Archives Tasted: Bardstown Bourbon Company – Fusion & Discovery Series #3William ReigleNovember 3, 2020ReviewsThe Story We’re no strangers to Bardstown Bourbon Company. In the before-time, when travel was a thing, all the way back in late 2017 we paid them a visit. This was relatively early in their journey yet their stage was set with an already impressive operation led by John Hargrove (COO) and Steve Nally (Master Distiller). Two men who had already made lasting marks on the industry. John was Master Distiller at Barton 1792; and Steve who began his career sweeping floors at Maker’s Mark in 1968 and rose to take the top job there as Master Distiller which he held until his departure in 2003. Read about our visit to the distillery: Bardstown Bourbon Co: The Coolest Distillery You’ve Never Heard Of? Bardstown Bourbon Company is currently the #3 largest distiller of bourbon whiskey in the USA. I’m told that they are on track to be #1 within the next year. But while other large distillers, such as Sazerac’s Buffalo Trace Distillery, produce a dozen or so in-house labels, Bardstown has made their name as the premier contract distiller. They produce over 140 different mashbills for their customers who range from tiny craft brands to some of the most well-known bourbon labels. This breadth gives them access to so much raw data that in addition to helping their clients they also bottle their own blends of sourced bourbon, the ‘Discovery Series’, and a blend of sourced and their own distillate, the ‘Fusion Series’. The Details Name: Bardstown Bourbon Company – Fusion Series #3 and Discovery Series #3Distiller: Depends on the release. These releases are a combination of sourced bourbons distilled in Indiana and Kentucky. Blended with 3-year-old bourbon distilled by Bardstown Bourbon Company.Bottler: Bardstown Bourbon CompanyType of Producer: Distiller and BlenderYear Established: 2016 Fusion Series #3 Bottling Proof: 98.9Age: Blend of 13-year & 3-yearMashbill: 40% Kentucky bourbon – 13-years-old – 74% corn, 18% rye, 8% malted barley18% Bardstown Bourbon Co. – 3-year-old – 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley42% Bardstown Bourbon Co. – 3-year-old – 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barleyStyle: Kentucky Straight Bourbon WhiskeyRelease Date: Late 2020Release Type: LimitedAvailability: Midwest retailers and on-line hereMSRP: $59.99 (750ml) Discovery Series #3 Bottling Proof: 110Age: Blend of 13-year & 10-yearMashbill:45% Indiana bourbon – 13-years-old – 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley32% Kentucky bourbon – 13-year-old – 74% corn, 18% rye, 8% malted barley23% Kentucky bourbon – 10-year-old – 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barleyStyle: Blend of Straight Bourbon WhiskiesRelease Date: Late 2020Release Type: LimitedAvailability: Midwest retailers and on-line hereMSRP: $129 (750ml) Tasted: Bardstown Bourbon Company – Fusion & Discovery Series #3 Fusion Series #3 Nose Baking spicesCinnamonCloveToasted caramel Palate Light fruit notes at first with bouts of cinnamon and caramel leading to complex and spicy hits of toasted oak Mouthfeel Light to Medium Finish Pleasantly strong and long Discovery Series #3 Nose CaramelOakBlack pepperTanned leather Palate Warm and viscous with lightly charred oakSpicy rye notes come through and are well balanced with the 75% corn mash bills used in this blendIf you had the pleasure of tasting Discovery Series #2 you may notice that while Series #3 has a lower proof it actually packs more heat that Series #2 and doesn’t have the same sweet notes. Mouthfeel Medium Finish A burst of heat leads to a long and spicy finish... Tasted: BHAKTA 50 (Barrel 3 “Pendragon”)William ReigleSeptember 9, 2020ReviewsThe Story In a bit of a departure from bourbon reviews, today, we’re taking a look at ‘BHAKTA 50’ 100% Armagnac Finished in Islay Whisky Casks. Stick with me because this closely ties back to some of our previous content and if you’re a fan of the brandy category, Islay Whisky, or vintage spirits, you’ll want to know about BHAKTA 50. But first, an exceedingly brief lesson in brandy. While whisk(e)y is the parent category of spirits such as Scotch and Bourbon; brandy is the parent category of Cognac, Armagnac, and American Brandy. And like Bourbon is a type of whiskey made in the United States, Armagnac is a type of brandy made in the Armagnac region of southwest France. Like whiskey must be made from grain, brandy must be made from fruit (grapes, apples, peaches etc). Why are we talking about brandy? My interest in brandy began long before my appreciation for Bourbon. Walking through a Binny’s circa 2006 I asked for a recommendation and the fellow pointed me towards the Armagnac aisle. In his opinion Armagnac was a special category of brandy often underappreciated. An excellent value and an excitingly complex and delicious flavor. For me, Armagnac holds a special place in my spirits journey. To tell the whole story of Bhakta Brandy will take more time than we have in this review (but I promise this is in the works). We’ll start with Bhakta Founder, and it’s namesake, Raj Peter Bhakta. If that name sounds familiar it could be from his 2004 appearance on the TV show ‘The Apprentice’, his 2006 run for congress, or, more likely as a reader of this blog, because he’s the Founder of WhistlePig Rye Whiskey. In 2007 Raj purchased a farm in Vermont and began building WhistlePig with the late Dave Pickerell. He launched the brand in 2010 and grew it into one of the most successful premium whiskey brands in the United States. Raj parted ways with WhistlePig in 2019 and set off to travel the world in search of rare spirits. With his family at his side, Raj reached France and, recalling the success of WhistlePig Boss Hog: The Black Prince (rye whiskey finished in Armagnac casks), he traveled to the Armagnac region of France. As I said before, this story is elaborate so for now I’ll be brief. Raj came upon vast reserves of Armagnac distilled as long ago as 1868. And so his quest began to once again create a premium spirits category unlike anything else on the market today. BHAKTA 50 is released in individual blended barrels. Each barrel is a unique blend of vintages. Barrel 1 “Hogsworth” (Sold Out), Barrel 2 “Revival” (Sold Out), and Barrel 3 “Pendragon” (Available Here) are the first of 38 barrels planned for release this year. There is a special “Stockholder Collection” program for those interested in collecting all bottles and being privy to other exclusive benefits. I was told this program is limited to 125 people and is mostly spoken for. If interested please reach out to me asap for more details. william@chicagobourbon.org The Details Name: BHAKTA 50 Barrel 3: PendragonDistiller: N/A (France)Bottler: Bhakta Farms (Vermont)Type of Producer: Non-Distiller Producer (for now…)Year Established: 2020Bottling Proof: 90Age: 50 years (Vintages: 1868, 1897, 1939, 1946, 1952, 1963, 1964, 1970)Mashbill: Grapes!Style: Armagnac Finished in Islay Whisky Casks (Armagnac aged 50+ years, blended, finished 2 weeks in Islay Scotch casks, finished 1 additional week in an Armagnac cask)Release Date: Mid 2020Release Type: Extremely LimitedAvailability: Online HEREMSRP: $299 (750ml) Tasted: BHAKTA 50 (Barrel 3 “Pendragon”) Nose Soft and sweetLight honeyRipe fruitPeppercornsOakInterestingly little to no peat, smoke, or Scotch notes on the nose Palate Light and airySweet ripe fruit gives way to pepper and hints of smokeMy first sip was a bit of a WOW moment. The palate bounces between light and fruity brandy notes and hints of Islay’s signature smoked peat.The Armagnac and Scotch play off each other’s strengths, neither overwhelms the other. Instead, they combine to create something new and exciting that I found myself revisiting until there wasn’t a drop left in my sample bottle.While a straight pour expressed more of the Armagnac on the palate, adding water teased out more of the peaty Scotch notes. Mouthfeel Light to Medium Finish A long finish that leans to the Scotch influence and lingers on the tongue. A touch of cigar smoke at the very end. Final Impressions When you’re sipping this brandy think of the history. The oldest liquid in your glass was distilled 152 years ago. Think about what the world was like when this brandy dripped off of a wood-fired still on a French countryside and into a lightly toasted barrel where it would patiently sit for decades. What has this amber-hued liquid witnessed in its lifetime? BHAKTA 50 is an interesting spirit, really a combination of two spirit families. The liquid itself is impressive and I believe a worthwhile pour for avid whiskey drinkers and rare spirits collectors alike. Bhakta Farms is working to create a new category. It will be interesting to see if Raj and the team can recreate the success he had with bringing premium rye whiskey into the spotlight. This is the beginning of a journey with much more to come. We’ll be following Bhakta Brandy as their story unfolds.... Tasted: Furthur Straight Rye WhiskyWilliam ReigleMay 2, 2020ReviewsThe Story At first glance, I thought this might turn out to be a “novelty” whisky. It has a story to go along with the label, and though interesting the story is unrelated to whisky. “Ken Kesey was an American novelist. His work included ‘Sometimes a Great Notion’ and ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’. FURTHUR is a 1939 school bus that was purchased by Ken using his earnings from his best-selling novel. In 1964 Ken and his “Merry Pranksters” wild with life and lust for big fun, painted the school bus in dayglo colors, and filmed its “Trip” across the US.” But behind the label is a 2-year-old MGP rye picked by the palates at BC Merchants and bottled in Pembroke, KY. MGP knows how to make rye and BC Merchants knows how to pick barrels. Let’s break this down and see if it’s worth your money! The Details Name: Furthur Straight Rye WhiskyDistiller: MGP of IndianaBottler: BC MerchantsType of Producer: Non-Distiller ProducerYear Established: 2016Bottling Proof: 101Age: 2 yearsMashbill: N/A (Coming from MGP this is probably 95% rye)Style: Straight Rye WhiskyRelease Date: Early 2020Release Type: LimitedAvailability: Illinois and other select marketsMSRP: $39.99 (750ml) Tasted: Furthur Straight Rye Whisky Nose OakBlack pepperAniseA bit earthyThe nose is on the younger side but still plenty interesting Palate Really nice heat. Perfect at 101 proof.Solid high rye flavor profileSpicy black pepperHints of dark fruit Mouthfeel Medium Finish Strong and long spicy finish Final Impressions This whisky is just right at 101 proof. Adding a bit of water didn’t do it any favors. It’s really quite good for a 2-year rye; better than many 4-year ryes I’ve had. Coming from MGP I really expect no less. What started as a cautiously optimistic tasting resulted in a whisky that’s pretty darn good at this price point. If you appreciate younger flavor profiles but still like your whisky to pack a punch, and you’re in the mood to try a new label from a century-old distillery; you’ve found it.... Tasted: Barrell Bourbon Batch 23William ReigleApril 3, 2020ReviewsThe Story I first spoke with Barrell Bourbon Founder Joe Beatrice several years ago. When I emailed him with a question about one of his bottle labels he called me right back to explain and went on to tell me about his company. Founded on the belief that blending exceptional casks can lead to wonderfully unique whiskey Joe launched Barrell Craft Spirits in 2013 based in Louisville, KY. Combined with the talents of Master Distiller and Blender Tripp Stimson they’ve released dozens of bourbons, whiskeys, and even rum along a batch methodology. This means if you find a bottle you love be sure to pick up a couple of extras. (I’m down to my last bottle of Batch 11, my delicious peanut butter bomb!) Barrell relentlessly continues to release award-winning spirits including Barrell Bourbon Batch 21 which took home ‘Best Bourbon’, among other awards, at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The Details Name: Barrell Bourbon Batch # 23Distiller: N/A (Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana)Bottler: Barrell Craft Spirits Type of Producer: Non-Distiller ProducerYear Established: 2013Bottling Proof: 107.78Age: 10 years (Blend of 10, 12, and 15-year-old barrels)Mashbill: corn, rye, and malted barleyStyle: A blend of straight Bourbon WhiskeysRelease Date: March 2020Release Type: LimitedAvailability: Select markets and online hereMSRP: $89.99 (750ml) Tasted: Barrell Bourbon Batch 23 Nose White pepperFresh berriesCinnamon and sugarLight and perfect for springtime Palate The palate is a departure from the nose in that it’s spicy and hot!Spicy rye heat on the tongueBolder than the nose intimatedEarthy notesHeavy and mouthwatering on the sides of the tongue Mouthfeel HOT and chewy Finish Lingering spice fades into more of a dull cinnamon/sugar sweetness Final Impressions Adding a bit of water really tames the heat and brings forward cinnamon notes. This brings the palate more in line with the airiness of the nose. It’s like two different bourbons when enjoying cask strength vs with water. This bourbon I would drink with a splash of water or even maybe a single cube.... Tasted: Resilient Bourbon (Barrels 60, 55, 182)William ReigleMarch 16, 2020ReviewsResilient recently released another batch of single barrel bottlings sporting a new label design and a couple of other substantial changes. Their first batch of single barrels was sourced from MGP, aged 10 years, and released late 2016. The second offering we sampled came from Tennessee, clocked in at 14-years-old and was bottled at the same 107 proof. (You can read our impressions of those previous bottles below.) The third time around this juice has again been distilled and aged in Tennessee, bottled in Kentucky. Though we now have a 15-year age statement bottled at their familiar 107 proof, a 14-year bottled at a barrel proof 104, and a 14-year bottled at a barrel proof 123.2! There are other barrels available, I was sent these three for tasting. Read our blog post, You’ve Had A Store Pick, But Have You Tasted A Distributor’s Pick?Read our blog post, Tasted: Resilient Bourbon (Late 2018 Releases) Distiller: Somewhere TennesseeBottler: BC MerchantsType of Producer: Non-Distiller ProducerYear Established: 2016Name: Resilient Straight Bourbon WhiskyBottling Proof: Varies by barrelAge: 14-15 yearsMashbill: 84% corn / 8% rye / 8% barleyStyle: Single barrel (Barrels 60, 55, 182)Release Date: Early 2020Availability: Binny’s and other select retailersMSRP: $79.99 – $89.99 (750ml) Barrel # 60 Barrel # 60 begins with the same mashbill as the previous 2018 bottlings, 84/8/8, which is consistent across the three single barrels I received. With a new 15-year age statement this bottle comes in at 107 proof packaged in Resilient’s traditional label design complete with all of the relevant statistics Resilient is known for including. Nose: Spicy, deep caramel nose with hints of honey and dark fruit. A certain sharpness on the nose that I assume comes from its long time in the barrel. Palate: Spicy and warm but also kind of mellow. Caramel and vanilla show through with a nice balance of toasted wood. Mouthfeel: A great heavy mouthfeel, not thick but definitely substantial. Finish: Satisfying, soft spice, just the right amount of heat. Barrel # 182 Resilient did something a little different with these next two bottlings. A new label design accompanies this uncut 14-year Straight Bourbon Whisky bottled at 104 proof. Nose: A familiar nose wafts up from the glass. Sweet caramel, baking spices including cinnamon and allspice. Palate: Much lighter than barrel # 60 on the first sip, floral notes evolve into sweet fresh fruit with a kick of mild spiciness. Mouthfeel: Light Finish: The sweetness on the palate finishes with a medium length soft spice. Barrel # 55 Our third sample is also a 14-year Straight Bourbon though this barrel came in at 123.2 proof and, being uncut, the bottle carries the same proof. Nose: Cherry pie, deep dark charred oak notes, slightly astringent. Palate: Bursting with layers of black pepper, Luxardo cherries, and dashes of cinnamon/sugar toast. This bourbon packs a punch though it is well balanced if slightly hot. That’s the nice thing with barrel proof bottles, you can cut it yourself with a bit of water to find your own sweet spot. Mouthfeel: Heavy, powerful, tingly. Finish: Like the Energizer bunny. A spicy heat lingers with a tingle on the tip of the tongue. Final impressions: The value of Resilient’s single barrel, high proof, age stated bottlings continues with this latest round. With these bottles returns the much loved 107 proof as well as some bottles of older juice, some at slightly lower proof, and some at significantly higher proof. I’ve always found a nice variance that makes each bottle in previous tastings unique but if there were ever a time to try more than one Resilient single barrel bottling now is it! As noted above, barrels 60 and 182 are killer bourbons with a nice balance of sweet and heat. Barrel 55, bottled at 123.2, is spicy and bold. As I found in a recent tasting we hosted, barrel 55 doesn’t ask for your taste buds’ attention, it commands it. ... Tasted: Whiskey Acres Bottled-In-Bond 2020 “Batch 1”William ReigleMarch 3, 2020ReviewsThe Story: Whiskey Acres Distilling Co, established in 2013, is no stranger to Chicago Bourbon. We’ve been following this farm turned distillery (but still very much a farm) since the early days. Before Co-Founder Nick Nagele and his wife had twins. Before I learned that Head Distiller Rob Wallace is also known as “Heart-throb Rob”. Back when the juice coming out of this distillery was clear and the visitors center was a tiny cabin. For 7 years Whiskey Acres has worked toward this Bottled-In-Bond release. Distilled from corn and wheat planted in the spring of 2014 and curated from only seven carefully selected 53-gallon barrels. We followed all of the required rules for bourbon and bottled-in-bond. What makes this truly special is that we distilled our own grain from one single harvest. Think of this as whiskey with a vintage.Whiskey Acres Name: Whiskey Acres Bottled-In-Bond 2020 Batch 1 (2014 Harvest)Distiller: Whiskey Acres Distilling Co.Bottler: Whiskey Acres Distilling Co. Type of Producer: Farm DistillerYear Established: 2013Bottling Proof: 100Age: 4+ yearsMashbill: 75% estate grown yellow-dent corn, 15% estate grown soft red winter wheat, and 10% malted barley.Style: Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled-In-Bond (Sweet Mash) (Non-Chill Filtered)Release Date: April 4, 2020Release Type: Limited (Seven 53-gallon barrels)Availability: IL, including the Whiskey Acres Visitors Center. Limited release in WI and NE.MSRP: $49.99 (750ml) Tasted: Whiskey Acres Bottled-In-Bond 2020 “Batch 1” NosePeppery spice Hints of smoked meats A noticeable thickness in the nose Grain notes prevalent in the 2-year-old bourbon have matured into a caramel sweetnessThose familiar with Whiskey Acres bourbon will notice a new level of depth to this release PalateSweet at first Transforming into a nice peppery spiceA taste that instantly evolves from light and sweet to deep ribbons of caramel to bold and spicyComes across extremely well at 100 proof MouthfeelMedium weight/viscosity to this one FinishThe finish quickly morphs from tame to a nice lingering spice Final ImpressionsThis is pretty much what I had hoped for as I’ve been following Whiskey Acres since their start in 2013. Their first bottlings of young juice began with a strong foundation and a flavor profile that showed promise. At 2 years the Whiskey Acres Straight Bourbon significantly smoothed out some edges and again left me optimistic. Over those years I’ve asked Co-Founder Nick Nagele, more than once, if they’d consider bottling at a higher proof. The Whiskey Acres “2020 Batch 1” Bottled-in-Bond gave me the answer I was looking for. Following the rules of BiB this bourbon is aged 4+ years and bottled at 100 proof. Time has been good to this bourbon. With some higher proof bourbons I find adding a spot of water opens things up but I feel this bourbon is just right at 100 proof. Read more about Whiskey Acres Distilling Co:Whiskey Acres: Bourbon, from Seed to Spirit... Tasted: Angels Envy Cask Strength 2019William ReigleNovember 2, 2019ReviewsThe Story: The 8th year of the annual Angels Envy Cask Strength release is about to hit shelves. Not the highest proof in this series but likely the most varied ages in this blend; a combination of 7 different years. Each year Co-Founders, father and son, Wes and Kyle Henderson put their palates together to select exceptional barrels for their Port cask finishing process. Those barrels then become this annual limited release. They say that they don’t shoot for a consistent flavor profile from year to year. They do aim to bottle the very best whiskey their barrels can provide. Name: Angels Envy Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels (Bottled in 2019)Distiller: N/A (Kentucky)Bottler: Louisville Spirits Group Type of Producer: Distiller / Non-Distiller ProducerYear Established: 2010Bottling Proof: 122.4Age: NAS (Blend of 6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, and 15 year)Mashbill: 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley.Style: Blended and Barrel FinishedRelease Date: November 2019Release Type: Limited Edition (~14,000 bottles)Availability: NationwideMSRP: $200 (750ml) Tasted: Angels Envy Cask Strength 2019 NoseSweet butterscotchCognacLightly tanned leatherRich toffeeSlight singeing heat on the noseAdded water brings out “wood shop” notes of saw dust and fresh cut lumberPalateNut butterDried fruitCharred oak up front morphs into dark fruit and caramelized sugars mid-palateMouthfeelViscous and richFinishLong finish with a substantial heat gives way to spice and lingering oak char.*Tasting notes from the brand mention black tea which I didn’t identify at first but after reading it, it matches a note I couldn’t quite identify.Final ImpressionsA strongly bourbon profile this year’s 8th annual release of Cask Strength picks up subtle flavors from the Port barrel finishing process but, for me at least, lands squarely in the bourbon realm. It could be the high proof; even with a fair amount of water this bourbon stands strong. A small splash of water or a couple cubes might be necessary to get the most from this pour.... Tasted: Remus Repeal Reserve Series IIIWilliam ReigleOctober 14, 2019ReviewsThe Story: Now in it’s 3rd year, Remus Repeal Reserve Series III is the flagship bourbon from the venerable MGP distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. You can read all about the history and prevalence of MGP whiskey here. As an annual release, Remus Repeal Reserve is a blend of bourbons created under the direction of David Whitmer. Last year they raised the proof from 94 to 100, which they have kept this year. Each year has maintained a blend of 10 to 12 year old stock. Which I assume to be a fairly sweet spot of maturation given all of their aging variables. (Though they do have a 14 year Remus Volstead Reserve releasing this year in extremely limited quantity.) Name: Remus Repeal Reserve Series IIIDistiller: MGP (Lawrenceburg, IN)Bottler: MGP (Lawrenceburg, IN) Type of Producer: DistillerYear Established: MGP established in 1941. They purchased the Lawrenceburg distillery in 2011. Records of the distillery site date to 1808.Bottling Proof: 100Age: Blend of 11 & 12 year old barrelsMashbill: 12%, 2007 bourbon (21% rye); 78%, 2008 bourbon (21% rye); 10%, 2008 bourbon (36% rye).Style: BlendRelease Date: November 2019Release Type: Limited EditionAvailability: Mostly midwest markets though I was told supply will be spread out more compared to last year due to planned market expansion in 2020.MSRP: $84.99 (750ml) Tasted: Remus Repeal Reserve Series III (2019) NoseBold, rich vanilla, spiceThis bourbon hit my nose the second I poured it into my glassA hint of dried dark fruit and notes of tanned leatherA bit of water brings forward a punchy rye spicePalateSpicy and rich on the tongueDeep dark oak comes through in the best ways possibleSweet with a slight acidity on the sides of the tongueI appreciate the conservative use of the 36% rye mashbill component in this blend. I imagine it adds character and depth to the 21% rye masbills that makes up the rest of the blend but I’m not sure I would have liked the RRR3 as much had they used more of the 36% rye.MouthfeelMouth coatingly deliciousFinishSpicy and long finish with a lingering oaky warmthFinal ImpressionsThis whiskey represents its age extremely well. It seems to me that they picked these 11 and 12 year old barrels at their peak. Rich and deep character has polished away any trace of under-maturation without reaching the point of too much “oakyness” sometimes found in bourbon left to age a bit too long. The oak, vanilla, and spice are in perfect balance. This bourbon begs to be savored neat, with a few drops of water, or rocks if you must. But this isn’t one I would subject to a cocktail. Quick breakdown of how each release compares: Series I85%, 2005 bourbon (21% rye)15%, 2006 bourbon (36% rye)–Series II15%, 2007 bourbon (21% rye)50%, 2008 bourbon (21% rye)10%, 2007 bourbon (36% rye)25%, 2008 bourbon (36% rye) – Series III12%, 2007 bourbon (21% rye)78%, 2008 bourbon (21% rye)10%, 2008 bourbon (36% rye)... Thornton Distilling Company: Deep Roots And Grand PlansWilliam ReigleOctober 8, 2019DistilleriesThornton Distilling Company set out on their journey in 2014. But their story reaches all the way back to 1857. That’s when the building they occupy was known as the “Bielfeldt Brewing Co”. In a nod to those who came before, this group is hard at work reviving this once well known, even infamous, building. During prohibition a pair of gangsters, one of them Al Capone, took over this brewery to fuel Chicago with their illicit beer. This time around, the team has ambitions of distilling whiskey, rum, gin, and more. I met the guys in Thornton, IL back in 2017. Since then they’ve gone through a transformation to refocus in a number of important ways. They parted ways with their former distiller, renamed the distillery to better align with their commitment to their hometown, and brought on Ari Klafter as their new Head Distiller. Despite his youthful appearance Ari brings an impressive resume and a new energy to Thornton. He holds a master’s degree in Brewing and Distilling from the International Centre for Brewing and Distilling in Edinburgh, Scotland, and previously served as Assistant Distiller at Privateer Rum. Ari currently serves on the Board of the Illinois Craft Distillers Association. Ari Klafter, Head Distiller, Thornton Distilling Company I got the lowdown from Ari as he walked me through the distillery. We started at the source of all of the water Ari uses throughout the distilling process. A well, in existence since the 1830s, sits 150 feet below the distillery and taps into a limestone aquifer fed from Lake Superior. Limestone filtration is the natural way to filter out iron and produces ideal water for distillation. Ari made a point to say this water is used in every part of his process, from mashing to proofing, even to cool the condensers on their stills. This limestone cave bring water to the distillery from 150 below. I asked Ari what brought him to Thornton. Coming from New York, I wondered how he decided this would be the place to continue honing his craft. He tells me he was drawn in by the team, the facility, and the opportunity to get in on the ground level and shape his own future. Ari has particular interests including gin production, blending, and American Single Malt Whiskey. He’s particularly excited about the latter. I recognized the growth of American single malts in recent years and asked his opinion of the distilleries leading the way today. He thinks the likes of Westland, Balcones, and others are doing great work because they are using their own unique processes. They aren’t just trying to copy Scotish distillers but are instead using their local resources to produce locally unique single malt whiskey. Ari’s settled in and made some important tweaks to the equipment and setup. They currently distill vodka, gin, and single malt with plans for a dark rum. The road is a long one and Ari seems committed to seeing it through. As far as commercial availability, their first product is a pecan whiskey to be followed by a gin, then a dark rum. These first releases come under their “Dead Drop” branding, a name they came up with as a play on the dead drop method used by spies and gangsters to discreetly share information. Their future flagship spirit, the single malt, will likely come out under the Thornton Distilling Co. label. Dead Drop Pecan Whiskey. Bottles are available at the distillery October 2019. The Pecan Whiskey begins as a 5-year-old 100% corn whiskey from MGP. Then it undergoes a labor-intensive process of secondary barrel aging with toasted pecan wood, sourced from Illinois’ last remaining pecan farm, before being macerated with roasted pecans. The whiskey is bottled at 86 proof and available now at the distillery tasting room. You can also look for it in retail at the beginning of next year in Chicago and the surrounding area. I tasted the whiskey, poured from a non-descript bottle, at the distillery’s on-site bar, tasting room, and restaurant, “The Well”, though I did see the final label and it’s worth mentioning that it proudly proclaims “No artificial anything”. This whiskey is first and foremost a whiskey, with a nutty warmth on the palate and subtle notes of pecan through the finish. When I asked Ari to tell me a bit about his process I was treated to some fresh perspectives. Ari greatly values the art of blending to produce a whiskey that’s more than the sum of its parts. He uses different barrel types, toast and char levels, and entry proofs to create what he refers to as a variety of “tools”. A wide and deep palate to draw from when he’s looking for that perfect whiskey to blend into his next batch. Speaking of interesting whiskey profiles; Ari is currently working on an Indiana peated malt whiskey. He described peat as one of the ways he’s found to show terroir in whiskey. Tools of the trade Ari is also a proponent of a lower 110 degree barrel entry proof. Bourbon, as you may know, can come off the still at up to 160 proof but must be 125 proof or lower when it enters the barrel. In the interest of optimizing cost when filling hundreds of barrels per day most large distilleries fill their barrels as close to 125 proof as possible. This allows them to get more whiskey into fewer barrels. For example, some distilleries will empty a barrel of aged 125 proof whiskey then add water to reduce the proof to 100 for bottling. Other distilleries, like Thornton Distilling, using a barrel entry proof of 110 will use less water after aging their whiskey to get it down to 100 proof. Both processes end up with a 100 proof bottle of whiskey; so what’s the difference? Less water added to the fully aged whiskey means more of the aged whiskey makes it into each bottle. Ari describes this process as retaining more of the rich character from the whiskey but also being a bit more expensive than the way the other guys do it. I also met with Andrew Howell who heads up marketing for Thornton Distilling. I’ve been in touch with Andrew on and off since my first visit to Thornton in 2014 and though he may have a single title I get the feeling he’s involved in just about every aspect of this operation. He speaks with enthusiasm about not just the distillery but of the entire town. He’s the Chairman of the Economic Planning Development Committee for the Village of Thorton and is doing everything he can to revitalize this town and make it an attractive place for new families and businesses to thrive. On my way out, Andrew showed off their freshly acquired brewing license. With an initial plan to install 6 taps they will serve beer from local breweries (3 Floyds is just 15 minutes down the road) while honing their own brewing process. As a former brewery it only seems fitting they would once again brew in their newly renovated building. Though I was assured spirits will be their main focus, beer they brew will only be served at The Well to give patrons another option besides the hard stuff. I’m excited to follow what comes next from Ari, Andrew, and the team at Thornton Distilling Co. They’ve spent a few years perfecting their strategy and it appears to be beginning to pay off. But they aren’t resting. Far from it. ... Bourbon & Beyond 2019 Brought Together 91,000 Fans For Music, Food, And BourbonWilliam ReigleOctober 2, 2019EventsBourbon & Beyond, billed as ‘The World’s Largest Bourbon Festival’, wrapped up last week after bringing together 91,000 fans to enjoy nearly 50 amazing bands, Kentucky inspired food, and of course so much bourbon. Now in its 3rd year, the organizers saw fit to provide me with a golden ticket to experience Bourbon & Beyond 2019. I hadn’t been to the first two but I had heard the buzz. The inaugural event in 2017 was a blowout success with a ton of positive reviews. Then in 2018 the weather didn’t cooperate, rain all weekend led to Woodstock-esque levels of mud culminating in the canceling of the final day. Enter year 3. Moved from a smaller river-front venue to the massive Highland Festival Grounds in Louisville, Kentucky. And a killer musical lineup including headliners like Foo Fighters, Zac Brown Band, Robert Plant, The Flaming Lips, ZZ Top and so many more. Excitement and expectations were high. My wife and I packed in as much as we could during our 4-day Bourbon & Beyond road trip. This wasn’t our first Louisville rodeo; we have our absolute must-visits but also hit a few amazing new spots. Read on my bourbon friends. We hit the road Thursday morning to begin our 6-hour drive from the north suburbs of Chicago. Right before we left a friend recommended a church turned brewery in Indianapolis as a stopping point for lunch. And thus the first stop on our pilgrimage to bourbon country. St. Joseph Brewery & Public House didn’t disappoint. From the super-cool converted church interior to the delicious beer flights, to the avocado BLT and sweet potato with bacon soup. Jesus would approve. St. Joseph Brewery & Public House Next stop, Louisville where we checked into the beautiful new Omni Louisville Hotel. More on the hotel later; we literally dropped our bags and ran to meet our good Chicago buddy Marty Duffy and his Glencairn Crystal co-workers. No sooner did we walk into the bar at the Seelbach Hilton, a must-stop historical marvel, then Marty and crew stood up and announced we were heading out to a pre-festival tradition of cigars and bourbon on Michael Veach’s porch. A bourbon author, historian, and member of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame. If you don’t know, Mr. Veach is a pretty big deal in bourbon circles and someone I was looking forward to meeting. Shenk’s, an annual release, is a legacy brand produced by the Michter’s Distillery.George Washington Rye, distilled at Mount Vernon.Marty Duffy, Michael Veach, the Glencairn Crew, and other enjoying whiskey and cigars on the porch. Michael welcomed us with a southern hospitality you won’t find anywhere else. A cigar in one hand and glass of exactly what you’d expect in the other. We found an open seat on his porch as he offered us a welcome pour of T.W. Bullitt’s Private Stock, a bourbon distilled in the 1960s by a long-shuttered Kentucky distillery. The bourbon was delicious, we finished off the bottle, and a prime example of “they don’t make ‘em like they used to”. But the stories shared by Michael, Marty, and the rest of the front porch crew were the real draw. A quick tour of Michael’s house revealed what I should have suspected. Bottles of bourbon everywhere, in every corner and dotting every shelf. And not just any bourbon, vintage bottles worthy of the finest collection, as well as cataloged samples of all the latest releases. After tasting quite a few whiskeys I had never tried, and likely never will again (LeNell’s Red Hook Rye), my wife and I headed to dinner at Proof on Main before calling it a night. The pipe collection of one Michael Veach. I’m sure this isn’t the complete collection.A sealed mini bottle collection.An award you don’t see every day.Just a small sampling of bottled in front of Michael’s desk.Veach and Marty talking books. Day 1 of Bourbon & Beyond found us in Omni’s Falls City Market sipping Cuban coffee and laying a solid foundation of breakfast burritos. After breakfast, we had an hour to kill before heading to the festival grounds. The new Old Forester Distillery on Louisville’s historic “Whiskey Row” happened to have a couple of spots available on their tour. A lot of distilleries offer tours, some of the first ones I toured years ago are incredibly impressive, Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve, Four Roses, etc. With our current bourbon boom, Old Forester decided to rebuild a distillery and visitors center in the very same building where the Old Forester brand was born in 1870. A fully functioning distillery, this bourbon mecha was built around providing a unique experience to visitors. From the display cases of vintage bottles to the glass elevator overlooking the still, to the hands-on barrel charring station this place was built to impress. Touring the Old Forester DistilleryStaves just lying aroundA celebrity barrelThis is where the barrel picks happenOur tasting at the end of the tour You’ve stuck with me this long so here we go; let’s get to the gates of Bourbon & Beyond 2019! The organizers of Bourbon & Beyond, Danny Wimmer Presents, were kind enough to provide us with media wristbands. These turned out to be largely equivalent to the ‘Mint Experience Weekend VIP Pass’. If you’re going for just one day, or to see one or two bands and not much else, then a GA one-day ticket might be all you need. But if you’d like to go for the full 3 days, skip the lines, get close to the stage, have a nice VIP lounge to relax, and value real restrooms then the VIP pass in the way to go. Mr and Mrs Chicago Bourbon getting ready to head inside! The morning of day 1 wasn’t crowded. We sailed through security and had no problem getting any drinks or food we saw. I should mention that before we arrived I downloaded the dedicated Bourbon & Beyond app which let us star the bands, workshops, and speaker panels we wanted to see. Then, 30 minutes before each event, I got a reminder on my phone. Brilliant. After getting cocktails at the Silver Dollar Hunter’s Club pop-up and the Angel’s Envy #toastthetrees garden lounge our first alert came in. We strolled over to the “Better in the Bluegrass” outdoor kitchen to see Chef Edward Lee’s cooking demo. Let me tell you, Chef Lee is hilarious. He may have been loosened up from a few pulls off a bottle of his Maker’s Mark Private Select that he had on stage. But he seemed like a really cool guy. Cool enough to walk over during his demo and hand me his bottle to take a swig. A bottle that stayed in my hand literally 2 seconds before a stage manager ran over and grabbed it from me. I guess they frowned upon that? Chef was joined on stage by Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer who helped craft a delicious fried bologna and bacon sandwich for the audience to sample. As the mayor took his sip from the bottle of Maker’s he commented, “I’m probably the only elected official in America who can drink from a bottle of bourbon on stage and no one bats an eye.” (Chef Lee did toss me a bottle of his Sambal Hot Sauce as a consolation. And he snuck me a sip of his Maker’s barrel at the end of his cooking demo. A Maker’s 46 recipe that’s a blend of toasted French spice, baked American, and French Cuvée staves.) Chef Edward Lee takes the stageMy consolation for not chugging from Chef Lee’s bottle of Maker’s MarkThe “Hot Lee” sandwichChef Lee and Louisville mayor Greg Fischer crafting the perfect sandwich Here’s a good time to give a little more detail of what Bourbon & Beyond is, and what it isn’t. It’s definitely a music festival. If you like the lineup you’ll be happy with the stages, the sound, the amenities, etc. It’s also a food festival with dozens of vendors serving a ton of different food from small plates to full meals. You’ll pay a premium for drinks unless you have the “Beyond VIP” package which includes an open bar. There are back-to-back workshops, speaker panels, and guided tastings on two smaller stages. These go on pretty much all day and were one of the coolest parts of the weekend. Some of the speakers were chefs, most speakers were involved in the bourbon industry. Master Distillers, blenders, maturation experts, bloggers, all hosted panels, and free bourbon tastings. I had the opportunity to meet and talk with many of the people responsible for making bourbon what it is today. (See a bunch of the photos below). If you’ve been to other bourbon festivals in Kentucky with white tablecloth dinners and pour after pour of impossible to find bourbon that’s not what this is. Yes, I had the chance to taste the 2019 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon (Tropical fruit on the nose with some banana notes and the familiar OF spicy finish), the new Maker’s Mark “RC6”, and even a pour of Pappy 15. But tastings of those were very limited. As a bourbon lover I had a great time but just remember that bourbon is a part of this festival, not the only part. The rest of day 1 was equally awesome. Through the afternoon we saw Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, LIVE, and The Flaming Lips. We also sat in on panels “Whiskey Women”, “Bourbon Disruptors”, and “What is a Master Distiller”. Marianne Eaves, former Master Distiller at Castle & Key, shared that since leaving the distillery she’s been traveling and planning her next move. She’s interested in experimenting with barrel finishing. Specifically by using different species of Brazilian woods. “This is for people who like things that taste good.” – Bill Samuels Jr. talking about Makers 46 John Fogerty and Foo Fighters closed out the first day. Both of them had incredible stage presence and put on great performances. I didn’t realize how many John Fogerty songs I knew until I recognized just about every song he played. If you had told me Fogerty and his two sons would be one of the best acts I saw I wouldn’t have believed you. On day 2 we arrived as the gates opened at 11:00am to a beautiful morning of 80 degrees and slightly cloudy. Perfect festival weather. We started the day at the side stages with “Bourbon Storytime”, moderated by Fred Minnick. Fred is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, bourbon curator & tasting expert. He runs Bourbon+ magazine, co-hosts the Bourbon Pursuit podcast, and he was heavily involved in all bourbon aspects of Bourbon & Beyond. Fred even curated a dozen single barrel selections for his own “Minibar” near the festival entrance. Will Reigle and Fred Minnick Photo Credit: alfonsomonroy.comPhoto Credit: alfonsomonroy.com The second workshop, titled “Barrel Finish vs Traditional Bourbon”, discussed a topic I’m very interested in. How the bourbon industry is evolving and innovating by using barrel finishes, and how some distilleries are pushing forward without jumping on the barrel finishing bandwagon. Wes Henderson from Angel’s Envy spoke for barrel finishing while Shane Baker of Wilderness Trail talked about his approach using science to perfect his craft in lieu of a “finishing” process. Both made strong points, there’s no arguing with the success of Angel’s Envy. But I was impressed by the sweet mash Wilderness Trail Bourbon and will be following Shane closely. When in doubt, meet at the giant barrel “A 4.5 year old barrel gives up about 2lbs of sugars.” – Shane Baker of Wilderness Trail Our last bourbon workshop of the day was quite the spectacle. A line formed 2 hours in advance for “The Van Winkle Family” talk and tasting. Moderated by Fred Minnick; Pappy’s grandson Julian took the stage with his son Preston and daughter Carrie (one of triplets!). The Van Winkles took this opportunity to discuss/explain/defend the extremely limited supply of their bourbon. In a nutshell, they said they are making as much as they can. Predicting market demand 23 years into the future is tough. They claim not to be facilitating an artificial shortage. Julian talked about their relationship with Buffalo Trace, the distillery where Pappy Van Winkle is contract distilled. He praised the distillery and said they are very happy with their arrangement, going on to say they retain full control over the product and he has no plans to open a distillery of their own. “We are working with Buffalo Trace to differentiate ORVW from Weller.” – Julian Van Winkle Fred pushed more on the supply vs demand topic and Preston revealed that they’ve “recently spent a lot of money defending the brand” from secondary market sales. They believe the Craigslist and Facebook groups where Pappy is sold at a huge markup are hurting bourbon consumers. If you are into the bourbon scene deep enough you’ll know that over the last couple months Facebook has cracked down on groups where bourbon is bought and sold, closing many of them. It turns out the Van Winkles were one of the driving forces behind this crackdown. Juicy stuff! Carrie chimed in a few times expressing her desire to be more involved in the family business. She seemed a bit salty that, from what I could tell, it’s the boys that handle the bourbon. It was interesting to see them speak on stage in this forum. A theme I noticed through all of these panels was a sense of authenticity. So often public statements are filtered through or prepared by marketing teams. At Bourbon & Beyond I felt like we got an inside look at the bourbon industry. Straight from the people who founded our favorite brands and poured their life’s work into ensuring their success. The sign reads “Pickup any guitar & play” Day 2 closed out with Trey Anastasio Band, Darryl Hall & John Oats, and Robert Plant & The Sensational Space Shifters. I’m going to admit, we came for the bourbon and while we stayed through the closing act on day 1, we decided not to fight the tens of thousands of people trying to get an Uber on days 2 and 3. My advice for next year is to either leave the festival reasonably early, be prepared to wait a long time for a ride, or take advantage of the option to camp on the festival grounds. (I’m definitely going to look into renting an RV ahead of next year.) With our Saturday evening ahead of us we took our Uber straight to one of the best restaurants in Louisville. In the basement of a house in the “Germantown” neighborhood, you’ll find Hammerheads. A no-frills cozy gastropub serving smoked truffle mac and cheese, duck sliders, pork belly tacos and more. The food is amazing. They serve beer, no bourbon, but the sacrifice is worth it. Smoked mac & cheese with truffle oilPork belly tacosSoft shell crab tacos On Sunday morning we grabbed breakfast at Harvest, a great brunch spot, where we saw Chef Graham Elliot walk by with his entourage. I feel we made the right restaurant choice when a celebrity chef is hanging out in the vicinity. We started our final festival day with a workshop titled “Old Fashioned vs Manhattan”. Moderated by Jordan Moskal of Breaking Bourbon, the panel included Jackie Zykan, Master Taster for Old Forester, and others battling it out for cocktail supremacy. Jackie threw the first punch by sharing “When learning how to make a Manhattan I knew I got it right when it tasted horrible. Because Manhattan’s are gross.”. (Jackie also shared that she is working on blending low yield barrels for a new OF release.) Breakfast at HarvestYou really shouldn’t make a Manhattan without these With a couple of cocktails under our belt, it was time for “Sweet Mash: The Revolution in American Whiskey”; where Blake Riber of Bourbonr.com led a discussion with Caleb Kilburn of Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. and Shane Baker of Wilderness Trail. Two men leading the sweet mash charge in today’s bourbon boom. When asked how he maintains consistency when using a sweet mash process, Shane explained that the widely accepted thought of ‘sour mash = consistency’ is a myth. He said, “How can you expect a consistent product when you’re constantly taking leftovers from your last batch and dumping them into your next one? I can guarantee a level of quality when I clean my stills after every run. That’s something I’ll defend all day.” During the talk, we tasted the newly released Peerless Bourbon and Rye alongside Wilderness Trail’s Bourbon and Rye. Rye isn’t really my thing so I’ll let someone else comment on those but both bourbons I tasted are very good. Two bottles I would buy with my own money. “There’s so much bourbon going around I think I nosed my microphone earlier.” – Peggy Noe Stevens We saw a few more panels before putting up our feet up in the air-conditioned Bardstown Bourbon Company lounge. There we sampled their “Fusion Series 1” and “Discovery Series 1”. The Discovery is a great bourbon in its own right. A blend of complex and mature high corn mashbills sourced by the team and blended into an impressive bourbon. The Fusion is also a blend but this bourbon contains 60% of BBCo’s own 2-year wheated and rye bourbons. I feel the Fusion shows potential but needs a few more years in oak to really shine. As the evening breeze came through and ZZ Top took the stage we made a final stop at the aptly named “Flight School” tent. Hosted by the Kentucky Bourbon Trail we accepted their challenge of tasting and attempting to identify four bourbons. Late in the day, this was not an easy task though it was fun and a great little competition to close out the festival. We hesitated to leave the fairgrounds, after nearly 30 hours over 3 days it became almost expected that we would be back tomorrow. Not content to end our Louisville visit quite yet we headed over to another one of our favorite restaurants, Garage Bar, where we sat outside and shared a coal-fired pizza while I knocked the festival dust off my hat and we strategizing next year’s Bourbon & Beyond. This year we partnered with Bourbon & Beyond to give away 2 sets of full weekend passes to the festival. If you’d like a heads up when we give away tickets next year just signup below! This guy...
