Recent releases of Kentucky Owl and Wiseman whiskies weren’t building brand confidence either. What made the Kentucky Owl bourbon created by founder Dixon Dedman and partners Mark and Sherri Carter so fantastic were deep stocks of rare, old and high-quality sourced barrels. Either those dried up…
The product development team at Chattanooga is a prolific bunch, churning out endless experiments with–based on those I’ve tasted–terrific outcomes.
There is zero, zip, nada to dislike about this whiskey except for the egregious price. If you’ve got the money to get it, get it. You’ll thank me for it.
When I first tasted all three, I thought they were “tight,” i.e. needing some head space in the bottle and time to loosen up a bit. After many weeks and revisits, they did round off nicely, so I set out to review all three.
The whiskey is light on the nose and not overly complex, which belies its high rye content. Still, there are pleasant aromas to savor. Honey, cherry blossom, maple syrup and toasted oak lead the way with some pleasant powdered donut notes bringing up the rear.
If the biggest, best-connected bulk supplier in the market is turning away from that portion of its business, does that open the door for other contract suppliers? Or are they also facing excess inventories that will force them to slow down?
This week, Buffalo Trace announced the release of its Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. Of the five bottles in the group, none exceed $149.99. You read that right. MSRP is $149.99.
Where long-aged Scotches deliver abundant delicate fruit and flowers, this intense KoK is like breathing in the aromas of a fresh box of Russell Stover candy while walking through a cigar shop downwind from a BBQ joint.
On the palate, it’s straight-up whiskey goodness: toasted oak, rich butterscotch, graham cracker, citrus and roasted grain. Tropical fruits and Demerara syrup make the already glossy mouthfeel even richer.
Smaller producers, NDPs especially, are more concerned. Whiskey shelves at liquor stores are crowded, and getting attention for their brands is more difficult than ever, especially when powerhouse producers can reduce prices to keep sales moving.
