so I’m excited to see what Freddie Now cooks up next.

Lux Row Distillers Announces Blood Oath Trilogy Second Edition

IMAGE: Promo shot of Blood Oath Trilogy 2

NEWS: Last week I got a note from the PR person for Lux Row letting me know that in September, Lux Row will be releasing the second “Trilogy” of Blood Oath Bourbons. Featuring three 750 mL bottles, one each of Pacts 4, 5, and 6, this package will retail for $799. Pact 4 was a blend of 12-, 10-, and 9-year-old bourbons. Pact 5 was a blend of 13-year-old bourbon, 11-year-old wheated bourbon, and 8-year-old bourbon that had been finished in rum barrels. Pact 6 was a blend of 14-year-old bourbon, 8-year-old bourbon, and 7-year-old bourbon that had been finished in Cognac casks.

COMMENTARY: I love doing vertical tastings and would love to get my hands on this…if I didn’t have to drop nearly a grand to do so. I’ve bought a few brandy collections that feature multiple 100 mL bottles of brandy. The price per mL is still high but the retail price is such that it is reachable as a splurge to many more people. Sadly it isn’t a trend to do this for American Whiskey. As much as I would love to get my hands on this—I gave each of them a high “like” rating—I’d be much more inclined if I was getting 300 mL of old releases for $125-150 (I increased the per mL price due to the cost of increased packaging) than I would be if I was getting 2.25 L of old releases for $800.

Inspired by the Trilogy, it is time to beat my drum again. For years, I’ve been talking to whoever would listen that I would love the ability to purchase a gift pack that included small bottles of each of the 10 Four Roses recipes. A long time ago, when prices were more affordable, I was able to get my hands on a full bottle of each. It was so much fun to taste them all side by side. These days that would be prohibitively expensive, if you could even find them all. But, taking it another step further, I could wish is that Bourbon companies would do the multi-packs of 50 or 100 mL bottles, even for “normal” stuff. I could see a package including the various Russell’s Reserve Bourbons and Ryes. Or vertical tasting sets of the various Ezra Brooks, Very Old Barton, or even the Four Roses standard releases. These could be a lot of fun and bring new customers to the brands.

Of course, a shout-out is due to Heaven Hill, Maker’s Mark, and Jim Beam who have actually done this. The first time I had the Beam Small Batch collection was by purchasing a gift pack from the Beam distillery gift shop that included 50mL bottles of each release. And a couple of years ago around the holidays, Heaven Hill put out the “test-tube” set that included many of their whiskeys. I actually reviewed the Maker’s Mark collection last year, mostly because it was so much fun. So good for them. Their gamble gave people some joy and brought at least one person to appreciate their products more. Me, in the case of Jim Beam. If nothing else, it’s something for companies to consider.

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Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon 2021 Release

Four Roses Distillery of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky releases the new 2021 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey. The latest release is the highest proof in the Limited Edition series, featuring barrels aged 12 to 16 years old.

The post Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon 2021 Release first appeared on BourbonBlog.

Four Roses Distillery of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky tells BourbonBlog.com the newest release in its series of limited-quantity special bottlings this September – the 2021 Limited Edition Small Batch. The blend of well-aged Bourbons rangeing from 12 to 16-year-old Bourbon whiskeys.

Four Roses will distribute approximately 14,500 hand-numbered bottles of the 2021 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon to be sold in the United States with a suggested retail price of $150 and will roll out to select retailers in late September.

There will also be a public lottery for a limited number of bottles available at the distillery, which is explained at the bottom of this story.

Live Interview with Mater Distiller Brent Elliott

BourbonBlog.com’s Tom Fischer will be the first to do a live interview and broadcasted tasting with Master Distiller Brent Elliott tomorrow night (WED September 1, 2021) at 8 pm ET on the video link below, also found on YouTube.com/BourbonBlog. Also be watching that link for other BourbonBlog Live videos coming soon.

About The Bourbon

This will be the highest proof of any of the other limited editions in this small-batch series from Four Roses.

Non-chill filtered and bottled at 114.2 proof, the 2021 Limited Edition Small Batch features four different hand-selected batches aged 12 to 16 years including:

58% 16-year-old OESV (Delicate fruit and caramel, 20% rye)
23% 12-year-old OESK (Baking spice, 20% rye)
13% 16-year-old OBSV (Delicate fruit and rye notes, 35% rye)
6% 14-year-old OBSQ (Rye and light floral essence, 35% rye)

“Hand-selecting the barrels to make up our annual limited edition bottling is one of my most rewarding experiences each year. The ability to work with 10 bourbon recipes each with distinct characteristics opens up endless possibilities.” Elliott said. “This year’s release brings a proof higher than any of the past Limited Editions, creating robust complexity and layers of flavors resulting from the variety of constituent batches and recipes.”

Public Lottery at the Distillery to Purchase a Bottle

Additionally, Four Roses will offer a limited quantity for sale at the Four Roses Distillery Visitor Center via a public lottery draw. Individuals may register for the lottery from August 31 to September 12 by visiting the Four Roses website. Those who are selected via random draw will schedule appointments to pick up their purchase at the Four Roses Distillery.

Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon Limited Edition 2021

The post Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon 2021 Release first appeared on BourbonBlog.

Review / Fettercairn Warehouse 2 (Batch 002)

This whisky is the second release in the annual Warehouse 2 limited edition single malt series from the east Highland distillery of Fettercairn. The small batch series is designed to showcase the variety of cask types maturing in Warehouse 2 - a traditional dunnage warehouse at the distillery where some of their finest whiskies are stored. Batch 002 follows last year's inaugural bottling and also released as no age statement. It is a combination of differing ages that have been matured in first-fill ex-rye whiskey barrels and first-fill ex-bourbon casks, both sourced from America. These casks have yielded just 6,000 bottles. The whisky is also non chill-filtered.

The Fettercairn distillery is located near the village of Laurencekirk in the east Highlands, between the towns of Montrose and Stonehaven. It was founded in 1824 by Sir Alexander Ramsay but he sold it to Sir John Gladstone in 1830. He was the father to four times UK Prime Minister William Gladstone and it remained in the Gladstone family for nearly a century. It is currently owned by Whyte & Mackay and is considered a prized malt within blending circles. The current annual capacity is 3.2 million litres.

"I never cease to be inspired and enthralled by the diversity and quality of the amazing stock we have in our warehouses. This second release takes us on a deep dive into further exploration of the Fettercairn flavour and allows us to show a more experimental side to our approach."
Gregg Glass / Whisky Maker at Whyte & Mackay.

The Fettercairn Warehouse 2 Batch 002 has been released at a strength of 48.5% ABV and is available via selected specialist whisky retailers in world markets. This includes Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. A bottle will cost £55/ €65.

Our tasting notes

The colour is pale gold and the nose has a delcious vibrancy and freshness to it. Lush tropical fruits (think of pineapple, starfruit and mango) combine with heather honey, vanilla, white chocolate and gingerbread aromas. Further baking spice aromas such as cinnamon and mace add depth along with hints of marzipan and orange oil.

On the palate this whisky has a lovely mouthfeel. That immediate vibrant nature is again evident and is underpinned by a distinct and gripping cereal note. This has a feel of malted biscuits and barley husks to it. The fresh juicy tropical fruits are again present and give the whisky a luxurious feel - think of the pineapple, starfruit and mango from before but with hints of passion fruit and lychee. Runny heather honey and a suggestion of golden syrup give extra sweetness, along with some white chocolate and toffee.

The sweet elements are balanced by the cereals and an increasing note of baking spice. The cinnamon and mace from the nose are joined by all-spice, cardomom and powdered ginger. There is also the slightest suggestion of some candied orange and nutmeg also. Late oak and vanilla notes give further complexity.

The finish is of decent length and becomes warmer, spicier and oakier with time. The tropical and sweet characteristics linger but fade, and this brings through the baking spices and gingerbread notes from before. The oak is more prominant that at any point now and is reminiscent of fresh wood shavings.

What's the verdict?

This is another fine offering from Fettercairn and one that shows how good this Warehouse 2 series is going to be. We loved the inaugural offering last year and this one is also delicious, albeit heading in a different direction. The distillery is known for its tropical character and here the cask choice has accentuated this to new heights it seems. Grab it while you can if it is of interest as it appears to be selling fast and has already gone from some retailers. Superb.

Quick Fire Whisky Tasting Notes

Benriach Malting Season – First EditionSpeyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky48.7% ABVNose: Bramley apples,
gooseberries, cucumber water, poached pears, honeydew melon, lemon curd, damp
grass, sugared almonds, barley sugar, vanilla fudge, buttered popcorn,…

Benriach Malting Season - First EditionSpeyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky48.7% ABVNose: Bramley apples, gooseberries, cucumber water, poached pears, honeydew melon, lemon curd, damp grass, sugared almonds, barley sugar, vanilla fudge, buttered popcorn, cinnamon sticks, wood spice, teasing tannins and the wispiest wisps of smoke. Palate: Spiced baked apples, lemon marmalade, granary toast smeared

Bourbon Gents League Tables

The Gents (Mr Pie & Mav) have been reviewing bourbons for a while now, so we thought it was high time we had a summary of our best scoring bottles all in one place – and this is it.We debated over just having one long table of the top 40 highest sc…

The Gents (Mr Pie & Mav) have been reviewing bourbons for a while now, so we thought it was high time we had a summary of our best scoring bottles all in one place - and this is it.

We debated over just having one long table of the top 40 highest scoring bourbons, but where is the fun in that? Instead you will find below two tables. We affectionately like to call them 'League 1' & 'League 2' & they work just like a real league in that bourbons can be promoted up a league, or even relegated down. Fun right?

League 1:

This is the cream of the bourbons we have reviewed to date. If you buy anything from this list you will not be disappointed.

The top 20 bourbons by combined score based on reviews so far.

League 2:

These are the next 20 highest scoring bourbons. We will be regularly revisiting some of these drams to see if our feelings on the scores we gave them have changed, and give them the chance to be promoted and claim a League 1 slot.

Will any of these bourbons make it into League 1?

Today indie Aberlour, young and old

Aberlour 10 yo 2010/2021 ‘Marsala Cask Finish’ (46%, Hart Brothers, Finest Collection) – Aberlour 30 yo 1989/2020 (51.5%, The Perfect Fifth, 241 bottles)

Aberlour 10 yo 2010/2021 'Marsala Cask Finish' (46%, Hart Brothers, Finest Collection) - Aberlour 30 yo 1989/2020 (51.5%, The Perfect Fifth, 241 bottles)

A short trip around the world…

Le Breuil ‘Origine’ (46%, OB, Chateau du Breuil, France, single malt, +/-2021)Waterford ‘The Cuvee’ (50%, OB, Ireland, 2021)Wave Distil 6 yo 2014/2020 (50%, Bottles & Legends, Belgium, 140 bottles)St. Kilian 2017/2021 ‘Pleased to meet you’ (60%, OB, fo…

Le Breuil 'Origine' (46%, OB, Chateau du Breuil, France, single malt, +/-2021)
Waterford 'The Cuvee' (50%, OB, Ireland, 2021)
Wave Distil 6 yo 2014/2020 (50%, Bottles & Legends, Belgium, 140 bottles)
St. Kilian 2017/2021 'Pleased to meet you' (60%, OB, for Whiskyfolks, Germany, cask #666, 433 bottles)
Macaloney's Caledonian 'Peated Darach Braiche' (46%, OB, Canada, ex-bourbon, 2020)

10 Years of Whiskies with FEW Regrets (Episode 893: August 30, 2021)

Paul Hletko opened FEW Spirits in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois in 2011 as part of the explosion of small-scale distilleries around the United States. He became a leader in the craft distilling movement, and is celebrating FEW’s 10th anniversary with the release of a commemorative four-grain Bourbon this week. We’ll talk with Paul about balancing the art and commerce of making whisky on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, travel restrictions may be going back into effect that could affect whisky tourism, while the owner of a Kentucky distillery has now agreed to plead guilty to charges Read More »

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Old Soul 13-Year

A dear friend shared this bottle with me recently to celebrate the end of one career, and the beginning of another. Not much is known…

A dear friend shared this bottle with me recently to celebrate the end of one career, and the beginning of another. Not much is known about Old Soul 13-Year Bourbon. Suffice it to say, however, there is not only good bourbon out there - there is truly great bourbon out there waiting to be discovered.

Something Good

In the award-winning HBO Series The Newsroom, bourbon-drinking producer Charlie Skinner (played by Sam Waterson) shares a story of his VietNam wartime experiences.

Charlie Skinner: I was in a bar in Da Nang...

Will McAvoy: Just now?

Charlie Skinner: 1969. I was embedded with the 144th Artillery for UPI, and I was sitting there with a warm Coke watching a beautiful Vietnamese woman doing an exotic dance right in the middle of everybody. A beautiful, beautiful woman, and I thought to myself "I will never know what it is to be with a woman like that." And at that exact moment, the woman spun twice, teetered over, and fell right into my lap. That's how sometimes, something good falls right in your lap.

So it is with Old Soul. I was just sitting there and something incredibly good fell right into my lap.

Mississippi's Oldest Distillery

Old Soul is a sourced Kentucky straight bourbon bottled by the Cathead Distillery - Mississippi's oldest distillery. Labeled DSR-MS-001, Cathead began when friends and blues fans Austin Evans and Richard Patrick joined forces in 2010 to create a facility for clients to enjoy spirits and live music. The distillery takes its name from a term that blues musicians use as a nod to artists they respect.

The distillery moved to downtown Jackson, Mississippi in 2015. Master Distiller Phillip Ladner oversees production of vodka, gin, chicory liquor, as well as the namesake Old Soul Bourbon Whiskey. Cathead released a 2020 special release; the 2021 special release is listed as an undisclosed, sourced Kentucky bourbon.

The Tasting

Many new bourbons arriving on the scene today come with scant background, often with a story of a handed-down-recipe, and even thinner story of what's in the bottle itself. Old Soul provided refreshing transparency on its label adorning a tall, wine-like bottle.

The 2021 rare and limited release is a 13 year, 6 month, and 16 day bourbon. The mash bill is 74% corn, 18% rye, and 8% malted barley. It was placed in #3 charred new oak barrels in June 2007 at 125 proof. Barrels were dumped in December 2020 and were not chill-filtered. Bottles were proofed at 99 proof and released in early 2021.

Eye: Dark amber. This has spent some serious time and temperature variations in the barrel.

Nose: Very gentle, with vanilla-bean custard dusted with nutmeg and drizzled with warm honey. A couple of drops of water opens up even more of the custard-like notes.

Palate: Spice and light oak are felt immediately with a Pop Rocks sensation on the tip of my tongue, followed quickly by a vanilla bomb and burst of butterscotch hard candy. The non-chill filtration provides a thick and creamy mouthfeel

Finish: Long, with gentle spice and oak balanced with honey and brown sugar.

Overall: This special release is a very good bourbon. It is incredibly smooth and easy-drinking, while being balanced and layered with flavor. While the producer of this bourbon remains anonymous, it's good to see that there is some great, long-aged bourbon still out there waiting to be discovered.

A local big box liquor store carried this release in their display case for $125. Quite honestly, that's a great deal for a long-aged bourbon that wasn't marked-up. And a sincere nod to ,Cathead Distillery for sourcing an outstanding limited release and sharing all the details, including exact age and components of the mash bill. I'll be keeping an eye out for your next release!

Ezra Brooks 99

One of the newest members of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is Lux Row Distillers in Bardstown, Kentucky. We’ve sampled some of their…

One of the newest members of the ,Kentucky Bourbon Trail is ,Lux Row Distillers in Bardstown, Kentucky. We’ve sampled some of their affordable products before, including ,Rebel, ,David Nicholson 1843 Reserve, and ,Ezra Brooks 7-Year Barrel Strength. Ezra Brooks 99, introduced in January 2021, is the latest extension of the brand.

Long a Sourcer, Now a Producer

The Ezra Brooks brand was created by Frank Silverman in 1957 and was bottled at the Hoffman Distilling Company, in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. As bourbon's darkest days unfolded, Hoffman Distilling shuttered in the 1970s. The Ezra Brooks brand was purchased in 1993 by Luxco out of St. Louis, Missouri.

Luxco traces its beginnings to the late 1950s when Paul Lux and David Sherman began sourcing product and, in turn, bottling and selling the finished product. Today, you can still find them private-labeling many "store brands" of bourbon and whiskey. In 2018, Luxco continued its evolution by opening its own distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. Complete with a 43-foot copper still, operations are capable of producing 3 million gallons of spirits annually.

The Tasting

The bourbons from Lux Row carry two distinct mash bills. Ezra Brooks and David Nicholson Reserve shared a blend of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley. The wheated mash bill is used in David Nicholson 1843 and Rebel, and is a blend of 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley. Ezra Brooks 99 does not carry an age statement; the finished product is bottled at 99 proof.

Eye: Bright amber

Nose: Honey and orange marmalade. Lighter notes of toffee chews and even a little milk chocolate. Quite delicious.

Palate: Nose may be better than the palate here. Some vanilla and oak followed by spice, followed by some tannin on the back side. The mouthfeel is thin. Overall smooth without the burn I'd expect from a higher proof.

Finish: Medium with oak and spice, with grassy notes on the end.

Overall: I had a little higher expectations from this higher-proof sibling of regular Ezra Brooks. For a higher-proof bourbon, it was smooth and easy drinking. At $25 MSRP, this is a versatile and capable bourbon neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail able to hold its own thanks to the higher proof). That said, it does face serious competition at this price point, including some of my favorites, such as ,Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond, ,Wild Turkey 101, and ,Four Roses Tan Label.