Whiskey Advocate drops the 411 on some new releases

Whiskey Advocate's staff recently discussed some new and upcoming releases on their website. Here I will give you a brief synopsis of their entries. The complete story, with some releases not included here, can be found here.

Old Fitzgerald 17 year old Bottled in Bond (Spring 2022)

Style: Straight bourbon
Origin: Kentucky
Age: 17 year old
ABV: 50% Price: $185
Release: March 2022
Availability: Limited

Need to know:

The latest release of Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond is a 17 year old bourbon distilled in 2004, with barrels pulled from three floors of Heaven Hill Distillery’s rickhouse V.

Stranahan’s Diamond Peak (2022 Release)

Style: American single malt Origin: Colorado
Age: Not stated
ABV: 45%
Price: $80
Release: March 2022
Availability: Limited

Need to know:

Stranahan’s brings back its annual release of Diamond Peak American single malt but with an added twist. Whereas previous releases were limited blends of four types of barley aged in new charred oak, this relaunch version will also feature a different finish each year. For 2022, the whiskey was aged between two and seven years before being finished in Bushmills Irish single malt casks for up to four additional years.

Barrell Bourbon (Batch 032)

Style: Blend of straight bourbons Origin: Multiple (TN, KY, IN)
Age: 5 year old
ABV: 57.67%
Price: $90
Release: March 2022
Availability: 36,000 bottles

Need to know:

Batch 032 of Barrell bourbon comes from whiskeys aged 5, 6, 7, and 10 years. The barrels chosen showed a mixture of tropical, woody, and spice-driven profiles.

Balcones Mirador (2022)

Style: American single malt
Origin: Texas

Age: Not stated
ABV: 54.8%
Price: $80
Release: March 2022
Availability: Limited

Need to know:

In contrast to other single malts in the Balcones lineup, Mirador is aged entirely in used casks. The whiskeys within the final bottling range from 3 to 5 years old. Because Mirador is aged in used casks (none of the others are 100% aged in used casks), the whiskey’s flavor is inherently softer, per the distillery.

Blue Run High Rye Bourbon (Batch 2)

Style: Straight bourbon

Origin: Kentucky
Age: Not stated
ABV: 55.5%
Price: $100
Release: March 2022
Availability: 60,000 bottles

Need to know:

After an initial release in October 2021, Blue Run is bringing its High Rye bourbon back. Contract distilled by Jim Rutledge at Castle & Key, the whiskey has the same mashbill as the October release of 65% yellow corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley. It comes from 232 barrels, and carries a slightly higher price point, up from $90.

Four Gate Saint Charente (Batch 18)

Style: Finished bourbon

Origin: Kentucky
Age: 7 year old
ABV: 59.6%
Price: $199
Release: March 2022
Availability: 2,365 bottles; GA, IN, KY, LA, TN, TX and select online retailers

Need to know:

This barrel proof bourbon from Kentucky was made using a mashbill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley, aged for 7 years, and finished in cognac casks. It’s named after the Charente River, which runs through Cognac, France.

 

Nelson Brothers Classic Bourbon

Style: Blend of straight bourbons Origin: Multiple
Age: Not stated
ABV: 46.65%
Price: $37
Release: Spring 2022
Availability: Nationwide

Nelson Brothers Reserve Bourbon

Style: Blend of straight bourbons

Origin: Multiple
Age: Not stated
ABV: 53.9%
Price: $60
Release: March 2022
Availability: Nationwide

Need to know:

Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery is introducing this new line of whiskey, named after brothers Charlie and Andy Nelson, who resurrected their family company in 2009. Classic and Reserve are blends of high rye bourbons, and will join Green Brier’s Tennessee whiskey and Belle Meade bourbon in the full range. The inaugural release features whiskeys distilled in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana, though source and blending proportion for each batch may vary.