January, 2024 - BourbonSphere

UPCOMING EVENT: Bardstown Bourbon Co. Debuting Pop-Up Event During BOURBON CLASSIC Week

Bardstown Bourbon Company, renowned for its innovative and transparent approach to whiskey making, will hand over the keys to the “House of Bardstown,” an immersive cocktail and culinary pop-up experience coming to select cities this spring Each evening, a limited number of guests will receive transportation to an undisclosed address where, through the door, they’ll […]

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Bardstown Bourbon Company, renowned for its innovative and transparent approach to whiskey making, will hand over the keys to the “House of Bardstown,” an immersive cocktail and culinary pop-up experience coming to select cities this spring

Each evening, a limited number of guests will receive transportation to an undisclosed address where, through the door, they’ll dance, dine and taste their way through a series of intricately crafted rooms and one-of-a-kind sensory experiences, each a chapter in the illustrious story of Bardstown’s collaboration and innovation. The limited-run activation will appear in Louisville later this month during Bourbon Classic Week on Thursday Feb 22nd and later in Nashville and Dallas in the spring.

Throughout the evening, local culinary experts and bourbon connoisseurs will guide guests through a deliciously immersive journey of Bardstown’s innovative bourbon expressions, fostering a unique, lingering connection that transcends the glass. Guests will be invited to savor and celebrate the Bardstown story in a setting as refined, eclectic, and spellbinding as the spirits themselves.

The Experience

Attendees will begin their adventure in The Origin Room, a modern space that reframes traditional perceptions of bourbon with its clean and crisp aesthetic. From there, guests will delve into the Discovery Lab, immersing themselves in Bardstown’s exquisite blends with a one- -of-a kind tasting experience designed to elevate the sensory experience.

The journey continues at the Foursquare Bar, where the essence of Barbados meets the rich heritage of bourbon, creating a captivating dance of flavors and ambiance. Within the enigmatic Goose Island Lounge, a hidden gem reminiscent of a Chicago speakeasy, guests will find a secretive and captivating escape to the city.

“The House of Bardstown is not just an experience; it’s a journey into the soul of Bardstown Bourbon Company,” said Dan Callaway, VP of Product Development. “We’re excited to bring this immersive adventure to life, celebrating the legacy we’re crafting every day in a way that’s never been done before.”

The inaugural House of Bardstown will be held in Louisville this month, coinciding with the annual Bourbon Classic. Later this spring, the house will move to Nashville and Dallas with more details forthcoming. For more information or to register to receive more information about the event, visit bardstownbourbon.com/house-of-bardstown.

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Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Turns 25

spirit of speyside whisky festival

It is not every day that a whisky festival celebrates a 25th anniversary and after decades of tasting and awarding premium spirits, it’s arrived. Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is getting ready to chime the birthday clock for the best festival yet. Calling all whisky enthusiasts to grab your coat and glass, it’s whisky time. A […]

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spirit of speyside whisky festival

A commercial revival by Speyside’s distilleries, hotels, and restaurants takes place on May 1, when Spirit of Speyside celebrates its 25th anniversary. This legendary whisky festival includes more than 650 events across 85 venues in 19 villages and towns.

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Comes of Age

spirit of speyside whisky festival

Tony Singh, one of the festival’s celebrity chefs and whisky enthusiasts, attended an opening event at The Glenlivet in Speyside. Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival was started in 2020.

“This is one of the best whisky festivals globally and I’m looking forward to coming back with my family in May to go to some of the events,” said Singh. “Having recently invested in a cask, I must confess, I’m head over heels for a good malt or blend, especially when it’s a delightful addition to my culinary creations.”

With 51 distilleries across Speyside, the region produces the majority of Scotland’s whiskies. Many of the distilleries will be open during the festival, allowing tourists to tour, taste, and gain first-hand experience.

Another interesting occasion coinciding with the whisky festival is five distilleries celebrating their 200th anniversary this year. These include famous brands: The Macallan, The Glenlivet, Miltonduff, Cardhu, and Balmenach. This will be a must-visit for all who wish to try rare whiskies.

In addition, a brand new distillery, Dunphail, will open its doors to festival-goers for the first time.

Speyside Whisky Festival Program Summary

A post on the festival’s website outlined the dates and events:

“Over five hundred events within the Festival, which runs from 27 April to 2 May, have been announced. These will allow ticket holders exclusive access to world famous distilleries, the chance to meet the craftspeople behind the liquid and immerse themselves in the heart of malt whisky country.”

Tickets are now on sale for the festival’s many attractions, including:

The Spirit of Speyside Festival Ceilidh at The Macallan;
The Ultimate Whisky Flight which includes a helicopter tour with Glenfarclas;
Auchroisk Distillery Through The Decades Tour;
Whisky Detectives with Glenlivet Hill Trek;
Speyburn After Hours;
OurWhisky Foundation House Party at The Dowans Hotel;
and The Beginning; Celebrating the Opening of Dunphail Distillery.

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NEW RELEASE: Four Gate Whiskey “Triple Oak” Limited Edition

Four Gate Whiskey Company (Louisville, KY) is releasing their first whiskey of 2024, “Triple Oak”, a Kentucky Straight Whiskey finished in two different barrels from Kelvin Cooperage. The underlying seven-year-old Kentucky Straight Whiskey was distilled with a mash bill of 80% corn, 11% rye, and 9% malted barley. It was initially aged 7 years in […]

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Four Gate Whiskey Company (Louisville, KY) is releasing their first whiskey of 2024, “Triple Oak”, a Kentucky Straight Whiskey finished in two different barrels from Kelvin Cooperage.

The underlying seven-year-old Kentucky Straight Whiskey was distilled with a mash bill of 80% corn, 11% rye, and 9% malted barley. It was initially aged 7 years in used barrels. Four Gate Whiskey re-barreled the whiskey into new charred barrels from Kelvin Cooperage and then again into new toasted casks, also from Kelvin, resulting in a whiskey that has been aged in three different barrels and aged a total of seven years, nine months.

The idea for a triple oaked whiskey was first proposed a several years ago by the late Kevin McLaughlin of Kelvin Cooperage. Four Gate Chief Barrel Officer, Bob D’Antoni, kept the idea in the back of his mind until the right whiskey came along to make McLaughlin’s idea reality. To honor the genesis of the Triple Oak idea, Four Gate has displayed the Kelvin Cooperage Logo on the sub label for the batch. It is the first straight whiskey Four Gate has bottled that doesn’t qualify as a bourbon or rye due to the initial again in previously used cooperage.

“This whiskey really turned out nicely. It’s a different flavor profile than a lot of our previous offerings,” said Chief Blending Officer Bill Straub. “There is a distinct semi-sweet pie crust note throughout with green orchard fruits and strong baking spice. I love the unique flavor of this. Our fans are really going to enjoy it.”

“We are just really thrilled to bring Kevin’s idea to life,” Said D’Antoni, “He was such a great friend to me and to our company and we are confident this whiskey is really worthy of his memory.”

The whiskey was bottled at 53.8% alcohol, or 107.6 proof. 3,798 bottles were produced at a SRP of $199. It will be offered to all distributors in all markets in which Four Gate Whiskey Company is sold along with Seelbachs.com, Bourbonoutfitter.com, SharedPour.com, and Caskers.com starting on Tuesday, February 6^th, 2024.

For the latest in Bourbon, visit www.thebourbonreview.com

QUICK FACTS

PROOF: 107.6 proof (53.8% abv)
AGE: 7 years base
FINISH: 9 months total. 1st in charred oak then in toasted oak
MASHBILL: 80% corn, 11% rye, 9% malted barley
SRP: $199

The post NEW RELEASE: Four Gate Whiskey “Triple Oak” Limited Edition first appeared on The Bourbon Review.

London-based Distillery Wins Canadian Whisky of the Year

Paradym spirits

The Paradigm Spirits Company, a London-based distillery, was recently awarded Whisky of the Year for its 2022 Heritage Collection whisky at the Canadian Whisky Awards. An award ceremony was held on Jan. 18 at the Victoria Whisky Festival in British Columbia. Nearly 200 whiskies were tasted blind by ten judges. A website for the Canadian […]

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Paradym spirits

A website for the Canadian Whisky Awards indicates that the blend is made with 100 percent Canadian corn, aged 19 years in American oak barrels, and features a hint of Oloroso sherry.

Paradigm Spirits Wins Whisky of the Year Award

Scotch whisky

“This is remarkable whisky,” said Davin de Kergommeaux, chair of the judging panel and author of ‘Canadian Whisky: The Essential Portable Expert.’ “Long maturation in oak imbues it with sublime complexity and elegance, while meticulous blending animates its fresh, fruity top notes.”

Michelle Debus, partner at Paradigm Spirits, expressed her excitement stating, “We are thrilled to receive this prestigious award. As a young distillery, our passion for whisky drives our commitment to innovation. The 2022 Heritage Collection, a 19-year-old, 100% corn whisky, showcases our dedication to pushing boundaries in Canadian whisky making.”

Notably, winning has become a natural part of the hard work pushed forward by the xxx team. Some awards received for their 2022 Heritage Collection Whisky, include

Gold Award at the 2022 SIP Awards (San Francisco),
Gold Award at the Bartender Spirits Awards 2023 (Chicago),
Double Platinum Award at the 2022 ASCOT Awards (Kentucky).

Unlike many whiskies, Paradigm Spirits blends a hand-selected Oloroso Sherry with their whiskies, resulting in an incredibly smooth and approachable flavor.

Debus adds, “It took a very long time to balance the flavor and develop the mouthfeel we wanted to achieve. The positive response from a diverse audience, from newcomers to seasoned enthusiasts, affirms that we are producing something truly special.”

There are also limited releases of other innovative whiskies such as Chapter 1: WHEATED and the 2020 Heritage Collection Cask-strength. Paradigm Spirits produces a variety of other spirits such as Juliet Gin and Latitude 42 Vodka, alongside a line of popular canned cocktails.

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NEW RELEASE: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof “A124”, First ECBP Release of 2024.

Heaven Hill this week unleashed its flavor bomb consumer darling Elijah Craig Barrel Proof – A124. This is the first of three annual scheduled releases of the ECBP series. The second being May and final towards September. This is the 12th year for the ECBP annual release series. At 119.0 proof, A124 will show an […]

The post NEW RELEASE: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof “A124”, First ECBP Release of 2024. first appeared on The Bourbon Review.

Heaven Hill this week unleashed its flavor bomb consumer darling Elijah Craig Barrel Proof – A124. This is the first of three annual scheduled releases of the ECBP series. The second being May and final towards September. This is the 12th year for the ECBP annual release series.

At 119.0 proof, A124 will show an age statement of 10 years, 9 months. As a reminder, the age statement represents the youngest barrel in the batch and will vary from edition to edition. The code break down is pretty simple. The “A” represents it is the first release of that year, “1” being the month released (January), and “24” being the year. Simple is good, we like simple.

Each ECBP batch has its own unique taste profile, proof and age statement. It is non-chill-filtered and uncut to preserve all the natural esters and taste components from the barrels to the bottle.

ECBP A124 is available nationwide at an SRP of $74.99. Future releases in the Elijah Craig Barrel
Proof line are expected in May and September of this year. As we continue to release Elijah Craig Barrel Proof
editions, we will add them to our website at elijahcraig.com.

QUICK FACTS

PROOF: 119 proof (59.5% abv)
AGE: 10 Year, 9 Months (youngest barrels)
Non-Chill & Uncut
Nationwide Availability
SRP: $74.99

For the latest in Bourbon, visit www.thebourbonreview.com

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Chicken Cock Whiskey Releases Single Barrel Double Oak Whiskey

For this reason, the spirit cannot be qualified as a bourbon, but rather a Double Oak Kentucky Whiskey, though all other aspects of it align with those of a classic bourbon.

The Exclusive Southern Spirit Gets Garden & Gun’s Ultimate Stamp of Approval

Chicken Cock Whiskey has unveiled an exclusive Single Barrel Double Oak Kentucky Whiskey in partnership with Garden & Gun. Inspired by the South and its time-honored traditions, Chicken Cock Whiskey’s Garden & Gun’s Single Barrel Double Oak is imbued with history and is now available on Chicken Cock’s website and will be available soon in retail stores for $149.99.

Chicken Cock Whiskey’s Master Distiller Gregg Snyder is an avid hunter when he’s not hand selecting white oak for aging spirits, or sampling batches to find the perfect blend of flavors. Snyder describes Garden & Gun’s Single Barrel Double Oak Whiskey as “just phenomenal… full-flavored, full-bodied and smooth,” with a fragrance of caramel coffee and a crème brûlée finish – an ideal bottle to open after an adventurous day of hunting.

“It has the mash bill recipe for bourbon,” explains Chicken Cock Whiskey’s Brand Ambassador Will Woodington. However, due to the American white oak barrel shortage in 2014, the spirit was aged in bourbon barrels for seven years. “Then we finished it in new American white oak barrels to elevate the whiskey to our standards.” For this reason, the spirit cannot be qualified as a bourbon, but rather a Double Oak Kentucky Whiskey, though all other aspects of it align with those of a classic bourbon. Only 12 barrels of this exclusive spirit will be bottled and available for purchase.

“Garden & Gun is thrilled to partner with Chicken Cock Whiskey to present this limited-edition Double Oak single barrel collaboration,” shares Christian Bryant, vice president and publisher of Garden & Gun. “We know our readers will relish the warm and inviting hints of vanilla, steeped berries, and cinnamon. This bottle will add character to any home bar.”

Bardstown Bourbon Company’s “House of Bardstown” Pop-Up Experience coming to Louisville, Nashville and Dallas

House of Bardstown is a new unparalleled bourbon experience from Bardstown Bourbon Company this spring in Louisville, Nashville, and Dallas. Learn more about bourbon culture with Bardstown Bourbon Company’s immersive cocktail and culinary pop-up experience. Limited guests will explore themed rooms, enjoy tastings, and savor local culinary delights, all while discovering the innovative spirit of one of Kentucky’s leading distilleries.

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The Bardstown Bourbon Company tells BourbonBlog.com they are introducing “House of Bardstown,” a unique pop-up event that merges cocktail artistry with culinary exploration in February 2024.

This unique experience kicks off in Louisville first and then will proceed to Nashville and Dallas later in the spring. To ensure exclusivity and intimacy, access is limited to a small number of guests each evening, who will be guided to an undisclosed location for the experience.

The “House of Bardstown” offers an exclusive foray into the essence of bourbon culture, underscored by Bardstown’s commitment to innovation and transparency in whiskey making.

The “House of Bardstown” Experience

Guests attending the “House of Bardstown” will embark on a curated adventure through various themed rooms, each designed to tell a part of Bardstown’s story of collaboration and innovation in bourbon creation.

Highlights of the experience include:

The Origin Room: A space that challenges and redefines traditional bourbon perceptions with a modern aesthetic.

Discovery Lab: An immersive tasting room where guests can explore Bardstown’s exquisite bourbon blends, enhancing the sensory enjoyment of whiskey.

Foursquare Bar: A unique setting where the heritage of bourbon meets the tropical essence of Barbados, offering a fusion of flavors.

Goose Island Lounge: Styled after a Chicago speakeasy, providing a secretive retreat with its own distinct charm.

For more information and to secure your slot at”House of Bardstown,” visit bardstownbourbon.com/house-of-bardstown. Here, you will be able to register to receive updates, including detailed event information and dates for each city.

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Buffalo Trace Distillery is Throwing a BLANTON’S BDAY BASH in Honor Of Colonel Blanton. Tickets Go Live Soon!

Get those keyboards ready! Tomorrow at 10am ET, a world class way to celebrate Colonel Blanton’s Birthday goes live online via Buffalo Trace Distillery. Below are the details. Only 76 tickets available at $295 each. Partakers will see live Blanton’s thieving straight from the barrel for starters! Good luck and here’s to The Colonel! EVENT […]

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Get those keyboards ready! Tomorrow at 10am ET, a world class way to celebrate Colonel Blanton’s Birthday goes live online via Buffalo Trace Distillery. Below are the details. Only 76 tickets available at $295 each. Partakers will see live Blanton’s thieving straight from the barrel for starters! Good luck and here’s to The Colonel!

EVENT LINK: CLICK HERE

Event Description

Embark on an immersive, deep dive into all things Blanton’s at Buffalo Trace Distillery in honor of Blanton’s 143rd Birthday! This distinctive event includes:

Your very own 750ml bottle of Blanton’s
Custom tour
Live thieving from a Blanton’s barrel
Guided tasting of Blanton’s, Blanton’s Gold and Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel
Three-course meal and more!

Limited to just 76 tickets at $295 each, this is an opportunity you won’t want to miss!

Tickets go live on 2/1/24 at 10:00am!

More Information here: https://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/…/blantons…

The post Buffalo Trace Distillery is Throwing a BLANTON’S BDAY BASH in Honor Of Colonel Blanton. Tickets Go Live Soon! first appeared on The Bourbon Review.

What Becomes a Legend Most?

Heaven Hill was named after the farmer, William Heavenhill, who originally owned the land where the distillery was built. The company’s founder and first distiller was a member of the famous Beam family, Joe Beam. Joe’s first cousin, Jim Beam, had…

Heaven Hill was named after the farmer, William Heavenhill, who originally owned the land where the distillery was built. The company's founder and first distiller was a member of the famous Beam family, Joe Beam. Joe's first cousin, Jim Beam, had already cornered the market on the family name, so the new company pulled names from the history books, Evan Williams and Elijah Craig, to christen some of its first brands.

Despite those facts, Heaven Hill's beginnings are primarily the story of the five Shapira brothers, David, Ed, Gary, George, and Mose. The brothers ran a chain of small department stores founded by their father. Called the Louisville Stores, they were mostly located in Kentucky's small towns (not in Louisville). They were a lot like today's dollar stores.

One day, the brother who ran the store in Bardstown was invited to invest in a new distillery there. He agreed, believing whiskey was a good investment now that it was legal again, but he expected to be a passive investor because he didn't know the first thing about the whiskey business. He wrote the check and went back to running his store.

Prohibition ended in the midst of the Depression and money was scarce. Soon the brother and his siblings were approached with a new proposal. The other original investors were all over-extended. They intended to sell the company if they could, close it if they couldn't. Would the Shapiras care to buy the whole thing?

Though not sure they should, they did. At their mother's insistence, they pooled their money and thereafter shared everything equally, risks and profits. Slowly, the distillery and its whiskey built a following. The brothers may not have known whiskey, but they had a philosophy forged from their retail experience, of always offering customers the best value for the money. Today, Heaven Hill is one of the largest whiskey distillers in the United States, still owned and run by its founding family, and value is still their hallmark.

Even though Heaven Hill was their company, and always had been, the brothers and their descendants never put their family name on a bottle. Now they have.

As a way of embedding the tribute in liquid, Five Brothers is Heaven Hill's traditional rye-recipe bourbon at five different ages, between five and nine years old. Yes, it's a gimmick, but it has gotten good reviews. Heaven Hill produces many brands, many of whose profiles include whiskey of different ages. Unless it's a bond or single-barrel, most whiskey products contain whiskey of different ages. Even when the label has an age statement, that just means the youngest whiskey in the bottle is that old. There is almost always older whiskey in there too.

Five Brothers Bourbon is only available in Kentucky, primarily at Heaven Hill's gift shops and a few other Kentucky retailers. Normally, I don't write about products that are this hard to find, but you don't need to buy Five Brothers to appreciate what they accomplished. Enjoy some Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Larceny, Bernheim, Henry McKenna, Rittenhouse, or any of Heaven Hill's many other fine whiskeys.

Ninety years ago, those five young guys took a gamble. They were new kids then. Some said they were playing where they didn't belong. There were ups and downs, but they stuck together as a family and persevered.

Today, with new bourbon brands appearing daily, often with dubious backstories and liquid of unknown provenance, you have the example of the five Shapira brothers, a classic American tale of taking a chance and doing the work to make it a success.

David, Ed, Gary, George, and Mose thank you for your support.

Review | Old Pulteney Harbour

The north Highland distillery of Old Pulteney has added a bottling to its core range – Old Pulteney Harbour. The name refers to the harbour in the distillery’s hometown of Wick, which was once one of the largest fishing ports in Europe during the Victo…

The north Highland distillery of Old Pulteney has added a bottling to its core range - Old Pulteney Harbour. The name refers to the harbour in the distillery's hometown of Wick, which was once one of the largest fishing ports in Europe during the Victoria era. The new whisky has been designed to show the brand's continued connection to the sea. Old Pulteney Harbour has been matured in a quartet of American oak ex-bourbon cask styles - first-fill, second-fill, re-fill and re-charred. These were hand-selected by Malcolm Waring, the long-serving Distillery Manager at Old Pulteney, and his team.

The Pulteney distillery was founded in 1826 by James Henderson. It was named after Sir William Johnstone Pulteney and remains as one of the few distilleries to be named after a person. The distillery is located in the coastal fishing town of Wick, just 15 miles south of John O'Groats, in the Highlands.

The distillery is currently owned by Inver House Distillers and has a production capacity of three million litres a year, although it often produces less than that. It nestles amongst regular town buildings and just a few hundred metres from the harbour. The brand has grown massively in the last decade and this has seen Old Pulteney climb into the Top 20 for world sales of single malts.

Old Pulteney Harbour is bottled at 40% ABV and will initially be exclusively available within Tesco stores in the UK, plus the distillery shop in Wick and via www.oldpulteney.com. A bottle will cost £34.

Our Tasting Notes

The colour is bright gold and the nose is sweet, vibrant and malty. Aromas of vanilla essence, fresh coconut and sawdust rise first and are quickly joined by green apple and white chocolate. Everything is underpinned by a distinct biscuit-like maltiness and dried grass aromas. Hints of honey, cocoa powder and salted butterscotch sit in the background.

On the palate this whisky is initially sweet, crisp and fruity before the savoury elements evolve. Sweet runny honey and vanilla fudge notes combine with green apple and pear. Then comes the white chocolate and salted butterscotch from the nose, along with some creamed coconut.

Things begin to change as a distinct bittersweet maltiness develops. This adds a more savoury edge with an earthy and biscuity quality. Underneath are further notes of fresh wood shavings, lemon zest and some warming spices, especially cinnamon bark and white pepper. The crisp, green apple comes through again well at the end.

The finish is a little short and hot. The sweetness fade first, then the fruit. This leaves the woodiness and spiciness to do battle. This creates a mineralic dryness and plenty of heat. A hint of brine can be detected right at the conclusion.

What's The Verdict?

This is an interesting single malt from Old Pulteney and one that is clearly designed to sit at an attractive price point in a supermarket. It is a simple and clearly youthful whisky but an enjoyable one. Harbour shows characteristic Old Pulteney malty and salty characteristics, and seems to represent decent value for money. Not the most complex whisky but very drinkable.