U.S. Whiskey Report

Whiskey News, Whiskey Releases and New Distilleries

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Northside Distilling Co. celebrates second release of bourbon for the visually impaired

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Northside Distilling Company
Photo Credit: Northside Distilling Company

CINCINNATI — Northside Distilling Co. is teaming up with the Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI) for the second year to release a bourbon for the visually impaired.

The CABVI and Northside Distilling are releasing “Braille Bourbon” Wednesday night.

The limited-edition bourbon is packaged in hand-numbered bottles that have braille on the labels. The bourbon itself is a 108-proof single-barrel bourbon aged for 6 and 1/2 years.

This is Volume Two of the bourbon, and last year, it sold out within a few weeks of its September 2022 release.

The bourbon aims to raise awareness as well as inclusivity for those who are blind and visually impaired in the community. The bourbon release also highlights the various services CABVI offers for those who are adapting to vision loss.

Following Wednesday night’s release, Braille Boubon Whiskey, which costs $74.99 per bottle, will be available beginning Sept. 21 for purchase both online and in-store at Northside Distilling Co. A portion of each sale will go toward CABVI, as well.

About Northside Distilling

Northside Distilling began as a basement hobby—two friends with a still, exploring their passion for authentic, high-quality craft spirits. Before long, word spread and a weekend pastime became a bona fide business.

To meet growing demand, operations were moved out of the basement to the family barn located in Cincinnati’s historic Northside neighborhood, where the brand was officially born and began expanding a line of spirits known for its local flair.

Northside continues to grow, and with another move—this time to Cincinnati’s vibrant downtown scene—Northside Distilling has further broadened its offerings of award-winning, authentic spirits with deep yet smooth taste profiles. With each sip, savor the flavor that is unique to the Northside.

Northside Distilling is Cincinnati’s 1st Downtown distillery since Prohibition. We currently produce bourbon, gin, vodka, American agave and seasonal rum as well as limited-edition specialty releases and private label spirits.

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

Powerscourt Distillery Releases Third Irish Whiskey In Its Estate Series

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Powerscourt Distillery
Photo Credit: Powerscourt Distillery

Irish single malt maker Powerscourt Distillery has released the final expression in their Estate Series, called The Gates.

A statement from Powerscourt notes this blend is a marriage of bourbon and Amarone matured whiskeys, some of the first whiskey distilled in Wicklow in more than a hundred years.

Ireland’s Powerscourt Estate features the intricate designs of the Venetian Gates, a testament to the artisans that created them. It’s one of the top tourist attractions in the country.

And those gates were the inspiration for this final release in the series.

Previously in Powerscourt’s series, there was the Amarone finished single grain “The Mill House,” then came the “The Italian Gardens,” a World Whiskies Award winner which mirrored the craftsmanship, heritage and provenance of their unique location on the Powerscourt Estate.

The Gates features a complex flavor profile which the distiller’s notes describe as summer fruit meringue, strawberry, cherry, plum, lime, mint, apple, and cut hay. It tastes of vanilla, honey, custard drizzled over poached summer fruits with digestive biscuits, and a finish of fruit pudding giving way to soft oak spice.

John Cashman, with Powerscourt Distillery, said The Gates is a fitting finale to their Estate series.

“With the introduction of our own Powerscourt distilled single malt whiskey, we have continued our Amarone influence with a marriage of fully matured Amarone cask whiskey with ex-Bourbon matured whiskey,” he added. “Following our Fercullen Single Malt release in April, The Gates sees us continue to release The Spirit of Wicklow to the world.”

The Gates clocks in at 46% ABV, and has a suggested retail price of €75. The limited-edition bottle is available across Ireland, and from the Powerscourt Distillery and Visitor Center, as well as online.

For more information, check out www.powerscourtdistillery.com.

Copperworks Distilling Releases American Single Malt Whiskey Single Cask No. 410

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Copperworks Distilling CompanyCopperworks Distilling recently unveiled one of its latest special releases, Copperworks American Single Malt Whiskey Single Cask No. 410.

A statement from the distiller noted that Single Cask No. 410 was made from a single variety of malted barley called Fritz, developed by Washington State University.

The whiskey makers matured this American single malt in a new American oak cask for a little more than three years. It was bottled at cask strength.
The cask itself saw Char #2 on the 24-month seasoned staves from Canton Cooperage.

“Fritz is a single variety of malted barley that is grown and malted in the Skagit Valley just 70 miles north of Seattle,“ said Copperworks Vice President and Co-Owner Jeff Kanof. “This variety was originally intended for dry-land farming on the eastside of Washington. However, trials in western Washington found that Fritz grows plumper and with more flavor on this side of the state, and when making whiskey, the grain you choose matters.”

Different from other American whiskeys, American single malt is made from only one type of grain … malted barley.

“Since day one, Copperworks has sought to explore flavor possibilities by using barley grown in and around Washington to produce our American single malt whiskey,” said Copperworks President and Co-Owner Jason Parker. “Thanks to the Pacific Northwest’s varying climates and soil types, there are numerous barley varieties we can use to craft our whiskeys. We’ve partnered with local farms and malthouses to do just that.”

Their tasting notes for Copperworks American Single Malt Whiskey Single Cask No. 410 show that on the nose, it has aromas of cherry cobbler, palm sugar, burnt orange oil and subtle florals. On the palate, it tastes of orange marmalade, black cherry, tart candied orange peel, and cake batter. It finishes with a malty presence, notes of dried dates, yucca, and baking and wood spices.

In all, 211 bottles were made and the single malt clocks in at 60.35% ABV, 120.7 proof. It has a suggested retail price of $89.99 and is available at Copperworks’ Seattle Distillery and Tasting Room and online at www.copperworksdistilling.com.

Ironton Distillery Releases Limited Edition Cask Strength American Single Malt

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Ironton DistilleryTo celebrate Ironton Distillery’s 5-year anniversary, they are doing a limited release of a Cask Strength American Single Malt Whiskey.

What’s better than whiskey on your birthday? Absolutely nothing in our professional opinion! With 5 great years down, we are releasing our first barrel of 4 year, cask strength whiskey. Cherry and toasted coconut shine bright in this boozy summer sipper, your tiki drinks just got a 120 proof upgrade! Cheers to old whiskeys, high spirits and young hearts!

Tasting Notes Nose: Cherry, Rich Chocolate, Bitter Cacao Palate: Long Tobacco, Sharp Honey, Rustic Vanilla, Toasted Coconut Finish: Strong Wood, High Body.

About Ironton Distillery

There’s an incredible spirit that runs through the state of Colorado. You’ll find it on the top of mountains, deep in river valleys, across the cities and within all of the amazing citizens who call Colorado home. We call it the spirit of adventure. It’s a spirit that not only inspires us, but fuels our passions each and every day. And if there’s one thing we’re as passionate about as Colorado adventures, it’s a fine liquor in our glass. Our award-winning and approachable premium spirits are handcrafted to be sipped and enjoyed on any adventure.

Named after a lost, but not forgotten, mining town in southern Colorado and the 19th century ‘Ironton Addition’ of Denver that would become known as RiNo Arts District today, Ironton Distillery holds true to our industrial, creative, and adventurous roots.

We’re proud to offer a place for adventure, creativity, good times, and, of course, great spirits.

For More Information:
https://www.irontondistillery.com/

Old Forester Continues 117 Series With Bottled In Bond Bourbon

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Old ForesterOn Monday, Kentucky whiskey producer Old Forester announced the latest release in its 117 series: Bottled in Bond.

This isn’t the first Bottled in Bond whiskey Old Forester has released, but it is the most well-aged. While the brand isn’t labeling the bottle with an exact age statement, it has revealed that the new 117 whiskey is bottled from barrels filled during spring 2014, which gives us an idea of its age: nine years.

Like all Bottled in Bond whiskeys, this release is made at a single distillery, aged at least four years in oak barrels in a federally bonded warehouse and bottled at exactly 100 proof.

The Bottled in Bond whiskey is distilled from Old Forester’s standard bourbon mashbill: 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley.

Old Forester 117 Series: Bottled in Bond will be available starting Tuesday at the retail shop at Old Forester Distilling Co. and in select states for $59.99 in limited quantities – and at select Kentucky stores.

While Old Forester doesn’t disclose how much of its 117 Series whiskeys it produces, Rift told us that the small-batch release is composed of between 20 and 30 barrels.

About the Old Forester 117 Series

The 117 series debuted in spring 2021. This is the eighth series in the line and the third since Rift joined the company in October, replacing Jackie Zykan.

Rift divides Old Forester’s whiskeys into two categories: core and craft. Consistency is the goal with the core offerings; Old Forester wants to ensure fans of its whiskey all over the world receive a reliable pour every time they purchase a bottle or order a glass at a restaurant or bar.

Old Forester’s craft whiskeys, like those in the 117 series, however, are an opportunity for the distillery to get creative and innovative. The series’ name is an ode to 117 Main Street, the address of Old Forester’s home on Whiskey Row in Louisville.

For more information please visit https://www.oldforester.com/distillery/

Wakatsuru Distillery Releases Video Game Themed Whiskey

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Wakatsuru DistilleryWakatsuru Distillery in Toyama has teamed up with Tokyo-based video game developer Atlus to release a series of whisky bottles inspired by the popular Persona franchise.

The Persona role-playing video game series has been around since 1996 and has had since had more than 20 instalments. Players play a character living in a modern Japanese city going through the trials and tribulations of adolescent life.

The whisky has been made at Saburomaru Distillery, Wakatusuru Distillery’s whisky division, by master blender and manager Takahiko Inagaki. His grandfather, Kotaro Inagaki, began making whisky at Saburomaru in the 1950s when a rice shortage limited Wakatusuru’s sake production.

Two whiskies in the collaboration have been released so far. The Saburomaru x Persona Blended Whiskey is described as “smoky and rich flavoured”, with the label depicting the main characters from the Persona 3 Portable, Persona 4 The Golden and Persona 5 The Royal.

The other whisky released so far is the more premium Single Cask Saburomaru P3P. The striking label features the character Orpheus, from Persona 3 Portable. The single malt inside was barrel-aged for three years.

About Wakatsuru Distillery

Malt distillation began in 1954 with the creation of the Sunshine blend, and will continue discontinuously until 2016 when Wakatsuru Shuzo made the decision to renovate its facilities in the Hokuriku area to dedicate them to the production of malt whisky.

For more information please visit https://dekanta.com/product-category/wakatsuru/

Grand Teton Distillery Continues Private Stock Series With Release of 7-Year-Old Single Malt

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Grand Teton DistilleryOn Monday, Grand Teton Distillery announced the third release in its Private Stock collection: Private Stock American Single Malt Whiskey.

The single malt is made from 100% Idaho malted barley. After being milled, fermented and distilled in-house, it spent seven years in used bourbon barrels, making it one of the longest-aged American single malts on the market, according to Grand Teton Distillery.

“This is our distillery’s second American Single Malt, and this version truly showcases our craft,” Grand Teton Distillery head distiller John Boczar said in a news release. “We wanted to create a pure expression of a single malt and this bottle does just that. Not only has it be aged three years longer than our first ASM, it has ten percent more alcohol and has a distinctly unique finish.”

The single malt was aged in a climate that the distillery describes as having “extreme temperatures” at 6,000 feet elevation at the foothills of the Teton mountain range.

Bottled at 100 proof, Grand Teton Distillery Private Stock American Single Malt Whiskey is available for a suggested retail price of $79.95 per 750-milliliter bottle. The whiskey is sold in an embossed gift box. Twenty-two barrels worth of the single malt are available online. In the coming weeks, it will also be made available at the distillery’s tasting room and at “select retailers throughout the West.”

While American single malt is still a relatively nascent category with no legal definition, Grand Teton Distillery stuck to the requirements that have been proposed by the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission.

About the Grand Teton Distillery Private Stock Series

Each release in Grand Teton’s Private Stock collection is a limited, small-batch whiskey that has been selected, proofed with mountain water and hand-bottled. The distillery has released a new Private Stock whiskey once a year since 2021.

The first Private Stock release was a straight corn whiskey aged 6.5 years — at the time the distillery’s highest age statement to date. The 2022 release upped the age ante as an 8-year-old bourbon, the longest-aged whiskey to ever come from Idaho.

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

Keanu Reeves Teams With Suntory to Release a Pair of Stellar New Single Malt Whiskies

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Suntory Yamazaki The world of Japanese whisky just received a star power boost that’s cooler than any celeb-backed tequila brand. House of Suntory announced a new partnership with Keanu Reeves and directors Sofia Coppola and Roman Coppola to celebrate its 100th anniversary. And of course there’s some expensive, limited-edition whisky on the way as well—specifically, two new 18-year-old single malts from Yamazaki and Hakushu.

At a swanky event in New York City last night, the details of this new collaboration were revealed and Reeves and Sofia both made appearances. The roots of this partnership date back decades to Coppola’s 2003 film Lost in Translation, in which Bill Murray plays an actor who travels to Japan to appear in a “Suntory Time” commercial. The new short film is called Suntory Anniversary Tribute, and is a snapshot of the history of Suntory featuring Keanu Reeves (who appeared in an ad campaign for Suntory Reserve in 1992) set to Joan Jett’s cover of “Crimson and Clover.”

And later this summer, Reeves will appear in Roman Coppola’s new docuseries, The Nature and Spirit of Japan, which will explore the connection between Japanese whisky and craftsmanship. “I’m honored to partner with Suntory Whisky again 30 years after our Suntory Reserve campaign,” said Reeves in a statement. “I’m a huge fan of Suntory Whisky, so it’s very special to collaborate in honor of this milestone anniversary.  My admiration for the whisky goes beyond tasting the whisky. It is the elevated Japanese craftsmanship and attention to every detail that makes Suntory Whisky so special. As an actor honing and perfecting my own craft, sharing this process in a docuseries is a thrill.”

If you thought bottles of Yamazaki 12 and Hakushu 12 were difficult to get ahold of these days, the pair of limited-edition whiskies released to commemorate the centennial will likely even be more elusive and expensive. We got to sample them both last night, and they are pretty fantastic. The first is Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara, which is matured entirely in Japanese mizunara oak. This type of wood is notoriously difficult to work with, but has been a staple of Japanese whisky maturation dating back to WWII. Mizunara oak-matured whisky is a component of many of the blends and single malts from Suntory, but it’s rare to find a whisky aged solely in it. There is rich fruit, spice, and some incense on the palate, along with some herbal notes like lavender and thyme.

The second bottle is Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt, aged in a variety of casks to showcase the peated barley used in this whisky. The nose has notes of candy and a hint of smoke. On the palate, the peat increases along with notes of grape, watermelon, vanilla, and even a bit of saline. “Hakushu and Yamazaki whiskies are gifts from our past handed down by generations,” said chief blender Shinji Fukuyo in a press release. “It is fitting to release limited editions as part of this incredible milestone, as they represent our relentless pursuit of quality and symbolize our promise to carry our philosophy on for the next one hundred years and beyond.”

For more information please visit https://www.suntory.com/factory/yamazaki/

Santa Fe Distillery Known For Mesquite Smoked Whiskey Tries Its Hand at Unsmoked Single Malt

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Santa Fe SpiritsA distillery known for its mesquite-smoked single malt whisky is expanding its variety by launching an unsmoked expression.

On Thursday, Santa Fe Spirits announced the nationwide release of Colkegan Unsmoked Single Malt Whiskey, which is available to be shipped to 42 states from the distillery’s website.

Santa Fe Spirits got its start using mesquite to imbue its whiskies with a smoky flavor — the distillery’s answer to finding a style similar to yet distinctly different from peated scotch whisky.

Until the Unsmoked, Santa Fe Spirits has made each of its whiskeys from one-third smoked barley and two-thirds unsmoked barley.

With Colkegan Unsmoked, Santa Fe Spirits is looking to show that it’s more than a one-trick pony.

“We love experimenting with traditional single malt whiskey to develop new products while honoring the heritage of single malt,” Santa Fe Spirits founder Colin Keegan said in a news release. “Our mesquite-smoked Colkegan has won people’s hearts, and we wanted to release a whiskey that would complement our current line-up of American Single Malts, but also stand on its own.

“Four years ago we made our traditional Colkegan Single Malt Whiskey, but without smoking the malt. We tucked a few barrels of it into a back corner of the rickhouse, aged it in new American Oak, and used bourbon barrels. We’re excited to release it nationwide.”

About Santa Fe Spirits

Santa Fe Spirits was founded by Colin Keegan in 2010 with the goal of becoming the Southwest’s preeminent artisan distillery. With products ranging from American Single Malt Whiskeys to barrel-aged apple brandy to a whiskey liqueur that’s unlike anything else in the market, Santa Fe Spirits proudly produces exceptional spirits designed to capture and accentuate the essence of the Southwest. Stop by the distillery for a visit and we will be happy to show you what making world-class spirits is all about, or head to our downtown tasting room to experience our spirits in a range of cocktails.

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

Santa Fe Spirits Releases Colkegan Unsmoked Single Malt Whiskey Nationwide

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Santa Fe SpiritsSanta Fe Spirits is releasing its Colkegan Unsmoked Single Malt Whiskey nationwide with online orders from its website. Santa Fe Spirits is well known for its Colkegan Mesquite Smoked Single Malt, and for the first time ever they have released an unsmoked Colkegan.

Like Scotch Whisky, Santa Fe Spirits’ Colkegan Single Malt Whiskey is made entirely from malted barley, carefully distilled, aged, and finished in various oak casks to enhance the complex flavors. The key difference is many Scotch whiskies are made with peat-smoked malt while Colkegan Single Malt Whiskey achieves its complex flavor profile using mesquite smoked malt. This approach has earned Colkegan Single Malt Whiskey numerous awards and a 91-point rating from Whiskey Advocate.

“We love experimenting with traditional single malt whiskey to develop new products while honoring the heritage of single malt,” says Santa Fe Spirits founder Colin Keegan. “Our mesquite-smoked Colkegan has won people’s hearts, and we wanted to release a whiskey that would complement our current line-up of American Single Malts, but also stand on its own. Four years ago we made our traditional Colkegan Single Malt Whiskey, but without smoking the malt. We tucked a few barrels of it into a back corner of the rickhouse, aged it in new American Oak, and used bourbon barrels. We’re excited to release it nationwide.”

Spurred by ever-increasing consumer interest and the efforts of the American Single Malt Commission, single malt whiskey made in the U.S. has gained considerable attention in recent years. As a founding member of the American Single Malt Commission, Santa Fe Spirits has helped champion the creation and promotion of American Single Malt Whiskey as an officially recognized category of whiskey. On July 29 the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) issued the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register which will formally define American Single Malt whisky. In the coming months, the TTB is expected to release an official definition of American single malt. This is great news for the entire industry and for consumers who are eager to purchase whiskey like Colkegan Unsmoked.

About Colkegan Unsmoked

Distiller Stephen Julander created a whiskey with 100% malted barley that focuses on the flavors of the pure malt with Unsmoked Colkegan. After distillation, Unsmoked Colkegan was aged for about four years in new American Oak and used bourbon barrels. The resulting whiskey has a beautiful copper color that evokes the coming of fall in the aspens, a deep amber luster as they welcome in the cooler nights of our Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Unsmoked Colkegan has warm aromas of brown sugar, bubblegum, macadamia nuts, and cinnamon, with a palate of toasted walnuts, wafer cookies, toast, dried pit fruit, and light spice. It has a lovely finish with lasting notes of toasted oak and butterscotch pudding.

About Santa Fe Spirits

Santa Fe Spirits was founded by Colin Keegan in 2010 with the goal of becoming the Southwest’s pre-eminent artisan distillery. With products ranging from silver whisky to barrel-aged apple brandy, Santa Fe Spirits is a relatively small distillery proud to be producing exceptional spirits designed to capture and accentuate the essence of the Southwest.

For more information please visit  https://santafespirits.com/spirits/buy-online.