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Buffalo Trace Releases E.H. Taylor Cured Oak Bourbon

Mar 17

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FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (March 17, 2015) – Buffalo Trace Distillery continues its homage to former Distillery owner Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. with a special release bourbon whiskey aged in cured oak barrels.  This 100 proof, Bottled-In-Bond, small batch bourbon was aged in Taylor’s warehouse “C” at Buffalo Trace Distillery.

The barrel staves used for this special release were allowed to dry outside in the open air for 13 months, more than twice as long as standard barrel staves. Most white oak barrel staves used for Buffalo Trace’s bourbons are placed outside for 6 months before being fashioned into whiskey barrels.  Collaborating with barrel manufacturer Independent Stave Company back in 1998, this extra aging curing process allowed the wood to dry even longer, eventually allowing the whiskey to extract more rich and complex flavors deep within the oak.

After crafting and filling these unique barrels, they were then aged inside of Taylor’s iconic brick and limestoneE.H.Taylor Cured Oak Small warehouse “C,” built in 1881.  After seventeen years of aging in the cured oak, this bourbon whiskey delivers an aroma rich with inviting tobacco and dried fruit. A complex flavor meets the mouth with well-rounded notes of vanilla, toffee, and figs, followed by undertones of dry oak. The body is medium with a long, dry finish.

This Cured Oak Bourbon is the seventh and latest release in the collection of  E. H. Taylor, Jr. whiskeys, rounding out the collection of Old Fashioned Sour Mash Bourbon, Single Barrel Bourbon, Warehouse C Tornado Surviving Bourbon, Barrel Proof Bourbon, Straight Rye Whiskey, and Small Batch Bourbon. The Sour Mash and Warehouse C Tornado Surviving bourbons were one time only releases and are no longer available.

The Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. collection was first released in early 2011 and several subsequent releases have followed.  Like some of the previous releases, this one-time-only bottling is very limited.   Also consistent with past releases, Cured Oak Bourbon displays a vintage label and is offered inside a distinct canister reminiscent of Taylor’s whiskey package from one hundred years ago. Uniquely new for this release, each 6 bottle case will be shipped in an impressive wooden box, modeled after the wooden crates used by Taylor to transport goods during the days before Prohibition.

Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr.  is widely considered one of the founding fathers of the bourbon industry, fighting for the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, nearly three decades after he purchased the distillery that is known today as the Buffalo Trace Distillery. During his time, Taylor implemented several innovative methods still used today by Buffalo Trace, such as climate controlled aging warehouses. In addition to his bourbon interests, Taylor had political ties. He was the great-nephew of President Zachary Taylor and elected the mayor of Frankfort, state representative to the Kentucky General Assembly and a member of the State Senate.

This special bottling of Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Cured Oak Bourbon Whiskey will be available late March in limited supply.  The suggested retail price is $69.99 per 750ml bottle.

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Heaven Hill to Introduce Elijah Craig 20 YO Single Barrel

May 16

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BARDSTOWN, KY—Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc., the country’s largest independent family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer, announces a new limited edition release of Elijah Craig 20-Year-Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Heaven Hill, who holds the world’s second largest inventory of Bourbon and the most “extra-aged” barrels in its rickhouses, will be offering the new 20-Year-Old bottling of Elijah Craig Single Barrel in limited quantities to selected markets across the country on a one-time basis. The new bottling will retail for approximately $130 for the 750ml size, but less than 80 specially selected barrels will be dumped, yielding fewer than 1,300 bottles.

Last fall, a special one barrel bottling of the Elijah Craig 20-Year-Old Single Barrel done by Heaven Hill to mark the 20th anniversary of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival was named “American Whiskey of the Year” by Whisky Advocate Magazine. Editor and Publisher John Hansell, in bestowing the honor, called the award winner “seamless, richly textured, and impeccably balanced.”

In order to manage stock levels in the warehouses, Heaven Hill has temporarily suspended bottling of the 18-Year-Old Elijah Craig Single Barrel that it has offered for a number of years, but plans to augment the Elijah Craig line with future extra-aged single barrel limited editions.

“With literally thousands of aging barrels over 10 years old, we have a huge and one-of-a-kind resource to tap into,” noted Heaven Hill’s 7th generation Master Distiller Craig Beam. “We’ve carefully identified several hundred that are at middle to high storage in our best rickhouses, and these will be the source for these very special future Elijah Craig Single Barrel editions. These are some of the best older barrels of traditional rye-based Bourbon we have in our inventory.”

The first 20-Year-Old Single Barrel release, which will start to appear on shelves in major metro markets in 36 states in late May or early June, will be packaged in the traditional Elijah Craig Single Barrel bottle, but with a brown face label which carries the 20-Year-Old age statement. The new 20-Year-Old version will continue to be bottled at a robust 90 proof, or 45% alcohol/volume.

Aside from the recent honor from Whisky Advocate for the special 2011 release of the 20-Year-Old, Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel has in the past won Double Gold Medal/Best Bourbon from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, “Top 50 Spirits” from Wine Enthusiast magazine, and a Gold Medal at the International Spirits Challenge.

“We are tremendously excited to introduce this special edition Elijah Craig 20 Year-Old into a broader market, albeit still in very limited quantities,” stated Heaven Hill Whiskey Portfolio Brand Manager Susan Wahl. “This release, and subsequent releases, will take the consumer on a tasting journey of discovery that will motivate them to move up the brand offerings, from the more widely available 12-Year-Old Elijah Craig Small Batch on through these more aged, rarer bottlings.”

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Buffalo Trace Releases 2011 Experimental “Rediscovered Barrels”

Mar 3

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FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY – Every once in a while at nearly every large distillery, a barrel warehouse employee will run across a barrel or two that has seemed to be in hiding for a number of years. They’re like little gems, concealed within the dark corners in the back of a rick just waiting to be rediscovered and sampled to see what treasures lie within.

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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Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Arriving Soon

Dec 24

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Bourbon Buzz just received the following information from Knob Creek:

Knob Creek has big news, and we wanted our faithful Stillhouse fans to be the first to know: In just a few weeks, we’re launching Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve, the first single-barrel offering from Knob Creek®.

Knob Creek is the only bourbon that puts as much effort into our passion as you put into yours and as a result, our new Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve is a truly extraordinary bourbon. Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve has been hand selected, barrel-by-barrel to be a unique expression of Knob Creek’s rich, mature flavor. Bottled at near barrel strength of 120 proof, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve will offer you a smooth, nuanced experience with even more of the rich wood and vanilla notes that have made Knob Creek the standout bourbon that it is.

You won’t have to wait much longer: We’ll be shipping our first batch early next year. We’ll send you more information in the weeks ahead, so stay tuned. And get ready to toast a deliciously rewarding new year!

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Four Roses Set to Release Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon

Jul 13

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This September, Four Roses Distillery will release a new Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon, adding to its collection of special offerings which showcase Four Roses’ ability to work with 10 proprietary bourbon recipes to create unique and varied expressions.

The Limited Edition Small Batch includes three of Four Roses’ 10 recipes. It will feature the Four Roses recipe coded OBSV aged 15 years, OBSK aged 11 years, and OESK aged 10 years. The three bourbon recipes have been mingled at barrel strength to create a rich, complex spirit defined by soft oak, caramel and honeysuckle aromas. Subtle flavors of cherries, apricot, light spice, honey and raspberries are present giving it a creamy, smooth and mellow finish.

The release is timed to coincide with the Kentucky Bourbon Festival. Approximately 3,600 bottles of this uncut, non-chill filtered bourbon will be produced and distributed in markets where Four Roses is currently available.

The new Limited Edition Small Batch comes on the heels of Four Roses’ most recent limited edition product – a single barrel bourbon released this spring to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Lawrenceburg distillery building.

Unlike the Limited Edition Single Barrel, which represents one Four Roses recipe aged to perfection, the new Limited Edition Small Batch represents a marriage of recipes to create a unique and special Bourbon of complex and layered flavors.

“The three recipes chosen for this small batch bourbon each express unique flavor characteristics that collectively create an exquisite, timeless bourbon,” said Jim Rutledge, Four Roses Master Distiller. “As this bourbon is being released during our distillery building’s 100th anniversary year, we wanted to commemorate a special time with another special bourbon. I believe this is a classic, well defined bourbon you’ll not just savor, but long remember.”

Four Roses is the only distillery that combines five proprietary yeast strains with two separate mashbills to produce 10 distinct bourbon recipes, each with its own unique character. More information about each of Four Roses Bourbon recipes is available at www.fourroses.us/ten .

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