Dustin Scoggins

Discovering Buzzard’s Roost American Whiskey: Innovation in Every Sip

January 23, 2024 By Dustin Scoggins

Buzzard’s Roost American Whiskey, a rising star in the world of premium sipping whiskeys, was born in 2019 when co-founders Judy Hollis Jones and Jason Brauner—veterans of Louisville’s vibrant bourbon scene—met during a barrel pick and decided to launch their own brand. Headquartered in the heart of Kentucky whiskey country, Buzzard’s Roost is a non-distiller producer that sources high-quality spirits and elevates them through a groundbreaking secondary maturation process. Partnering with Independent Stave Company, they use proprietary American oak barrels seasoned for at least 18 months (far longer than the industry standard of six) and lightly charred to a #1 level, preserving caramelized wood sugars while applying custom toast profiles to unlock unique flavors. This “barrel alchemy” transforms sourced whiskey into distinctive expressions, earning the brand multiple awards, including double golds and platinums at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

The Buzzard’s Roost portfolio shines with innovative bourbons, ryes, and American whiskeys designed for slow sipping or creative cocktails. Standouts include the Char #1 Bourbon with its cherry and dark fruit notes, Toasted American Oak Bourbon blending confectionary sweetness and baking spices, and acclaimed ryes like the Cigar Rye and Barrel Strength offerings. The approachable Buzzard’s Roost American Whiskey, bottled at 105 proof, uses reused proprietary barrels for secondary aging of a three-year-old sourced spirit (75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley), delivering aromas of roasted almonds, cinnamon, and orange zest, with palate notes of vanilla wafers, zingy spice, and subtle toasted oak—perfect for neat pours or elevating classic mixes. Visitors can explore this craftsmanship at the Buzzard’s Roost Whiskey Row Experience in downtown Louisville, where tastings and tours highlight the brand’s commitment to redefining American whiskey.

Proofed to 105 and with an SRP of $39.99, Buzzard’s Roost American Whiskey makes it easy for whiskey lovers and cocktail enthusiasts to experience the quality for which Buzzard’s Roost Sipping Whiskeys are known.

Quick Facts

PROOF: 105 proof (52.5% abv)

AGE: 36 months (base age)

FINISH: Char #1 barrels

MASHBILL: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley

SRP: $39.99

For more information please visit https://www.buzzardsroostwhiskey.com/home

Lodestar releases inaugural whiskey

January 19, 2024 By Dustin Scoggins

Distill Ventures-backed Lodestar Whiskey has launched an expression that blends high-rye Bourbon and American single malt.

Distill Ventures is a spirits accelerator backed by Diageo. It invested in female-owned Lodestar Whiskey in 2023.

The expression has an ABV of 45% and retails for US$45 for a 750ml bottle.

It has notes of ‘caramel, citrus and warm baking spices’ from the rye, alongside an ‘approachable, smooth finish’ from the single malt.

Lodestar Whiskey was founded by cousins and entertainment industry veterans Anna Axster and Wendelin von Schroder, who aimed to create an ‘inclusive and approachable’ whiskey.

“Building community is one of our guiding principles,” said co-founder Axster.

“As we began developing the brand, it was important to us that our whiskey is approachable, with a uniquely delicious flavour you can enjoy neat or in a cocktail.

“We wanted it to be inclusive and inviting to those who are new to the whiskey community while also satisfying the palates of those who enjoy whiskey regularly. Lodestar invites everyone to the party.”

Von Schroder added: “Our golden rule is simple: bring joy to the journey and invite your friends.

“We love kicking back with our favourite people, a good spirit in hand. It’s all about connecting and a sense of belonging. We hope however people choose to gather, that their good times are made extra special with Lodestar.”

For more information please visit https://www.lodestarwhiskey.com/

New Release: Wild Turkey Generations

January 4, 2024 By Dustin Scoggins

Wild Turkey Distilling Company has unveiled Wild Turkey Generations, a first-ever collaboration from three generations of the iconic Russell family of whiskey makers.

This is a blend of four whiskies meant to showcase the varied palates, personal preferences and expertise of Jimmy, Eddie and Bruce Russell. It’s the first release from the distillery to feature the signatures of the grandfather, father and son trio on the the custom-etched bottle.

“With Generations, we set out to make a whiskey that was truly a celebration of family and bold spirit,” says Bruce Russell, the newly named Wild Turkey Associate Blender. “My dad always says we are more than the name on the bottle — and this was my first opportunity to bring my own point of view while also applying everything I’ve learned from him and my granddad.”

Bruce, like his grandfather Jimmy, prefers bold bourbon flavors, the company says, which come through in the 12-year bourbon he selected for the blend. Eddie has a penchant for a softer honeyed, vanilla-laden flavor that typically comes from older bourbons, the company says, such as his 15-year-old selection and the 14-year-old whiskey he and Bruce picked together. Jimmy selected a nine-year-old bourbon consistent with the classic Wild Turkey profile.

“I’ve made some great whiskies throughout my career, and Generations is going in my hall of fame,” says Jimmy Russell. “The experience of working with my son and grandson to create a blend that celebrates our family and tradition has been a highlight of my career.”

Generations is a tribute to one of the most iconic families in bourbon-making. Jimmy Russell originated the family tradition when he began working at Wild Turkey distillery in 1954. He soon started teaching his son Eddie, then a union worker. Eddie rose through the ranks and was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2010, joining his father, who earned the recognition in 2001. Before long, Eddie’s son, Bruce, became involved with the business, first as an ambassador and recently as a blender.

Wild Turkey fans in the U.S. will also have exclusive access to a limited online pre-sale in the coming days, by signing up for the Wild Turkey community newsletter

For more information please visit https://www.wildturkeybourbon.com/en-us/

Bevridge Releases New Tasting Experience: World Whiskies

January 3, 2024 By Dustin Scoggins

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.— Bevridge, your guide to the world of premium whiskies, releases The World Whiskies Tasting Experience, in partnership with Whisky Live. The World Whiskies Experience pairs five category-defining whiskies from around the world with on-demand video content that gives the viewer behind the scenes access of each brand. For whiskey fans and new consumers alike, this experience provides the opportunity to discover and compare different styles, guided through the nuances and backgrounds by the makers themselves.

The Bevridge World Whiskies Experience is comprised of 50ml samples from Benromach (Single Malt Scotch Whisky), Limavady (Single Malt Irish Whiskey), Balcones (American Single Malt Whiskey), Frey Ranch (Bourbon Whiskey), and WhistlePig (Rye Whiskey).

“We chose to feature five distinct types of whiskey so that in one convenient package people can really explore the breadth of flavors that the world of whiskey offers,” says Bevridge’s Marketing Director, Charlie Rodman.

This is Bevridge’s second release, following the exciting launch of its American Single Malt Experience this past spring, both exceptional gifts for the whiskey lover this holiday season.

About Bevridge

Bevridge, co-founded in early 2021 by Nate Ganapathi, Chris Nelson, and Liz Brusca, is a content, e-commerce, and marketing platform, that uses storytelling to enhance consumers’ unique journeys through the world of premium spirits, delivering experiences that go beyond tasting. Bevridge facilitates discovery through the introduction of brands, products, makers, and stories that shape each spirits category hoping to guide consumers to find spirits fit for them.

Bevridge aims to bring together a community of like-minded spirits aficionados, distillers, and industry veterans through its specialty tasting experiences, digital video series and weekly panel discussions, and the company’s flagship in-person events, Whisky Live USA & Canada, operated under license from Paragraph Publishing.

Bespoke tasting experiences, curated by industry professionals, are designed to provide unparalleled access into premium spirits categories and expert guidance on brands, expressions, and history. Each tasting experience includes a tasting collection masterfully selected from the most sought-after distilleries and includes educational materials and on-demand access to custom digital content.

For more information please visit https://bevridge.co/

Buffalo Trace’s New Chris Stapleton Whiskey

January 2, 2024 By Dustin Scoggins

Back in the fall, Buffalo Trace Distillery announced that its next whiskey would be a brand-new label created in partnership with country music superstar Chris Stapleton. While we knew the name of the new product would be “Traveller Whiskey,” other details were scant. We knew it would be bottled at 90 proof. We knew it was a blend that Kentucky native Stapleton and Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley came up with only after testing more than 50 different recipes, settling on blend number 40. And we knew it would arrive sometime in 2024.

Well, the new year has just started, and Buffalo Trace has wasted no time getting Traveller onto store shelves. The brand will officially roll out the whiskey on January 4, and it’s already popped up for presale on a few online sellers. Thankfully, at least so far, bottles are being listed at their suggested retail price of $39.99 — a welcome change for a new whiskey from Buffalo Trace, whose releases routinely sell for several times their SRP on the secondary market. (Reminder: That $330 bottle of Weller 12 you spied at your local liquor store the other day should be tagged at about $45.)

Proof: 90

SRP: $39.99

Nose: While it’s not labeled as a bourbon, there’s obviously some bourbon in the blend, as Traveller has a very bourbon nose. There is a lot of vanilla, some caramel corn, oak and just a hint of spice. It’s more complex on the nose than classic Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight.

Palate: To paraphrase one of Stapleton’s biggest hits: Is it as smooth as Tennessee whiskey? Well, I’d argue it’s a good deal smoother than Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7. This is an easy-drinking whiskey. It’s fairly sweet up top, but it’s a light corn sweetness with just a hint of toffee and vanilla carrying over from the nose — there’s nothing cloying here. The mouthfeel is quite creamy, leading me to think there’s probably some wheated bourbon tucked away somewhere in the blend. On the backend, things get a bit spicy leading into the finish.

Finish: Although this whiskey is tame on the tongue, it finishes strong with a burst of rye spice. There’s a touch of heat on the backend, but not as much as you’d think for a 90-proof whiskey that only costs $40. Wheatley and company have done a great job of smoothing over any harsh edges here.

For more information please visit https://www.chrisstapleton.com/song/tennessee-whiskey/

Metallica’s Blackened Whiskey to Sponsor Annual 2024 Metal Hall of Fame Gala

December 10, 2023 By Dustin Scoggins

Blackened, the award winning whiskey from Metallica, will be a sponsor of the 2024 Annual Metal Hall of Fame Gala, January 24, 2024, at the Marriott Delta Garden Grove, Anaheim, CA. Blackened will have a special branding experience and will include a free sampling event for all Metal Hall of Fame Gala attendees ages 21 and over. The Gala will be hosted by radio icon Eddie Trunk, and entertainment personality Cathy Rankin.

“Blackened was created as a way for us to connect with our fans and whiskey connoisseurs,” said Metallica drummer and co-founder Lars Ulrich regarding BLACKENED’s release of their commemorative 72 Seasons Batch, “This batch does exactly that. We know our fans have been waiting a long time for new music, and we want to celebrate this release with them in every possible way we can. This album is as much theirs as it is ours, and we’re excited to unveil this commemorative release of BLACKENED.”

“What an honor to have Metallica’s Blackened Whiskey take part in our Annual Gala,” says Metal Hall of Fame Founder/CEO Pat Gesualdo. “Metallica Inducted our dear friends, and their original record company founders, the late Jon and Marsha Zazula into the 2018 Metal Hall of Fame, and it’s great to have their whiskey brand take part in the Gala.”

About The Metal Hall Of Fame

The Metal Hall of Fame is a non profit, volunteer organization dedicated to forever enshrining the iconic musicians and music industry executives responsible for making Hard Rock and Heavy Metal music what it is today. Their contribution to the genre is invaluable, and they continue to inspire fans throughout the world, from generation to generation. The Annual Metal Hall of Fame Celebrity Gala has included many historical Hard Rock and Heavy Metal moments. For example, our idea to join with Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne to have former Ozzy drummer Lee Kerslake accept his Platinum Record Awards for the “Blizzard of Ozz,” and “Diary of A Madman.” Having Metallica Induct Megaforce Records Founders Jon and Marsha Zazula. Inducting Judas Priest at Wacken Open Air. Inducting Triumph, and members of Kiss and Iron Maiden, among others for the 5th Year Anniversary Bash. Having the Don Airey surprise Induction for Black Sabbath co-founding member Bill Ward (Especially after not seeing each other since recording on Black Sabbath’s 1978 album “Never Say Die!). Inducting Anthrax at Heavy Montreal. Having Kathy and Kelle Rhoads Induct their brother Randy Rhoads. Having Wendy Dio Induct Ronnie James Dio. Slayer’s Kerri King Induction for the Metal Blade Records Anniversary. Having Paul Stanley Induct KISS manager Doc McGhee. Having Brian May of Queen Induct Joe Satriani. These are just some of the Legendary memories that the Metal Hall of Fame has shared with Heavy Metal fans throughout the world. 100% of proceeds from Metal Hall of Fame events go to preserving Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Music for future generations, and also bring free music programs to help special needs children and wounded veterans in health facilities and community centers.

About Sweet Amber Distilling Co.

Established in 2018, Sweet Amber Distilling Co. is a producer of hand-crafted spirits. Helmed by Co-Founder and CEO John Bilello, Sweet Amber launched with the creation of Blackened – a masterful collaboration between late whiskey luminary Dave Pickerell and rock icons Metallica, which is now available in all 50 states and parts of Canada, with plans to expand rapidly. Sweet Amber is a nimble, dynamic organization that is completely virtual, allowing a greater flexibility, efficiency, and geographic coverage across the U.S. with depth of experience in the spirits and music industries.

For more information please visit https://www.metalhalloffame.org

Winter Park Whiskey Brand Celebrates New Product Release

November 23, 2023 By Dustin Scoggins

Eight months after opening their Winter Park blending house and tasting room, Forward/Slash Premium Blended Whiskey co-owners Tim Bradstreet and Michael Buffa are evolving the brand through new partnerships and a landmark product tie-in to the holiday season.

“We wanted to create a holiday whiskey, but also something no one has ever seen before,” Buffa told the32789 of the company’s new Krampus Rye: a limited-edition blended whiskey aged in a spiced rum barrel.

The idea came during a product sampling at Lugo’s Craft Distillery in Lakeland. “Spiced rum isn’t something that typically is aged, but it just so happens they were working on a project for someone,” Bradstreet explained. Once the aging process was complete, distillery owner Christian Lugo agreed to part with the empty barrel “and we immediately filled it with a blend of rye whiskeys to see what would happen.” The result is a rich color with an added spice and sweetness to the traditional rye whiskey flavor profile that Buffa calls “Christmas in a glass.”

Named after the mythical creature who punishes the naughty at Christmastime, the November 24 Krampus Rye release at Forward/Slash’s 650 S. Capen Ave. tasting room featured holiday decor, a heavy-metal Spotify soundtrack and looped showings of the 2015 fantasy/horror film “Krampus.”

The process may seem like a happy accident, but trial-and-error is what blending is all about. And the limited quantities that result from unique pairings are what make the Forward/Slash experience special.

Buffa and Bradstreet work with independent distilleries from across the country, choosing and combining the best products based on flavor characteristics. Forward/Slash bottles its own line of whiskeys and a blended vodka, but experiments can often result in small batches of unique flavors that are only served in the company tasting room. Tours provide a glimpse into the Forward/Slash process and include a lesson in blending distillates to achieve specific flavors.

The Krampus Rye label even comes courtesy of a business pairing with Orlando-based Leviathan Artworks.

“I had this Krampus shirt design already made,” said artist/owner Robert Fischer. “They saw it and asked about using it for the label.” Fischer also created an exclusive Forward/Slash t-shirt that features a skeleton carrying a bourbon barrel.

“We’ve known Robert for a while, he even had his wedding reception here at Forward/Slash,” said Buffa. “It’s cool when you can work with people who have that kind of appreciation and understanding about you do.”

The Forward/Slash staff is currently serving Krampus Rye pours and cocktails in the tasting room with a yet-to-be-determined number of bottle sales. “We have about 281 bottles,” said Buffa. “We want to have enough to serve in pours and cocktails through December, so we’ll see what we’ve got left after the event.”

As for 2024, Buffa and Bradstreet are working on additional partnerships and events. This year, they hosted car shows in partnership with Porsche Club of America, attended their first Cows ‘n Cabs on November 11 and were among the beverage providers at the 2023 Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival.

“We have lots of exciting plans for the new year, but we’re not releasing details on those items yet,” said Buffa. “It’s been a great first year for us and we can’t wait to expand upon the experiences we offer here.”

For more information please visit https://wpdistilling.com/

CT spirits retailers, distillery partner to launch whiskey fundraiser to build homes for veterans

November 23, 2023 By Dustin Scoggins

NEW MILFORD — It was over a single barrel of bourbon whiskey that John NeJaime, owner of NeJaime’s Wine & Spirits and New Milford Spirit Shoppe, hatched the idea for a fundraiser to support a nonprofit that gifts homes to military veterans.

NeJaime said the inspiration for the fundraiser came after a visit to Litchfield Distillery in Litchfield with friends from “CT Bourbon Bastards,” a Facebook bourbon community with over 1,600 members.

After their visit to Litchfield Distillery, the “CT Bourbon Bastards” promoted a barrel of whiskey purchased from Litchfield Distillery on the group’s Facebook page and the barrel “sold out immediately,” according to NeJaime.

NeJaime was inspired to pick a special Litchfield Distillery single-barrel whiskey to sell at his business and donate all the proceeds to a nonprofit.

He partnered with “CT Bourbon Bastards” and Taylor Deegan from Worldwide Wine & Spirits in Southington to pick a single barrel of 5-year-old bourbon whiskey from Litchfield Distillery for the fundraiser.

A total of 150 bottles of the whiskey were released for sale at NeJaime’s Wine & Spirits and Worldwide Wine & Spirits on Friday. For $59.99, customers can purchase a bottle of whiskey that will go toward creating homes for veterans and their families. All proceeds will be donated to Building Homes for Heroes.

NeJaime’s choice of nonprofit for the fundraiser came from his connections to Building Homes for Heroes, a New York-based nonprofit that builds or modifies homes and gifts them mortgage-free to injured veterans and their families, according to the nonprofit’s website.

Building Homes for Heroes also provides family team-building and support services for veterans’ physical, emotional and financial wellbeing, said Tony Sigillito, a friend of NeJaime’s and founding board member and treasurer for the nonprofit.

“There’s a lot of needs out there, but Building Homes for Heroes relates to our product,” Baker said. “Our tagline is, ‘The spirit of hard work,’ and nobody works harder than the vets. And we think the values between that nonprofit and everybody involved seemed to link up to our values.”

Five different barrels of Litchfield Distillery’s whiskey were tasted before the group picked the 5-year-old bourbon whiskey for the fundraiser.

Baker said the selected bourbon whiskey is 122-proof and “one of our first releases of that proof in a five-year range.”

“I think it’ll go pretty quickly,” he said. “We expect it to sell out right away.”

That same evening, Baker presented Chloe Sigillito, Tony Sigillito’s daughter, with a $500 check to support Building Homes for Heroes, said Tony Vengrove, whose firm Miles Finch Innovation handles the branding and marketing for Litchfield Distillery.

An additional $275 was raised for Building Homes for Heroes in an auction for a limited six-year Litchfield Distillery bourbon whiskey.

For more information please visit https://litchfielddistillery.com/

Bardstown Bourbon Company Showcases Two New Releases

November 12, 2023 By Dustin Scoggins

What’s described as Bardstown Bourbon Company’s “modern and transparent approach to whiskey making” is on full display in two new releases that were just recently released.

Bardstown Bourbon Co. Discovery #11 continues the named series tradition of blending whiskies found around the world. Yet, in a first for the distillery, this edition of the Discovery Series includes a bourbon that was estate-distilled at the distillery itself.

“This is a special milestone in our Discovery Series, as our own estate-distilled whiskey has now matured, which gives us some exciting new blending opportunities,” said Dan Callaway, VP of Product Development for Bardstown Bourbon Co, in a prepared statement. “So, for Discovery #11, we decided to celebrate in a Kentucky kind of way and chose all Bluegrass-based bourbons to blend with what we estate-distilled.”

Over the years, the Discovery Series has combined whiskies from Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Georgia, and even Ontario, Canada. Discovery #11 is the first time since Discovery #4 the series has featured all Kentucky bourbons.

“We used our bottled-in-bond recipe from the new Origin Series of our estate-distilled bourbon, however we wanted to explore a different take so the whiskey aged its entire life in French oak barrels as opposed to the traditional American oak,” Callaway added. “On their own, these stood as three tremendous bourbons, but some real magic occurred when they came together.”

Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s second new release is a collaboration with Mark and Sherri Carter, and the Napa Valley winemaker Carter Cellars.

For this release, a custom blend of mature bourbon and rye rested in ten Carter Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet barrels for an additional 14 months. The wine barrels were freshly emptied, to “impart maximum flavor” and they were separated and rotated throughout the rickhouse multiple times.

“Carter Cellars has always shot for excellence in our award-winning wines, and we have a long history of producing 100-point wines. This has been a wonderful collaboration bringing together our teams who are all continuously on the pursuit of perfection,” said Mark Carter of Carter Cellars.

Discovery #11 offers official tasting notes of “rainier cherry, butterscotch, brown sugar and roasted peanut on the nose, then a spirited palate of toffee and cinnamon spice, followed by a finish of ripe red fruit and oak.” It is presented at 118.1 proof (59.05% ABV) and offered at an SRP of $139.99.

Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s Carter Cellars Collaborative Series, meanwhile, offers a taste of what’s described as “a premium and complex aroma of cassis, violet, cinnamon and leather. On the palate it presents a rush of dark fruit, roasted pecan and vanilla cream that leads to a luscious lightly tannic finish.” It is presented at 108.3 proof (54.15% ABV) and offered at an SRP of $159.99. Roughly 225 9L cases are available at the Bardstown Bourbon Co. gift shop and select Kentucky retailers.

For more information please visit https://seelbachs.com/

New Riff Releases Pair Of Eight-Year-Old Whiskeys

November 12, 2023 By Dustin Scoggins

New Riff has announced the dual release of two 8-year-old whiskeys, the oldest released by the distillery to date. These older expressions of both their 100% Malted Rye and Wheated Bourbon join the distillery’s “High Note” limited edition lineup this fall and will be available later this month predominately through New Riff’s Whiskey Club and across the bar at the newly renovated Aquifer Tasting Bar opening soon.

Limited quantities will be available for distribution in Kentucky.

Bottled straight from the barrel at 117.9 proof without chill filtration, the Bohemian Wheat Bourbon concept was constructed from the distiller team’s inspiration found in some of their favorite classic wheat beers, resulting in the creation of a Bavarian Dunkelweizen-style bourbon mashbill comprised of three different wheats — from which a two-grain bourbon and “a new riff on a beloved Kentucky bourbon tradition were born.”

“It really is a quite unique wheated bourbon, inclusive of malted wheat, not just raw wheat as from other producers — with a high amount of wheat in the mash, and no malted barley,” said co-founder Jay Erisman in a prepared statement. “It’s safe to say there’s never been anything like it in Kentucky.”

Made with 65% non-GMO corn, 18% Bohemian floor-malted wheat, 10% unmalted wheat and 7% dark wheat, the Bohemian Wheat Bourbon is the product of several barrels that were held back for further aging from the distillery’s initial release of this recipe under the “Maltster” label.

Described as “a rare example of a two-grain whiskey comprised of only corn and wheat,” this release’s “high wheat” recipe follows the standard Kentucky sour mash regimen while also incorporating an additional step to the standard process of boiling the unmalted small grains with the corn.

Bottled straight from the barrel without chill filtration and made with 100% malted rye, The Malted Rye 8-Year-Old is the result of several barrels being held back for further aging from the distillery’s very first year of malted rye production.

“One of the first expressions of older New Riff whiskey, and perhaps, the oldest Kentucky malted rye ever bottled, it bears the unmistakable savor of a fully matured whiskey, crossed with the delicate spice of malted rye,” Erisman said. “100% malted rye whiskeys are still a rare thing in Kentucky and in American whiskey, more generally. At a full 8 years of age and barrel proof, it really is a one-of-a-kind dram.”

Both whiskeys are aged 8 years and bottled at cask strength without chill filtration with a suggested retail price of $69.99.

For more information or to sign up for the Whiskey Club, visit www.newriffdistilling.com.