Review | Wild Turkey Jimmy Russell's 70th Anniversary 8 years old

The American bourbon brand of Wild Turkey has released a special commemorative whiskey to celebrate the remarkable career of Jimmy Russell, the long-serving Master Distiller. This year marks the 70th anniversary since Russell began working at the distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky on September 10 1954. His remarkable career includes establishing Wild Turkey as a global brand and being inducted into the Bourbon Hall of Fame. 

The Wild Turkey Jimmy Russell's 70th Anniversary 8 years old features whiskeys of 8- and 9-years of age that were hand-selected by son Eddie Russell and grandson Bruce Russell, who both work at the distillery in senior positions, from Jimmy's favourite rickhouses. 

Review | Elijah Craig Straight Rye

The American whiskey brand of Elijah Craig has announced the release of their rye expression into the UK market. We were invited to the launch event of the Elijah Craig Straight Rye. The spirits has a mash bill of 51% rye, 35% corn and 14% malted barley. This heavy reliance on corn as the secondary grain makes the spirit highly suited to long maturation, which has enabled this rye whiskey to reach eight years of age.

Distillery Visit | Wild Turkey

Wild Turkey is one of the gems of the American whiskey industry and home to a family dynasty that spans three generations. Recently, Matt was invited to Kentucky to visit the distillery and new visitor centre, which are about one hour's drive south of Louisville, and meet the names behind the brand.

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When driving through Kentucky in May you could almost think you were in Scotland. Green rolling hills and farms zip by. But once you hit the town of Lawrenceburg, where the Wild Turkey distillery is located, this changes. Now you are definitely NOT in Scotland. The quaint main street is lined on either side with old colonial buildings, each adorned with a fluttering Stars & Stripes flag. Now you know that you are well and truly in Kentucky - the heartbeat of the American whiskey industry. 

Review / Kentucky Owl 'The Wiseman'

The Wiseman is a premium American bourbon from the brand of Kentucky Owl. The expression has just been released in the UK for the first time, following its launch in America last Autumn. The whiskey has been created by John Rhea, the Master Blender of Kentucky Owl. Rhea is a 40-year veteran of the bourbon industry with just over four decades of service at the Four Roses distillery. The Wiseman is a blend of four Kentucky-sourced bourbons - two four year olds (one with a high wheat content and one with high rye), a 5.5 year old and an 8.5 year old. The Wiseman forms part of a larger range in the USA. This range is scheduled to be introduced to the UK market in due course. Plans for the Kentucky Owl distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky are also being drawn up.

Review - Four Roses Small Batch 2017 Edition

This whiskey is the latest limited edition from the award-winning Four Roses distillery. Four Roses is unusual amongst American distilleries as it produces 10 different spirits, using two different mash bills (one low rye mash and one high rye) and then one of five different yeast strains. This 2017 Edition contains three different whiskies of ages 12, 13 and 15 years. The Small Batch was first released in 2007 and has won numerous awards since. This 2017 Edition has approximately 13,000 bottles - this number has grown from the original 2007 release, which contained just 1,500 bottles.

Review - Wild Turkey Rye

This rye whiskey was first released in 2015 and is bottled at 81 Proof (proof is the old American system of measuring alcohol strength and equates to 40.5% ABV).  It joined the popular Wild Turkey whiskey range - this includes the 81 Proof bourbon, 101 Proof bourbon and a stronger version of the rye, called 101 Proof Rye.  The mash bill for this whiskey is 51% rye, 37% corn and 12% barley, and it has been matured in American white oak casks.  The Wild Turkey Rye is available through specialist whisky retailers in the UK and Europe, but is widely available throughout the USA. A bottle should cost between around £30 each.

Have just tried - Bulleit Rye

The Bulleit Rye is the newest addition to the Bulleit Bourbon range.  It was first launched in the USA in 2011 and proved extremely popular. This has resulted in it being rolled out in selected other markets in late 2013, including Australia and the UK.  The Bulleit Rye is made using a mash bill of 95% rye grain and 5% malted barley.  This rye content is high compared to most other American rye whiskeys on the market.  The minimum percentage to be legally called a rye whiskey is 51%.

Have just tried - Thomas H. Handy Sazerac

Thomas H. Handy is an American rye whiskey which is made at the Buffalo Trace distillery.  It is a whiskey that has been the centre of attention during the last week, as the Batch 2011 has claimed the prestigious accolade of 'Whisky Of The Year' in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2013, the latest edition in the best selling series.  Traditionally, winners of this award sell out fast so it may already be too late to grab one.  However, we were lucky enough to track down a sample ...

Inbox - May 4, 2012

Inbox is our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our email inbox. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece that we receive. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday.

Within Inbox we write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information.

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Weisberger and a couple of birdies

Ballantine's - Championship Blend

A couple of weeks ago we reported in Inbox about a very limited edition expression of the popular Ballantine's whisky brand that had been produced.  The Championship Blend was specially created to celebrate the Ballantine's Championship golf tournament in Korea.

It was created by the Ballantine's Master Blender Sandy Hyslop with the help of the 2011 winner Lee Westwood.  A bottle was presented to the winner of this year's tournament as part of his prize. Bernd Weisberger from Austria (pictured, above) won by five shots and bagged a cheque for $487,000, plus the first of only 10 bottles of the Championship Blend ever produced to celebrate his victory.

Balvenie - Masters of Craft

The famous Speyside distillery of Balvenie have announced that they are to run their successful Masters of Craft competition again this year.  The initiative, which launched for the first time last year, is designed to highlight the quality and variety of handcrafted skills that are currently thriving in the UK.

This ethos mirrors the handcrafted nature of the production of Balvenie single malt whisky.  Categories include Stone, Wood, Metal, Glass & Ceramics, Textiles and Leather, plus the new category of Artisan Food.  Other prizes include the Young Master of Craft (open to 21-30 year olds), the David Stewart Life Time Achievement Award (named after Balvenie's legendary Master Distiller) and the overall Master of Craft 2012.

An esteemed panel of judges have been assembled for the competition and they include David Stewart himself, TV presenter Kevin McCloud and Chairman of the Heritage Arts Council, Robin Wood. Nominations are now open and remain so until Friday 1 June - if you wish to nominate someone, please go to the Masters of Craft website.

Bulleit - Shake it up for the Kentucky Derby
The Bulleit American whiskey brand have created a couple of cocktails to enjoy over this coming weekend.  This is to celebrate the brand's association with the famous Kentucky Derby horse race which is run on Saturday 5 May. 

The first is exotically named the Ginger Julep '68 Fastback and is made using 1½oz of ginger infused Bulleit bourbon, ½oz of organic brown sugar, ¼oz of peeled minced fresh ginger, 1½oz of soda water and a lemon twist. To make it, muddle the ginger and brown sugar together until the sugar is nearly dissolved. Add a dash of soda to finish dissolving the sugar, stir in the Bulleit and finish with ice, soda to taste and a lemon twist.

The second is a Bulleit Rye Mint Julep and is made using 1½ oz of Bulleit Rye whiskey, 1 ½-2 oz of Stirrings Simple Syrup and fresh mint leaves. To make it, muddle mint leaves, Stirrings Simple Syrup and crushed ice. Then add Bulleit Rye, fill the glass with ice and pour into cocktail shaker, shake vigorously and serve in rocks glass with fresh mint garnish. Have fun and enjoy the race!

Dalmore - Goes stellar with new releases

The Highland distillery of Dalmore have announced a significant range of limited edition single malts to add to their seemingly ever expanding portfolio of whiskies.  The Constellation Collection is a selection of single cask bottlings ranging from between 1964 and 1992.  There are 21 casks in total and each has been bottled at its natural strength and colour.  This initial release consists of around 4,000 bottles.

The prices range from £20,000 a bottle for the 1964 Vintage to £2,000 for the 1992 Vintage.  There is  also the option to buy the entire set of 21 bottles for £158,000.  The whiskies are available for the first month exclusively through the World Duty Free Group's main shop in Terminal 5 at Heathrow airport.  They will then be available through other specialist retailers.

Now, a Dalmore release wouldn't be a Dalmore release without some 'Paterson-speak'.  The Master Blender had this to say about the Constellation Collection - "In selecting these casks, we have identified our brightest stars from our darkest warehouses. We’re very proud to share the shining lights of our distillery with whisky lovers the world over.” Classic stuff.

New releases > Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition

Last week, we were delighted to be invited to the UK launch of the latest bourbon whiskey release from the Four Roses distillery. It is located in the town of Lawrenceburg, which is in the famous American whiskey producing state of Kentucky. The event was held at the award winning Hawksmoor gourmet burger restaurant and was hosted by the Four Roses UK Brand Ambassador, Dan Priesmann. There we were treated to a whistle-stop tasting of the Four Roses range, before sampling this new Small Batch Limited Edition with a gut-busting chilli cheese burger (or a medley of butternut squash and vegetables in Karen's case!) and a plate load of chunky chips.

Four Roses was founded by Paul Jones Jnr. and first produced whiskey in 1888. It moved to the current Lawrenceburg site in 1910. The distillery is currently owned by the Kirin Brewery Company from Japan and is one of Kentucky's largest distilleries, producing eight million litres of whiskey a year. Much of this is released under the Four Roses name although, as with the other Kentucky distilleries, they also release whiskies and bourbons under different names. The most well known such example made at Four Roses is Bulleit bourbon.

Four Roses is unique amongst bourbon producers in that they use two different grain recipes (one with a recipe mix of 75% corn, 20% rye and 5% malted barley and the other with a mix of 60% corn, 35% rye and 5% malted barley) and five different strains of yeast for production. The result of this is that they end up with 10 different versions of Four Roses - each grain recipe is exposed to one of the five yeast strains and the resulting 10 bourbons have differing characteristics. To make each final bourbon in the range, they use a different combination of the 10 - the regular and best selling Yellow Label has some of all 10 included, the Small Batch uses just four of them and the Single Barrel uses just one which is specially selected for its supreme quality.

Details of the bottling
This Small Batch Limited Edition has been described by Jim Rutledge, the Master Distiller at Four Roses, as "the best whiskey that I have ever made". That is some statement, considering that he has worked at the distillery for over 40 years! The Limited Edition consists of just 12 specially selected casks and therefore numbers are very low - most are destined for the American market with just 120 bottles making it to the UK, which is the only place outside of the USA where it is being released. The bourbon has been made by combining the 12 casks, which are from three of the 10 recipes. These have been aged for roughly twice as long as the regular range and it contains whiskey of 10,11 and 15 years of age. It is bottled at 55.1% ABV and will retail in the UK for £70.

Our tasting notes
The colour is a warm orange amber and the nose is expressive but gentle. There are plenty of vanilla and sweet oak aromas to start with and these are then joined by a lovely combination of notes - dark dried fruits (think of prunes), toasted almonds, cinnamon spice, bittersweet cereal grains, dried coconut and orange bitters. There is also a bitter charred whiff of charcoal. On the palate this feels creamy and mouthcoating. There is plenty of initial wood spice (imagine cinnamon, oak and sandal wood), which then softens to reveal other flavours. First come notes of spiced orange zest, caramel and fresh almonds. These are softened further by some vanilla and coconut. Then some bittersweet characteristics start adding depth and complexity - think of robust cereals and some tobacco/cigar leaf, which give a pleasant and positive slightly musty edge. The finish is very long, with the high alcohol level helping with this. There is a lovely mix of drying wood spices (the cinnamon and oak again), bittersweet cereals and distinct tangy orange zest.

What's the verdict?
This a delicious whiskey that is powerful, expressive and intense. It wakes up your senses from the moment that you come in to contact with it - it smells warming and comforting, it feels great in your mouth and slowly reveals its complex nature and it lingers on your palate long after you have swallowed it. It is a fine example of a well made and sympathetically matured bourbon and a whiskey to be savoured and sipped.

Have just tried ... Wild Turkey 8 years old (101 Proof)

What's with the name?
Wild Turkey is an American whiskey that is produced in the town of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The distillery is one of seven in the state of Kentucky and produces an extensive range of whiskies. The name is said to be derived from a story regarding a former distillery worker called Thomas McCarthy. He used to go on an annual wild turkey hunt with friends and in 1940, he took some whiskey from the distillery with him. They enjoyed it so much that the following year they asked him to bring some more of "that wild turkey whiskey". McCarthy liked the name and soon after the Wild Turkey brand was introduced.

A long and proud history
However, the name could also come from the fact that the original distillery founded by the Ripy family in 1869, was built on Wild Turkey Hill. The Ripy family quickly gained recognition for the high quality of their bourbon and this culminated in it being selected to represent the state of Kentucky at The World Fair in 1893. As with all American distilleries, the Ripy distillery was forced to close during the Prohibition period between 1920 and 1933. The distillery was modernised and was one of the first to re-open for production when Prohibition was lifted. It was taken over by Austin Nichols, a company that began in 1855 trading tea, coffee and liquor, in the early 1970s and later became part of the massive Pernod Ricard group. This helped to establish Wild Turkey as a strong export brand internationally. Wild Turkey is currently owned by another large drinks corporation, the Campari Group, who took control in 2009.

Locally sourced ingredients
This Wild Turkey eight years old is America's best selling premium aged bourbon. It has an alcoholic strength of 50.5% ABV (101 Proof using the old US system - a name which it can also be found by) and costs around £25-30 a bottle in the UK. The ingredients used to make the whiskey are grains (primarily corn grown in Kentucky, mixed with barley and rye), water which is taken from a limestone well within the distillery and yeast - this is a secret formula and is cultivated at the distillery. The whiskey is aged in new white oak casks, which are heavily charred so as to add additional flavour, for a minimum of eight years.

Our tasting notes
The colour of this Wild Turkey eight years old is golden amber and the nose is packed with expressive characteristics. There is immediate and obvious cereal grain and this is followed by some sweeter aromas such as dried fruits (think of raisins and candied orange peel), vanilla and coconut. The nose feels prickly with alcohol and has distinct notes of burnt sugar and toasted almonds coming through. On the palate, this feels thick in the mouth and again has a complex, yet well balanced mixture of notes present. It is very grainy (especially reminiscent of the more bitter types of grain, like rye) with plenty of wood spice (imagine cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg) and that distinct toasted almond and burnt sugar again. There is also some peppery heat. Sweeter elements begin to balance out these spicier, bitter notes and these include sweet honey, vanilla, coconut and orange. The finish is punchy and long, with a fresh, zingy combination of orange zest, ginger, oak and that pepper-like heat. The finish becomes more woody with time and gets drier and drier, leaving your mouth gasping and wanting more!

What's the verdict?
This is a lovely example of an American bourbon. It has great balance between the sweeter and spicier elements and is easy drinking, despite its high alcohol content. We recommend drinking it without water, as when water is added the spiciness and heat are flattened out and the bitter woody notes take over. The balance seems to be taken away. However, it may be too dry or spicy for some, especially whisky beginners or those new to bourbon, so adding water is an option here. A must try whiskey and one that is a decent price for the high quality.

Have just tried ... Four Roses Single Barrel

From the heart of Kentucky
Four Roses is an American whiskey distillery that is located in the town of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The state of Kentucky is the famous home of the American whiskey industry with seven companies currently operating and producing numerous brands of whiskey and bourbon. Four Roses is currently owned by the Kirin Brewery Company from Japan and is one of Kentucky's largest distilleries, producing eight million litres of whiskey a year. Much of this is released under the Four Roses name although, as with the other Kentucky distilleries, they also release whiskies and bourbons under different names. These all use different traditional recipes during production and the most well known example made at Four Roses is Bulleit bourbon.

For further information on American whiskies and bourbons, then check out the American page on our website - whiskyforeveryone.com.

Details of the whiskey
This Single Barrel forms part of the revamped Four Roses' core range which also includes the best selling Yellow Label and a Small Batch release. As the name suggest, this whiskey is released from a single casks and each bottle is hand signed and labeled with the master distillers initials and the warehouse location from which it was taken (this is cask number 36-1M - 36 being the warehouse number, 1 being the row of the warehouse and M being the shelf/rack that the cask was stored). Single barrel expressions of American whiskies are rare, although this is changing as consumer demand grows. Four Roses Single Barrel is aged for approximately eight years, is bottled at an alcoholic strength of 50% ABV and has won numerous awards since it was first released in 2005. It should cost £35-40 a bottle from selected specialist alcohol retailers.

Our tasting notes
The colour of this Single Barrel is golden amber and the nose is very intense. The alcohol (50% ABV) hits first and gives a warm spiciness, before plenty of woody and vanilla notes kick in - think of fresh oak, wood shavings, sandalwood and coconut. It feels fresh and vibrant with other aromas coming through such as caramel, some citrus (imagine orange oil) and a hint of tropical fruit (think of banana and peach especially). On the palate, this is equally as big and intense as the nose suggests. Again, the alcoholic kick is hot and there is plenty of woodiness (especially the fresh oak and coconut husks). This is on the borderline of becoming bitter before some softer and sweeter notes come through - think of caramel, brown sugar, cereal grains, vanilla and those tropical fruits from the nose. Additional wood spices (imagine peppercorns and cinnamon) combine to give great depth. The finish is very long and warming with the spiciness and woodiness in abundance, in addition to a burnt orange note.

The high alcohol strength and intensity of Four Roses Single Barrel suggest the addition of some water. How much you add is up to you! With a few drops, the alcohol strength and the spiciness is softened and allows more of the sweeter vanilla, caramel and fruit elements to come through. The addition of some water may make this whiskey more palatable to a wider audience.

What's the verdict?
Wow! This is one hell of a dram and it takes no prisoners. It is a big, intense whiskey that is not for the faint hearted, but one that softens while still holding its complexity with the addition of water. It is interesting to try a bourbon at a higher ABV strength and from a single cask - if they are all this good then it is only a matter of time before more companies release them. Single Barrel also offers good value for money, especially when compared with a similar product from a Scottish single malt distillery which would start at around £50 a bottle.

Have just tried ... Woodford Reserve

Prize winning bourbon
Woodford Reserve is a bourbon that is produced in small batches by the Labrot & Graham distillery. The distillery is located in the American state of Kentucky, close to the town of Versailles. Woodford Reserve whiskey is presented in a recognisable narrow square bottle and varies in strength from 43-46% ABV, depending on the batch. It is made using a secret combination of corn, rye and malted barley grains and is the only bourbon that undergoes a triple distillation (most others are distilled twice). Woodford Reserve is the official bourbon of the world famous Kentucky Derby horse race and has won many prizes worldwide. These include a Double Gold Medal at The World Spirits Competition in 2000 and this made it the first bourbon to ever win that prestigious prize.

Kentucky's oldest
The distillery was founded in 1812 by Elijah Pepper, making it the oldest operational whiskey distillery in Kentucky. Kentucky is widely regarded as the heart of the American whiskey industry. The current distillery buildings were erected in 1838 and it was named the Oscar Pepper Distillery after Elijah's son. In 1878, Leopold Labrot and James Graham became the new owners and they changed the name to the Labont & Graham Distillery. This name appears on the current bottles of Woodford Reserve.

The birth of Woodford Reserve whiskey
Labont and Graham ran the distillery until 1941, when they sold up to the Brown-Forman Corporation. Brown-Forman are still in ownership and also own the Jack Daniel's distillery in the neighbouring state of Tennessee. They mothballed (the process where a distillery is taken out of service but remains intact) and sold the distillery in 1968. However, they decided to start producing premium small batch bourbons and re-purchased the Labont & Graham distillery, which they saw as ideal for the purpose. This was in 1993 and following a complete refurbishment, including new stills made in Rothes in Scotland, production was restarted. Woodford Reserve, which is named after the Woodford County where the distillery is located, was first introduced in 1996 and we are now on the release of batch number 59.

Our tasting notes
The colour of Woodford Reserve is a rich amber orange and the nose is intense, sweet and spicy. There is an immediate hit of vanilla and oak and it feels very woody (think of new oak furniture or wood shavings). Underneath this, other elements reveal themselves - coconut, honey, maple syrup, orange oil and warm spices (imagine ginger and nutmeg). On the palate, a similar thing happens - your mouth is hit with a ton of oak and vanilla before other notes begin to come through. The vanilla has a creaminess to it and the combination of the coconut, orange oil and warm spices (especially the ginger) from the nose in addition to some brown sugar and slightly bitter cereal grains, give the whiskey depth and complexity. The initial oak grips your palate and hangs on right the way through to the long finish. The finish becomes increasingly dry, tannic and spicy - imagine a combination of heavy oak, cereals (especially the more bitter rye grains), ginger, nutmeg and a touch of hot chilli.

What's the verdict?
Woodford Reserve is one of the increasingly popular bourbons within the cocktail world. It is easy to see why as its exaggerated flavours and deep complexity would manage to stand out when mixed with any manner of other things. When taken neat, this is a lovely bourbon for those same reasons but it may be a little too rich, woody or spicy for some palates, especially the uninitiated bourbon drinker. However, that should not stop you trying this excellent whisky. A bottle should cost between £25-30 from specialist retailers and some larger supermarkets.

Have just tried ... Four Roses Small Batch

One of seven
Four Roses is an American whiskey distillery that is located in the town of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The state of Kentucky is the famous home of the American whiskey industry with seven distilleries currently operating. The other six include some famous names and are Bernheim, Buffalo Trace, Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, Wild Turkey and Woodford Reserve. These produce numerous brands of whiskey and bourbon.

Japanese owners
Four Roses is currently owned by the Kirin Brewery Company from Japan and is one of Kentucky's largest distilleries, producing almost eight million litres of whiskey a year. Much of this is released under the Four Roses name, although as with many of the American distilleries they also release whiskies and bourbons under different names. These all use different traditional recipes during production and are derived from closed distilleries. The most well known example made at Four Roses is Bulleit bourbon. For further information on American whiskies and bourbons, then check out the American page on our website - whiskyforeveryone.com.

Details of the whiskey
This Small Batch forms part of Four Roses' core range which also include the best selling Yellow Label and a Single Barrel release. As the name suggest, this whiskey is released in small quantities and each batch is rumoured to consist of just four casks that are married together. The whiskey included is aged for between six and eight years and contains some of the highest rye grain content of any bourbon (about 40%). Small Batch is bottled at an alcoholic strength of 45% ABV and should cost £25-30 a bottle from selected specialist liquor retailers.

Our tasting notes
The colour of this Small Batch is a deep golden amber and the nose is expressive and fragrant. There are prominent aromas of vanilla, coconut, slightly bitter cereal grains (imagine something like a rye bread) and oranges (think of candied peel or marmalade), with some more subtle wood spices (imagine cinnamon and nutmeg) and nuts (especially almonds) present in the background. On the palate, these characteristics are milder and softer than the nose suggests. The vanilla, cereal grains and the almond-like nuttiness lend the palate a creamy, mouth coating feeling and these are backed by a lovely combination of coconut, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg spice and bitter oranges. The finish is again soft with some initial sweetness before turning drier and spicier (that cinnamon again), with some distinct bitter cereal grains (think of the husks) and toasted almond notes at the forefront. The addition of water brings out more honey and some previously undetected toffee, while taking the edge off the woody spice notes.

What's the verdict?
Small batches of American whiskies are relatively hard to find and we have not tasted many. This makes it difficult to compare this whiskey with anything. All we can say is that this is a very good and highly enjoyable drink and that others that we will try in the future have a lot to live up to! Four Roses Small Batch offers a lovely, expressive and balanced dram that also represents great value for money (try getting a small batch Scottish release for a similar age, by comparison).

In the whisky cupboard ... Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 15 years old

Van Winkle is one of the most famous names in the American bourbon whiskey industry. The Van Winkle family have been involved since 1893 when Julian Van Winkle, nicknamed Pappy by family and friends, began working as a salesman for the W. L. Weller & Sons bourbon company. He eventually purchased the Weller distillery and renamed it as the Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery. Pappy remained in control until his death at the age of 91 in 1965. Control was passed to his son, Julian Jr, and later to his son, Julian III, who remains in charge with the assistance of his son, Preston.

Van Winkle whiskey has been made at the Buffalo Trace distillery since 2002. They follow the traditional Van Winkle family recipe that have been handed down through the generations. Buffalo Trace is the most northern distillery in the famous whiskey producing state of Kentucky. The name originates from the 'Great Buffalo Trace', an ancient path (or trace) used by migrating buffalo - this stretches across North America and along the banks of the Kentucky River. The early settlers followed this path and set up a community in the late 1700s and Buffalo Trace has been operating on the same site since 1812.

All Van Winkle whiskey is made using a unique recipe using corn, wheat and barley (compared to the more widely used bourbon recipe of corn, rye and barley). The Family Reserve range is a selection of older whiskies - this 15 years old, a 20 and a 23 years old and a 13 years old rye whiskey. It is rare to find older bourbons compared to Scottish or Irish whiskies of the same age. This is because the climate is more humid in America than in Scotland and Ireland, so the maturation process is faster. They are also matured in new fresh casks by law and more intense natural oils are drawn from these casks. This 15 years old is bottled at 53.5% ABV (107 proof) and will cost around £65 a bottle in the UK from specialist retailers.

This Family Reserve 15 years old is dark orange amber in colour with a gorgeously intense nose. There is a lot of vanilla and oak, with some distinct sweetness (think of golden syrup or caramel) and nuttiness (imagine almonds and coconut). A vivid scent of oranges comes through (think of candied peel), as does a waxy furniture polish aroma (sounds strange but its true!). On the palate this is rich, velvety and smooth with a heap of woody oak and vanilla up front. Through this comes a lovely combination of spices (think of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg), dried intense citrus (imagine that candied orange peel again or marmalade), roasted nuts (almonds, especially), just a hint of liquorice and something slightly dark and bitter (think of a dark powdered cocoa). The finish is long and spicy with the warm wood spices especially prominent (nutmeg and cinnamon). Even though this whiskey is very balanced, we decided to add water due to the alcoholic strength - this made it sweeter (imagine more caramel and honey coming through) and fruitier (imagine some sultanas joining the orange and cinnamon from before). An excellent example of a bourbon whiskey.

Have just tried ... Pikesville Straight Rye

Pikesville is a brand of American straight rye whiskey that is produced at the Heaven Hill distillery. Heaven Hill is located in Bardstown, which is in the famous whiskey producing state of Kentucky. The distillery was originally founded in 1890 but was forced to close during the Prohibition period between 1920-1933. It was re-opened in 1934 by five brothers from the Shapira family, whose decendents still run the distillery today.

Heaven Hill takes its name from the Heavenhill family, who were the former owners of the farmland on which the distillery stands. They produce a range of whiskies using different traditional recipes (well known ones include Elijah Craig, Evan Williams and Rittenhouse), as well as gin and brandy. This help to make Heaven Hill the largest independent family owned distillery in America and the seventh largest in America overall.

Heaven Hill is one of the few distilleries that still produce rye whisky. Rye is seen as one of the most traditional styles of American whiskey, but was killed off by Prohibition. Its roots lie in the north eastern states of Maryland and Pennsylvania, with the recipe for Pikesville originating from Maryland. By law rye whiskey must contain a minimum of 51% rye grains in the mash and to be labelled as 'straight rye', this percentage must be a minimum of 65%. The rest of the mash can contain any other type of grains (such as corn, maize, barley or wheat) in any combination, with each recipe having different traditional combinations that give different flavours.

The colour is a rich golden brown (think of caramel or burnt sugar) and the nose is interesting. It has an initial slightly bitter sharpness, which may not be to everyones taste, but then a lovely sweetness comes through. This is very grainy in quality and is accompanied by loads of vanilla, coconut and warm spices (imagine ginger and nutmeg). On the palate, this is full bodied and has a great creamy feeling in the mouth. The sweet vanilla, coconut and grains are present, as are the warm spices. These are joined by an enjoyable bitter peppery quality (think of peppercorns or maybe a hint of red chilli) and some fruitiness (imagine sultanas). The finish is long and smooth with the slightly bitter rye grains rounding off the overall sweetness well.

Pikesville has a small production run each year and is hard to find as a result. However, it is worth searching out as it is very good and should cost the bargain price of £15-20. It is also becoming more popular in bars, as it lends itself to mixing well in cocktails, so it is definately worth trying some that way if you cannot find a bottle to buy. A very good whiskey.

Have just tried ... Four Roses Yellow Label

Four Roses is an American whiskey distillery that is located in the town of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The state of Kentucky is at the heart of the whiskey industry in America with seven distilleries operating and producing numerous brands of whiskey and bourbon. Four Roses is owned by the Kirin Brewery Company from Japan and is one of Kentucky's largest distilleries, producing almost eight million litres of whiskey a year. Much of this is released under the Four Roses name, although as with many of the American distilleries they also release whiskies and bourbons under different names. These use different traditional recipes in production and the most well known example made at Four Roses is Bulleit bourbon.

For whiskey to be legally named 'bourbon', it must adher to four rules.
1 - the mixture of different cereal grains must contain at least 51% corn.
2 - the final spirit must be of an alcoholic strength of 80% ABV or less.
3 - the spirit must be matured in virgin American oak casks for a minimum of two years.
4 - no colouring must be added during any part of the process.
For further information on American whiskies and bourbons, then check out the America page on our new website.

This Yellow Label is a bourbon and is the biggest selling whiskey in the Four Roses range, being approximately six years of age. The colour is light and yellow brown. The nose is light also and has a lovely delicate freshness. It is loaded with vanilla, oaky woodiness, sweet cereal grains (think of corn/maize) and a citrus note (imagine lemon zest). On the palate, this offers heaps of vanilla and fresh coconut (imagine scooping out the flesh having just cracked the nut open). It has a medium refreshing body that also has those cereal and citrus elements from the nose and a delicious honey note (the clear runny variety). The finish is short but has an interesting woody bitterness to it that counteracts the previous sweetness well and makes the bourbon more balanced.

This Four Roses is lighter, fresher and more subtle than a number of the bourbons that are on the market. It would be a great choice to introduce someone to a bourbon whiskey and offers good value for the quality of product at £18-22 a bottle. It has been hard to find in the UK until recently but is now being distributed and promoted more. However, it can still largely only be found in specialist alcohol retailers.