Caught on COLA - Bourbon

It's that time again fellow bourbon lovers and we are back with another update of Caught on COLA. Normally this would have come out on Sunday but a couple of things prevented that. One, it was Father's Day and two, I've been under the weather, so I guess better late than never. Anyhow, I'm really excited about this edition so let's not waste any time and dive right into those labels and see what's cooking in those distilleries.

Anyone who is a reader of the blog knows that I have a fondness for Uncle Nearest Tennessee Whiskey and let me tell you, I was so surprised when I came across this first label. Seems the folks at Uncle Nearest aren't happy to just settle for the 1856 and 1820 expressions. Nooooo, they've done gone out and gotten approval for Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch Whiskey. Well, that didn't sound country as hell now did it? Anyway, what does that have to do with anything? Now, I really don't know a whole lot about this release other than it's bottled at 90 proof (45% ABV) and that I am sure it lives up to the standards that we have come to expect from an Uncle Nearest release. But I did sort of reach out on Instagram to Uncle Nearest and Fawn Weaver seeking some kind of comment or possible insider information and Ms. Weaver was kind enough to reply, "Our tasting panel, Nearest's family, Keith and me are finalizing the first batch blend tomorrow... debuting at Tales of the Cocktail in July. Announcement coming soon!" So there you have it, if you are in New Orleans July 16th-21st, make sure you swing by and see what the 1884 expression is all about and let me know what you think. Hopefully I will be lucky enough to track down a bottle somehow and will be able to do a review on here as well. Here's hoping!

Next up is Odysea, a rather odd blend from Florida's Oceanside Distillery in Cape Canaveral. This is a 90 proof (45% ABV) blend of straight bourbon whiskies sourced from distilleries in Kentucky and Tennessee. I couldn't find any information online about the company other than the business license information so there is no information about the release.

Next up is another blended bourbon. This one is from my home state of Michigan and comes from Red Cedar Spirits. Each bottle of 84 proof (42% ABV) Melting Pot Blended Bourbon Whiskey "uses a popular Red Cedar Spirits bourbon as the primary spirit along with other aged Red Cedar Spirits whiskies." According to the label, the whiskey is wheat free which is interesting since there is no mention of any wheaters on their website. I also couldn't find a mention of this release either but there is mention of their Melting Pot Whiskey.

I decided to include this next entry out of Texas out of morbid curiosity maybe. I don't know. But it sort of scares me. Not as bad as the thought of the PBR whiskey release but still... Maverick Whiskey's Alamo Whiskey makes me pause for the cause. According to the label, this whiskey is bottled at 92 proof (46% ABV) after having been aged for one day in new white oak barrels. Aged one day? According to the tasting notes on their website, Maverick claims Alamo has "a nose of light brown sugar, candied cinnamon, creamed corn, and black pepper. The palate is delightfully smooth with notes of crème brulee, corn pudding, vanilla, and spice. The finish is mellow with lingering notes of spearmint, cardamom, and allspice." All that from aging just one day? Ummm.... okay! Next!

Where there's smoke there's fire, so where there's a smoke wagon there must be fire water right? In a way, yes. Because I'm talking about Smoke Wagon Bourbon from Nevada H&C Distilling Co. This MGP-sourced bourbon is bottled at 92.5 proof (46.25% ABV) and is readily available or so it seems on their website.

Wyoming Whiskey brings us our next entry with The Stargazer. This limited edition bottling celebrates mans journey to the moon 50 years ago. This 100 proof (50% ABV) bottle will only be available at the distillery (when it's released) but as for now there is no other information on this wheater (I'm guessing it's a wheated bourbon since there others are) on their website.

Our last entry comes from Colorado's Tower 56 Distilling in the form of their Tower's 56 Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Now this 90 proof (45% ABV) bourbon may have been bottled in Greeley, Colorado but it was distilled in Statesville, North Carolina so that tells me it was probably sourced from the Southern Distilling Company (I could be wrong). Tower 56's previous bourbon release is a wheated bourbon but I am not sure of the mashbill of this straight bourbon release and there is no mention of it yet on their website.

That's all I've got for now, folks! Until the next round, cheers!

Caught on COLA - Bourbon

Hey fellow Bourbonites! I'm back again with another update of COLA approvals. So, let's get right to it and see what we have to look forward to in the coming weeks and months from the whiskey industry.

We get started with the Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2019 Release, which as you can see, they are saying is a Barrel Strength at 108 proof (54 ABV). According to the back label, "The art and craft of mingling exquisite Bourbon from multiple recipes is something unique to Four Roses, especially as witnessed in this exceptional Limited Edition Barrel Strength release. Four of our perfectly-aged, handcrafted recipes were selected by our Master Distiller, Brent Elliot, then mingled expertly to present elegant aromas of oak, honey, red raspberries and vanilla. Complementary flavors of bright sweet fruits, cinnamon, baking spices, and mellow barrel flavors lead you to a rich, soft and lasting finish." There is no mention of the four recipes used for this release but I'm sure this will eventually leak out but as of yet, there is no mention on the website of this release.

Our next release is not really a special bourbon but just the special 2019 Holiday label for Woodford Reserve. Not really much else to say about it but thought I would share it anyway. Sort of Christmas in July... er... June!

Up next we have the Jack Daniel's Legacy Edition #3, which is the latest installment of the Legacy labels. If you aren't familiar with these, Jack Daniel's has a 150 years of history of making old No.7 and we all are familiar with that iconic black label. But it wasn't always black. Along the way, there were several iterations of the label that came and went before they settled on the current label we are familiar with and the Legacy Editions honor those labels. You can still find Edition #1 on shelves and Edition #2 came out a couple of months ago but there is no information on the website yet on when this edition will be released.

Next we have Sundance Straight Bourbon Whiskey from Sundance Distilling in Grants Pass, Oregon. According to the label, this is a two year bourbon, mashed, distilled and bottled on site and aged in charred new oak barrels. It is then bottled at 96 proof (48% ABV). There is no mention of this yet on their website. Actually there is not much of anything on their website. Oh well.

Colorado's Peachtree Distillers brings us our next label with their Colorado Straight Bourbon Whiskey. This bourbon is "made from sweet Western Colorado corn, pure Rocky Mountain water and a healthy dose of old-fashioned tomfoolery." Aged for two years, this small batch bourbon (each batch yields only three barrels) is bottled at 92 proof (46% ABV). They already have it up on their website so I am guessing that it is already available.

Finally, take a look at Texas' own Bishop Straight Bourbon Whiskey which, according to the label, takes "great care to honor the great whiskey makers of the past." Apparently those whiskey makers are from Indiana as this bourbon is MGP sourced. It is aged for "a minimum of two years" and is bottled at 80 proof (40% ABV). There is no mention of this bourbon on the Gulf Coast Distillers website because the site is just a splash page that says coming soon.

Okay, that's it for this update. Check back with me next week and we will see what's hiding in the those warehouses for us later in the year. Until then, drink curious and drink more bourbon! Cheers!

Pinhook 2019 Plans - Vertical Series and Beyond

So earlier this week, after some snooping on the TTB COLA website, I found the labels for some upcoming Pinhook releases. After posting them here on my blog in my regular Caught on COLA - Bourbon feature, I decided to post them on Instagram. When I did, I gambled and asked Pinhook Bourbon Founder and Master Taster Sean Josephs if he would provide any insight into the upcoming releases. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised, no… I was shocked with the response I got. He not only responded but went into some detail. No release dates but… well read below and you will see.

The first label I posted was the Bourbon War which is this year’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey. I finished my post by asking Mr. Josephs if he had any tips on a release date? This was his reply:

"This is the fall bottling of Pinhook’s first release of our Vertical Series. Age statement of 4YO (proofed to 98) and will be released for 9 years, with the age statement increasing by 1 year annually. I will proof each vintage to what I think is the ideal proof. Idea is that you can collect from age 4-12 and follow the barrels as they mature. Doing the same for rye, with the first Vertical Rye coming Spring of 2020. Cheers"

My next post was for Rye Humor and likewise, I finished the post asking Mr. Josephs if there was any info he could share. His reply was:

"I was working on this blend 2 weeks ago at Castle & Key. Our first cask strength rye release. MGP barrels that will be a little shy of 4YO. Proof won’t be known until we dump, but guessing in the 115 range. Total production for the country is 65 barrels. For whatever it’s worth, coming from my biased perspective, it is ridiculously good"

Now I am sure his perspective is biased but I am also sure that the rye is really, really, REALLY good as well. The concept of the Vertical Series has me extremely intrigued and I really hope I can get in on them. I’ll do my best to track them down and will even try to review them but coming across them is not always easy for me. Unfortunately, I am not in the circles that people like Mr. Minnick and others are where they are all but guaranteed access to some of these releases. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing but respect for them, I’m just saying that I will struggle to get the Vertical Series and bring my thoughts on it to you.

Hmmm… I have apparently gone off rambling. I’m sorry. Well, that’s it for now. I hope you enjoyed this little bit of insight into this year’s Pinhook releases. If you have any additional information or thoughts, please let me know in the comments.  And thanks again to Sean Joseph.

Caught on COLA - Bourbon

I'm back with the next edition of Caught on COLA - Bourbon where I delve into the TTB COLA registry and try to snoop out what the distilleries are cooking up and getting ready to release. So without further adieu, let's get to snooping!

Every year, Pinhook Bourbon releases a new bourbon (and rye), each connected to an active, promising young thoroughbred. This year's bourbon will be dedicated to bay colt named Bourbon War who stands 16.0 hands. The juice in the bottle is aged for four years (age stated on the bottle) and tips the scale at 116.5 proof (58.25% Alc./Vol.). 

As far as Pinhook's rye release, it seems it will be named for another bay colt named Rye Humor that stands at 16.1 hands. The rye in this release is bottled at cask strength and is also 116.5 proof (58.25% Alc./Vol.). Both the bourbon and rye releases' labels are interactive and feature augmented reality (AR) by scanning the bottle with the Pinhook AR app. Of course, there is no mention yet on a release date but make sure to grab a bottle of both releases as Pinhook, in my opinion, is damn good.

From the City of Brotherly Love comes Four Humours Bourbon Whiskey. This MGP-sourced juice is aged for four years and comes in at 90 proof (45% Alc./Vol/.). This bourbon release joins their rye in what looks like will be a decent spirit menu. They have plans for a five year bourbon, a wheated bourbon, a corn whiskey and a malted mash whiskey. You can find out more on their website.

Next we have M & O Spirits with their Black Bourbon Whiskey which they say is triple distilled and double oaked. Made from corn, rye, red wheat and malted barley, this whiskey hits the bottle at 90 proof (45% Alc./Vol/.) and is distilled, aged and bottled in Asheville, Ohio. You could check out their website for more information but unfortunately it's just a splash page.

Texas' own Rio Brazos Distillery is set to release a Single Barrel expression of their Texas bourbon. This young bourbon (aged for one year) is bottled at 100 proof (50% Alc./Vol.) and joins their lineup of Texas whiskey and corn whiskey. As of yet, there is no mention on their website but stay tuned.

Hailing from my home state of Michigan, Motor City Gas is coming out with their Belly Up Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Distilled and bottled in Royal Oak, Michigan, Belly Up tips the scales at 92 proof (46% Alc./Vol.) is "aged more than 2 years." You can subscribe to their email list for updates on their website which is another one that isn't much more than a splash page for now.

Oregon Ryegrass Spirits (aka Spiritopia) is adding to their rye whiskey and brandy portfolio by bringing us Rainbow Straight Bourbon Whiskey. According to the back label, Rainbow is made from 51% corn and 49% wheat (all from Eastern Oregon) and is bottled at 90 proof (45% Alc./Vol.). No mention on the Spiritopia website as of yet but I'll keep checking since I love wheaters.

PM Spirits looks like they are about to release another edition of their Mic Dop Straight Bourbon Whiskey. L19-01 is a MGP sourced bourbon that has been aged for four years. The mashbill consists of 60% corn, 36% rye and 4% barley malt and is bottled at a 111 proof (55.5% Alc./Vol.). No mention yet on a release date and no information on their website yet about this release.

Vapor Distillery's Boulder Spirits looks like they are adding a two-year Straight Bourbon Whiskey to their lineup which already includes bourbon, single-malt whiskey, gin and vodka. This Scottish copper pot still juice is made from 51% corn, 44% malted barley and 5% rye that was aged in No. 3 char white oak barrels and was bottled at 84 proof (42% Alc./Vol.). Vapor Distillery doesn't show the release on their website so there is no information on a possible release date. Make sure to follow them on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr and Facebook for all the latest information.

Get ready for the Remus Repeal Reserve 2019 Medley from MGP's own G. Remus Distilling Co. This 100 proof (50% Alc./Vol.) release is comprised of 12% 2007 Bourbon (21% Rye), 78% 2008 Bourbon (21% Rye) and 10% 2008 Bourbon (36% Rye). There isn't any mention on the Remus website about the Limited Edition release but it will probably come out towards the end of the year to celebrate Repeal Day (Dec. 3rd). If it is anything like first two releases, grab it if you can!

That's all I have for this week. Please make sure to check back as I do some more COLA snooping and see what we have to look forward to in our bourbon future. Until then, drink more bourbon! Cheers!

Caught on COLA - Bourbon

I'm back with the latest edition of  Caught on COLA - Bourbon and there are some interesting selections in this edition. So let's do some COLA snooping and see what is on the way.

First up is Flying Leap Straight Bourbon Whiskey from Flying Leap Vineyards & Distillery in Arizona. This bourbon is a sweet corn mash that is distilled at the vineyard located just south of Tuscon. It is then aged for at least two years in the vineyards barrelhouse in heavily charred new American oak casks before being bottled at 80 proof (40% Alc./Vol.). A check of Flying Leap's website shows plenty of delicious looking spirits, including cask-aged brandy, Nachbrenner (a spiced brandy from cask-aged eaux-de-vie), grape distilled vodka, arancello and even grappa. But there is no mention yet of their bourbon so, as usual, I don't have a release date.

I included this next label because it is a wheat whiskey and, well, I am just a sucker for wheaters. Let me introduce you to California's own Drift Distillery's Single Barrel Wheat Whiskey. Distilled in San Clemente from Kansas wheat raised on Drift's family farm, this 102 proof (51% Alc./Vol.) whiskey is very young, being only aged for one year. Checking Drift's website, they feature gin, vodka, rum and an unaged wheat whiskey but no mention of the Single Barrel so we will just have to wait and see when it gets released.

Ft. Wayne, Indiana's own Three Rivers Distilling Co. brings us Old Fort Bourbon Whiskey. This 90 proof (45% Alc./Vol.) young bourbon (aged for 12 months according to the label) joins TRDC's wheated bourbon and rye whiskey in what is beginning to be a wide selection of spirits. Checking their website reveals no mention of the release yet so we have to wait and see again.

Next we look at Coit Spirits Indiana Straight Bourbon from Coit Spirits Distilling in California. According to the their website, this four-grain high rye bourbon is distilled in Indiana (read sourced from MGP) and then slow aged on site in California for over two years according to the label. The high rye juice is mellowed with the addition of wheat and barley to round out this "unique whiskey." The whiskey is already listed on their website so I'm guessing that it is already available but I'm not sure.

Canned cocktail producer 503 Distilling from Portland, Oregon is getting ready to offer up The Gambler 500 Whiskey, a small batch 80 proof (40% Alc./Vol.) craft whiskey that challenges you to "Buck Tradition." So far they don't seem to mention it on their website, but the folks in the Northwest need to be on the lookout for this.

Blaum Bros. of Knotter Bourbon fame are back with Blaum Bros. Distilling Co. Straight Rye Whiskey. According to the label, this is Blaum's very own juice inside and they bottled it at 100 proof (50% Alc./Vol.). No mention on their site yet and I know it's not bourbon but... it's Blaum Bros. and that's enough for me.

Boot Hill Distillery's Straight Bourbon Whiskey from Dodge City, Kansas is our next label. This bourbon is distilled on site, bottled at 100 proof (50% Alc./Vol.) and aged for three years (according to the label). There website mentions the release (sort of) and only gives a release date of Spring 2019 so it could see the light of day anytime now

Joining the likes of Old Grand-Dad and Old Overholt in the Olds Whiskeys collection, Jim Beam is set to release Dr. James Crow's Old Crow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, a throwback to the original sour mash recipe from 1835 that would revolutionize an industry. The juice was aged for three years and bottled at 80 proof 100 proof (40% Alc./Vol.). There is still no release date as of yet and no mention on the website.

Our next label comes from the great state of Texas, Houston to be exact, and though it's not a bourbon, I am still partial to all things Texan. Billy Banks Single Barrel Whiskey from Billy Banks Distillers (which is actually Gulf Coast Distillers) is a very young sour mash whiskey (aged only 9 months) and is bottled at a somewhat pedestrian 80 proof (40% Alc./Vol.). There is no mention of the release on their website, matter of fact, there's no mention of anything on their website. All it says is "Coming Soon" so who knows.

Lastly, we look at two labels from Two Trees Distilling from North Carolina. First up is Owl Head High Wheat Bourbon Whiskey. Now according to the label, this is an 86 proof (43% Alc./Vol.) wheated bourbon (45% wheat) that is aged for 24 hours in oak but is also treated with Appalachia oak chips and Tennessee oak chips. Ummmm.... okay then.

Then you have Two Trees Distilling Snarly Yow High Rye Whiskey. Named for a dog-like beast that haunted the woods of West Virginia, this 90 proof (45% Alc./Vol.) high rye bourbon (21% rye) bourbon was also aged for 24 hours in oak. But in addition to the Appalachian and Tennessee oak chips, they have also added some Missouri white oak chips to the mix. Now there's no mention of a release for either one of these bourbons on Two Trees' website but they do at least show the bottle for Snarly Yow. Needless to say, I listed both of these as a curiosity and not because I am looking forward to their release.

Well, that's all the COLA snooping for this edition. I'll be back next week with more new labels but until then, drink more bourbon, drink more mead and always drink curious!

Caught on COLA - Bourbon

Hey bourbonites! I'm back with another installment of Caught on COLA - Bourbon. This time we have four bourbons that I scoped out on the TTB COLA site. So without further adieu, let's see what is hiding in those rickhouses.

First up is Penelope Bourbon Batch #2 from, well, Penelope Bourbon of all places.  This Kentucky bottled, MGP-sourced bourbon is a follow up to Batch #1 which the company released in March 2019. Coming in at 80 proof (40% Alc./Vol.), the juice is a four-grain mash blended from three bourbon mashbills with corn, rye, wheat and malted barley. The final blend is then "aged at least 24 months in charred new American oak barrels. I'm unsure of a release date and there is no mention of Batch #2 on their website.

Our next contestant is from Denver based Mile High Spirits, who already boasts a varied selection with their Fireside Bourbon, Peach-flavored Whiskey, Elevate Vodka, Denver Dry Gin, Cuidado Tequila and Peg-Leg Rum. Now they are adding their Fireside Single Barrel Straight Bourbon which is aged two years and two months (according to the label) and sits at a very respectable 116 proof (58% Alc./Vol.). Once again, no mention on their website of the release so I have no idea of release date.

Our third entry is from Responsible Lee, LLC based in Livermore, California. They are set to introduce their Responsible Lee Straight Bourbon in July 2019 if I am deciphering the entries on their website correctly. This is another MGP-sourced juice that is aged at least two years and tips the scales at 86 proof (43% Alc./Vol.). Looking at the mashbill they list on the label (corn, wheat, rye), it looks like we have another wheater to try. 

And finally, Wildrye Distilling, maker of Five Drops Bourbon, brings us their latest distillate, Bull & Bear Bourbon Whiskey. This very young juice, aged for one year, is coming out the bottle at 90 proof (45% Alc./Vol.). They don't even mention the release on their website so I can't list a release date. 

Well, that's it for now. Check back tomorrow for the mead edition of Caught on COLA and come back next week for the latest bourbon COLA news. Until then, cheers!

Caught on COLA - Bourbon

Welcome to the first installment of what I hope will be a regular feature here on Bourbon and Mead called Caught on COLA. Now when I say COLA, I'm not talking some syrupy soft drink that people called pop when I was growing up in Michigan. I'm referring to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau's Certificate of Label Approval, the clearinghouse for the approval of all labels of alcoholic beverages in the United States. All our wonderful intoxicating beverage makers submit their labels to the COLA registry for approval prior to bottling their delicious libations and distributing it to the masses.  So why is this important to us? Well, this information is open to the public and is a great way to see what our favorite distilleries or meaderies have in the works. Speaking of meaderies, I plan on having two different Caught on COLAs, One for bourbon and one for mead so that explains the post title. Now that I've explained all that, let's see what is sitting in those rickhouses.

First up I found a label for Milam & Greene from Provision Spirits, LLC who brings us Ben Milam Bourbon and Rye.  According to the label, this release is going to be a blend of four-year old Tennessee bourbon, 10-year old Tennessee bourbon and two-year old Texas bourbon. It's been proofed down to 94 proof (47% Alc./Vol.) and claims to be made for cocktails and gentle sipping. No word on a release date yet since they just got the COLA approval on May 8th. Since I am fan of Ben Milam bourbon (and most Texas whiskeys for that matter), I will definitely be looking for this one.

Next up we have a Lux Row Distillers wheated release called Kentucky Best. The label states that this 80-proof (40% Alc./Vol.) entry is "rich with caramel and honey flavors and hints of oak." Lux Row has brought us some nice wheaters before with Rebel Yell and David Nicholson 1843, so it will be interesting to see how this one compares. Calling it Kentucky Best is a bold move, in my opinion, especially considering the amount of great bourbon produced in Kentucky. No info on a release date but they received their COLA approval on May 8th as well. 

Our next COLA discovery is Old Tub from Jim Beam. Apparently, at least according to the label, before the Beam family made Jim Beam, they made Old Tub. This limited release is a 100 proof (50% Alc./Vol.), bottled-in-bond tribute to that original mash. I really want to try this but I'm not sure I'll be able to track it down. It won't be for the lack of trying though, that's for sure.

Our final contestant is called Valley Tan from Utah's High West distillery. Another wheated release, Valley Tan comes in at 87 proof (43.5 Alc./Vol.). The label features early Utah territory lawman and so-called Mormon "Destroying Angel" Porter Rockwell and there is brief anecdote about him on the back label. Valley tan originally referred to the tanning of hides by the early Mormon settlers but late became to refer to anything that was homemade.  Therefore, High West has made their whiskey with wheat and aged it in both new and used barrels. Like the others, no information on a release date or tasting notes.  

Well, folks, that's all for this installment of Caught on COLA. I'll keep snooping around and will post if I find anything interesting.  Until next time, cheers!