Seth Thompson - BourbonSphere

Woodford Reserve’s 25th Anniversary

It was a big week in the Kentucky Bourbon Industry as iconic brand, Woodford Reserve, celebrated it’s 25th Anniversary. It all started (again) in 1996 on the hallow grounds of 1812 National Historic Landmark “Labrot and Graham Distillery” (aka Oscar Pepper Distillery). On those very grounds, founder and Bourbon legend Oscar Pepper would use the […]

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It was a big week in the Kentucky Bourbon Industry as iconic brand, Woodford Reserve, celebrated it’s 25th Anniversary.

It all started (again) in 1996 on the hallow grounds of 1812 National Historic Landmark “Labrot and Graham Distillery” (aka Oscar Pepper Distillery). On those very grounds, founder and Bourbon legend Oscar Pepper would use the scientific services of industry icon Dr. James Crow who would incorporate break through consistency techniques in whiskey making like the ‘sour mash method’.

The late President, Owsley Brown II (great grandson of B-F founder George Garvin), had the vision in the mid 90’s to create a homeplace where guests could learn the history of Bourbon while sipping on the world’s finest Bourbon. After an extensive and undoubted costly renovation to preserve the existing distillery, Woodford Reserve was born.

We can only assume that he would be overjoyed with where the brand stands today as a global leader in premium Bourbon.

Woodford is undergoing a major distillery expansion that would double the brand’s output capacity. Fermenters going from 8 to 16 and their gorgeous 3 copper potstills doubling to 6. Completion scheduled for 2022. If you show up for a tour next year, you truly will be seeing double:)

Woodford Reserve Distillery — Rendering of WR Distillery doubled potstill expansion. Courtesy Photo

Checkout www.woodfordreserve.com for updates as they celebrate throughout the month of October.

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Old Elk’s upcoming ‘Cask Strength Series’ Limited Releases

Old Elk Distillery (est. 2013) in Fort Collins, Colorado, has been an intriguing noise maker on the American Whiskey scene over the last 3 to 4 years. Their Master Distiller, Greg Metze, boasts a career of 40+ years in the biz and is the former Master Distiller of MGP. Founder, Curt Richardson, has an A+ […]

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OED’s upcoming Limited Edition ‘Cask Strength Series’ of four different releases, each from a different European spirit barrel finish, will certainly continue to make noise for the brand.

“These products are a new level of flavor we’re excited to bring to our consumers’ glasses. Most of the flavor in a whiskey comes from the aging process and with the secondary aging of the cask finishes,” says Melinda Maddox, Beverage Director. “By resting our liquid in these various casks, we’re able to keep the liquid our fans know and love today and enhance the flavor with the cask of another world-class product.”

All Four Upcoming Cask Strength Series Releases

Old Elk Straight Bourbon Sherry Cask Finish: The ten-year-old Spanish sherry cask adds a hint of dried fruit, which melds into a nutty dry and floral finish. (109.7 ABV)
Old Elk Straight Bourbon Port Cask Finish: With casks from Portugal, the port finish brings out a smoother, luscious taste of deep rich, ripe fruit. (108.4 ABV)
Old Elk Straight Bourbon Cognac Cask Finish: Old Elk’s high-malt mashbill is matured in world-class cognac casks to yield an expression of perfect harmony in a glass. [Tasting notes from Mel to come] (109.4 ABV)
Old Elk Straight Bourbon Armagnac Cask Finish: Also from France, Armagnac is the rebel of the region. This secondary maturation leads to a more rustic and full-bodied whiskey with dark fruit notes and a brooding finish. (108.3 ABV)

Pricing and Availability (Limited Release)

Old Elk’s Cask Finished products will be distributed by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and will be a
national limited release, available at select retailers in the U.S. with a suggested retail price of $89.99 per
750 ml bottle. For more information and to locate a bottle visit www.Oldelk.com.

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TX Whiskey launches Cognac Finished Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey: Final Expression from Master Distiller Rob Arnold

TX Whiskey (Fort Worth, TX) recently announced the launch of TX Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Cognac Casks, the third expression in TX Whiskey’s Barrel Finish Series. It follows the award-winning TX Straight Bourbon Tawny Port Finish and PX Sherry Finish, propelling the growth of the TX Whiskey brand. The third and final experimental release marks a bittersweet milestone as the last expression and final gift from TX Whiskey’s […]

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“We are truly grateful for Rob’s impact on TX Whiskey, and for his careful cultivation of our award-winning portfolio,” said Steve Gordon, Director of Marketing for TX Whiskey. “As a testament to Rob’s brilliance, we’re committed to preserving the spirits so many have come to know and love while evolving and innovating the TX Whiskey brand.”

With a proof of 101.6, TX Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Cognac Casks brings forth flavors of honey, stone fruit, grapes, light vanilla, caramel, and baking spices. Rob Arnold hand-selected the Cognac casks for this expression, which had been used over the course of multi-year maturation experiments, and ultimately selected to finish two-year-old Texas Straight Bourbon over 17 months.

This will be the first TX Whiskey expression distilled at Whiskey Ranch, the brand’s new 112-acre artisanal distillery experience in Fort Worth, Texas.

“Some of the highest peaks of my career at TX Whiskey include: Isolating our proprietary wild yeast strain, reviving forgotten heirloom and new varieties of corn, helping to bring rye & barley cultivation back to Texas, developing novel toast profiles used in our barrel aging program, developing a collaboration with Sawyer Farms with the goal of becoming a single-farm distillery for our straight bourbon expressions, and creating the first ever Bottled-In-Bond Texas bourbon”, said Master Distiller, Rob Arnold. “As I move on to focus on a career in scientific research and whiskey writing, I have full confidence in the brand’s legacy under the leadership and expertise of Ale and Evan.”

Master Blender, Ale Ochoa, and Head Distiller, Evan Brewer have been handpicked by Arnold to lead distillery and production operations following his last day on Oct. 8^th. Ochoa and Brewer will continue to create innovative whiskies and extraordinary experiences to preserve the legacy of the TX Whiskey brand.

TX Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Cognac Casks is a limited release (SRP: $64.99) available starting October 2021 at Whiskey Ranch in Fort Worth and at fine Texas retailers.

ABOUT TX WHISKEY:

Established in 2010 by Leonard Firestone and Troy Robertson, and now part of the Pernod Ricard spirits family, TX Whiskey is a premier brand with an artisanal distillery, connecting and inspiring people through whiskey. Located in Fort Worth, TX, the brand’s Whiskey Ranch sits on 112 acres of historic golf grounds making it one of the largest whiskey distilleries. The brand launched its first expression TX Blended Whiskey in June 2012, receiving both “Double Gold” and “Best American Craft Whiskey” honors at the 2013 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. As the first distillery to use a proprietary combination of grains, yeast, and barrel toasting, the brand continued to be an industry innovator with the release of TX Straight Bourbon in 2016. The single-farm sourced expression showcases the unique terroir and flavors of North Texas receiving Gold Medal honors twice in 2020 in the “Small Batch – Up to 5 Years” category at both the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and International Spirits Challenge in England. Additionally, it was awarded a 94 rating in the 2020 Ultimate Spirits Challenge and a Silver Medal at the PR%F Awards. Additional TX Whiskey expressions, including TX Bourbon Port Finish, TX Bourbon Sherry Finish and TX Bourbon Bottled-In-Bond Single Barrel were recently awarded Double Gold and Gold medals at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. For more information, please visit www.frdistilling.com.

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MGP is now called “Ross & Squibb Distillery”? Kinda. We’ll Explain…

It’s a bit convoluted. But we’ll get there. The bottom line is this… Existing brands (Rossville Union Rye and George Remus) made by MGP for MGP (not 3rd party) are now to be referred as being made at ‘Ross and Squibb Distillery’. The main gist, if it’s made at MGP and not sold to an […]

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It’s a bit convoluted. But we’ll get there.

The bottom line is this…

Existing brands (Rossville Union Rye and George Remus) made by MGP for MGP (not 3rd party) are now to be referred as being made at ‘Ross and Squibb Distillery’. The main gist, if it’s made at MGP and not sold to an outside company, it’s made at Ross and Squibb Distillery.
The name of MGP’s Lawrenceburg operations responsible for the sale of distilled spirits to third-party brands remains unchanged. Essentially, you buy sourced juice from MGP and start your own whiskey company, you can say its from MGP if you want.

Now lets back up a moment. Earlier this year, MGP acquired and merged with Luxco Spirits, a family owned liquor company HQ’d in St. Louis. You may know them for their newly built Lux Row Distillery in Bardstown, KY. MGP reportedly paid $475M in cash and MGP stock value to Luxco. Luxco wasn’t exactly hurting prior to this, as their reported 2020 net revenue being $202M.

Through the deal, Luxco now oversees the in house brands of MGP (Now Ross & Squibb) such as Rossville Union and George Remus.

Ross and Squibb: Name Origins

Both names have deep distilling roots to Lawrenceburg, IN. ‘Ross’ refers to George Ross who founded Rossville Distillery in 1847 on MGP’s current campus. This being the namesake for Rossville Union Rye. “Squibb” refers to the Squibb Distillery founded in 1869 and later purchased by famed bootlegger George Remus in 1921 which was sold following Prohibition.

David Bratcher, COO and President of MGP branded spirits notes, “In rebranding our Lawrenceburg distillery, we sought to celebrate Indiana’s rich and important distilling history, particularly as it involves the inspiration behind our branded spirits. All Ross & Squibb brands find their inspiration in Indiana distilling history, so it is fitting the distillery itself now does as well.”

In 2011, MGP (Midwest Grain Producers) bought the titanus Lawrenceburg distillery which was known as Seagrams following Prohibition up until around 2000. The distillery site, considered the mecca of rye supply for NDP’s (non distilling producer), is aged 174 years.

We hope we’ve been able to shed some useful light on this development. If not, just pour yourself a drink and all will be well:)

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High West Releases Limited Ed “A Midwinter Night’s Dram Act 9” with 2 Unique Finishes

High West Distillery & Saloon, Utah’s first legal distillery since 1870, unveils the ninth rendition of A Midwinter Night’s Dram, a limited release of High West Rendezvous Rye finished in Ruby and Tawny port barrels. “A Midwinter Night’s Dram is easily our most anticipated limited release blend of the year. It’s High West’s Rendezvous Rye […]

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“A Midwinter Night’s Dram is easily our most anticipated limited release blend of the year. It’s High West’s Rendezvous Rye finished in both Ruby and Tawny Port barrels for an additional 1 to 2 years,” said Master Distiller Brendan Coyle. “This year’s release, Act 9, provides notes of dark fig and blackberry layered over that wonderful spice character that great Ryes have to offer. We recommend sipping this spirit neat to experience its many layers of complexity.”

TASTING NOTES: Provided by High West

This limited-edition blend of straight rye whiskeys opens with notes of muddled blackberries, honey-poached figs, chocolate covered cherries, toasted marshmallow, gentian root, star anise and hoisin sauce. On the palate, it offers refreshing sugar plums, blackberries, spiced bitter orange peel, toffee cookies aside an orange tea, fresh dates, cinnamon strudel, brown sugar glass, and dried thyme leaves. The finish yields aromatic bitters, pink peppercorn, violets and mint.

Cost & Availability

A Midwinter Night’s Dram Act 9 (49.3% Alc/Vol) will be available beginning October 1st. The spirit can be purchased at High West General Store in Old Town Park City and at High West Distillery on Blue Sky Ranch in Wanship, Utah, for $99.99 per bottle. For more information and where to buy High West products near you, visit highwest.com.

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WOODFORD RESERVE Releases Limited Edition ‘Chocolate Malt Whisper’ Distillery Series

Woodford Reserve 'Chocolate Malt Whisper"

Good things sometime come from accidents. Take Alexander Fleming’s 1928 discovery of antibiotics by a lab slip-up, that seemed to work out pretty well for everyone. Or the 1853 discovery of the potato chip, created out of spite by a chef to irritate a nagging customer complaining about their French fries. That definitely worked out well – FOR EVERYONE. We may not have popsicles if an 11 year old boy in 1905 didn’t leave his powdered soda water with a stick in it outside on a frigid night.

{STORY: 5 “Happy Accidents” That Made Some Good Bourbon}

Along those lines of accidental greatness hail Woodford Reserve’s new Distillery Series limited edition release “Chocolate Malt Whisper”. It’s a Kentucky Straight Bourbon birthed immediately following the production of what was later released as the 2019 Master’s Collection edition, Chocolate Malted Rye. Some of the flavor notes from that Malted Rye carried over in the distillate of the next batch of bourbon. It influenced the flavor profile, resulting in a bourbon enveloped in roasted chocolate notes.

“Sometimes unforeseen developments occur in the distillery that result in great flavors,” said Master Distiller Chris Morris. “This is one of those cases.”

Chocolate Malt Whisper is part of the annual Distillery Series, which Morris created to push Woodford Reserve’s creative boundaries of whiskeys to the extreme. Each selection is masterminded by Morris & Assistant Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall and is available for purchase at the Woodford Reserve Distillery and limited Kentucky retailers. There are three annual releases of the distillery series.

2018 Distillery Series: “Bottled-in-Bond”

2017 Distillery Series: “Five-Malt”

COST & AVAILABILITY

Chocolate Malt Whisper Bourbon is available in 375ml bottles and presents at 90.4 Proof. It is available for an SRP of $49.99 at the Woodford Reserve Distillery’s gift shop and at select Kentucky retailers. For more information on the Distillery Series and Woodford Reserve’s portfolio visit www.woodfordreserve.com.

TASTING NOTES: Provided by WR

Color: Orange chocolate

Aroma: A medley of dark chocolate, dusty cocoa and roasted coffee beans brightened with a hint of citrus oil and mint.

Flavor: Smoky roasted cocoa, vanilla beans and dark chocolate sweetened with a very slight drizzle of caramel atop faint fruit and citrus notes.

Finish: Lingers like a chocolate brittle walnut fudge brownie.

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