Check out this limited edition commemorative Maker’s Mark bottle honoring the 75th anniversary of the New Hampshire State Liquor Commission. There are 6,000 bottles being sold all across the state of New Hampshire (NH). You can get more information by visiting http://www.nh.gov/liquor/index.shtml. Get these while you can. With a small number like 6,000 produced they will not last long and will quickly become a collectors item.
Posts Tagged Buzz
The Four Roses Single Barrel Limited Edition 2009 Release is starting to hit the shelves now. The bourbon is coming at uncut barrel strength and has not been chill filtered. It is running 11 years old and around 113.8 proof (or 56.9 percent alcohol by volume). The 2009 Limited Edition Single Barrel Bourbon has combined the mashbill using 20% rye grain with yeast number 5 which is the OESQ recipe (see below for reference code info). The distillery is producing 1,836 bottles of this release, from super select barrels, and distributing it only in select U.S. markets. The price point is around $70 USD.
Master Distiller Jim Rutledge specially selected the sophisticated 11-year-old whiskey from among the 10 bourbon recipes the distillery produces.
“We’re excited to continue the tradition of releasing an exceptional, and very unique single barrel limited edition that consists of one recipe we feel exhibits various combinations of flavors and aromas pleasing to any Bourbon enthusiast,” said Rutledge.
As a member of the Mellow Moments Club, I had the privilege of tasting this bourbon at the Four Roses Distillery prior to its release. Master Distiller, Jim Rutledge, opened a barrel and drew some of the precious whiskey straight from the barrel for us to taste. He kept the pours coming all night and entertained us until we were all content! When asked how he liked to drink his bourbon, he said, “straight from the barrel!”
The first thing I noticed about my pour of whiskey was the dark, rich amber color. The nose was quite potent and told of the higher proof. The first taste had an initial edge that turned smooth and sweet. Upon taking my first taste, I immediately noticed less spice and ultimately less rye than the standard Four Roses single barrel bourbon (20 % vs. 35%). This bourbon seemed to sit very well on the tongue and was less oily than the standard single barrel. I tasted the oak, nuts, caramel, honey, a bit of wheat grass and spice. It had a very long, clean and complex finish with a nice slow burn that hung around for a bit. After several drinks, the rye started to pop out a little more, but was not overpowering and somewhat subtle. It added to the great complexity of the bourbon. I added a splash of water, which greatly opened the whiskey up and brought out more subtleties. It handled the splash of water very well and is how I will probably drink it from this point forward.
Overall the bourbon is a success. It is different from anything else I have tasted from Four Roses. I can say that it is probably not a bourbon for the beginner or average bourbon drinker. It is definitely targeted at the connoisseur with a sophisticated palette. That being said, I will definitely be buying several bottles of this for the bunker, if I can find them.
Be sure to let us know what you think!
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Four Roses Reference Codes:
10 Total Recipes
Two Mashbills:
OE OB
Corn 75% 60%
Rye 20% 35%
Malted Barley 5% 5%
Five Yeast Cultures:
Yeast Codes: V, K, O, Q, F
Basic Flavor Descriptors:
V – Delicate fruity flavor
K – Slight spicy character
O – Robust fruitiness
Q – Floral essence
F – Light herbal essence
Photo by Nash Werner
Buffalo Trace Distillery is set to release the latest installments in their Experimental Collection. These two new bourbons, Fine Grain Oak and Coarse Grain Oak, test the effect of different wood grains on aging. Specifically, do barrels made of fast growth oak trees have a different effect on flavor than slower growth trees with finer grain? The new Buffalo Trace experiments were left in the barrels for 14 years and 9 months. Suggested retail price is $46.35 each. Each experiment is rare and very limited. There will be 300 bottles (375 ml) of each experiment released.
1. FINE GRAIN OAK: The bourbon is rich and exceedingly sweet with an almost syrupy character. It also has a nice balance of flavors and complexity.
2. COARSE GRAIN OAK: This whiskey is dry with a balance of smokiness and wood with herbal qualities. The finish is quick and woody and it is slightly heavy with a powerful complexity.
“We continue to learn new and interesting information from these experiments. We never know how they are going to turn out,” said Harlen Wheatley, master distiller. “It’s also great to see the excitement that surrounds these releases. The customer feedback is great.”
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Chuck Cowdery has more details about the Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection at his site. Thanks to BBQandbourbon.com for their coverage of this story.
So it seems that bacon-infused spirits are all of the rage right now. While bacon-infused vodka in a Martini or Bloody Mary sounds delicious, it doesn’t sound as appetizing as bacon-infused bourbon. Something about sweet, smoky bacon just seems to naturally harmonize with the characteristics of bourbon, hence bacon-infused bourbon. Bacon-infused bourbon can be made fairly easily and quickly. Just think, in just a few short hours after reading this, you too could be enjoying bacon-infused bourbon cocktail. Here’s how to do it: Cook three to four slices of bacon, enough to render at least 1 – 3 ounces of fat. Once the bacon has cooled a bit, pour off the fat from the pan. Pour 750 ml of bourbon into a non-porous container. Strain the 1 – 3 ounces of bacon fat into the container and infuse for four to six hours at room temperature. Place mixture in freezer until all the fat is solidified. With a slotted spoon, remove fat and strain mixture back into bottle. Pass bourbon through a coffee filter to remove sediment if desired.
Check out this video of Guy Fieri and Nick Kosevich on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. They make and drink Bacon-Infused Bourbon.
If you like the Classic Old Fashioned, Try one with Bacon Infused Bourbon.
In mixing glass, stir 2 ounces bacon-infused bourbon, maple syrup and bitters with ice. Strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with ice and garnish with an orange twist.
KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL® ROLLS OUT NEW IMAGE
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail today introduced a new logo, brochure, souvenir passport and commemorative t-shirt to mark its 10th anniversary and to celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week.
“This is a significant milestone for one of Kentucky’s most popular tourism attractions,” said Eric Gregory, President of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. “It’s also a perfect opportunity to introduce a fresh new look that reflects the growing bourbon revolution.”
The KDA formed the Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 1999 after witnessing tourism and marketing opportunities in California’s wine country and Scotland’s whisky trails. Since then, millions of visitors from around the world have made the pilgrimage to Kentucky, the birthplace of bourbon.
The Trail features eight historic distilleries nestled among the beautiful Bluegrass scenery: Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, Heaven Hill, Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Tom Moore, Wild Turkey and Woodford Reserve.
All participated in the unveiling of the new Kentucky Bourbon Trail “brand” at the Bluegrass Hospitality Association’s annual tourism forum in Lexington. “The new image combines our proud history of crafting fine bourbon with a contemporary look and feel,” Gregory said.
Rich brown and amber colors highlight the new logo, along with a sleek modern script over a bourbon barrel. The new brochure showcases each distillery and provides details about their unique tours.
Visitors also will now have a new keepsake – a souvenir passport. Guests who collect stamps at all distilleries can redeem the passport for a free Kentucky Bourbon Trail t-shirt. This year’s shirt commemorates the 10th anniversary of the Trail.
Gregory also encouraged bourbon enthusiasts to visit the Trail’s new Facebook page. A revised web site (www.kybourbontrail.com) and Twitter page are in the works and should be launched soon, Gregory said.
“Just like great bourbon, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail gets better with age,” Gregory said. “And just like the millions of barrels sleeping at our legendary distilleries, the best is yet to come. It’s the experience of a lifetime, 200 years in the making.”
For more information, contact Eric Gregory at (502) 875-9351 or (859) 771-1050
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Organizers of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail will unveil a new logo to celebrate its 10th anniversary.
The tour of eight distilleries allows visitors to get a glimpse into production from start to finish.
The new logo will be revealed Wednesday morning at the Lexington Convention Center during the Bluegrass Hospitality Association Tourism Forum. Maker’s Mark President Bill Samuels will be the keynote speaker.
Along with Maker’s Mark, other bourbon makers featured on the trail are Buffalo Trace at Frankfort, Wild Turkey and Four Roses near Lawrenceburg, Heaven Hill and Tom Moore at Bardstown, Jim Beam at Clermont and Woodford Reserve near Versailles.
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Kentucky Bourbon Trail: www.kybourbontrail.com
Dear Mellow Moments Club Member,
Shhh! Please don’t tell! We’re offering a “sneak peek” of the Four Roses Limited Edition Single Barrel 2009 only to MMC members. Come and celebrate with us and enjoy a sip of the latest non chill filtered Barrel Strength Bourbon. This wonderful Bourbon is another one of our unique ten recipes, aged 11 years, and never before been released as a Single Barrel. We want you to be the first to know and taste this special release.
On May 28, we are offering you the opportunity to sample this selection before it hits the shelves. We invite you to join us at the distillery from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. for hors d’oeuvres and a taste of this Limited Edition chosen by Master Distiller, Jim Rutledge. During this event Jim will describe the uniqueness of this special Bourbon and answer any questions you may have about the product.
If you would like to attend with one guest, please RSVP by May 22 by calling 1.877.FOUROSE or via email to julie_crittenden@fourroses.biz
The reservations for this event are limited so reply as soon as possible.
Highly respected whiskey writer, Chuck Cowdery has already sampled it. Check out his review here.
Link: Press Release
Jim Beam Introduces Red Stag
May 12
Red Stag by Jim Beam™ is a new innovation from Jim Beam. Through a unique, artisanal infusion process, natural black cherry flavors are slowly and carefully infused into fine, four-year-old Jim Beam Bourbon. The tasting notes are distinctively fruity, without disguising the familiar, rich nose of Jim Beam Bourbon. The corn sweetness and mellow oak taste of Red Stag is accented by a hint of black cherry for smoothness and balance.
Red Stag by Jim Beam™ will launch in June 2009. The 80-proof Red Stag has a suggested retail price of $17.99, which will vary by market, and will be available in 50ml, 750ml and 1L packaging. Details of in-market activation and specific programming will be announced early next month.
Read the full press release here.
Twitter!
May 10
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