October, 2022 - BourbonSphere

The Van Winkle Lineup For 2022 Is Out

More bottles will be available this year than usual from the famed family brand.

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It’s that time of year again, Pappy fans: Buffalo Trace has unveiled the 2022 Van Winkle lineup. More bottles of almost every new Van Winkle whiskey will be available this year compared to previous years. Why is that? Well, ten years ago Buffalo Trace put away more of these notoriously elusive whiskeys, and coincidentally those same whiskeys had higher yields than normal when being moved from barrel to bottle. That said, the likelihood of finding and purchasing a bottle (and at the suggested retail price) remains slim, as nationwide allocations certainly endure.

So, just how do these new whiskeys stack up against last year’s releases? At face value, everything from the name of the whiskeys to their prices is the same, with the lineup as follows:

Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Bourbon 10 year old 107 Proof (53.5% ABV, $70)
Van Winkle Special Reserve Bourbon 12 year old (45.2% ABV; $80)
Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 year old (47.8% ABV, $120)
Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 15 year old (53.5% ABV, $120)
Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 20 year old (45.2% ABV, $200)
Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 23 year old (47.8% ABV, $300)

As per usual, all five of the Van Winkle bourbons feature a wheated recipe, creating the longer aging and smoother, sweeter flavors that are critical to the Pappy spirit. (The rye, meanwhile, remains the only rye the brand has ever offered.) This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the partnership between the Van Winkle family and Buffalo Trace; in 2002, the two entities agreed Buffalo Trace would produce, age, and bottle all of its whiskeys in order to carry on the family legacy.

While the prices start at what the Van Winkle family and Buffalo Trace team jointly refer to as fair, the actual retail pricing—both at licensed liquor stores and in private (not recommended) channels—skews far higher, with bottles fetching thousands of dollars in resale markets. In recent years, Buffalo Trace has made a more ardent effort to warn Van Winkle hopefuls against purchasing the whiskeys on online platforms like Facebook or Craigslist, and has taken to encouraging consumers to file complaints with the Better Business Bureaus when they see dramatically inflated prices. This year, as with previous years, your best bet of securing a bottle is to enter a lottery offered by a retailer; Van Winkle whiskeys will start landing in retailers’ hands later this month. Happy hunting!

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Some like it Hot, a HBS Elite tasting

Time for another drinking for science post. This time it’s a blind tasting conducted with members in the Houston Bourbon Society, HBS, with 15 tasters of 16 high proof American whiskies. While I previously led 5 blind tastings in this group, this time I was a participant. Kevin Wyze organized this blind tasting and ran … Continue reading “Some like it Hot, a HBS Elite tasting”

Time for another drinking for science post. This time it’s a blind tasting conducted with members in the Houston Bourbon Society, HBS, with 15 tasters of 16 high proof American whiskies. While I previously led 5 blind tastings in this group, this time I was a participant. Kevin Wyze organized this blind tasting and ran it well. It was a blast being a participant and sometimes very humbling when you see the reveals . Are these folks expert tasters? Well they do all have their HBS elite cards.

The scoring system was on a 0-5 scale, with 5 points being the best whiskey possible and 0 points being the worst. 2.5 points would be the middle of the road. Tasters turned in scores of 3 whiskies each week, so this tasting lasted 6 weeks. Tasters scored each whiskey on its own, preferably tasted on different nights.

The theme of this tasting was high proof American whiskies which ranged from 108.4 to 136.8 proof, with an average of 118.4 proof. Does proof cover up flaws in young whiskey? Which whiskey would blind tasters think tasted ‘hot’ or above their proof and which went down easy and tasted below their proof? Kevin did sneak in a poor man’s high proof whiskey concoction – 100 proof proof Very Old Barton which was kicked up with some Everclear to 115 proof.

The results:

On all my blind tastings, there were always a few surprises. Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon scoring so low was shocking. The lowest score was Willett Rye, which was their own distilled rye, which did not surprise me. I scored it 0.5.

Never Say Die Bourbon: World’s First Bourbon Whiskey to be Finished in England

Never Say Die Bourbon Barrel Strength is believed to be the first-ever Bourbon to make the transatlantic journey from Kentucky where it is distilled, across the ocean to be matured in barrels at White Peak’s Distillery in Derbyshire, England to give it a uniquely British character.

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Never Say Die Bourbon Whiskey was inspired by the legendary tale of the namesake racehorse, and the brand tells BourbonBlog.com about the launch of its highly anticipated inaugural batch, which will is now available in the UK market only.

It is the brainchild of a transatlantic team of founders, led by US businessmen Pat Madden and Brian Luftman, alongside world-class Bourbon distillers Pat Heist and Shane Baker.

About the Bourbon

This Kentucky Bourbon distilled in Danville, Kentucky, is made with a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley and limestone filtered water rich in minerals from the deepest aquifer in Kentucky.

The brand tells us that the exposure to the ocean air during its 6-week maritime journey, combined with the continued ‘in barrel’ aging in the colder UK climate results in a wholly unique flavor profile, with lively spice and citrus note that melt into vanilla, leather, and caramel, concluding with a lasting smooth finish.

With production beginning in 2017, its long-awaited launch was only made possible when crippling 25% whiskey tariffs on US imports were reversed as a result of the campaigning efforts of the team and the Bourbon Alliance which was co-founded by Never Say Die directors, David Wild and Martha Dalton.

The Inspiration Behind the Bourbon

Never Say Die was inspired by the infamous racehorse of the same name, which was born in 1951 on Hamburg Farm in Lexington, KY, which is the family farm of co-founder Pat Madden. Following a traumatic birth, the foal’s life was in danger due to poor breathing but was revived with a shot of whiskey.

Three years later and at odds of 33-1, Never Say Die became the first American-born horse in 70-years to win the Epsom Derby in front of 250k spectators, which included Queen Elizabeth II and Sir Winston Churchill.

At the same time, on a daring leap of faith, a Liverpudlian woman named Mona Best had fallen in love with the story of Never Say Die and pawned all of her jewelry to literally “bet it all” on the victorious Epsom Derby Race. With her new fortune, she founded a new music venue, Casbah Coffee Club, which was where an at the time unknown band now famously known as The Beatles played their very first gigs, shaping rock and roll history forever. (image of The Beatles performing at Casbah Coffee Club below)

The unique bottle was designed by Stranger & Stranger and draws on the colors of the jersey that jockey Lester Piggott wore when he rode Never Say Die to victory in 1954.

Pat Madden, the co-founder of Never Say Die tells BourbonBlog.com:

“After six years in development, it is fantastic to see the very first bottlings of Never Say Die come to fruition.

“Kentucky is the mecca of Bourbon and horse racing, so we are really excited to be marrying the two. Never Say Die is our opportunity to immortalize our namesake racehorse and celebrate the fascinating story that saw him not only overcome adversity on our family farm in Kentucky to go on and win Epsom Derby in front of Queen Elizabeth II and Sir Winston Churchill but also help shape rock and roll history as we know it”.

“Like the racehorse Never Say Die, our Bourbon has made the trailblazing journey across the Atlantic and is our interpretation of the American Dream, celebrating the special relationship between the US and UK.

Pat Heist, Never Say Die’s Master Distiller tells us, “Our philosophy is to only produce the best and most interesting whiskey possible for drinkers around the world. As such, Never Say Die is made using only the finest ingredients. Our custom mash bill has been designed to highlight the essence of the small grains with consistency, using carefully selected local grains. It is a pioneering sweet mash that results in a smoother, more flavourful whiskey. We also use high-quality, mineral-rich limestone-filtered water sourced from the deepest aquifer in Kentucky.

“We add our Bourbon whiskey to well seasoned, charred American Oak barrels and tuck them away to mature to perfection for up to four years in Kentucky before it embarks on the final leg of its journey across the ocean to the White Peak Distillery in Derbyshire to finish”.

Never Say Die Bourbon Barrel Strength is available to order now for the on and off-trade via N10 Bourbons and is available to buy from Whiskey Exchange from 30th September.

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Annual Van Winkle Bourbon and Whiskey Release 2022: “More Bottles Available This Year Than Usual”..but how many?

Buffalo Trace Distillery tells BourbonBlog.com that the upcoming annual release of all six Van Winkle whiskey expressions will be available starting in October. BourbonBlog.com asks you to raise a roast with us to congratulate them on this year which marks a special milestone as it is the 20th anniversary of the partnership between the Van… Read more »

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Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Whiskey Collection

Buffalo Trace Distillery tells BourbonBlog.com that the upcoming annual release of all six Van Winkle whiskey expressions will be available starting in October.

BourbonBlog.com asks you to raise a roast with us to congratulate them on this year which marks a special milestone as it is the 20th anniversary of the partnership between the Van Winkle family and Buffalo Trace Distillery!

Today’s press release from Buffalo Trace included three messages for consumers that we haven’t been seen accompanied together in their announcements of the Van Winkle release thus far.

We thought it important to note this in the story as the messages do answer important questions that consumers may have.

1st …More Bottles Available, But How Many?

Buffalo Trace tells us there will be more bottles available this year than usual of almost every Van Winkle expression due to both putting away more whiskey to age over 10 years ago and a higher yield than typical when moving from barrel to bottle.

How many more bottles and from which of the expressions in the collection? BourbonBlog.com asked this exact question to Buffalo Trace Distillery as we knew you would be curious.

We received this reply:

As a privately held company, we do not release numbers, so I do not have any additional information to share beyond what is in the press release.

2nd: Message from Van Winkle Family and Buffalo Trace on “No Control” Over What Retailers Charge

The Van Winkle family and Buffalo Trace team would like to remind fans that even though the suggested retail pricing remains at what is considered a fair price, there is no control they can take over the price retailers charge. “Although we would prefer for retailers to charge our suggested retail pricing, unfortunately, we cannot legally force them to do so. The best chance to find our products at a fair price is through lotteries offered by many retailers, where fans have a chance to buy our bourbon at MSRP. Many of these lotteries benefit charities. so it’s a win-win for everyone,” added Van Winkle.

3rd Counterfeit Alert / Warning from Buffalo Trace on Van Winkle Bourbons

Enthusiasts are also reminded to avoid online resellers such as private Facebook groups, Craigslist and other online marketplaces. Unfortunately, Buffalo Trace Distillery has seen an increase in consumers buying Van Winkle bourbons from private sellers, only to find out later the product inside is counterfeit.

“It’s quite common in other countries for consumers to buy alcohol from those outside the system (not a licensed retailer) and for them to drink it and get sick, and in some cases, it’s fatal,” said Mark Brown, president and chief executive officer, Buffalo Trace Distillery. “Fortunately, we haven’t seen a lot of deaths in the United States from those scenarios – yet – and we certainly hope we do not. But we caution people to only buy from a licensed retailer; do not buy from a private seller, even if it’s someone you know, as you don’t know where they got the whiskey. The counterfeiters have gotten very sophisticated with their technology, so it pays to be safe.”

Consumers who believe they have been duped should not drink anything that is questionable and can file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau or contact their State Attorneys General’s office.

AND…here are some tasting notes from Buffalo Trace..

Though we don’t think you’ll need additional reasons if you are on the hunt, Buffalo Trace goes a step further in the press release today stating the Family Reserve 15-Year-Old has been noted as particularly delicious by the sensory experts at Buffalo Trace, describing it as, “An unbelievably opulent and flawless bourbon that takes wood and distillate to its absolute pinnacle.”

They tell us:

The wheaed recipe used by Buffalo Trace to make its Weller and Van Winkle Bourbons allows for longer aging, in some cases two decades or more, than the traditional rye recipe used in most bourbons.

This wheated recipe also results in a smoother and somewhat sweeter flavor. The Weller and Van Winkle lines have earned an impeccable reputation among connoisseurs and have almost achieved cult-like status.

The annual Van Winkle collection release consists of six whiskeys. Please note the tasting notes for the 2022 release as follows come from Buffalo Trace.

Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Bourbon 10-Year-Old 107 proof

SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $69.99

Tasting Notes:

Color: Tawny in color.
Nose: Very sweet, with notes of honey, dulce de leche, caramel corn, rooibos tea and lightly toasted nuts. Hints of the wheat and corn are present which enhances the complexity.
Taste: Medium-bodied palate with dried fruit and nuts. Each sip finishes with a very long bold wave of floral honey, caramel, and toasted barrel flavors which counter the weight of the alcohol.
Finish: An elegant balance between oak, grain, and maturation.

Van Winkle Special Reserve Bourbon 12-Year-Old (90.4 proof)

SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $79.99

Tasting Notes:

Color: Brilliant amber.
Nose: Rich and decadent with butterscotch, toffee, vanilla and hints of nectarine and satsuma adding to the complexity. There is still a wisp of bready wheat present which is perfectly balanced with the spicy and rich oak notes.
Taste: Butterscotch and toffee are prominent in the taste but there are also hints of spiced praline which contribute to the long, round finish that is sweet without being cloying.
Finish: An outrageously well-crafted bourbon that pays homage to its source ingredients but shows that oak, the right distillate, and patience can create unparalleled depth and balance.

Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Old Bourbon whiskey

Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13-Year-Old (95.6 proof)

SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE:

$119.99

Tasting Notes:

Color: Rich copper color.
Nose: An incredibly enticing and complex aroma with notes of toasted pumpernickel, plum, fig, and sweet-tobacco aromas
Taste: Smooth with medium-to full-bodied palate bursting with bold and delicious flavors of toffee, caraway, and dried cherry, and a hint of leather and mint.
Finish: A symphony of flavors sits endlessly on the palate, causing the unsuspecting drinker to wish there was an endless supply in their glass.

Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 15-Year-Old (107 proof)

SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $119.99

Tasting Notes:

Color: Striking, brilliant, copper color.
Nose: The aroma is seductive with intense sweet brown notes like maple, caramelized sugar, toffee, and toasted almond.
Taste: Waves of caramel and toffee meld into familiar memories of fresh-baked holiday spice cookies made with molasses. The mouthfeel is rich, supple, full-bodied and briefly veers toward decadent before the wood influences lend a balancing dryness.
Finish: Long, flavorful, and complex. An unbelievably opulent and flawless bourbon that takes wood and distillate to its absolute pinnacle.

Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 20-Year-Old (90.4 proof)

SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $199.99

Tasting Notes:

Color: Dark amber in appearance with ruby highlights.
Nose: This full-bodied bourbon has a sophisticated forefront of leather with complementary notes of smoke, warm tobacco, treacle, espresso, and charred oak.
Taste: The aromas and flavors are endlessly complex and each new sip reveals something new to discover.
Finish: Suave and confident with layers of bold, integrated nuances.

Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey Kentucky

Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 23-Year-Old (95.6 proof)

SUGGESTED DETAILS PRICE: $119.99

Tasting Notes:

Color: Rich mahogany color.
Nose: Reminiscent of a crisp fall day, with aromas of ripe red apples, cherries and tobacco.
Taste: Wood is the star here with supporting notes of caramel, apple, apricot, leather, walnuts, and vanilla Crème Brulé.
Finish: Long-lasting and rich, opening with bold flavors of oak and caramel that tease the palate before fading slowly and elegantly until the next sip.

20th Year of Distilling Partnership of Buffalo Trace Distillery and The Van Winkles

This year marks a special milestone as it is the 20th anniversary of the partnership between the Van Winkle family and Buffalo Trace Distillery. In 2002, the Van Winkles entered into an agreement with Buffalo Trace to produce, age, and bottle all its whiskeys, entrusting its wheated mashbill exclusively to the distilling team at Buffalo Trace to continue the family legacy started more than 125 years prior.

Given that Buffalo Trace Distillery was already producing the wheated recipe for the W.L. Weller bourbons, it made sense to the Van Winkle family to enter into a formal agreement to produce their bourbons as well. The W.L. Weller Bourbons were formally produced by the Van Winkle family until 1972, when the Weller brand was sold, and eventually acquired by Buffalo Trace Distillery. “Harlen Wheatley and his predecessors had been distilling the W.L. Weller wheated recipe for many years before our 2002 joint venture.

“We trusted their expertise in distilling and aging, and it paid off, as many of Buffalo Trace’s brands are just as sought after as our own,” Julian Van Winkle III, president, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery tells BourbonBlog.com. “My son Preston and I still take care of the marketing and management of our brands, but we leave the rest of it to the team at Buffalo Trace. The twenty-year partnership has flown by, and I feel confident we’re leaving it in good hands for the future Van Winkle generations.”

Buffalo Trace Distillery Frankfort Kentucky

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The Macallan Introduces James Bond Series

Speyside distillery, The Macallan has released a limited edition James Bond 60th Anniversary collection of single malt whiskies to mark six decades of the iconic film franchise. [In celebration, Amazon will be offering all 25 James Bond films beginning tomorrow on Amazon Prime]. The Macallan James Bond 60th Anniversary series comprises six bottles in individually […]

The Macallan James Bond 60th Anniversary series comprises six bottles in individually designed sleeves, representative of each decade of the film series and each featuring an original illustrative design from the James Bond archives.

The Macallan James Bond 60th Anniversary single malt whisky was bottled at 43.7% alcohol by volume [87.4 proof] and is said to contain notes of citrus, coconut, dark chocolate, fig, ginger, honey, raisin and vanilla.

The Macallan James Bond 60th Anniversary is being made available in limited quantities worldwide for $800.

Knob Creek 18 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey: The Oldest Knob Yet!

Knob Creek releasing a limited edition of Knob Creek 18-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. This be their oldest and most mature age statement to date from the Small Batch Bourbon Collection from Jim Beam and theJames B. Beam Distilling Co..

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Beam Suntory tells BourbonBlog.com they are releasing a limited edition Konb Creek 18 Year Old. Knob Creek 18 Year Old is available now for a limited time at retailers nationwide with an SRP of $169.99 for a 750 ml bottle.

This will be their oldest and most mature age statement to date.

They say it will be a full-flavored product that has been aged twice as long as their flagship bourbon and bottled at 100 proof.

In the late 1980s, Booker Noe, grandson of Jim Beam and Sixth Generation Master Distiller, set out to define the standards for pre-prohibition style bourbon and introduced Knob Creek.

The video at the bottom of this comes from 1988-1989 when the brand was introducing the original Small Batch Bourbon Collection including Booker’s, Knob Creek, Baker’s, and Basil Hayden’s.

“As we celebrate 30 years of Knob Creek, it’s clear to me that Dad was ahead of his time in creating innovative expressions with big, bold flavors that defined pre-prohibition whiskey,” = Fred Noe, Booker Noe’s son and Seventh Generation Master Distiller tells BourbonBlog.com “This new 18-Year-Old liquid is a nod to his vision and commitment to quality and craftsmanship, and I know this is a whiskey he’d be proud to serve. I’m honored to further his legacy with Knob Creek’s oldest and boldest expression yet.”

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Fall 2022 Best Values: Tullibardine, Jack Daniel’s, McConnell’s

Sherry-finished whiskies from Scotland and Ireland and a bottled in bond Tennessee whiskey all earned high marks at affordable prices.

The post Fall 2022 Best Values: Tullibardine, Jack Daniel’s, McConnell’s appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

In each issue of Whisky Advocate, the editors select three great value bottles: whiskies with solid scores, modest prices, and wide availability. For the Fall 2022 issue, a sherry-finished single malt scotch, a bottled in bond Tennessee whiskey, and sherry-finished Irish whiskey all ranked as Best Values.

Check out the Buying Guide for a complete list of whiskies reviewed in the Fall 2022 issue.

HIGH SCORES, LOW PRICES: BEST VALUE WHISKIES

Tullibardine 500 Sherry Cask Finish
91 points, 43%, $40
The sherry cask influence is apparent, and to great effect. The alluring nose is a symphony of raisins, Fig Newtons, quince paste, white peach, and dried pineapple. More fruit follows on the palate, which is delicate despite being heavy on fruit leather flavors. A touch of honey and a zip of lemon peel add even
more dimension. The lengthy finish is fruity, with delightful wood spice at the tail end. (7,800 bottles)—Julia Higgins

Jack Daniel’s Bonded
90 points, 50%, $35
Fruity and fresh, there’s a whole lot to parse out on the nose, starting with citrus zest, Asian pear, cantaloupe, and banana peel. A drizzle of honey is a precursor to a palate that beautifully balances sweet with spice; fruit gummies and strawberry frosting mingle with black pepper and library books. The mid-length finish delivers much of the same, with pronounced notes of fruit syrup.—Julia Higgins

McConnell’s 5 year old Sherry Cask Finish
90 points, 46%, $45
McConnell’s aims to restore distilling to Belfast one day, and this second release helps to support the cause. There’s red grape, cherry, black currant, red apple, fig, aniseed, fresh mint, and herbal aromas. Though the texture on the initial sip feels light, it fills out nicely as it works up impressive sherry notes, whipping up the spices and showing off raisin, bramble, black cherry, clove, and ginger spices. (12,000 bottles)—Jonny McCormick

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Fall 2022 Collectibles: Macallan, Springbank, Method & Madness

Two 30 year old single malt scotches and a 33 year old single pot still Irish whiskey stand out for their collectability.

The post Fall 2022 Collectibles: Macallan, Springbank, Method & Madness appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

In every issue of Whisky Advocate, we identify three whiskies that are generally limited releases and show the most potential to gain value. For Fall 2022, the top choices came from Scotland and Ireland and were all aged for at least 30 years.

Check out the Buying Guide for a complete list of whiskies reviewed in the Fall 2022 issue.

TOP COLLECTIBLE WHISKIES TO TARGET

Macallan 30 year old Sherry Oak (2021 Release)
96 points, 43%, $4,750

Dried vine fruit, black cherry, rich sherry, candied lemon, toasted oak, and active clove spices demonstrate a sublime balance between the spice and sherry fruit from the oloroso seasoned Spanish oak. It’s oily, mouth-coating, and richly satisfying, with deep reserves of sherry character, citrus peel, honey, chocolate, seasoned oak, creamy nougat, and a lengthy finish of dried fruit and toasted oak. A consummate Speyside whisky.—Jonny McCormick

Springbank 30 year old
96 points, 46%, $2,600

Bold, aromatic, and enticing, with notes of golden pear, vanilla, crystalized honey, and characteristic salinity, followed by earthy aromas of aniseed balls, warm pancakes, snuffed church candles, and salted nuts. Thick-textured, salty, and fruity, with vanilla essence, golden fruits, apple, melon, toffee, peppercorn, clove, star anise, cacao, baked fruits, apple, and a salty smack on the lips. The exquisite finish is sweet, salty, intensely rich, and slightly tannic.—Jonny McCormick

Method & Madness 33 year old Mizunara Oak Cask Finish
94 points, 52.8%, $3,000

This really casts a spell with its aromas of baked pastry, vanilla, mizunara oak, rich toffee, dried fruits, millionaire’s shortbread, worn leather, and crisp pot still spices. It starts with soft citrus peel, grated nutmeg over frothy cappuccino, caramel, and vanilla pudding, the rich sweetness in harmony with the spices. An astonishing creaminess brings it home with notes of banana, green apple, and satsuma, with fruit pastilles on the finish.—Jonny McCormick

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Fall 2022 Editors’ Choice: Dewar’s, Blackened, Elijah Craig

A blended scotch, cask-finished rye, and barrel proof bourbon all scored top marks in the Fall 2022 issue.

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In each issue of Whisky Advocate, the editors select three whiskies they consider to be the most impressive, based on score, price, and availability. For Fall 2022, our Editors’ Choice selections include a blended scotch, a madeira and rum cask-finished rye, and a barrel proof Kentucky bourbon.

Check out the Buying Guide for a complete list of whiskies reviewed in the Fall 2022 issue.

STANDOUT WHISKIES FROM FALL 2022

Dewar’s 12 year old
93 points, 40%, $30
Now double-aged in first-fill bourbon casks, this is a zinger. Bright aromas of honey, caramel, dried apricot and apple slice, mixed peel, malt, roasted spices, rich vanilla, and an imprint of woodsmoke. Silky-smooth flavors of honey, warm citrus, black pepper, dark chocolate, and a lick of smoke, then vanilla, burnt toffee, black cherry, espresso, soft oak, and a finish of milk chocolate and hazelnut latte. An outstanding blend.—Jonny McCormick

Blackened Double Cask Madeira and Rum Cask Finished
92 points, 45%, $80
Grain-forward on the nose, like a grain barn, with lots of robust spice. Water softens it and brings out notes of candied grape. The clean, smooth palate is balanced with fruit, good depth, and plenty of spice. Water unlocks pleasant bitter chocolate and enhances the rye grain flavors. The finish is superbly long, with more spice, grape jelly, chocolate, and coffee ice cream. The cask finishing works superbly—a real winner.—David Fleming

Elijah Craig 12 year old Barrel Proof (B522)
92 points, 60.5%, $70
The maturity is instantly apparent, with a nose of chocolate cloaked in old oak and antique leather, but also offers red berries and aged herbs at the edges. Plenty of depth on a buttery palate of chocolate, almond, gooey caramel, vanilla ice cream, and ripe banana. On the finish, chocolate, raspberry jam, and espresso bean. This one has aged gracefully, with perfectly tempered sweetness and depth.—David Fleming

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Celebrating One Thousand Posts

When I began this blog in April 2011, little did it occur to me that in just over a decade the number of entries would reach the 1,000 mark. My research on whiskey had convinced me that the American liquor trade prior to National Prohibition in 1920 was virtually unexplored territory. I decided that a blog devoted to the stories of the men (and a few pioneering women) working as distillers, whiskey dealers, saloonkeepers, bartenders, etc., were needed to shed light on almost forgotten segment of American history.

It is extremely gratifying that so many people have agreed. Since its inception this website as has attracted more than 1,333,000 “hits” from all over the world. Some 2,570 respondents have contributed comments. Those messages include observations from descendants, inquiries about whiskey artifacts and values, and factual corrections. I attempt to answer each communication and make changes as needed. The blog also has attracted 376 “followers.” Those are individuals who receive immediate notification when a new item is posted. I am extremely grateful to them for their loyalty.

Five Posts of Uncommon Interest

In looking back at the 999 posts that have gone before, several stand out. A highly important “whiskey man,” Judge W. H. McBrayer, was an early profile on October 2, 2011. Over the years, this very early post has attracted 5,556 “hits.” More important, McBrayer’s story led me to do posts on his son-in-law, his “master” distiller and his liquor broker — all stories worth telling.

The idea of Brigham Young, a leader of the Mormon people, as a “whiskey man” seemed farfetched until my research found that Young for at least three years was in charge of all liquor sales in Utah. The story also involved commentaries from Mark Twain and Sir Richard Burton. Since running on August 18, 2016, that post has attracted some 10,874 views.

The name Len Motlow is a familiar name to many whiskey aficionados because as a relative of Jack Daniels he inherited the distillery and help build it to the international brand it is today. Few people, however, know that Motlow once was arrested for murdering a railroad conductor. He escaped punishment by playing “a race card” at his trial because the only witness was a black porter. That story, running on March 26, 2019, has attracted 3,981 hits.

Christopher Hilbert

It is unusual when an existing post attracts more than a dozen or so watchers in a single day. Thus it was with astonishment this past August that an entry of January 17, 2022, recorded 2,444 views in one day. The subject was the Hilbert Brothers, two liquor dealers in San Francisco. They were beneficiaries of a criminal enterprise by local politicians to extort money from saloonkeepers and dealers, a scam that made national headlines when exposed. The sheer number of viewings in a single day suggests that other websites were tapping into the post but I have yet to find them.

That mystery brings me to the unfathomable question of the apparent popularity of my post on Otto Wagner’s liquor business in Tiffin, Ohio, that ran on December 6, 2013. It was devoted to the extraordinary variety of designs for the whiskey jugs issued by Wagner, shown here. To date the post has garnered 21,688 look-ins, far and away the highest response of the other 998. Even if every man, woman and child in Tiffin tapped into the story, the number would be 5,000 fewer than the “hits” actually recorded. My efforts to unravel this mystery have been unavailing.

Some Reflections at 1,000

Looking back on the many stories that have been told on this website about “whiskey men” of the pre-National Prohibition era, a few conclusions become evident:

1. The prevalence of immigrants. Although I have not made a count, my instinct is that more than half of the people featured on this blog were either immigrants to the United States or the children of immigrants. The liquor trade, unlike other occupations, was not exclusionary about those within its ranks.

2. Religion was important. Roman Catholics and Jews dominated the numbers making and selling alcohol, along with some Episcopalians and Lutherans.None of those religious groups officially banned alcohol use. Many in the liquor trade were generous to their church or synagogue.

3. Contributions to their communities. In instance after instance, the contributions both in money and time made by whiskey men to civic betterment, public welfare, and general education were hugely important to the developmentof their cities, towns, counties and states. Often their obituaries omitted that their financial resources had come from liquor profits.

4. The role of women. Virtually all the women profiled on this blog inherited their whiskey businesses from husbands who often pre-deceased them by many years. Some widows ignored strong pressure to sell out. Many women guided their enterprises to levels of success beyond the legacy of their late spouses.

5. Legal strategies to avoid prohibition. The pre-1920 liquor trade proved to be creative in finding ways to avoid the prohibitionary laws and regulations that were being enacted almost daily somewhere in America through “local option” or statewide auspices. Strategies like mail order sales, “whiskey trains,” and relocation from “dry” areas to “wet” kept many a distillery and liquor dealer afloat for years.

6. Illegal strategies after National Prohibition. With passage of the Volstead Act virtually all the remaining distilleries and liquor firms simply shut down. A few, however, decided to cheat. Almost all those “amateur” attempts failed as alert Federal authorities swooped down. Successful bootlegging subsequently was the province of organized crime.

7. Post-prohibition occupations. After the liquor trade was closed to them many practitioners were still young enough to want second careers and had the assets to make it happen. Because the automotive age was just beginning many gravitated there, selling cars, car parts, or garage services. Others went into real estate and banking. A few chose farming.

Going Forward

At 87 years old I recognize that my ability to take this website through another decade is an unlikely prospect. I am also faced with the reality that finding new good stories is becoming more and more difficult. For every whiskey man I choose to write about, my research effort rejects six or seven that do not meet my criteria for reader interest. That said, I will continue as long as possible to post every four days. Should a paucity of subjects occur, I will lengthen the time between posts and move on.

Five Posts of Uncommon Interest

Christopher Hilbert

Some Reflections at 1,000

Looking back on the many stories that have been told on this website about “whiskey men” of the pre-National Prohibition era, a few conclusions become evident:

Going Forward