Bourbon Barrel Blurbs, Volume 2, Issue 01

  

This is our first BBB of the new year and we are happy to be back. This edition features blurbs on Bluegrass Distillers expansion, Heaven Hill's 2023 Heritage Collection release, Horseneck RTDs, Woodford Reserve's new Master Distiller, Sexy Motor Oil whiskey by Breckenridge Distillery and Breckenridge Brewery, Bernheim Barrel Proof, and Uncle Nearest.

Bluegrass Distillers Breaks Ground on Major Expansion

Bluegrass Distillers, a craft spirits distillery based in Lexington, KY, is building a new distillery in Midway, KY at Elkwood Farm. The $8 million investment will include a 36” column still, six 18,000-gallon fermentation tanks, offices, labs, tasting and event space, and a bottling line. The facility will have a production capacity increase of over 100 times to meet the demand for its award-winning bourbons. The former primary residence at Elkwood Farm will serve as a visitor center, gift shop, and cocktail lounge. The distillery will also be growing grains for its bourbon on the property. Bluegrass is celebrating this milestone by releasing Elkwood Reserve, a 9-year single-barrel bourbon whiskey, which will be available at their Lexington gift shop. The distillery is set to open in Fall 2023 and will offer a grain-to-glass experience for visitors. Bluegrass Distillers started in 2013 and is a member of the Kentucky Distillers Association and a part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour. The distillery has a philanthropic approach and is committed to giving back to the community. For more information, please visit www.bluegrassdistillers.com.

Heaven Hill’s Latest Limited Release Will Have Bourbon Nerds Clamoring for Corn Whiskey

 Heaven Hill

Heaven Hill is releasing a 20-year-old corn whiskey as part of its Heritage Collection. This is the second release in the collection, which highlights one of the distillery's six mashbills. The whiskey is 80% corn, 12% malted barley, and 8% rye and was distilled in 2002 and aged in used bourbon barrels. The whiskey is bottled at 115 proof and comes with a special box and information about the mashbill, warehouse location, and production date. The bottle launches on March 1 with an SRP of $289.99, but the 2022 release is already selling for almost $1,700. For the full story, click here.

Horse Neck Kentucky Bourbon RTDs Launch in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana

Firsty Thursday, LLC has launched its new beverage brand "Horse Neck" which features a premium ready-to-drink (RTD) spirit-based canned cocktail made with Kentucky Straight Bourbon in four unique flavors: Bourbon Ginger Ale, Bourbon Cherry Rye, Bourbon La Paloma, and Bourbon Mule Spice. The drinks are made with real juice, natural ingredients, and have 9% ABV. The brand will begin distribution in Texas in late February and will expand to additional states later in the year with a focus on Arkansas, California, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. Horse Neck will be available for direct-to-consumer purchase at horseneck.com and at select retailers. Firsty Thursday is a privately-held beverage company based in Dallas, TX.

 

Woodford Reserve Names Elizabeth McCall Master Distiller

Elizabeth McCall has been named as the third Master Distiller in the 26-year history of the bourbon brand Woodford Reserve. She will oversee quality and innovation and bring new products to market. McCall has been training for this role for over a decade and has been a part of the Woodford Reserve's parent company, Brown-Forman, since 2009. Chris Morris, the previous Master Distiller, will assume the role of Master Distiller Emeritus. McCall is the second generation of her family to work in the spirits industry and holds a master's degree from the University of Louisville. Read the full article HERE.

Breckenridge Distillery Celebrates Valentine’s Day with Third Edition of Sexy Motor Oil Whiskey

Breckenridge Distillery and Breckenridge Brewery have announced the release of their limited edition Sexy Motor Oil whiskey aged in beer barrels for 10-13 months. This year's edition of Sexy Motor Oil will have tropical banana and apple flavors over a layer of dark chocolate, caramel, and honey, and will be available at Breckenridge Distillery and Tasting Room in Breckenridge, Colorado starting February 10, 2023. Breckenridge Distillery and Breckenridge Brewery are known for their barrel exchange programs and previous releases include the Imperial Stout Cask Finished Whiskey and Whiskey-Barrel Aged Oatmeal Stout Beer. Read the full article HERE.

Want to Drink Barrel Proof Wheat Whiskey? Heaven Hill’s New Bernheim Is Here to Help

 Heaven Hill

Heaven Hill distillery has announced a new barrel-proof version of its Bernheim straight wheat whiskey, which is made from 51% winter wheat, 37% corn, and 12% malted barley. It is aged between 7 and 9 years and bottled at 118.8 proof. The whiskey will be released in two batches per year and will have a starting price of $64.99. It is a less common type of whiskey compared to bourbon or rye and only a few distilleries have a straight wheat whiskey in their lineup. This is not Heaven Hill's first attempt at barrel-proof wheat whiskey as they released two batches of the limited-edition Parker's Heritage Collection in 2014. Read the full article HERE.

 

Fawn Weaver's Premium Whiskey Brand Honors the Legacy of Uncle Nearest, the Enslaved Man Who Pioneered Tennessee Whiskey

Courtesy of Uncle Nearest

Fawn Weaver started Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey in 2017 after learning about the story of Nearest Green, a formerly enslaved Black man who was a master distiller and whiskey trailblazer in the 1850s. Nearest taught Jack Daniel the process of distilling Tennessee whiskey, but his work was uncredited until recently. Weaver brought together 20 historians and experts to research Nearest's story and gathered thousands of original documents and artifacts. She interviewed nearly 100 descendants of Nearest and Jack Daniel and found that the best way to honor Nearest was by making whiskey.

Fawn Weaver and Victoria Eady Butler. Courtesy of Uncle Nearest

Weaver has an all-women leadership team and a 50 percent women-employed company. Victoria Eady Butler, a fifth generation descendant of Nearest, is the master blender and has been named Master Blender of the Year four times. Weaver aims to make Uncle Nearest the seventh spirit conglomerate and pass down a legacy of excellence for women and people of color leaders to follow. Uncle Nearest's first principle is "We do it with excellence or we don't do it at all." Read the full article HERE.