whiskey

Willamette Valley Vineyards Enters Craft Spirits Industry with Release of Willamette Whiskey

February 4, 2022 By Dow Scoggins

Turner, Oregon – Willamette Valley Vineyards, a leading producer of Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley, sells out of its inaugural, limited release Willamette Whiskey. The hand-crafted, small batch rye whiskey was aged in new American oak for six years, then blended down to a bottle strength of 100 proof. The winery’s top customers were offered an inaugural special price for Willamette Whiskey of $50. A second release is scheduled this winter.

Willamette Valley Vineyards Founder and CEO Jim Bernau said with the growing popularity of whiskey he is not surprised by how quickly this initial limited release of Willamette Whiskey sold out.

“The first release was snatched up in less than a few hours,” Bernau noted. “We encourage Oregon Rye Whiskey lovers to contact the winery as soon as possible to get on the waiting list for future batches of this special craft spirit.”

Willamette Valley Vineyards plans to continue to experiment in craft spirits with plans to use its barrels for special finishing in the future. The winery will be offering additional limited batches to subscribers and will feature Willamette Whiskey at its new Tasting Room & Restaurants, where permissible, coming soon in Lake Oswego, Happy Valley, Bend and Vancouver, WA.

Willamette Whiskey pays tribute to the people of Carlton, Oregon, who for 91 years enjoyed the building first known as W.A. Howe’s General Merchandise store.

Willamette Valley Vineyards now owns the lot where the store’s building — nicknamed “the Old Cabin Tavern” owing to an interior constructed of hand-hewn timber — served as a general store, a hotel, and Carlton’s first bank, with a parlor and speakeasy supper club in the basement. Built in 1904, it was destroyed in a fire on April 18, 1995.

This release heralds the beginning of the winery’s efforts to rebuild the Carlton property with a brick clad Willamette winery and distillery facility, rising in the lost structure’s place.

Willamette Valley Vineyards partnered with Portland-based Rose City Distillery to produce Willamette Whiskey. The winery’s goal was to partner with a local distiller.

For information on how to order future whiskey releases, please contact Willamette Valley Vineyards at (800) 344-9463 or visit: https://www.wvv.com/Willamette-Whiskey.

Willamette Valley Vineyards:
Founded in 1983 by Jim Bernau with the dream of creating world-class Pinot Noir while serving as stewards of the land, Willamette Valley Vineyards has grown from a bold idea into one of the region’s leading wineries, earning the title “One of America’s Great Pinot Noir Producers” from Wine Enthusiast Magazine. All of the vineyards have been certified sustainable through LIVE (Low Impact Viticulture and Enology) and Salmon-Safe programs.

For fun facts about Whiskey, Click Here

Jack Daniel’s releases Jack Daniel’s 10 Year Old Tennessee Whiskey

September 7, 2021 By Dow Scoggins

LYNCHBURG, Tennessee — The Jack Daniel Distillery announces the release of Jack Daniel’s 10 Year Old Tennessee Whiskey, the brand’s first 10-year aged-stated whiskey in more than 100 years. The limited-availability product, which will become an annual release, celebrates the modern whiskey-making expertise of the Jack Daniel Distillery while paying tribute to the brand’s past.

“Over the last decade, we’ve been experimenting to craft a product that would properly honor the whiskey Jack Daniel was bottling at the end of the 1800’s,” said Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller Chris Fletcher. “All of us at the Jack Daniel Distillery are thrilled to release an age-stated whiskey for the first time in over 100 years to be enjoyed by all.

This product has been hand-crafted by our distillery team in Lynchburg over the last 10 summers all while keeping up with the growing demand for Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey around the world. This 10-year-old whiskey celebrates our modern-day whiskey making, while also paying tribute to our founder and history. It is a special time for us all.”

Fletcher evolved the distillery’s previous aged methods by maturing Jack Daniel’s iconic Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey in oak barrels that were relocated throughout the barrelhouse to extend the aging process over the past ten years. The result is a more complex, hand-crafted whiskey with a rare flavor profile. Bottled at 97 proof—a first for the Jack Daniel Distillery—Jack Daniel’s 10 Year Old Tennessee Whiskey features notes of dry fig and raisin laced with oak on the nose, warm butterscotch alongside soft fruit and smoke on the palate, and an incredibly long finish with sweet tobacco and spice.

The 10-Year-Old bottle design is also inspired by the brand’s history, featuring a hand-drawn iteration of the original cartouche that appeared on Jack Daniel’s aged-stated bottles a century ago.

Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey 10-Year-Old retails for $70 in a 750mL size with the first batch hitting shelves in limited quantities in early September across the United States. Visit www.jackdaniels.com for more information.

For fun facts about Whiskey, Click Here

New Spirits Brand, Bahnbrëcker, Helmed By Texas Musician Randy Rogers, Launches World’s First Hefeweizen-Style Whiskey

September 7, 2021 By Dow Scoggins

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas — Country star Randy Rogers and co-founders Eric Chase, Cary Schindler, Ash Wineinger, Michael Devers along with spirits-industry veteran Steve Luttmann, are excited to announce the launch of their new spirits brand, Bahnbrëcker, based in New Braunfels, TX. Bahnbrëcker will enter the marketplace with Slow River Blend, the first-ever Hefeweizen-style whiskey. Slow River Blend will be available in bars, restaurants and liquor stores throughout Texas and for nationwide shipping starting September 15, 2021. For more information visit Bahnbrecker.com.

Bahnbrëcker, derived from ‘trailblazer’ in German, is a nod to the company’s hometown of New Braunfels, TX, and to the spirit of ingenuity found in the early pioneers of Texas. Slow River Blend is handcrafted from Texas and Midwestern wheat macerated with lemon peel and clove. The notes of lemon, clove, caramel and vanilla are reminiscent of a Hefeweizen-style beer. This is an unpretentious, easy drinking whiskey with a smooth finish. Bahnbrëcker is a truly craft spirit made with only real ingredients and is completely “WONF-free” (i.e. no “With Other Natural Flavors”).

“We wanted to create something that the people who came before us in this great community of New Braunfels would be proud of,” said Co-Founder Randy Rogers. “I think you’re going to find that this craft whiskey distinguishes itself from others. Slow River Blend gives you this aroma, it gives you this flavor of the lemon and the clove blended with your whiskey that creates this Hefeweizen taste, this Hefeweizen spirit that is the spirit of New Braunfels.”

Bahnbrëcker Slow River Blend will be available throughout Texas at all Total Wine & Spirits and Skip’s locations, and other locations starting September 15, 2021 for a suggested retail price starting at $37.99 per bottle. It will also be available for nationwide shipping starting September 15, 2021. While this marks the first Bahnbrëcker product to date, the company has plans to expand with additional spirits offerings in the future.

For more information on Slow River Blend and to stay up-to-date with Bahnbrëcker, visit www.bahnbrecker.com.

For fun facts about Whiskey, Click Here

ASW Distillery’s Fiddler Soloist Straight Bourbon Returns

September 3, 2020 By Dow Scoggins

Just in time for National Bourbon Heritage Month this fine September, ASW Distillery has the long-awaited Batch 2 of Fiddler Soloist Straight Bourbon, the first straight bourbon ever distilled in Atlanta. (The term “Straight Bourbon” didn’t come into being until 2 years after Georgia instituted statewide prohibition in 1907.)

Master Distiller Justin crafted Fiddler Soloist Straight Bourbon on ASW’s double copper pot stills from 56% corn and 44% various malts, aged it in a combination of new char 3 & char 4 oak barrels, and bottles it at 100 proof for an exceptionally flavorful, unique bourbon that took home a Gold Medal at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition back in March.

Bottles will be available for pickup at both locations (Distillery, 199 Armour Drive & Exchange, 1000 White Street), starting Sept 15.

And if you can’t make it to the distillery, Fiddler Soloist Straight Bourbon will be available at bottle shops all around the Metro Atlanta area beginning in late September.

For Today’s Whiskey and Spirits News – Click Here

SanTan Spirits Whiskeys, Vodkas and Gins, Now Available Through Crescent Crown Distributing in Arizona

June 8, 2020 By Dow Scoggins

CHANDLER, Arizona — SanTan Spirits, the distilling side of SanTan Brewing Company, is now making its award-winning whiskeys, vodkas and gins available through Crescent Crown Distributing (CCD). SanTan is Arizona’s largest brewery and now, it’s Arizona’s largest distillery. This move to the CCD portfolio allows for more widespread availability in the market.

“We’re thrilled to now have all of our SanTan beverages distributed by the finest distributors in the state. Housing our brands under one roof will give us access to a larger number of retail locations and make our products more accessible,” said Anthony Canecchia, founder + brewmaster, SanTan Spirits and SanTan Brewing Company.

SanTan Spirits began in 2015 with a mission to re-image what craft spirits could be, creating uncommon quality for everyday occasions. SanTan Spirits are made to be approachable and enjoyed best while among friends. SanTan Spirits have been recognized in many national beverage competitions including the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition and most recently, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition where Butcher Jones Straight Rye Whiskey, Cask Strength, took home a gold medal.

“We are very excited to be representing the crafted spirits from SanTan. We have proudly represented the beers for over a decade and now, being able to offer the full award-winning product line will benefit everyone. It’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Joe Cotroneo, EVP General Manager, Crescent Crown Distributing, Arizona.

About SanTan Brewing Company
Open since 2007 under the leadership of founder and brewmaster, Anthony Canecchia, SanTan Brewing Company has established a strong reputation as Arizona’s favorite craft brewery. SanTan’s award-winning brews are available throughout Arizona, including at its friendly neighborhood pubs in Downtown Chandler, Uptown Phoenix, and Sky Harbor International Airport. In 2015, SanTan began distilling with a mission to create flavors for the 21st century and to reimagine what spirits could be. SanTan Spirits are distilled and aged locally in Chandler, Arizona, and have earned national recognition and awards. The experience of enjoying SanTan Spirits is fully realized in Spirit House, a tasting room and cocktail lounge opened in 2019. SanTan’s mission is to create uncommon quality for everyday occasions. For More Information: santanspirits.com/

For Whiskey Fun Facts, Trivia and More, Click Here

10 of the Best Bourbons and American Whiskeys for $40 and Under

May 11, 2020 By Dow Scoggins

The Wine Enthusiast Magazine rounded up some of their favorite Bourbons and American whiskeys that cost less than forty dollars. From a Bourbon aged in stout barrels to an astonishingly affordable collaboration between legends of Kentucky to small craft distilleries. Here are their top 10 affordable pours.

1. Bernheim Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey; $30, 94 points
1. Hotel Tango American Straight Bourbon; $35, 94 points.
3. Benjamin Chapman 7-Year Whiskey; $39, 92 points.
3. Legent Bourbon; $40, 92 points.
3. Larceny Bourbon; $25, 92 points.
6. Bradshaw Bourbon; $40, 91 points.
6. Giant Texas Bourbon Whiskey; $22, 91 points.
8. Oppidan Small Batch 4 Grain Bourbon; $35, 89 points.
9. Penelope Bourbon; $35, 89 points.
10. Beer Barrel Bourbon; $30, 88 points
Complete Article: Click Here

50+ Fun Facts and Whiskey Trivia: Click Here

Old Overholt – The Oldest Brand of Whiskey in the United States

May 7, 2020 By Dow Scoggins

(Photo courtesy of West Overton Village and Museums)

Old Overholt, said to be America’s oldest continually maintained brand of whiskey, was founded in West Overton, Pennsylvania, in 1810. Old Overholt is a rye whiskey distilled by A. Overholt & Co., currently a subsidiary of Beam Suntory, which is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings of Osaka, Japan. It is produced at the Jim Beam distillery in Clermont, Kentucky. It is one of the most commonly available straight rye whiskies in the U.S., where it is available at most liquor stores. It is aged for three years and bottled at 80 proof. A four-year Bottled In Bond, 100 proof version was released in late 2017. Old Overholt has been called a “foundation stone of American whiskey” because of its long history.

The History of Old Overholt
Henry Oberholzer (Anglicized to “Overholt”), a German Mennonite farmer, moved to West Overton, Pennsylvania, on the banks of Jacobs Creek in Western Pennsylvania in 1800. His family came from the area of Germany which specialized in distilling “korn”, or rye whiskey, and Henry took up the tradition.

In 1810, Henry’s son Abraham Overholt (1784–1870) took over the management of the distillery and made it into a business. By the 1820s, the distillery was putting out 12 to 15 gallons of rye whiskey per day. Abraham grew the company rapidly; by 1843, Baltimore newspapers were advertising Overholt’s “Old Rye”; at that time, only the very few top distilleries were advertised by name. By 1859, Overholt incorporated his business as “A. Overholt & Co.” He operated out of a new distillery building that was six stories high, 100 feet long, and which could produce 860 gallons per day.

In 1881, Abraham’s grandson Henry Clay Frick took over the company. As one of the country’s wealthiest people, the distillery was a sentimental side-business for Frick. Frick took on Andrew Mellon and one Charles W. Mauck as partners, each owning one-third of the business.

In 1888, Mauck adopted the name “Old Overholt” as the official name of the company, adding a picture of Abraham as the logo. Around that time, the company started selling its product in bottles instead of barrels. By 1900, Old Overholt became a national brand. In the early years of the 20th Century, Old Overholt became one of the largest and most respected whiskeys in the country.

Frick died in December 1919, and left his share to Andrew Mellon. This ended family ownership in the company.

The Complete History of Old Overholt Rye Whiskey: Click Here The Rise & Fall of America’s Oldest Whiskey

50+ Fun Facts and Whiskey Trivia: Click Here

Beloved Local Bourbon Brand “O.K.I.” Returns to Tri-State

May 1, 2020 By Dow Scoggins

— Two local entrepreneurs, Chad Brizendine and Jake Warm, have acquired the beloved local bourbon brand O.K.I. from New Riff Distilling. O.K.I.’s first single barrel releases are set for bottling at cask strength and release in Northern Kentucky this fall, just in time for bourbon enthusiasts’ busiest time of year.

Paying homage to O.K.I.’s roots and name [Ohio. Kentucky. Indiana], O.K.I. will maintain its sourcing strategy of 36 percent high rye bourbon from Lawrenceburg, Indiana for its launch. As part of its acquisition, O.K.I. will update its brand story and packaging, focusing more on the rich bourbon heritage of the entire region dating as far back as pre-Prohibition.

Warm’s family has been integral to local bourbon history for decades. He shared: “My great grandfather, Jake, built the iconic Seagram’s warehouse at the Lawrenceburg distillery in the 1930’s. At the time, it was the world’s largest whiskey maturing warehouse. I’m very proud that our first O.K.I. barrels will be aged in the same buildings my family built 90 years ago.”

Brizendine added, “95 percent of the world’s bourbon supply comes from the tri-state region of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, and we’re very proud of that.* We look forward to working with distilleries across the region to source bourbon and rye for future O.K.I. releases.”

Stay up to date on all things OKI Bourbon and the Fall 2020 release on Facebook: www.facebook.com/okibourbon

About OKI Spirits LLC
Local Cincinnati-based whiskey entrepreneurs Chad Brizendine and Jake Warm are co-owners of OKI Spirits LLC. Brizendine was co-founder and Warm an early investor in George Remus Bourbon, acquired in 2016 by MGPI. OKI Spirits will operate from its Cincinnati, OH headquarters and specialize in highly curated single barrels of Bourbon and Rye whiskey.

50 fun facts about Whiskey: Click Here

Michter’s To Release Its 10 Year Bourbon

April 29, 2020 By Dow Scoggins

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky – The 2020 release of Michter’s 10 Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon will go on sale in May. It is 94.4 proof and it sells for a suggested retail price of $130 in the U.S.

Michter’s has a long legacy of offering traditional American whiskeys of uncompromising quality. With each of its limited production offerings aged to its peak maturity, Michter’s highly acclaimed portfolio includes bourbon, rye, sour mash whiskey, and American whiskey. Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2020 Edition named Michter’s 20 Year Bourbon “Best Bourbon, 16 to 20 Years.” In January 2020, Michter’s was named the #1 Top Trending American Whiskey brand by Drinks International in their Annual Brands Report for the second year in a row.

In addition to Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery, the company has Michter’s Shively Distillery in Louisville as well as its 145-acre farm and operations in Springfield, Kentucky. For more information, please visit www.michters.com, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

For Fun Facts about Whiskey: Click Here

Buffalo Trace Distillery Announces Kosher Whiskey Release

April 28, 2020 By Dow Scoggins

FRANKFORT, KY – Buffalo Trace Distillery is releasing what it believes to be the first authentic Kosher Whiskey, under the guidance of the Chicago Rabbinical Council (cRc-Kosher). Buffalo Trace began working with cRc in 2010. The new whiskey is available in three styles, Kosher Rye Recipe Bourbon; Kosher Wheat Recipe Bourbon; and Kosher Straight Rye Whiskey. The three Buffalo Trace Kosher Whiskies will be starting shipping from Buffalo Trace after Passover ends on April 16, 2020.

Kosher law mandates that whiskey should not be owned or consumed by Jews during Passover. In 2012 the cRc oversaw the sale of new American Oak Kosher barrels in a contract of sale to a non-Jewish executive, Buffalo Trace Distillery President Mark Brown, where they were filled with whiskey and put away in specially marked “Kosher whiskey” barrels to age.

Once the whiskey reached its desired age earlier this year, the bottling lines at the Distillery were flushed completely beforehand to ensure the whiskey was not exposed to any non-Kosher spirits. This allocated whiskey will be released after Passover ends this year on April 16. Bottles will sell through wholesalers and retailers before Passover begins again in 2021.

“This is a milestone in the spirits industry to produce a truly Kosher whiskey,” said Mark Brown, owner of the Kosher barrels at Buffalo Trace. “We know Kosher products are very important to the Jewish community as well as a broader audience, we are fully committed to ensuring that the entire chain of custody remains Kosher so the purchaser has 100% confidence this is a Kosher whiskey.”

“We’re excited that our partnership which we began ten years ago has come to fruition,” stated Rabbi Sholem Fishbane, kashrus administrator Chicago Rabbinical Council, “Our members have shown great interest in the prospect of being able to enjoy a Kosher whiskey. We are very happy Buffalo Trace has taken the steps to make sure this happens.”

The new Buffalo Trace Kosher Whiskey line is limited, but it will be an annual release each year after Passover. The labels depict both Buffalo Trace Distillery logo and the cRc-Kosher logo. Each expression of Buffalo Trace Kosher Whiskey has a suggested retail price of $39.99 per 750ml bottle.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery
Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1773 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee. Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 35 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year by “Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible 2018” and its William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac were named 2nd and 3rd finest whiskeys in the world, respectively, in the “Jim Murray Whiskey Bible 2020.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.

For more fun facts about whiskey: Click Here