AT HEAVEN HILL, IT’S SEXY TO BE 17When it comes to March releases, it’s sexy to be 17 years old at Heaven Hill Distilleries. Last week I received a sample of the first Hill Heritage Collection (HHHC) release, which is a 17-year-old bourbon….
AT HEAVEN HILL, IT’S SEXY TO BE 17When it comes to March releases, it’s sexy to be 17 years old at Heaven Hill Distilleries. Last week I received a sample of the first Hill Heritage Collection (HHHC) release, which is a 17-year-old bourbon. This week, HH announced the release of its 2022 Spring Edition of Old-Fitzgerald Bottled-In-Bond (OFBIB) Bourbon aged, you guessed it, 17 years. The two are markedly different in every way, of course, and here’s why. The Heritage bottle is made of a blend of barrels holding whiskey made from its traditional bourbon mashbill of 78 percent corn, ...
Five Trail Whiskey is the first whiskey released by the Coors Whiskey Co. Yes. That Coors. Fresh Rocky Mountain Water, Silver Bullet; I’m sure you’ve heard of them. So what do they know about whiskey? Well, they know enough to use their own internal expertise and to partner with the Bardstown Bourbon Company to develop their product. So, they are off to a great start!Co
Five Trail Blended American Whiskey Coors Whiskey Co A harmony of Colorado Single Malt Whiskey and Straight Bourbons 95 Proof SRP: $59.99 Review
Please enjoy our Five Trail Whiskey Review!
So Coors Makes a Whiskey?
Five Trail Whiskey is the first whiskey released by the Coors Whiskey Co. Yes. That Coors. Fresh Rocky Mountain Water, Silver Bullet; I’m sure you’ve heard of them. So what do they know about whiskey? Well, they know enough to use their own internal expertise and to partner with the Bardstown Bourbon Company to develop their product. So, they are off to a great start!
The Bardstown Bourbon Company Touch
The Bardstown Bourbon Company influence is certainly evident. Five Trail Whiskey is a blend, made from 4 very different sources. It is then proofed with Rocky Mountain water; water that is actually transported in tanker trucks to the Bardstown Bourbon Company! The malted barley used is high-country barley from Coors’ own malthouse in Golden, CO. Now let’s get on with our Five Trail Whiskey Review!
The mash bills of each whiskey are also listed on the Coors Distilling Co. website. That’s the same transparency that we know and love about the Bardstown Bourbon Company’s own blends!
Five Trail Whiskey Review Tasting Notes
Let’s taste Five Trail Whiskey:
Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn
Nose: Sweet light honey, a bit of “graininess” / “maltiness” including lightly toasted malted barley, subtle corn, hint of sarsaparilla, some baking spices with light cinnamon on a sweet floral background complemented by soft apples; there is a fullness reminiscent of oatmeal, but I’m not sure why… alcohol is noticeable but not overbearing Taste: Sweet; honey and simple syrup both; light caramel, maltiness, subtle char; floral notes continue; fairly full mouthfeel Finish: Maltiness returns in the long finish and lingers; some char and black pepper come forward; moderate burn.
Five Trail Whiskey Review Summary
The nose is unlike most bourbons, which is probably good, since this is not a bourbon. Five Trail Whiskey has more graininess/maltiness and floral/soft apple character than most bourbons, which I assume is coming from the single malt component. Those flavors combine with what seem like relatively young bourbon notes. That also makes sense since 4 year old bourbons make up the vast majority of the mash bill. From start to finish, there’s a noticeable sweetness. This whiskey reminds me more of an unpeated Scotch or Irish whiskey than a bourbon, even though the single malt is only 15% of the mash bill. This is a whiskey for when a bourbon drinker is in the mood for something a bit different, which I often am. As I continue to sip this Five Trail Whiskey over multiple days, I am enjoying it more and more.
I hope you enjoyed our Five Trail Whiskey Review! Would you like to learn more about the folks that helped make this whiskey possible? Check out our Bardstown Bourbon Company Tour Review!
Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us? If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!
The original Glenmorangie Astar was released in 2008. This is the re-release from 2017 and you can, kinda, think of it as a cask strength version of The Original 10, but with a twist. That twist being the exact casks used. The wood used for the Astar comes from trees in the Ozark Mountains of […]
The original Glenmorangie Astar was released in 2008. This is the re-release from 2017 and you can, kinda, think of it as a cask strength version of The Original 10, but with a twist. That twist being the exact casks used.
The wood used for the Astar comes from trees in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. The staves from these trees were open-air seasoned for two years – far longer than the traditional three to six months. This extra seasoning breaks down more of the fibers, lignins, etc. and makes the wood softer, and lends a different profile to spirits aged in it.
To keep from overpowering the single malt, the barrels made from these staves were toasted, compared to the traditional heavy char, and then filled with bourbon. The bourbon “donor” is undisclosed, but Glenmo works a lot with Brown-Forman so it could be a whiskey in that family. After four years in these toasted casks, the American whiskey was dumped and the barrels shipped to Scotland.
Once they arrived in the Highlands they were filled with Glenmo spirirt and left to mature for 5+ years. Bottled at cask strength, the Astar is experimental Glenmorangie in all of its bespoke ex-Bourbon cask greatness. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to get to drinkin’ and dive into this unique offering.
Glenmorangie Astar – Details and Tasting Notes
Whiskey Details
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Style: Single Malt (Scotch) Region: Highlands, Scotland Distiller: Glenmorangie
“For 2017, he brings Astar back to life in a new limited-edition which displays all the smooth, creamy depths for which its predecessor was renowned. Delivered at a slightly lower strength, Astar’s renaissance also delivers a newfound richness and complexity.” – Glenmorangie
Glenmorangie Astar Tasting Notes
EYE
Golden honey
NOSE
Musty oak, honey, dried orchard fruit, nutmeg, wax beans, aloe vera and touches of vanilla, caramel and banana taffy.
The musty dryness is so unique, especially in Glenmorangie. I’ve never experienced it in any other Glenmo, it would stick out like a sore thumb in a blind tasting.
PALATE
Musty oak, honey, dried orchard fruit, nutmeg, wax beans, aloe vera and touches of vanilla, caramel and banana taffy.
A straight carbon copy of the aroma. It doesn’t happen often, but I’m not picking up any substantial difference between the two. Palate might be a touch sweeter (fruity) but that’s about it.
FINISH
Medium -> Musty oak, dried orchard fruit, malt and caramel.
BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Good sense of balance, med-full body and an oily feel that turns a bit dry.
Glenmorangie Astar – Overall Thoughts and Score
The most surprising thing about the Astar is how blunted the finish is, it feels far shorter than it should be from the aroma and palate. As it opens, it picks up a very slight soap note on the aroma and palate. It gets a bit more noticeable with some water, but it never moves up beyond a background hint. Which is good, because that’s a note that can ruin a Scotch in no time flat.
After a few sips, the fruitiness shows more, but it never takes over and that heavy oakiness stays present and constant. But I’m ok with that. I can see how it would be distracting to some classic single malt lovers, but as someone who also loves bourbon, I find the oak in the Glenmorangie Astar to be warm and inviting.
SCORE: 3.5/5 (tasty, worth checking out ~ B | 83-86)
As of March 7, Bardstown Bourbon Company is the property of Pritzker Private Capital (PPC), a Chicago-based private equity owner of several manufacturing companies. (Click here for the news release.) Though BBC’s journey from conception (2013) to groun…
As of March 7, Bardstown Bourbon Company is the property of Pritzker Private Capital (PPC), a Chicago-based private equity owner of several manufacturing companies. (Click here for the news release.) Though BBC’s journey from conception (2013) to groundbreaking (2015) to its sale (2022) lasted less than eight years, the innovative collaborative distilling company enjoyed explosive growth and widespread praise for its architecturally arresting stillhouse and restaurant building. (The food and drink there are quite good, I must say.)
Though it has released multiple blends of its own young whiskeys with others’ aged stocks, it has yet to release a namesake bourbon—which seems a bit strange for the likes of a Kentucky distillery, especially one producing 7 million proof gallons annually.
Have you experienced any whiskey from Australia? Thanks to our good friend and podcast listener James Ewin, we were lucky enough to get our hands on a bottle of The Gospel Whiskey. This rye whiskey is distilled and bottled in Melbourne Australia and is 100% Australian grown rye from a single farm in the Murray
Thanks to our good friend and podcast listener James Ewin, we were lucky enough to get our hands on a bottle of The Gospel Whiskey.
This rye whiskey is distilled and bottled in Melbourne Australia and is 100% Australian grown rye from a single farm in the Murray Mallee region of South Australia that embodies the characteristics of traditional rye whiskey while having a nuance that is distinctly Australian.
We hope you enjoy Jim and Mike’s review. To hear more, check out the podcast on your favorite platform. Cheers!
Tasting Notes: The Gospel Whiskey
Vital Stats:It has a 100% un-malted rye mash bill that has been aged two years in new American oak barrels and is 90 proof. It has an MSRP of $50 and can be found in 29 states.
Appearance: Beautiful square green glass that almost is calling to us with a caramel rye whiskey inside.
Nose: Spiced gum drops, citrus with caramel sweetness
Palate: Wow, the nose was spot on with this one. Spiced gum drops and citrus wash over the palate with little to no spice. A little fruit cake or candied fruit sweetness that just coats the mouth. A little drying on the back end.
Finish: Medium finish with no hug.
Overall: This is a buy all day long with both of us wanting to keep this bottle. If you’re looking to have whiskey’s from around the world on your shelf then then this green bottle is must. An expression that represents Australia beautifully.
Today we’re talking to the one and only Bozzy. If you’re not familiar with this ex-MIT teacher and his amazing blog, well then I hope I can help you get acquainted. Check it out and I hope you enjoy! Bozzy’s Answers What’s the most memorable drink you’ve ever had? (toast at child’s wedding, birth, on […]
Today we’re talking to the one and only Bozzy. If you’re not familiar with this ex-MIT teacher and his amazing blog, well then I hope I can help you get acquainted. Check it out and I hope you enjoy!
Bozzy’s Answers
What’s the most memorable drink you’ve ever had? (toast at child’s wedding, birth, on a trip, whatever)
You know what? When I read this question all of a sudden I remembered a night I didn’t think about for a long time… Maybe I shouldn’t try to find something else and tell you that story: I was in Islay… November 2009. My first whisky trip, I am all by my own and visiting the distilleries, hiking and spending one of the best weeks of my life. There is a pub close to my B&B in Port Ellen called Ardview Inn. They carry so many amazing bottles from all of the distilleries on the island and I am trying to taste as many as I can and afford. One very cold night I was sipping something delicious again at the counter of the pub and the guy standing next to me who was probably 10 year or so older than me said: “So, you like whisky..?” I said yes, we started to talk and after a few minutes he showed the tumbler he was holding in his hand and said: “Can I buy you a drink..?” Without knowing what it was I said yes.
He called the bartender and ordered a Scottish Leader for me. He pointed the shelves and said “All those bottles are too fancy for us. We cannot afford them but I like my Scottish Leader. It also has wee Bunnahabhain in it…” He was so nice, so sincere and sweet. I felt kinda bad with the Glencairn in my hand at that moment. I saw his pint being low and ordered two new pints for us and we started to talk. For hours I didn’t drink anything else but pints of Tennent’s and Scottish Leader. His buddies arrived, we continued to drink together and eventually got drunk. They walked me to my B&B made sure that I was safe and then left. It was an incredible night…
What’s the most transformative moment in your career?
Ok, this is easy… In 2003 when I was 31 years old I accepted a job offer from a theater company (The Wooster Group) I could only dream of working for (I was a fanboy..!) to be their production manager, ended my life in Istanbul while I was making pretty good money at that time, packed whatever I can fit in two duffel bags and moved to NYC to live with a salary of $27K/year. And all this happened within three weeks. Best decision of my life…
Do you have a favorite artist? Writer, painter, pottery maker, etc? If so what draws you to them?
This is an extremely hard question to answer with one name only for me… Instead of my favorite artist(s) let me bend the question a little and answer with the name of a few artists which had the most influence on me: Jean Cocteau, Jean-Luc Godard and David Bowie.
I think I could have chosen different names as my favorites but these artists are the ones who changed the way I look at art and how I interpret it. Maybe they are more like mentors than my favorites.
What about favorite movie or book?
Another hard one… Let me at least change “or” with “and”. I will choose “Wings of Desire” (Himmel uber Berlin) by Wim Wenders and “The Man without Qualities” (Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften) by Robert Musil.
What’s the accomplishment you’re most proud of? (career, life, hobby, whatever)
Although my work stayed more or less the same I managed to start a new life in four different cities… I always felt bad about leaving my friends every time I moved to a new place but now I feel like I am blessed with life long friends in four different corners in the world.
Let’s say you had to give up your current career and you had the resources and time to start over pursuing any career you wanted. What would you do?
Historian/Archeologist or a museum curator…
Do you have any hobbies, obsessions or collections that extend beyond the booze world?
Studying non-stop history, consuming crime-fiction like an addict especially tartan-noir. And music…
What’s your typical Friday night look like?
Because actually Fridays and Saturdays are the busiest times for people in performing arts world (Well, at least they used to be in pre Covid world) a “typical” Friday night would be a work night for me but let me tell you about my “ideal” Friday night instead: Walking into my favorite neighborhood bar relatively early for a Friday night, around 6:30 – 7:00 PM… I would sit at the counter (counter is a must, table is not an option) order a pint of beer while waiting for Teresa to arrive.
I would chat with the bartender and with folks around me sitting at the counter mostly about the game on the TV we are staring at and would watch the bar fill up slowly. Teresa would arrive, we would order food… Pints would follow others maybe even one or two glasses whisky towards the end. I don’t like to be very late on Friday nights anymore because I don’t want to ruin my Saturday mornings. We would leave before 11PM, go home, brew a double espresso maybe another glass of spirit to accompany, listen to music or watch something while we are doing that and then sleep.
What’s your favorite non-alcoholic drink?
Coffee..! Followed by tea and water. Seriously, I love water by the way..!
What’s the most memorable meal of your life?
Another long answer if you don’t mind: While we were touring constantly with The Wooster Group Teresa and I would find the “No Reservation” episode of the city we are traveling to and re-watch that episode (I still have all the seasons on DVD), take notes and make a list. That’s what we did again one time before we travel to London… I don’t remember exactly now what year it was but on our first night off we ended up at Fergus Henderson and Trevor Gulliver’s St. John Restaurant like Anthony Bourdain suggested. Despite of its worldwide fame it was incredibly accessible, affordable, unflashy and honest.
It was dominantly white, plain and simple. The place was stripped of everything that can catch your attention and distract you from the food on your plate. And the food was out of this world… It was just perfect. We simply lost it. Fun fact: Incredible food can make me cry and I wasn’t able to control my tears that day. It was so moving… Now after years St. John is still our favorite restaurant in the world. Every time we are in London we eat there… It’s been a couple of times we intentionally booked our layovers in London on our trips and added an extra night just to be able to visit St. John again. I think no one should die without tasting a food cooked by the one and only Fergus Henderson.
2 openers and one headliner; what’s your dream concert?
Can I have one jazz and one rock concert? Please… Ok:
Jazz: Dexter Gordon and Return to Forever opening and Miles Davis Quintet headlining
Rock: Oasis and Frank Zappa opening and David Bowie headlining
You have 30 days with nothing to do and an unlimited budget, what would be your dream vacation/travel itinerary?
A tour starting from Outer Hebrides, heading to Shetland, Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland. Then Newfoundland and ending in Nova Scotia… I am not sure if 30 days would be enough though.
Finally, what’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given (life, career, whatever) that you’d like to share with folks?
One of my heroes in this life is Joseph Campbell… I read everything he wrote and everything written about him. His most famous quote (It sounds pretty cheesy nowadays but…) is: “Follow your bliss…” Whenever I tried to decide something important in my life I always heard that phrase in my head. That’s how I left all my life and came to US. I was insecure, scared shitless, thought that I was ruining everything I built in my career and life but I did it. Pretty simple but good advise if you ask me.
I hope you enjoyed getting to know Bozzy a bit better, and if you haven’t already, check out his site.
Building on the light and floral Triple distilled base the Tokaji cask has added more stone fruit and rather a lot of tannin and oak wood spice. The addition of a little drop of water relaxed this one quite a lot and really adjusted the balance on the …
Building on the light and floral Triple distilled base the Tokaji cask has added more stone fruit and rather a lot of tannin and oak wood spice. The addition of a little drop of water relaxed this one quite a lot and really adjusted the balance on the palate and finish. 84/100
Ahhh, the teasing sweetness of Spring in the air. Birds chirping. Flowers blossoming. Allergies raging…And perhaps best of all, the start of Bourbon Release Season!! Matter of fact, as of today, Heaven Hill Distillery (BARDSTOWN, KY) has announced the allocated seasonal release of the much anticipated Spring 2022 Edition Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon […]
Ahhh, the teasing sweetness of Spring in the air. Birds chirping. Flowers blossoming. Allergies raging…And perhaps best of all, the start of Bourbon Release Season!!
Matter of fact, as of today, Heaven Hill Distillery (BARDSTOWN, KY) has announced the allocated seasonal release of the much anticipated Spring 2022 Edition Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey at 17 years old. Comprised of 120 barrels produced in fall of 2004, and bottled in spring of 2022, the ninth national release ushers in the latest hallmark series to the bottled-in-bond legacy.
Bottled in an ornate decanter, the spring edition denotes a green label, consistent across all spring releases. As was the case for the past editions, this edition’s tax strip, which has always been a signature of transparency on bottled-in-bond products, will disclose when the liquid was produced and bottled. The Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond spring edition will be available in the 750ml size on an allocated basis. It meets the strict requirements of a bottled-in-bond: the product of a single distillery from a single distilling season, aged a minimum of four years, and bottled at 100 proof or 50% alcohol by volume. The edition is available at a suggested retail price of $185.
The spring 2022 edition of Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the first 17-year-old of the nationally released series and features Bourbon pulled from across three floors of rickhouse V at Heaven Hill Distillery’s main campus. As a leader of the Bottled-in-Bond category, Heaven Hill is proud to offer a premium, allocated product within this special class that showcases the authenticity and quality of the American Whiskey portfolio. Acquired in 1999 by Heaven Hill, the legendary Old Fitzgerald line is well-known for its distilling pedigree and intriguing story behind its namesake, John E. Fitzgerald.
Heaven Hill’s Old Fitz BiB seasonal release began in Spring 2018. For more intel on the bottle’s decanter style inspiration, the story of John E. Fitzgerald, and the first ever of this release circa 2018, VISIT HERE.
ABOUT HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY:
Founded in Kentucky by the Shapira family in 1935, Heaven Hill Distillery continues its legacy as one of the foremost American Whiskey producers. Heaven Hill has cultivated the traditions and history of America’s Native Spirit with its fierce independence, passionate family ownership, dedication to quality, and thoughtful innovation. Today, Heaven Hill Distillery maintains over 1.9 million barrels aging in 63 warehouses throughout Nelson and Jefferson Counties. It is home to an award-winning collection of American Whiskeys including Elijah Craig Bourbon, Larceny Bourbon, Evan Williams Bourbon, Pikesville Rye Whiskey, Rittenhouse Rye Whisky and Parker’s Heritage Collection. Heaven Hill Distillery currently holds the title of 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Distillery of the Year, Best in Show Whisky, and previously held the titles of 2018 San Francisco Spirits Word Spirits Competition Best Bourbon, 2017 Whisky Advocate Whisky of the Year, 2016 Whisky Magazine Distillery of the Year, 2016 Whisky Advocate American Whiskey of the Year. For more information, please visit www.heavenhilldistillery.com.
The 23rd episode of the Bourbon & Banter podcast – The Horsemen Ride – is now available for your listening and drinking pleasure. With the Midwest weather, Pops and Bob have braved wind, sleet, snow, ice, hail, and bad bourbon to bring you this mo…
The 23rd episode of the Bourbon & Banter podcast – The Horsemen Ride - is now available for your listening and drinking pleasure. With the Midwest weather, Pops and Bob have braved wind, sleet, snow, ice, hail, and bad bourbon to bring you this month’s installment of the most honest podcast in bourbon. Our community thread spotlight reflects on a new product that brings dung, yes ACTUAL DUNG, to gin. If you want to join the Bourbon & Banter community, where we cut all the bullshit from standard social media groups like crotch shots, be sure to check out our social media platforms for more information.
The Ohio Division of Liquor Control (OHLQ) has announced a Jack Daniel’s Coy Hill High Proof Single Barrel bottle lottery. This is a lottery to win the opportunity to purchase a a bottle at 16 select store locations. The lottery begins at 12:01 a.m. Ma…
The Ohio Division of Liquor Control (OHLQ) has announced a Jack Daniel's Coy Hill High Proof Single Barrel bottle lottery. This is a lottery to win the opportunity to purchase a a bottle at 16 select store locations. The lottery begins at 12:01 a.m. March 7 and runs through 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 11, 2022.
Entrants must be an Ohio resident 21 years or older and the following is required:
Ohio Driver’s License Number / Ohio Identification Card Number
First Name
Last Name
Street Address
Date of Birth
Email Address
Preferred OHLQ store location for purchasing the product if you win
Bottles are $64.99 plus tax and contains the following tasting notes:
Aging in our most elevated barrel houses where extreme conditions create complex whiskeys
Dark burnished wood hue with aromas of seared oak and dark brown sugar
Each sip explodes with bold baking spices, toffee, and smoke
Rich leather lingers almost infinitely
New with this is you can enter separately at all 16 locations, but you are only eligible to win 1 bottle. You can enter the lottery by going to THIS LINK and selecting the store(s) you want to enter, then filling out the information.
The ingredients and whiskey-making process are the same as for Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey — 80% corn, 12% malted barley, and 8% rye, mellowed drop by drop through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal before entering the barrel. Aged on the top floor, similar to Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel collection, it's how we create our most complex whiskey. Coy Hill High Proof is bottled in its purest form straight from the barrel, uncut at full proof.
The Select store locations are:
NORTHWEST:
Joseph's Beverage Center, Toledo
Pauken Wine & Liquor, Maumee
Beverage Barn, Findlay
NORTHEAST:
Giant Eagle, Warren
Minotti's Rocky River Wine Shop, Rocky River
Chagrin Valley Beverage, Warrensville Heights
Buehler's North Court, Medina
Fishers Foods, Canton
CENTRAL:
The Hills Market, Columbus
Chateau Wine & Spirits, Dublin
1837 Wine and Spirits, Gahanna
SOUTHEAST:
Houch's, Chillicothe
Food Center Emporium, Caldwell
The Pit Stop, Lancaster
SOUTHWEST:
Kroger, Engelwood
Red Bank Wine and Liquor, Cincinnati
My Take
When I first saw this, I thought I was going to sit this one out... but after a quick Google Search... the retail for these bottles goes upwards of $1000 (note: reselling bottles is illegal in Ohio). In terms of the lottery itself... what a pain in the butt to have to submit individually for each store. I don't think it would have been much more effort to do it by region or have the person select which location they want to pay for the bottle at (similar to EVERY OTHER OHLQ LOTTERY!!!). Alas. Anyway, this is a lottery I recommend entering.
What do you think? Drop a note in the comments below.