Whisky has become more attractive as an investment asset in recent years, but a new report indicates the value of luxury whiskies has declined over… Read More
Whisky has become more attractive as an investment asset in recent years, but a new report indicates the value of luxury whiskies has declined over the past year. We’ll talk with the report’s author, Duncan McFadzean of Scotland’s Noble & Company, on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, lots of hardware was handed out at this week’s awards ceremonies in Scotland and Ireland, and we’ll have the details. Chivas Brothers faces strikes by its union workers next week, and there’s less than a month left before American whiskies face European import tariffs again.
Woodford Reserve (Versailles, KY) announced today the release of a new limited-edition bottle as part of its annual Distillery Series – Toasted Oak Four Grain. This new release is a blend of Woodford Reserve’s Bourbon, Rye, Wheat and Malt whiskeys. The whiskey was first aged in a standard new oak barrel, and was then finished […]
Woodford Reserve (Versailles, KY) announced today the release of a new limited-edition bottle as part of its annual Distillery Series – Toasted Oak Four Grain.
This new release is a blend of Woodford Reserve’s Bourbon, Rye, Wheat and Malt whiskeys. The whiskey was first aged in a standard new oak barrel, and was then finished in heavily toasted new oak barrels.
It is available in 375ml bottles at 90.4 Proof. It is available for an SRP of $59.99.
Per the brand, the result is a whiskey with a beautiful baked pecan color and a toasted oak flavor with wood spiced and a hint of maple syrup and butterscotch.
CALLING ALL COLLECTORS!: This is the FIRST Woodford Reserve release to have Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall’s name on the label. McCall took over the role of Master Distiller from Chris Morris, who now serves as Master Distiller Emeritus, in January of 2023.
Woodford Reserve Master Distillery Elizabeth McCall. Courtesy
“I am thrilled for Toasted Oak Four Grain to be the first Woodford Reserve release with my name on it as Master Distiller,” said McCall. “Experimenting and creating new products is one of the most exciting parts of my job, allowing us to explore new flavors. This is the first of many special releases we have planned in the coming years.”
WHERE TO FIND: Toasted Oak Four Gain is part of Woodford Reserve’s Distillery Series, which was created to push Woodford Reserve’s creative boundaries and introduce new whiskeys to the market. This selection was masterminded by McCall and is available for purchase in limited quantities at the Woodford Reserve Distillery and limited Kentucky retailers.
TASTING NOTES (Brand Provided)
Color: Toasted pecan.
Aroma: Sweet hints of marzipan, honeycomb, brown sugar and butterscotch round
out a touch of toasted oak.
Flavor: Toasted oak, very slight wood spices with touches of maple syrup and
butterscotch.
Finish: Crisp and subtly sweet.
For more information on the Distillery Series and Woodford Reserve’s portfolio visit www.woodfordreserve.com.
Some things are just worth chasing down the rabbit hole, speaking of which…Rabbit Hole Distillery recently announced the newest addition to its Distillery Series Limited Edition lineup – “Rabelo”. This liquid beaut is a cask strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon “double barreled” meaning finished in ruby port casks. MSRP of $49 (375ml). The Distillery Series is […]
Some things are just worth chasing down the rabbit hole, speaking of which…Rabbit Hole Distillery recently announced the newest addition to its Distillery Series Limited Edition lineup – “Rabelo”. This liquid beaut is a cask strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon “double barreled” meaning finished in ruby port casks. MSRP of $49 (375ml).
The Distillery Series is an exercise in Rabbit Hole’s commitment to originality and innovation. Each release is a Limited Edition, Small Batch, Cask Strength whiskey offered in 375 mL bottles with the Batch and Bottle number printed on a custom-designed label.
Quick Facts
Cask Strength: 100.8 Proof (50.4% abv)
375ml
Bourbon Aged: 3+ Years
Ruby Port Cask Finish (4 months)
SRP $49
Mashbill: 65% Corn, 25% Wheat, 10% Malted Barley
Namesake Backstory: Rabelo
Rabelo, which means ‘little tail,’ was the name given to boats with long timber projecting off the rear which was used to steer the vessel. Traditionally, these Portuguese wooden cargo boats were used for centuries to transport people as well as goods along the Douro River. Although not in commercial use anymore, these vessels still can be seen today. Mainly, belonging to several port wine companies along the river in Porto and Gaia.
SOLD OUT ONLINE: Only 100 bottles were offered were offered for sale via Rabbit Hole’s website. Notice past tense usage as the site reads Sold Out now. Keep your eyes peeled for this one onsite at the Louisville based Rabbit Hole Distillery.
About Ruby Port: If you’re like me, you may not be a wine guru. In this day and of age of increasingly new barrel finishes, it’s not a bad thing to know more about what was in the barrel before the finish. Per Total Wine Spirits, here is a brief overview of Ruby Port: Ruby Port is the freshest and least complex of fortified wines, deep red in color and filled with sweet flavors of red fruits. Ruby Port is made from wine produced from a blend of red grapes, fortified and aged no more than three years to maintain its fresh flavor and brilliant color.
We hope to get our palate on this one for a dance!
Whisky and music go perfectly together, but Felipe Schrieberg and Paul Archibald are taking the volume up to 11 with Rhythm & Booze Records. They’re… Read More
Whisky and music go perfectly together, but Felipe Schrieberg and Paul Archibald are taking the volume up to 11 with Rhythm & Booze Records. They’re combining an independent record label with an independent bottler and making whiskies to match their music, which can be streamed using a QR code on each bottle. We’ll talk with Felipe Schrieberg on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth and share tasting notes for their debut release, Rhythm & Booze Records Release #1. In the news, Molson Coors has acquired Blue Run Spirits to expand its presence in the whisky business, and we’ll talk with David Coors and Blue Run’s Mike Montgomery about the deal. David Beckham is splitting with Diageo’s Haig Club Scotch Whisky brand, and there’s a new Elijah Craig Bourbon out to celebrate next month’s Ryder Cup.
Jack Daniel’s has released the latest in its Distillery Series line of experimental whiskies, a Tennessee Whiskey finished in añejo tequila barrels that had first… Read More
Jack Daniel’s has released the latest in its Distillery Series line of experimental whiskies, a Tennessee Whiskey finished in añejo tequila barrels that had first been used at Jack Daniel’s before being sent to Mexico. The release was selected by Master Taster Danny Lamb, and is the 11th release in the distillery series. It’s available at the distillery’s White Rabbit Bottle Shop in Lynchburg and select Tennessee retailers with a recommended retail price of $41.99.
Aberfeldy is adding to its Red Wine Cask Collection with a new 18-year-old single malt finished in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wine casks. It’s a cousin to last year’s 15-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon finish, and will be available through the distillery’s web site at first before rolling out in the UK, France, Germany, and the United States with a recommended retail price of £115 per bottle.
Angus Dundee Distillers is reviving the Glencadam 18-year-old Highland single malt. It disappeared from the lineup several years ago because of a lack of supply dating back to when the distillery was mothballed between 1999 and 2003, but there are enough stocks now to ensure a permanent supply. It will be available worldwide with a recommended retail price of £145 a bottle.
Glengoyne has released its latest Cask Strength edition. It’s the 10th in the series, and marks a decade of the annual limited edition. It’s matured in a combination of first-fill Oloroso Sherry, ex-Bourbon, and refill casks, and won a gold medal in the recent International Spirits Challenge. It is available through whisky specialist shops globally as well as the Glengoyne web site.
Wolfcraig master blenders Richard Paterson and Ian Macmillan have created the second blend in the Wolfcraig lineup, It’s a 14-year-old blend that uses whisky matured in ex-Bourbon barrels along with aged sherry casks, and will launch in August with a recommended retail price of £80 a bottle.
Wyoming Whiskey is out with its annual Wyoming-exclusive release. This year’s whisky is named Integrity, and honors former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson with a 7 year-old Bourbon. It’s available through the distillery and Wyoming retailers only.
Finally, Ireland’s Teeling Whiskey Company has released the second edition in its Wonders of Wood Collection. It’s a single pot still Irish Whiskey matured in virgin Portuguese Oak barrels. It’s available through the Teeling web site for 80 Euros a bottle, with part of the proceeds going to help plant native Irish tree species in Ireland.
This story was published July 31, 2023. Photo courtesy Jack Daniel’s.
Woodford Reserve has released Honey Barrel Finish – a limited edition whiskey as part of their annual Distillery Series – as their contribution to the observance of Bourbon Heritage Month. Woodford reserve Honey Barrel Finish was finished in barrels that once stored honey from a local bee farmer in Woodford County, Kentucky. Woodford Reserve Distillery […]
Woodford Reserve has released Honey Barrel Finish – a limited edition whiskey as part of their annual Distillery Series – as their contribution to the observance of Bourbon Heritage Month.
Woodford reserve Honey Barrel Finish was finished in barrels that once stored honey from a local bee farmer in Woodford County, Kentucky. Woodford Reserve Distillery originally loaned some of their bourbon barrels to the honey bee farmer, who used them to age honey in the barrels. The barrels were then returned to the distillery, filled with bourbon, bottled at 45.2% alcohol by volume [90.4 proof] and is said to contain notes of coconut, honey [naturally] and lemon.
Woodford Reserve Honey Barrel Finish is being made available for $60 per 375ml bottle.
DIRECT COPY FROM WOODFORD RESERVE PRESS RELEASE…..To celebrate Bourbon Heritage Month, Woodford Reserve (Versailles, KY) today releases a new limited edition bottle as part of its annual Distillery Series – Honey Barrel Finish. This new product is Woodford Reserve Bourbon finished in barrels that once stored honey. This expression demonstrates the versatility of a bourbon […]
DIRECT COPY FROM WOODFORD RESERVEPRESS RELEASE…..To celebrate Bourbon Heritage Month, Woodford Reserve (Versailles, KY) today releases a new limited edition bottle as part of its annual Distillery Series – Honey Barrel Finish.
This new product is Woodford Reserve Bourbon finished in barrels that once stored honey.
This expression demonstrates the versatility of a bourbon barrel – and the ability to recycle them for multiple uses.
Woodford Reserve Distillery loaned some of its freshly-dumped bourbon barrels to a local honey bee farmer in Woodford County, Ky. That farmer then aged his honey in the barrels.
The barrels were later returned to Woodford Reserve Distillery where they were refilled with bourbon to create, per the brand, the perfect subtly sweet liquid.
The result is a beautiful raw honey color liquid that features floral and toasty notes including honey suckle, lemon peel, toasted coconut and honey graham cracker.
“One of the best parts of my job is being able to experiment with new ways of making Woodford Reserve,” said Master Distiller Chris Morris. “It’s been rewarding to work with a honey producer here in Woodford County to create this unique Distillery Series expression and support local business and agriculture.”
Honey Barrel Finish is part of Woodford Reserve’s Distillery Series, which Morris created to push Woodford Reserve’s creative boundaries of whiskeys to the extreme. Each selection is designed by Morris and 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.
Tasting Notes
Color: Raw Honey.
Aroma: Floral notes of honeysuckle and lemon peel combine with spicy clove, toasted coconut and honey graham cracker character.
Flavor: Rich raw honey, bold baking spices softened by toasted oak and coconut maltiness.
Finish: Long and Toasty.
Honey Barrel Finish is available in 375ml bottles at 90.4 Proof. It is available for an SRP of $59.99 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.
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 ir…
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.
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.
Chocolate Malt Whisper Bourbon is available in 375ml bottles and presents at 90.4 Proof. It is available for an SRP of $49.99at 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.
