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nwbeerguide · 7 months

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Texas' Balcones Distilling celebrates 15 years with the release of Cataleja Texas Single Malt

Press Release

WACO, Texas ... As a leader at the forefront of the whisky revolution in Texas, Balcones Distilling is proudly unveiling a new single malt whisky in celebration of their 15-Year Anniversary: Cataleja Texas Single Malt.

As the American Single Malt category continues to explode, with year-over-year sales growing at a remarkable double-digit rate1, Cataleja Texas Single Malt emerges as a symbol of the innovative spirit that has been the bedrock of this booming new category.

"Cataleja Texas Single Malt is one of the most complex and unique whiskies we've made. It's a testament to the Balcones commitment to exploration, experimentation, and an unyielding dedication to our craft," said Jared Himstedt, head distiller at Balcones Distilling. "We each had our own vision of Cataleja, what it might become, and its individual character. Even now that it's here, it's more distinctive than we imagined. This process showcases our continued commitment to engaging with our whisky in a meaningful way to create unique, expressive flavors."

Made with 100% Golden Promise Malted Barley, this single malt began its maturation journey in barrels previously used to age Kentucky bourbon, and after three years of the Texas climate's concentrating effects, was transferred into decommissioned Sherry Solera casks that were meticulously hand-selected from various Spanish bodegas (wine cellars): Moscatel, Amontillado Dulce, Oloroso and Palo Cortado. Because the first fill showcased the wonderfully high impact of the 80+ year old casks, the whisky was transferred back into neutral barrels and then followed with two additional rounds of refill single malts through the decommissioned casks, as they continued to provide sherry impact alongside the delicate malt character.

"Cataleja Texas Single Malt is an ode to whisky makers of the past - it is our way of honoring the makers who've come before us and using the best of the techniques and the ingredients that they had at their disposal," said Himstedt. "This complex whisky not only pays homage to the pioneers who have inspired us, but it also embraces the relentless pursuit of crafting something uniquely its own."

For those that are 21 years or older, Cataleja Texas Single Malt has an SRP of $125 and will be available to purchase for a limited time only at select U.S. liquor retailers in Texas, California, Illinois, Colorado, New York and Florida, and can be pre-ordered on ReserveBar.com. The limited release will be available starting this month, but Balcones will also be offering a first taste for all guests at its 15th Anniversary celebration this Saturday, October 28, at the Balcones Distillery in Waco, Texas.

"Waco has been instrumental in the birth of Balcones, and a dear partner in our growth and development over the years," said Himstedt. "Being able to reintroduce Balcones and celebrate 15 years of our whisky journey with Cataleja, surrounded by our community, is an honor and a joy that we don't take lightly."

Additional details for those 21+ years old interested in attending the 15th Anniversary event, including how to purchase a ticket, can be found at Balcones15year.com. For more information on the new Cataleja Texas Single Malt and its availability, please visit BalconesDistilling.com.

About Balcones Distilling

Balcones Distilling pioneered a new landscape for whisky by combining centuries of single malt distilling tradition with the unique flavors of Texas. Synonymous with quality and innovation, Balcones Distilling is an award-winning distillery that is changing the state of whisky through its high-quality ingredients and unique processes to create layers of flavor in every expression.

Creator of the original Texas whisky, Balcones Distilling distills all of its beloved spirits inside the historic Texas Fireproof Storage Company building in downtown Waco. Guests can visit the distillery for tours, tastings and events to discover the new state of whisky with Balcones. Visit BalconesDistilling.com for more information.

About Diageo North America

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Casamigos, DeLeon and Don Julio tequilas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: DGE) and their products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, their people, brands, and performance, visit www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Follow on Twitter and Instagram for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.

1 Nielsen Census x AOC + Liquor + C Store + Military, Calendar Year 7.22.2023-7.28.20

#Balcones Distilling #Waco #Texas #TX #Diageo North America #Spirits #Distilling #Distillery #Single Malt #Whiskey

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oscaronthegloryroad · 8 months

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My 50 States of whiskey project has made another step forward

16/50! 32% (Including DC it ends up being 31.4%)

The list so far is under the break

Alabama is represented by Clyde Mays Alabama Straight Bourbon Colorado by Stranahan's American Single Malt Whiskey Florida by St. Augustine Distillery Straight Florida Bourbon Indiana by Redemption Straight Rye Whiskey Kentucky by Old Tub Bonded Straight Bourbon Whiskey Maryland by Sagamore Spirit Blended Rye Whiskey Nevada by Smoke Wagon Straight bourbon (halloween edition) New York by River Blues Bourbon Whiskey Oregon by a bunch of McCarthy's Peated Oregon Single Malt South Carolina by Red Bordner's Premium South Carolina Whiskey Tennessee by Jack Daniels Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye Texas by Balcones Rye Whiskey Utah by High West American Prairie Bourbon Washington by Westland American Oak Single Malt Whiskey West Virginia by Smooth Ambler Contradiction Blended Bourbon Virginia by Catoctin Creek Rabble Rouser Bonded straight Rye Whiskey I am working on getting more!

#fifty states of whiskey #whiskey #bourbon #American Single Malt Whiskey #Rye Whiskey #the hardest one to get will probably be Hawaii

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firewaterxo · 4 years

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Hey guys! How's it going?🙂. . It's the Orthodox Easter weekend and I'm enjoying a 4 day weekend at home, not that I could go anywhere 😄. I managed to grab a bottle of a very good whiskey, highly recommend by @whiskydramster and myself too! It's the Balcones Texas Single Malt whiskey 😉. . I was very surprised by this one and how much it comes close to scotch while still keeping its own unique signature taste 👌🏻🥃 that being said, this really reminds of a good Speyside scotch 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻. . Bottled at a rather high 53%, and aged on average 14 to 24 months per batch depending upon what barrels are drawn from, the Balcones 1 Texas Single Malt really shines ✨🥃. . Here is my review:. . Nose: Very fruity, overripe fruit. Elderflower, pears, nougat, molasses, butterscotch, pears, cocoa, malt and oak. . Palate: Sweet tannic, dried dark fruit, apricot, fresh hay and tobacco. . Finish: Spicy with toasted cereal. . This is an excellent single malt whiskey from Texas🇺🇸, it's a rich and full bodied whiskey that can be mistaken for a good Speyside scotch, I mean that in a good way 😉🥃✌🏻️. . Cheers guys! Have a great weekend!. . And to those that are celebrating Easter this week: Happy Easter!🥃✨🥃🐣🥚. . #balcones #balconesdistillery #texas #waco #americanoak #balcones1 #texassinglemaltwhiskey #whisky #whiskey #shotoniphone #shotonsony #instagood #firewaterxo #scotchwhisky #whiskyporn #whiskygram #whiskybar #whiskylover #bottle #drinks #whiskylove #cluj #romania #instawhisky #usa #tgif #weekend #weekendvibes #friday #easter (at Cluj-Napoca) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Fn1vlnknn/?igshid=1u2vzdkr28k58

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greatdrams · 5 years

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The GreatDrams Review of 2018

Welcome to The GreatDrams Review of 2018, a time for me to have a swift light hearted reflection of the year that was and my personal highlights of the year.

Well what a year it has been; Donald Trump is still president, Daniel Ricciardo sacked off Red Bull to move to Renault - massive error in judgement in my view, Brexit is still as screwed up as ever, Harry and Meghan were wed, my wife and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary at the Johnnie Walker Spa F1 Grand Prix, City won the Premiership in record-breaking style, my beloved LFC are finally looking like a ruthless challenger of honours, a load of school kids were trapped then rescued from a cave in Thailand, the World Cup in Russia was one of the best I have ever watched, all manner of politicians embarrassed themselves, their offices, our government and our country and of course, The Greatest Show managed to get me addicted to its soundtrack.

Crazy to even start reflecting on most of the above, but thankfully I only need to reflect on GreatDrams, and of course what's been going on in whisky.

This year has been amongst my busiest;

285,000 + GreatDrams readers this year

65k followers across social media and email

1,300 articles now on GreatDrams (including a load scheduled for future publishing)

256 hours airborne on planes to presentations and meetings

131 hours on trains to meetings

60 trains to meetings in London

37 flights to distilleries and meetings in seven countries (Japan, China, Germany, Spain, USA, Scotland and Ireland)

23 distilleries visited across Scotland, Japan, Kentucky

11 casks bought for our independent bottling programme

9 events attended (lower than usual due to hectic consulting schedule and family life)

8 publications written for including a year long ‘residency’ writing for Whisky Magazine

5 spirits judging panels sat on

4 whisky shows and festivals attended

3 awards shortlisted for

2 award wins - Silver Medal in the Independent Bottler’s Challenge and Best Online Spirits Resource

2 GreatDrams independently bottled whiskies, Invergorden 11 Year Old & Craigellachie 11 Year Old Single Casks, available here

1 award highly commended runner up

1 squash match against Fred Laing which raised over £4,500 for charity

Countless whiskies tried, enjoyed and commented on

Some particular highlights for me personally have been;

Getting to visit Japan, China, Germany, NYC (x2), and Kentucky on business

Meeting so many GreatDrammers at different whisky festivals - you're all awesome

Visiting Whisky L in Shanghai

Spending time with so many icons of the whisky world including, but not limited to Dr. Bill Lumsden, Richard Patterson, John McCheyne, Georgie Bell, Fraser Campbell, Stephanie Macleod, Donald Coleville, Dr. Nick Morgan, Ewan Gunn, Billy Leighton and Brian Nation

Visiting Kentucky for the first time - wow… and managing to visit nine distilleries in three days, including a day where I just went to one!

In whisky I was fortunate to try some incredible whiskies (in the order in which I remembered them or tried them, not preference);

Johnnie Walker Ghost Reserve Port Ellen

Tullamore D.E.W. XO

Glenfiddich 40 Year Old

Fettercairn 40 Year Old

Hakushu 25 Year Old

Hibiki 35 Year Old Single Cask

Hibiki 17 Year Old

Hibiki 17 Year Old Grain Component

Hibiki 17 Year Old Mizunara Component

Hibiki 17 Year Old Sherry Component

Suntory Toki

Craigellachie Hotel 21 Year Old

Whyte & Mackay 13 Year Old

AnCnoc Peatheart

Jameson IPA

Redbreast 21 Year Old

Tullamore D. E. W. Distillery Exclusive Red Wine Finish

Roe & Co.

Teeling Brabazon 2

Bunnahabhain PX Finish

Bunnahabhain Moine Brandy Cask Finish

Dewar’s Scratched Cask 12 YO

Dewar’s White Label

Ballantine’s 21 Year Old

Ballantine’s 17 Year Old

Craigellachie 33 Year Old

Royal Brackla 21

G&M Clynelish 12 Year Old

Nikka Miyagikyo 12 Year Old Sherry & Sweet

Singleton of Dufftown Malt Masters Selection

Bushmill’s 16 Year Old

Bushmill’s 21 Year Old

The Glenlivet Captain’s Reserve

Aberlour Casg Annamh

Balcones Texas Rye

Starward 10th Anniversary

Rock Oyster 18 Year Old

Rock Oyster Cask Strength Batch 002

Yamazaki 12 Year Old

Suntory Kakubin

Asaka Six Month Mizunara Rested New Make

Chicken Cock Bourbon

Weller 12 Year Old

Wild Turkey Decades

Wilderness Trail Single Barrel

Wilderness Trail 4 Year Old Rye

Russell’s Reserve Bluegrass Tavern Barrel Select ‘Gobble Gobble Gulp’

Bluegrass Distillers Wheated Bourbon

Weller 1950’s Gold Vein

Method & Madness Hungarian Oak Finish

Glengoyne 21 Year Old

Caperdonach 21 Year Old Peated

Along with all these stunning whiskies and a very busy year, we have seen Scotch exports up, volumes up and huge investment into new and expanding distillery operations throughout Scotland and Ireland in particular, with many new distilleries opening up in England too.

2019 looks to be another busy year with many new distilleries having spirit old enough to start releasing their first bottlings after three or more years of patience, and I'm sure a degree of nervous anticipation.

Thanks for reading, following, liking, Tweeting, Facebooking, Instagramming and tagging GreatDrams across the web this year, I've had a blast and it's been so lovely to help so many GreatDrammers with their whisky choices and to meet a fair few of you at events around the UK over the last twelve months.

As always, please do send me pics of your whisky exploration, or tag me in festivities so I can share with the wider GreatDrams Network and please also keep sending your feedback, questions and comments to me, I reply to every single email I get sent; [email protected].

Here's to a prosperous 2019 for one and all, have a great Christmas, New Year and see you at the next show!

The post The GreatDrams Review of 2018 appeared first on GreatDrams.

from GreatDrams http://bit.ly/2Qh3OLs Greg

#whisky #GreatDrams

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goodspiritsnewsat · 2 years

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GSN Spirited News: March 22nd 2022 Edition

Waco, Texas-based Balcones Distilling has released the 2022 edition of Mirador, a limited release American single malt whiskey. The barrel strength whiskey is matured in second-fill barrels and blended from whiskies aged between three and five years. Balcones Mirador is available from select retailers across the U.S. and at the Balcones distillery for around $80 a 750-ml. Kenyan gin brand Procera…

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#Balcones Distilling #Balcones Mirador #BrandyLab #brown forman #Castle & Key Distillery #GlenDronach Cask Bottling Batch 19 #O’Neill Vintners and Distillers #Procera Gin #Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey

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mybeerbuzz · 3 years

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From Jester King : Now available is Balcones Texas Single Malt Whisky Barrel-Aged SPON! Last year we took some mature, four-year-ol...

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dramworld · 3 years

Video

Balcones Texas Single Malt Single Barrel French Oak "Maltzilla Fury of the French Oak" Whisky Review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjjZX0d48ss

#IFTTT #YouTube

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perfectirishgifts · 3 years

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The Future Of American Whiskey: 15 Trends To Watch In 2021

New Post has been published on https://perfectirishgifts.com/the-future-of-american-whiskey-15-trends-to-watch-in-2021/

The Future Of American Whiskey: 15 Trends To Watch In 2021

Florida, Miami Beach, Walgreens liquor store, Jack Daniel’s, whiskey. (Photo by: Jeff … [] Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The American whiskey industry is growing by leaps and bounds. There are now more than 2,000 craft distillers in the US. New registrations of whiskey expressions are at a 50 year high. Consumer interest in American whiskeys, especially rare, ultra-aged, ultra-expensive expressions, is growing exponentially.

Moreover, the style of expressions is also growing rapidly and now features a broad range of cask treatments, innovative mash bills, especially ones that utilize historic or non-traditional grain varieties and new categories of whiskey, like American single malts and blended whiskey.

Recently, I sat down with Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski, co-founders of independent whiskey bottler Lost Lantern, to talk about the top trends in American whiskey for the coming year. Nora and Adam have visited more than a hundred distilleries across the country, this year, giving them a unique perspective on the landscape of American whiskey.

Through their work as an independent bottler of American whiskey, they get an unusual inside look into what distilleries across the country have in their pipeline, and often see emerging trends across the beverage industry before they become evident in bottled product.

Below, are Nora’s and Adam’s top 15 trends to watch in the American whiskey category in 2021.

American Single Malt:

1. American single malt will continue to become more widely available—and more affordable, like Balcones Lineage. There are over 150 single malt producers in the United States, but historically it has been more expensive and harder to find than Bourbon. We expect that to start to change in 2021.

Nora Ganley-Roper , Lost Lantern

2. The federal government will either issue a new definition for American single malt, or decline to—either way, it will let the industry find its way forward. Currently, there is no official definition of “single malt whiskey” in the United States. Instead, American single malt whiskeys have to be shoehorned into other classifications, such as “malt whiskey” (when the whiskey is matured in new oak) or “whiskey distilled from a malt mash” (when the whiskey is matured in used oak). The American Single Malt Whiskey Commission has pushed the Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB) to adopt an official definition of American single malt, and the TTB is likely to publish its final decision this year.

Bourbon:

3. A transition away from “craft.” People will stop talking about “craft Bourbon” and start talking about the rise of regional styles like “Iowa Bourbon,” “Nevada Bourbon,” etc. Distilleries like Cedar Ridge and Frey Ranch will lead the way.

4. The top craft distilleries will be accepted as being on the same level as the major distillers —New Riff (pretty much already there), Wilderness Trail, Westland, Starlight among others.

Rye:

5. Heirloom rye will come onto the stage in 2021, as experiments distilled years ago start maturing. Keep an eye on New York Distilling Co., Dad’s Hat in Pennsylvania and Far North Spirits in Minnesota.

Regionality:

6. Awareness of regional styles based on local botanicals/practices like mesquite-smoked single malts that capture the flavors of the Southwest (e.g. Colkegan and Whiskey Del Bac); New York empire rye, a revival of the tradition of cool climate rye (e.g. Kings Co. Distillery and New York Distilling Co.) and Pacific Northwest brewer-driven single malt (e.g. Westward and Copperworks) will grow.

7. Texas will increasingly be perceived as a major whiskey region, at least on par with Tennessee. Whiskey tourism in Texas will grow rapidly once the pandemic ends. Brands such as Andalusia, Balcones, Garrison Bros, and Ironroot Republic will lead the way.

Maturation/Wood Strategies

Adam Polonski, Lost Lantern

8. More distilleries will experiment with matching casks with the type of whiskey they’re maturing. Expect more European oak, larger casks, casks from new local cooperages, lighter char levels on barrels and finishing casks unique to that region. Examples of distilleries already doing this are Ironroot Republic, Westland and Westward.

Terroir Driven Whiskey Expressions

9. Farm Distilleries, and the concept of seed-to-glass spirits, will become more prominent. This will reignite the discussion of terroir in spirits. Keep an eye on Frey Ranch in Nevada and Whiskey Acres in Illinois.

Tariffs:

10. Tariffs will slightly help American whiskey at home, but hurt it dramatically abroad. Meanwhile, Scotch will continue to be very expensive unless the tariffs are reversed.

Excise Taxes:

11. If the Federal Excise Tax on alcohol reduction is not extended or made permanent, distilleries will be in a disastrous position. Many, likely hundreds, will close their doors.

COVID:

12. Craft distilleries will continue to suffer until the pandemic is over, but online business models will become even more accepted. Those who can adapt to an online model will find success, but it won’t make up for what is lost from a tasting room and local guests.

Collaborations and Blending:

13. Already common with breweries, more distilleries will experiment with collaborating—both with each other and with emerging American whiskey blenders like Lost Lantern, Crowded Barrel, and others.

Consumer Behavior

14. Online purchases will continue to rise.

15. Expect a growing availability gap between affordable, high-quality, widely available whiskeys, like McKenzie rye from Finger Lakes Distilling Co. and prestigious, hard-to-find releases. Whiskeys in the middle will struggle, but high-end and affordable releases will thrive in the pandemic and post-pandemic economy.

Cheers

More from Spirits in Perfectirishgifts

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johnboothus · 4 years

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The Next Wave of American Craft Whiskeys Is Here

American craft whiskey has come a long way in just two decades. The movement started with a handful of distillers who began fermenting in the mid-aughts and has now grown to over 570 small distilleries, according to Bill Owens, president of the American Distilling Institute. Although there were a few small whiskey distilleries around the country that had gotten their starts in the 1990s, outfits like Old Potrero in California and Prichard’s in Tennessee, it’s the distilleries that rose up in that first decade of the new century — the modern pioneers of micro-distilling — that blazed the trail that so many have followed since. Those years saw the birth of a handful of startups in Colorado, New York, and Texas, some of which had to lobby their state governments to amend local law just to allow them to exist.

Yet it wasn’t long after craft whiskey started to gain momentum that some influential cognoscenti began turning their noses up at the spirits made by most small distillers, engendering a dismissive attitude that continues to stick a full decade later among a large slice of enthusiasts. Accompanying all that scoffing are a number of myths about how small distillers make whiskey, notions that were at best only half true in 2010 and are woefully out of date today. These attitudes remain frozen in the craft whiskey 1.0 era, labeling said whiskeys as underaged in small barrels with a flavor profile that is hot, woody, and cloying.

Yet how most small distillers around America make their whiskeys has evolved during the last decade and a half, as lessons were learned and operating scale grew. Early on, small whiskey makers embraced a spirit of innovation, some of them borrowing heavily from craft brewing along the way. Their successes even inspired the big distillers to come around to adopt certain craft-like practices, and now most of the big guys operate a micro-distillery of some description, capable of the small, craft-scale production runs favorable to experimentation (the best example is Buffalo Trace, which runs a separate, small distillery in the same complex as its industrial-scale setup). These trends came full circle when Nicole Austin, who began her distilling career with Kings County in Brooklyn,was named master distiller for George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey in 2018.

American Whiskey Grows Up

Balcones wasn’t the first distillery project to get started in Texas, but it was among the earliest, and its story is arguably the most iconic. Founders Chip Tate and Jared Himstedt famously did much of the construction and fabrication necessary to get the distillery built themselves, inside an old welding shop in Waco. The brand’s first whiskey, Baby Blue, was released in 2010 and was typical of its time in two ways: It innovated by making the first blue corn whiskey, imparting a richer and oilier flavor to the spirit; and used small barrels to reduce aging time down to several months. Baby Blue, although flavorful and unlike anything on store shelves at the time, illustrated both the pros and cons of craft whiskey 1.0.

Pressed by the need to get a whiskey on the market as soon as possible, many early small distillers like Balcones relied upon small barrels to age their whiskeys. Using these small barrels increased the ratio of wood surface area to liquid contained, thereby accelerating some (but not all) aspects of the maturation process. From the mid-2000s to the early 2010s, the term “small barrel” usually meant a cask holding anywhere from 3 to 10 gallons, as opposed to the familiar 53-gallon American Standard Barrel that is the bedrock of the whiskey industries in Kentucky and Tennessee.

In the years that followed, Balcones grew, gained renown, and sought investors. Those investors clashed with co-founder Tate, who sold his share and started a new distilling project. Balcones went on without him to open a new $14 million production facility using large copper pot stills, increasing production by a factor of 10. Yet even before the new facility came online, the company was already using larger barrels, and moving away from its start with tiny barrel aging.

Balcones isn’t alone among the modern pioneers of micro-distilling in making the switch to bigger barrels. Before there was Baby Blue, Tuthilltown’s Hudson Baby Bourbon was made using 3- and 14-gallon barrels, with aging periods ranging from six to 24 months. Tuthilltown now uses 15- and 26-gallon barrels for at least two years of aging, and 53-gallon barrels for at least four years of aging. Brooklyn’s Breuckelen Distilling relies on 25- and 53-gallon barrels. Also in Brooklyn, Kings County Distilling uses 15- and 53-gallon barrels, as does Philadelphia’s Mountain Laurel Spirits, makers of Dad’s Hat Rye. Nowadays 15- to 30-gallons barrels are the norm with small distillers, while 53-gallon American Standard Barrels and the even larger 59-gallon casks made by wine coopers are in more common usage than the tiny 3-gallon and 5-gallon casks that were prevalent in the early days.

The change in barrel stock underscores how whiskey made by small and medium-sized distillers has been gaining in maturity alongside the companies that make them. The malt whiskey made by Stranahan’s, another one of the earliest craft whiskey entrants, has been getting progressively older over the years. This has culminated most recently in the latest iteration of Stranahan’s Diamond Peak, which pairs four years of normal aging in new oak barrels with further aging in a solera system based on a trio of foeders (a type of large wooden cask).

The category-wide shift was driven by a problem inherent with using those tiny, new oak barrels that held less than 10 gallons. Namely, they came with a time limit for aging. Several months in these smaller vessels is ideal, maximizing extraction of color and flavor from the oak. However, using those barrels past a year risks drawing more flavor and tannin than is desirable. Whiskeys over-aged in new oak tend to become astringent and “woody.” In comparison, it could take 20 years for a whiskey to gain over-aged flavors in a 53-gallon barrel, while over-aging can happen in as little as 15 months in a 5-gallon barrel. By transitioning to a mix of larger barrel sizes, distillers were enabled to produce mature, aged whiskies that still retained an identity distinct from that of the big guys of the upper South, who rely entirely on the 53-gallon barrels and a traditional approach to maturation.

The Era of “Bottled In Bond”

The best statement on how craft whiskey has grown up over the last 15 years or so is found on the labels of a growing number of expressions that read “bottled in bond.” The term has been a statement of quality since the passage of the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897. Bonded whiskeys are made by a single distiller from stock made in a single distilling season, aged in a bonded warehouse for a minimum of four years, and bottled at 100 proof. Small distillers value one of those requirements in particular. “Producing a bottled-in-bond whiskey allows us to communicate to customers that Wigle produces whiskey that is older than four years,” says Alex Grelli, co-founder of Wigle Whiskey in Pittsburgh.

Although the small barrels used by many in the early days of craft whiskey could impart vanilla and tannic flavors, some parts of the maturation process demand time — the kind of time a small barrel doesn’t allow for. Over the years spent in the cask, some of the harsher chemicals in the spirit are extracted from the whiskey and into the wood, while others bond with each other and transform or otherwise break down. Young whiskey can be very flavorful, but a smooth and sophisticated character comes only with maturity.

However, few small or medium-sized distillers are able to lay up whiskey for years just to see how it will turn out, and only then develop special products. That’s a luxury for well-funded, large distilleries that can better afford to tie up capital in aging unproven whiskeys. So the introduction of these craft bonded whiskeys is no happy accident. An additional challenge? Smaller barrels have a greater evaporation rate (a.k.a. “the angel’s share”), so the relative loss from a 30-gallon barrel will be significantly higher than from a 53-gallon barrel. Putting out a craft bonded whiskey is the result of farsighted and deliberate planning, embracing the challenges and expenses, and making the changes necessary to accommodate older whiskeys. Some small distillers had the idea of creating a bonded whiskey from the start.

“We never set out to make a super-young whiskey,” says Al Laws, founder of Laws Whiskey House in Denver. “We wanted to be the first bonded four grain bourbon in the U.S. Our bonded whiskeys are true small batches. Not two barrels, but 10, 20, or 30, so we can reach those interested in the flavor experience.”

To meet that goal, Laws relied on 53-gallon barrels from the beginning, and Laws’ Bonded Four Grain Bourbon followed in due course, once the distillery had aged sufficient amounts of 4-year-old whiskey. Following that milestone, it steadily introduced 4-year-old, bonded versions of its other whiskeys. Then the age of those bonded whiskeys began to increase in 2019, with the release of a 6-year-old version of the Bonded Four Grain Bourbon.

For Wigle Distillery in Pittsburgh, moving toward the production of a bonded rye whiskey was practically an outgrowth of its identity, so it had it in mind early on. “We are named for a man, Philip Wigle, who started the Whiskey Rebellion when he punched a federal tax collector,” said Grelli. “The bottled in bond designation is inextricably linked to federal whiskey taxes, and so we knew we wanted to produce a product to celebrate this class of whiskey.”

The days when a typical craft whiskey came from tiny barrels are far behind us now, and the truth is small whiskey distilling in America transitioned to its 2.0 stage a few years ago. Most craft whiskeys are aged for longer periods, while the use of unorthodox grains has grown from blue corn and brewer’s malts to include red corn and exotics like spelt and millet. Although aging whiskey takes time, changing perceptions sometimes takes longer, but any of the expressions listed below ought to help with any lingering doubts.

6 Top Examples of American Whiskey’s Next Wave

Dad’s Hat Bottled in Bond Rye

Mountain Laurel Spirits is not just part of the gaining maturity of craft whiskey, but also a leader in the revival of Pennsylvania Rye. Dad’s Hat make a bold, spicy rye based on an 80 percent rye, 20 percent malted barley mash, which is a true throwback to pre-Prohibition whiskey.

Laws San Luis Valley 6-Year-Old Bonded Rye

Laws Whiskey House followed up raising the age of its bonded four-grain bourbon last year by doing the same with its rye this year. It’s just as novel, too, since extra-aged and bonded rye whiskeys aren’t exactly commonplace on the market.

Old Potrero Hotaling Single Malt

Old Potrero has remained small and has been around for a quarter-century now, which has given it plenty of time to produce some middle-aged and even truly old whiskeys. Those go into its occasional Hotaling releases, the most recent of which was an 11-year-old version of its 100 percent malted rye whiskey from 2017.

St. George’s Spirits Single Malt

Another example of craft whiskey before there was craft whiskey is California’s St. George’s Spirits, and the distillery has been releasing a new lot of its popular single malt for two decades now. Last year’s Lot 19 was made from stock aged in ex-bourbon barrels and sweet port and dessert wine casks for six to eight years.

Tom’s Foolery Bonded Bourbon

Traditional bourbon is made using mostly corn, usually making up about two-thirds to three-quarters of the mash. This Ohio farm distillery makes its bourbon with an exotic mash bill: 54 percent corn, 23 percent rye, and 23 percent malted barley. A recipe like that produces a spirit that draws less flavor from the sweet corn and more from the nutty, fruity barley, while retaining the spicy note found in most of the bourbon made across the Ohio River in Kentucky.

Woodinville Whiskey Company

Sometimes an extra-aged or bonded whiskey from a small distillery is a special one-time or periodic release, and not part of the brand’s regular line-up. Washington’s Woodinville Whiskey, however, has based its flagship bourbon and rye squarely on being at least 5 years old.

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wineanddinosaur · 4 years

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The Next Wave of American Craft Whiskeys Is Here

American Whiskey Grows Up

The Era of “Bottled In Bond”

6 Top Examples of American Whiskey’s Next Wave

Dad’s Hat Bottled in Bond Rye

Laws San Luis Valley 6-Year-Old Bonded Rye

Old Potrero Hotaling Single Malt

St. George’s Spirits Single Malt

Tom’s Foolery Bonded Bourbon

Woodinville Whiskey Company

The article The Next Wave of American Craft Whiskeys Is Here appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/american-craft-whiskies-new-wave/

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isaiahrippinus · 4 years

Text

The Next Wave of American Craft Whiskeys Is Here

American Whiskey Grows Up

The Era of “Bottled In Bond”

6 Top Examples of American Whiskey’s Next Wave

Dad’s Hat Bottled in Bond Rye

Laws San Luis Valley 6-Year-Old Bonded Rye

Old Potrero Hotaling Single Malt

St. George’s Spirits Single Malt

Tom’s Foolery Bonded Bourbon

Woodinville Whiskey Company

The article The Next Wave of American Craft Whiskeys Is Here appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/american-craft-whiskies-new-wave/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/620728922522468352

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gailmalooft · 6 years

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Distiller’s American Whiskey Reward Information – 2018

Selecting out a dozen whiskeys from American manufacturers is a difficult activity, however any individual’s gotta do it. Those whiskeys have all been launched previously 12 months and all are extremely really helpful for the whiskey drinker for your existence—which incorporates you! If you happen to’re no longer certain what to shop for, let our American Whiskey Reward Information for 2018 assist you to out.

BOURBON PICKS

Those bourbon alternatives aren’t elderly in anything else however new, charred American oak barrels. Vintage flavors are provide with each and every pick out coming in at no less than 100 evidence. Really useful for the traditionalist.

Previous Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond nine 12 months / Photograph Credit score: Previous Fitzgerald

FOUR ROSES 130TH ANNIVERSARY SMALL BATCH BOURBON

4 Roses 130th Anniversary Restricted Version Small Batch Bourbon marks the 130th anniversary for the logo which introduced in 1888. Crafted through grasp distiller Brent Elliott, the Kentucky directly bourbon is comprised of bourbons elderly 10-16 years with various mash expenses and yeast recipes. Bottled at a barrel power of 108.three evidence, you’ll in finding cherry fruit, leather-based and cooked apples. SRP $140

OLD FITZGERALD BOTTLED IN BOND 9 YEAR (FALL 2018)

This Previous Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Sequence is scheduled to be launched on an allotted foundation each and every spring and fall all over the following 5 years. The spring editions will characteristic a inexperienced label whilst the autumn releases will endure a black one. The packaging for this bottle used to be impressed through an unique 1950s Previous Fitzgerald diamond decanter. The Fall 2018 bottling marks the second one unlock within the wheated bourbon collection. Brown butter, pork jerky and coconut are simply some of the flavors to find. SRP $90

KING OF KENTUCKY 14 YEAR KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON

King of Kentucky is a whiskey emblem that used to be first presented in 1881. Brown-Forman received the logo in 1936 however retired it in 1968. Now 50 years later, they have got resurrected King of Kentucky, now as a Kentucky Immediately Bourbon (previously it used to be a mixed whiskey). The title is a connection with horse racing, “the game of kings”. Elderly 14 years, it spent the primary 7 in a heat-cycled warehouse and the final 7 years with out. Those are unmarried barrel releases, so be expecting to peer evidence starting from 125-135. Handiest 960 bottles to be had. Be expecting loads of oak affect with vanilla, barrel spices and a protracted end. SRP $199

BOURBON BARREL FINISHES

Those bourbon alternatives used barrels which elderly one thing rather than whiskey. This gives an added layer of fruit for each and every pick out. Really useful for the gourmand.

Wild Turkey Grasp’s Stay Revival / Photograph Credit score: Wild Turkey

WILD TURKEY MASTER’S KEEP REVIVAL

That is the 3rd U.S. expression underneath the Grasp’s Stay collection. It used to be impressed through Wild Turkey Signature, which Jimmy Russell presented within the early 2000s. For this bottling, Eddie Russell traveled to Jerez, Spain to supply the 20 year-old oloroso sherry barrels utilized in completing. The bourbon elderly for 12-15 years in new, charred American oak and ahead of being transferred to those sherry barrels. Search for flavors of berries, chocolate and pancakes—want I say extra? This one’s within the working for my best whiskey of the 12 months, so when you don’t purchase a bottle, all of the extra for me! SRP $150

PARKER’S HERITAGE BARREL FINISHED

Barrel Completed marks the 12th version of Parker’s Heritage, a restricted version version whiskey named in honor of the past due Heaven Hill grasp distiller Parker Beam. Barrel Completed is comprised of bourbons that elderly for 7-Eight years at the higher flooring of Rickhouse Q. The bourbon then spends 4 months in barrels that in the past held orange curaçao liqueur ahead of bottling. Tastes of dried orange peel with out overpowering the vintage bourbon flavors. A bourbon worthy of Parker’s title certainly. SRP $89.99

ANGEL’S ENVY CASK STRENGTH BOURBON (2018 EDITION)

This cask power Kentucky directly bourbon elderly for as much as 7 years. The bourbon barrels are hand-selected and mixed ahead of completing its maturation in port wine casks. First launched in 2012, Angel’s Envy Cask Energy Bourbon 2018 Version is bottled at 124 evidence. The cask power bottlings are all the time particular and this 12 months’s model isn’t any other. A stupendous after dinner sipper. SRP $200

RYE PICKS

If you happen to occur to win the lottery—no longer being facetious, some states/retail retail outlets do lottery drawings for extremely allotted bottles—and get your arms on a bottle of Sazerac 18 Year or Thomas H. Handy, through all manner purchase them. For everybody else whose quantity isn’t drawn, those rye suggestions are for you. A perfect pick out for the ones on the lookout for spice.

Balcones Texas Rye 100 Evidence / Photograph Credit score: Balcones

ROSSVILLE UNION MASTER CRAFTED BARREL PROOF

Because the title suggests, that is the cask power model of Rossville Union, the primary proprietary rye emblem launched through MGP Substances. It’s comprised of a batch of 83 barrels—famous at the entrance of the bottle—that elderly in new, charred American oak. Barrel Evidence is bottled at 112.6 evidence and is to be had in make a choice markets within the Midwest and Southwest US. If you happen to’re a rye drinker, likelihood is that you’ve had whiskeys produced through MGP, as they provide one of the highest identified manufacturers within the industry. This barrel evidence rye is a brilliant worth. SRP $69.99

BALCONES TEXAS RYE 100 PROOF

Launched in mid-March 2018 in party of the distillery’s 10th anniversary, this rye whiskey from Balcones is comprised of 100% rye and is bottled at 100 evidence. The rye mash invoice comprises 80% uncooked elbon grain from north and northwest Texas in addition to crystal, chocolate and roasted rye types. Elderly just below two years, this product is matured in new American oak barrels and diluted to evidence with Hill Nation spring water. Cinnamon, darkish chocolate and toasted rye grain anticipate you. SRP $39.99

MICHTER’S 10 YEAR SINGLE BARREL RYE

After over a 12 months of inventory depletion, the newest batch of 10 12 months Unmarried Barrel Rye used to be made to be had in a while ahead of July 4th this 12 months. The barrels of rye have been chosen from Michter’s shares of getting old whiskeys through grasp of maturation Andrea Wilson and authorized through grasp distiller Pamela Heilmann. As is the case for Michter’s whiskeys, that is extremely allotted and in restricted availability. If you happen to do get your arms on a bottle, be expecting leather-based, cherry fruit and darkish spice. SRP $160

OTHER AMERICAN WHISKEYS TO CONSIDER

Those whiskey alternatives suppose out of doors the field when it comes to the mix, the barrel, or the mash invoice. And considered one of them is solely to this point in the market, it needed to be incorporated on this class. For the explorer.

Westland Garryana three|1 / Photograph Credit score: Westland

WESTLAND GARRYANA 3|1

Garryana three|1 is known as after the Quercus garryana, a species of white oak sourced from the Pacific Northwest. Earlier editions married ratios of full-term matured garry oak to conventional oak casks. On the other hand, restricted provides compelled grasp distiller Matt Hofmann and blender Shane Armstrong to make use of a sequence of vattings and casks finishes for this 12 months’s version. Along with Garry oak the distillery employs new American oak, 1st fill ex-bourbon, 1st fill ex-port and fill up ex-Westland casks. All of the barrels used in reality tie the whiskey in combination. SRP $149.99

WOODFORD RESERVE STRAIGHT MALT

That is the most recent member of Woodford Reserve’s Distiller’s Make a selection circle of relatives of whiskeys which incorporates the logo’s Straight Bourbon and Straight Rye whiskeys—all everlasting fixtures. The Immediately Malt is comprised of a mash invoice of 51% malted barley, 47% corn and a couple of% rye. As opposed to that, the whiskey is made identical to the opposite Distiller’s Make a selection whiskeys in all different spaces of manufacturing which incorporates getting old in new, charred American oak. This Immediately Malt differs from Scotch malt whisky because the latter should be comprised of 100% malted barley and new, charred oak barrels are infrequently used. It’s bottled at 90.four evidence. A perfect whiskey to check out, particularly when you’re simply entering malt whiskeys. SRP $34.99

BARRELL WHISKEY INFINITY BARREL PROJECT

This whiskey venture is a take off from the infinity bottle that some whiskey creditors and fanatics around the globe create. Pouring the final ounce or two in their whiskey as they end a bottle right into a separate bottle creates a novel mix. Barrell has carried out that with this whiskey which, for this batch, accommodates Tennessee whiskey and rye; Indiana whiskey completed in oloroso sherry butts; Indiana rye; 100% Polish malted rye completed in curaçao barrels; Scotch whisky; and Irish whiskey. Each and every unlock might be other, as new whiskeys might be added to the batch as wanted. The bottling date will mark the brand new batch. Bottled at cask power of 59.65% ABV. SRP $70.

With Distiller, you’ll all the time know what’s within the bottle ahead of you spend a cent. Price, Assessment and Uncover spirits! Head on over to Distiller, or obtain the app for iOS and Android these days!

The publish Distiller’s American Whiskey Gift Guide – 2018 seemed first on The Distiller Blog.

The post Distiller’s American Whiskey Reward Information – 2018 appeared first on Liquor Gift Baskets.

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ellismorris0 · 6 years

Text

Distiller’s American Whiskey Reward Information – 2018

BOURBON PICKS

Previous Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond nine 12 months / Photograph Credit score: Previous Fitzgerald

FOUR ROSES 130TH ANNIVERSARY SMALL BATCH BOURBON

OLD FITZGERALD BOTTLED IN BOND 9 YEAR (FALL 2018)

KING OF KENTUCKY 14 YEAR KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON

BOURBON BARREL FINISHES

Those bourbon alternatives used barrels which elderly one thing rather than whiskey. This gives an added layer of fruit for each and every pick out. Really useful for the gourmand.

Wild Turkey Grasp’s Stay Revival / Photograph Credit score: Wild Turkey

WILD TURKEY MASTER’S KEEP REVIVAL

PARKER’S HERITAGE BARREL FINISHED

ANGEL’S ENVY CASK STRENGTH BOURBON (2018 EDITION)

RYE PICKS

Balcones Texas Rye 100 Evidence / Photograph Credit score: Balcones

ROSSVILLE UNION MASTER CRAFTED BARREL PROOF

BALCONES TEXAS RYE 100 PROOF

MICHTER’S 10 YEAR SINGLE BARREL RYE

OTHER AMERICAN WHISKEYS TO CONSIDER

Westland Garryana three|1 / Photograph Credit score: Westland

WESTLAND GARRYANA 3|1

WOODFORD RESERVE STRAIGHT MALT

BARRELL WHISKEY INFINITY BARREL PROJECT

The publish Distiller’s American Whiskey Gift Guide – 2018 seemed first on The Distiller Blog.

The post Distiller’s American Whiskey Reward Information – 2018 appeared first on Liquor Gift Baskets.

from http://liquorgiftbaskets.net/2018/11/24/distillers-american-whiskey-gift-guide-2018/

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wineanddinosaur · 4 years

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One Man’s Strange Quest to Make a 50-State Whiskey Blend

With the last decade’s boom in craft whiskey, now literally every single U.S. state has at least one homegrown distillery producing whiskey, whether bourbon, rye, Tennessee whiskey, single malt, or ones even more exotic than that. There are whiskeys made with corn, rye, barley, millet, and even sorghum. There are some that use a mesquite-smoked malt, others that employ port-barrel finishes. Just like the country itself, American whiskey is messy and hard to get a handle on. But, one man wondered, was there any way to tie them all together and produce something greater than its constituent parts?

“It wasn’t just a fun, gimmicky thing, though, it was a very personal thing,” says Michael Bloom. “I’ve never been a collector of closed bottles. I’ve always wanted to open and taste flavorful spirits that aren’t in the mainstream.”

Though the 52-year-old Bloom is not in the spirits industry per se — career-wise he’s a federal government bureaucrat (“and proud to be!”) — he has been drinking whiskey for decades and is a fixture on the whiskey “scene.” In fact, I first met him at an event for my book, “Hacking Whiskey,” in the fall of 2018 in his hometown of Chicago. Even then he was telling me about his ambitions for a “50 State Blend,” something he’d been thinking about since 2015 at least. In an email from October 2018, he wrote to me: “I imagine my first crack at this as a 1/2 oz from every state in a single bottle. But I love the idea of a true National blend, a United Spirit so to speak, and think the collaboration could scale too.”

If you didn’t know, amateur blending has gotten hot in the last decade, with hobbyists taking to Reddit and Facebook to discuss their blends. Yet only a few have managed to pervade the whiskey zeitgeist, most notably Poor Man’s Pappy — a theoretically cheap blend designed to resemble the sought-after Van Winkle — and another called California Gold.

Bloom has never had any ambitions like that, but he’s been quietly making his own amateur whiskey blends for 12 years now, a hobby that first began when he acquired some Woodinville Whiskey “white dog” and a one-liter barrel. Since then, he’s done blends to celebrate weddings and bar mitzvahs (to open when the kids turn 21!), he’s made a blend for his synagogue’s Purim celebration, and even done charity-related blends like CowaLUNGa, to support Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago’s annual 190-mile bike ride from Illinois to Wisconsin.

But all those blends were made with just a handful of whiskeys. Bloom knew the 50 State Blend would be his most challenging project yet. He’d first, of course, have to obtain 50 states’ (and a Washington, D.C.’s) worth of whiskey. Back in 2018, Bloom only had 18 of the states covered and was able to find a few more at his local Binny’s Beverage Depot. For the rest of them, he worked off “best of” lists on the internet to whittle down the thousands of possibilities.

“I was seeking what’s different and new,” explains Bloom, “not necessarily what’s the smoothest or heftiest, or is even a brand everyone knows.”

Credit: 50 State Blend

To acquire many of the bottles, he was able to order the whiskeys through online retailers like Spirit Hub. Some states would be quite difficult, of course. Despite it acclaimed Louisiana Single Malt, New Orleans’ Atelier Vie Distillery only sells bottles for a few hours every Saturday — luckily, Bloom’s brother works for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and was able to get an appointment when the team was in town to play the Pelicans. Bloom acquired Alaska’s Port Chilkoot Distillery rye when his parents just happened to be taking an anniversary cruise up the Alaskan coast.

“South Dakota was the toughest acquisition and the only one where I felt stuck,” Bloom says. He couldn’t even find friends of friends who knew someone there, one of the country’s least-populated states. Finally, he had the clever idea to reach out to a South Dakota whiskey enthusiasts Facebook group for a little help. The group’s moderator ended up sending him a bottle of Badlands Distillery’s Iron Hills Bourbon.

Meanwhile, until just last year, Hawaii didn’t even have its own whiskey — the Ko’Olau Distillery now offers Old Pali Road Whiskey, a bourbon-style whiskey made from local corn and blended with some undisclosed whiskey from the mainland. That latter point is critical. Aside from being forced to break his own rule with Hawaii, Bloom was strictly looking to acquire whiskeys that had been 100 percent produced within their respective states. That, thus, meant no products that had sourced the ubiquitous MGP whiskey and then simply bottled it at home.

He likewise wanted to avoid any big-boy distilleries, opting for New Riff’s Straight Rye for Kentucky’s entry and Nelson’s Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey for the Volunteer State. He actually considered using an MGP whiskey for Indiana’s entry, but instead opted for Starlight Distillery’s bourbon.

By early March of this year, just as the pandemic was shutting down the country, Bloom had finally collected all 51 bottles and took to his office, trying to figure out how to harness them all. First, the highly analytical Bloom would taste them, not only taking notes, but ranking each on a score of 1 to 100 on nose, palate, mouthfeel, and finish.

“How radically different all these states are,” he says. “All making such interesting stuff.”

While it wasn’t shocking that the much-acclaimed Balcones’ Texas Single Malt Whisky had his highest aggregate score (369 out of 400), there were many other surprises. Like One Eight Distilling’s District Made, a youthful straight rye from Washington, D.C., that, Bloom explains, is “not on most people’s radar.” He also liked a mere months-old single malt from Nebraska, which he calls “red-apple forward.”

Credit: 50 State Blend

Bloom was blown away by another single malt from Idaho, Warfield Distillery’s Certified Organic American Pot Still Whiskey, which he found “extraordinarily subtle, like a grassy Lowlands Scotch.” He had initially balked at Warfield’s $100 price tag, but is glad he went for it (Bloom claims he paid an average of $65 per bottle, including shipping).

By late March he was ready to start blending. For a “first draft,” Bloom measured out 10 milliliters of every whiskey — 14 bourbons, 14 ryes, 12 single malts, one single malt rye, one Tennessee whiskey (of course!), one millet whiskey, one sorghum whiskey, and six uncategorizable whiskeys — to see “if it actually has character.” It wasn’t bad. But he wondered what he could do to make it better.

“Ultimately, I’m striving for a balanced blend with an enticing nose, rich palate, weighty mouthfeel, and lingering finish,” says Bloom, who launched a 50 State Blend website to further detail the project and his methodology. “A dram of 50 State Blend should tell a compelling story and satisfy discerning whiskey lovers.”

For the second draft, Bloom created a weighted score that gave the most weight to palate (43 percent) followed by nose (30 percent), finish (17 percent), and mouthfeel (10 percent). He used the weighted scores to create a proportion of the total blend volume for each whiskey. In other words, the highest-scoring Balcones would contribute 49 milliliters, while the lower-scoring Ko’Olau only 13.5 milliliters. He quickly discovered an issue.

“My scoring gave higher scores to fuller nose and mouthfeel and longer finish so the resulting blend was biased toward outsized and complex flavors,” says Bloom. By the fourth draft, he was finally honing in on a nuanced blend. Instead of relying on pure mathematics, he developed this blend by feel, working from his memory for how the ingredients tasted and would interact with one another. He was quite satisfied with the result, a full-bodied yet balanced whiskey.

“I don’t know how many drafts there’ll be or whether I’ll ever be done,” he says. He’s barrel-aged a few batches and is even thinking of starting a solera system, swapping in new whiskeys from each state at times. “My favorite [drafts] have more of the unusual stuff in it. I don’t want you to taste it and say, ‘This is easy to drink and smooth.’ Who cares?!”

Bloom’s 50 State Blend is already garnering some buzz among whiskey cognoscenti, even though scoring samples of the non-commercial release is nearly impossible. This one seems poised to join the realm of Poor Man’s Pappy and California Gold, as Bloom is already being featured on industry podcasts. The only difference is, it would be very time-consuming and costly for others to recreate the recipe themselves. Not to mention, some of the bottles are extremely limited — single-barrel picks and distillery-only bottlings. Another one, a Single Cask Nation Westland 2-Year-Old, will never be made again. Meaning even Bloom needs to start finding understudies for future blends.

Luckily, Bloom has found that his favorite part of making the 50 State Blend is discovering all the great whiskey being made across our country, bottles like Brooklyn’s Widow Jane and South Carolina’s High Wire Distilling, which makes a red-corn whiskey that Bloom hopes to get a bottle of soon, maybe even in person. But until then, stuck in quarantine like the rest of us, Bloom will keep experiencing the country merely by sipping its whiskey.

“Sampling spirits is a great way of experiencing places when we’re not able to do so in person,” says Bloom. “It’s not an accident that I got this off the ground during Covid.”

The article One Man’s Strange Quest to Make a 50-State Whiskey Blend appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/50-state-whiskey-blend/

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