FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (April 21, 2011)

Chairman’s Trophy Winner – Rye

• • Sazerac 18 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey – With a “95” score and “Extraordinary Recommendation,” this whiskey was described as “Wonderfully balanced with fruit and spice being offered in perfect harmony and with incredible length.”

Chairman’s Trophy Winner – Bourbon

• • George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – With a “96” score and “Extraordinary Recommendation,” this bourbon was called a “mind blowing bourbon” by one of the judges who also said “…Bottled at cask strength which suggests that a water addition is prudent but we are amazed by how soft, supple, and perfectly integrated this spirit is at full strength.”

Chairman’s Trophy Finalists

• • Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky – Received a “92” and “Excellent, Highly Recommended” rating.
  • Eagle Rare Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Received a “95” and “Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation” as well as a “Great Value” notation.
  • Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Received a “95” and “Extraordinary Recommendation.”
  • Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey – Received a “92” and “Highly Recommended” notation.
• Other notable scores of Buffalo Trace’s whiskeys include:
  • Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – “93” rating
  • Charter 101 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – “93” rating and “Great Value”
  • William LaRue Weller 12 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – “92” rating
  • Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – “91” rating
  • Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – “91” rating
  • Blanton’s Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – “90” rating
  • Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey – “89” rating
  • Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey – “89” rating

“What an honor to receive not one, but two Chairman’s Trophy Winners this year, for those represent the ‘best of the best,’” said Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley. “And then to have so many of our other whiskies do so well, too, is just amazing. We’re very excited.”

For a complete list of USC winners, go to www.ultimate-beverage.com/wine_reviews/spirits-results/.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is a family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The distillery’s rich distilling tradition dates back to 1787 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won seven distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Malt Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named Whisky Magazine 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 200 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotrace.com.

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Enjoy this bourbon cocktail to celebrate the opening of baseball season.

Rub half a lemon around the rim of a glass and place into crushed Cracker Jack to coat the rim. Combine Wild Turkey, Frangelico, Amaretto, lemon juice and salt in a shaker. Mix and strain into a glass with rocks and top with soda water.

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Maker’s Mark Distillery officials announced today that the 2011 Maker’s Mark Mile commemorative bottle will honor a Kentucky icon – Keeneland Race Course in commemoration of its 75th anniversary.

In addition, sales of the specialty bottle – which go on sale April 8 – will benefit a newly named endowment for the arts honoring retiring University of Kentucky President Lee T. Todd, Jr. and his wife, Patsy.

The Lee T. and Patsy Todd, Jr. Development Fund will make it possible for the UK Symphony Orchestra and students from the UK School of Music to take symphony music into public schools and communities throughout the state. This year is the third time that bottle proceeds have helped fund this program.

“Every year, we strive to make this commemorative bottle and its charitable proceeds about the people and entities that have a positive impact on Kentucky,” said Maker’s Mark President and CEO Bill Samuels, Jr. “Lee and Patsy Todd, as well as Keeneland, have made significant contributions to Kentucky and have been such wonderful partners to Maker’s Mark through the years, that it seemed only fitting to honor them in this way.”

The design of the 2011 collectable bottle features Keeneland’s specially designed anniversary logo and notes the 15th anniversary of the distillery’s sponsorship of the Maker’s Mark Mile.  Keeneland Race Course opened on October 15, 1936.

Samuels expects about $200,000 from the sale of more than 18,000 bottles statewide, creating funding for this unique program in excess of $1.2 million.

“We are so honored that Maker’s Mark is paying tribute to our anniversary in this way,” said Keeneland President and CEO Nick Nicholson. “This sponsorship and all of the money it has raised through the years was the brainchild of Bill Samuels and he deserves a tremendous amount of credit for his ability to take a corporate partnership like ours to new heights. He is an innovator and, himself, a Kentucky icon.”

“Art and music are passions for Patsy and me. We are humbled that Maker’s Mark, Bill Samuels and Keeneland would honor us in this way by making us part of this special program and by helping take the transformative power of music to children across our state,” Todd said. “Our School of Music, and this outreach program, are emblematic of what becoming a Top 20 public research institution can mean for Kentucky – conducting research and providing service that changes lives and makes our Commonwealth a better place to live.”

Signing this year’s bottle will be Samuels, Todd and Nicholson along with Rob Samuels, the incoming President of Maker’s Mark and Bill Greely, retired Keeneland President. The signing will take place on Friday, April 15 at 6:30 a.m. trackside at Keeneland.

Stay tuned for more info. In the meantime, check out Maker’s Mark’s Facebook page for more pictures.

Updated Details on the signing:

Friday, April 15, 2011Bottle signing starts at 6:30 a.m.
Bottles go on sale on Friday, April 8, at retail liquor stores across the state. Please contact your local retailer for more specific information; bottles are not sold at Keeneland.
Line may begin at Keeneland at 8:00 p.m. on Thurs., April 14, 2011; location will be designated by Security personnel
Limit 2 bottles per person and only the 2011 commemorative bottle will be signed
There is no line position holding by people who are in line early; anyone cutting in line may be ejected from the property.
No alcohol can be brought in to Keeneland for consumption
No coolers inside the gates
Violation of policies may result in ejection from the property
Must be 21 years or older to participate

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The word is that the whiskey for this first expression which will be called “Expression 10/10″ has been sourced from another distiller, under strict guidelines and quality control from Lincoln, and aged in Lawrenceburg, Indiana at Lawrenceburg Distillers Indiana (LDI). This is a common practice in the bourbon industry in order for new distillers to be able to hit the ground running. We are hearing that the whiskey was aged in new charred oak barrels for 4 years and then finished or matured  in port sherry casks for around 6 months.

BourbonBuzz was able to obtain a sample of Angel’s Envy prior to release. This whiskey comes in at 86.6 proof (43.3 ABV). It has a wonderful golden amber color with a slight pink hue. The nose is highly aromatic, with sweet notes from the port and an almost maple aroma. The first sip is very smooth, clean and refreshing. It has a mild to medium body that is very well balanced. On the palate it has many sweet and toasty maple characteristics that carry through to a very long, complex and slightly dry finish. Angel’s Envy is not a bourbon that you will want to mix in a cocktail. You will want to sip this one neat or with a dollop of branch in order to savor all of it’s subtleties.

It has a suggested retail for $45.99 per 750 ml and should be in fine dining establishments and store shelves in KY very soon. While you are waiting, be sure to check them out on the web at AngelsEnvy.com.

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1. Knob Creek Introduces Its First-Ever Single Barrel Bourbon

Many consumers look forward to our annual Limited Edition series of Special Single Barrel and Small Batch Bourbon offerings. (I enjoy reading the speculations of Bourbon connoisseurs across the U.S. relative to the recipe we will use for our next LE Single Barrel offering. Speculating on the formula of recipes for our LE Small Batch is too complex for speculation.) We are targeting May for the introduction of our Limited Edition Single Barrel Bourbon. This year we will use one of the 10 recipes that has not previously been bottled as a stand-alone Bourbon brand, and I am confident it will be a resounding success. I’m afraid the demand will be greater than our supply, and I won’t know for sure how many bottles we can fill until the barrels are actually dumped and gauged. The recipe we will use this year is OBSQ. “B” mashbill consists of: 60% corn, 35% rye and 5% malted barley. “Q” yeast generates a floral essence and when I first analyzed samples from the barrels we have selected I distinctly recall the first aroma I noticed reminded me of a “bouquet of red roses,” and it was Amazing! I believe you will have the same delight and perception.

Four Roses’ 2011 Limited Edition Single Barrel Bourbon is uncut and non-chill filtered with approximately 3,600 bottles to be distributed in May to markets where the brand is currently available.

We are also working on our Limited Edition Small Batch which will be introduced in September. Small Batch takes a lot longer to arrive at the ultimate formula – since various combinations of all 10 recipes may be considered. I’m not sure at this time how many of our recipes we will use to achieve “something special,” but it will probably be specially selected barrels from 2 or 3 of our ten recipes.

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Such is the case at Buffalo Trace Distillery, where a batch of barrels, some as old as 21 years, were rediscovered, tasted, and now bottled under the highly acclaimed Experimental Collection moniker.

“In 1998 we acquired the Old Charter brand, along with a large inventory of barrels, approximately 150,000. In a recent audit of our barrel inventory, we found some barrels from this lot. One was empty, one tasted horrible, and the others tasted very nice. Of course we bottled the very nice barrels and are offering these rare finds under our Experimental Collection label,” said Kris Comstock, bourbon brand manager.

There are three different offerings, distilled back in 1989, 1991 and 1993. Details are as follows:

• 1989 Barrels, Rediscovered: These seven barrels were filled on Nov. 17, 1989. The still proof and entry proof are unknown. After more than 21 years of aging, the wood is very prominent, but it still doesn’t conquer the rich vanilla and caramel flavors that bring to mind handmade holiday candy.

• 1991 Barrels, Rediscovered: These 8 barrels were filled on Oct. 29, 1991 and the still proof and entry proof are unknown. After a little more than 19 years, the warm and spicy aroma of this bourbon is overtaken by a robust black walnut character on the palette that finishes as thick candied fruits. The flavor lasts an eternity.

• 1993 Barrels, Rediscovered: These 8 barrels were filled on May 13, 1993 and like the other two offerings in this collection, the still proof and entry proof are unknown. After 17 years and 7 months in the barrel, this bourbon has a nice rich and creamy texture, like a whiskey latte with extra foam and a shot of vanilla. A great sipper for long cold nights.

There are more than 1,500 experimental barrels of whiskey now aging in the warehouses of Buffalo Trace Distillery. Each of these barrels has unique characteristics that differentiate it from all others. Some examples of these experiments include unique mash bills, type of wood and barrel toasts. In order to further increase the scope, flexibility and range of the experimental program, an entire micro distillery complete with cookers, fermenting tanks and a state-of-the-art micro still has been constructed within Buffalo Trace Distillery.

The Experimental Collection will be packaged in 375ml bottles. Each label will include all the pertinent information unique to that barrel of whiskey. These whiskeys will be released in February 2011 and retail for approximately $46.35 each. Each experiment is very rare and very limited.

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Status Update

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Bourbon
• 1/2 ounce Apple juice or 5 pices of apples
• 3/4 ounce Ginger syrup
• 3/4 ounce Lime juice
• 3/4 ounce Royal Combier

Preparation

Get inspired like the inventors of Facebook by drinking MPD’s updated appletini just like Mark Zuckerberg and Sean Parker’s characters do in the movie!

Fill a shaker with Ice. Add 3/4 ounce of Royal Combier (orange liquor),1/2 apple cider, 3/4 ounce of lime juice, 3/4 ounce of ginger syrup, 2 ounce of Bulleit Bourbon. Fill a rocks glass with ice. Double strain to finish.

Recipe by Derek and Daniel Koch, Cocktail experts and co-owners of MPD. For more cocktails inspired by Academy Award nominated movies check out these recipes on Today Show’s website.

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Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve is carefully hand-selected, barrel-by-barrel, to be a unique expression of Knob Creek’s rich, mature flavor. Naturally aged in new, charred American Oak barrels, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve is bottled at near barrel proof to maintain its strong, rich flavors and aromas. Unlike other bourbons, which are blended together from multiple barrels to create a uniform taste, each barrel of Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve, once hand-selected, is cut with water and bottled individually in order to preserve its integrity and unique flavor profile. This process allows for variations in taste, color and aroma in each batch of bourbon.

“We pay close attention to the barrels we select for Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve as we want to ensure that we’re bottling an extraordinary bourbon with a complex balance of aroma and taste,” said Fred Noe, seventh-generation Beam family distiller and son of Booker Noe. “I recommend enjoying this new bourbon neat, on the rocks or cut with a bit of water in order to best appreciate its depth and fullness of flavor.”

Incredibly smooth and nuanced, this new bourbon features even more of the rich wood and signature vanilla, caramel and smoky notes that bourbon lovers have come to expect from Knob Creek, the world’s number one selling Super-Premium bourbon.

“Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve is the latest innovation in our bourbon portfolio,” said Rob Mason, U.S. director of Bourbons at Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. “We are especially thrilled to introduce our first single barrel bourbon offering, and to further strengthen our already-established credibility in the Super-Premium category.”
Initial reaction from bourbon experts to the new expression has been extremely positive.

John Hansell, Publisher and Editor of Malt Advocate, wrote: “This is a stylish, big, broadshouldered bourbon with a thick, sweet foundation…peppered with spice…and dried fruit.”

Kevin Gray, editor at CocktailEnthusiast.com, notes: “Knob Creek drinkers, and bourbon fans in general, would do well to secure a bottle.”

Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve is available in limited quantities and retails for a suggested price of $39.99 for a 750ml bottle. For more information about Knob Creek and Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve, go to www.knobcreek.com or visit on Facebook® at www.facebook.com/KnobCreek.

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