Bourbon gives back: Two fundraisers you should know about

May 10, 2023The Bar Belle Leave a comment

If you live in Kentucky, you know there’s more to bourbon than corn, charred oak barrels and rick houses. Bourbon is a verb, they say, and nowhere is that seen more than with charitable causes. Bourbon gives back to its community in many ways, especially when it comes to raising funds for important things.

When Kentucky experienced devastating tornados and floods in recent years, the bourbon community stepped up in a big way and raised millions of dollars to help Kentuckians rebuild their lives.

Just about any given week you can find bourbon raffles that raise money for various causes, but I wanted to highlight two important ones this week that have come across my desk.

Joshua Barrick Fundraiser

The first one you should know about is the Joshua Barrick Fundraiser, which will help support his wife and two children (ages 7 and 9). Barrick was one of the victims of the Old National Bank shooting in Louisville on April 10, and all of the proceeds will go to a trust that has been setup for the family.

This bourbon raffle has been organized by the Bourbon Pursuit podcast and will end on Friday, May 12, at midnight. For a minimum donation of $50 (of course you can donate more), you will be entered into a raffle to win one of more than 130 rare bourbon bottles, including King of Kentucky, Willett Family Reserve, Birthday Bourbon, Old Fitzgerald and many more. There will also be exclusive experiences up for grabs, including a Bulleit barrel pick and a Mint Julep Experiences tour for up to 10 people.

“We are deeply grateful for the support and generosity of the bourbon community during this trying time,” said Ryan Cecil, Bourbon Pursuit host and fundraiser organizer, in a news release. “Joshua is a part of our community, and we want to do everything we can to support him and his children.”

Remember, you only have through Friday to enter, so let’s get going! So far more than $118,000 has been raised, but I’m pretty sure we can do better.

Kentucky Bourbon Raffle

Win this barrel from Whiskey Thief Distilling. | Courtesy

The second fundraiser is simply called the Kentucky Bourbon Raffle, and it helps support Educational Justice, a nonprofit organization that strives to end educational inequity.

This fundraiser runs through June 23 and includes many unicorn bottles of bourbon as well as an exclusive barrel pick from Whiskey Thief Distilling. Only 2,000 tickets will be up for grabs at $100 each, and there will be 22 winners.

“Bourbon embodies our culture of generosity, care for others, gracious hospitality, and focus on Kentucky’s people and natural resources that we share with others around the world,” said Educational Justice Executive Director Bryan Andres Azucena Warren in a news release. “As a Kentucky organization that embraces these values, it is only natural to employ our native spirit’s popularity to raise support for our educational mission.”

These two raffles will raise funds for people and organizations that need them.

Bourbon gives back, so will you?

Jefferson’s Bourbon debuts the Marian McLain blend

April 11, 2023The Bar Belle Leave a comment

Later this month you might see a new Jefferson’s Bourbon on the shelf — if you’re lucky. The Marian McLain expression is a tribute to founder Trey Zoeller’s eighth-generation grandmother who has the distinction of being one of the first women in history to get arrested for bootlegging in 1799.

Trey Zoeller with the Marian McLain bottle — Trey Zoeller, founder of Jefferson’s, shows off the Marian McLain bottle. | Courtesy

The whiskey is a blend of five bourbons, which correlates to the number of children McLain had and raised on her own after her husband died in the Revolutionary War. That unique blend consists of:

21% 14-Year-Old Tennessee Straight Bourbon
40% 11-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
14% Wheated Double-Barrel
17% Rum Cask Finish
8% 8-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon

That intricate blend took Trey and his father Chet, a bourbon historian and co-founder of Jefferson’s, months to perfect.

“The Marian McLain expression is a tribute to our family history and a celebration of the pioneering persona that defines our brand,” says Trey in a news release. “This is not just a bottle of bourbon; it is a legacy. What better way to show appreciation for my past than by creating this liquid that can be enjoyed for years to come. I brought my dad, Chet, out of retirement to help create this nod to our heritage. We are honored to share Marian’s spirit through this exceptionally bold and balanced blend.”

I can tell you so much more about this release, but I’ve written a piece for Alcohol Professor that does just that — so I don’t want to steal my own thunder, so to speak. I’ll be sure to post a link to that article here when it gets published.

Just know that the bourbon is incredible and should start popping up around town (and nationwide) at the end of April/early May. It’s 102 proof and retails for about $300.

Scene from last year's Tailspin Ale Fest

Behold the best beer fest: Tailspin Ale Fest celebrates 10 years

February 22, 2023The Bar Belle Leave a comment

The fact that Tailspin Ale Fest is celebrating 10 years next week makes me feel like a proud parent, because I’ve damn near attended each and every one! It’s hands down one of the best beer fests I’ve ever gone to, and I wouldn’t miss this year’s event for anything — anything outside of the normal list of bad things that happen to people, that is.

I remember at one the early ones we had to endure freezing rain and sloshing through frigid puddles while standing in a long line to pee. And I remember at another one enjoying the incredibly odd warm weather we were rewarded one weekend in February — also while standing in a long line to pee.

The good news is the organizers of Tailspin listen to feedback each year, and they actually fix things and improve upon the event year after year. There are more bathrooms than ever before, more beer options, more food trucks and more ways to dance the afternoon away. The introduction of the silent disco a few years back was a score, and while I’ve never participated myself, it’s fun to watch others dance like nobody’s watching — even though everybody is.

This year, organizers are promising participation of more than 75 local, regional and national breweries with more than 250 beers available to sample. There will be at least 10 local food trucks, live music by Tony & the Tan Lines, Drake’s Silent Disco, Cox’s Cigar Bar, and a few other surprises.

Plus, there will be a “Women in Beer Bar” featuring craft beers brewed by women from around the country and here in Kentucky. I love that!

And perhaps the best news is that all proceeds go to Dare to Care Food Bank and the HOP Foundation. In fact, Tailspin has raised more than $90,000 for the organizations in the past nine years.

As always, the beer-soaked Tailspin takes place at the Bowman Field on Saturday, March 4, from 3-7 p.m. While VIP tickets are sold out, general admission passes are still available for $55. And if you’d like to hop on one of the nine shuttles located all around the city and one in New Albany, check out the website for more details.

See you there!

Woodford Double Double Oak strikes again

January 18, 2023The Bar Belle Leave a comment

I’ve been holding my breath — and alcohol intake (damn Dry January!) — all month for the announcement of this annual release by Woodford Reserve. So when I saw the email this morning about Double Double Oaked finally coming out, I did what any dedicated whiskey journalist would do: I threw my egg sandwich and dog in the car, poured my coffee into a to-go container and hit the road to Versailles.

Sure, I probably should have at least tweeted something out about Double Double 2022, but there was no time, and I can’t tweet and drive very well.

Double Double Oaked 2022 has arrived. | Courtesy

So now I’m back home with two precious bottles of one of my favorite releases of the year, and I’m here to tell you a little more about it. Double Double Oaked is mostly available at the distillery in small 375ml bottles.

The highly-anticipated bourbon is made by letting fully mature Woodford Double Oak sit an extra year in a second heavily toasted new oak barrel. That extra 12 months of mingling with the wood really produces an extraordinary whiskey that is known far and wide.

“We are excited to once again offer one of our most-coveted annual bourbon releases,”
said Master Distiller Chris Morris in a news release. “This is the perfect winter bourbon with tasting notes of burnt marshmallows,
cranberry and bittersweet chocolate.”

I haven’t cracked open my bottle yet, but according to the press release, you can expect notes of dried cherry and cranberry, along with blackberry jam, chai tea and clove. I can’t wait to try this first thing on Feb. 1 (again, damn Dry January!).

If you head to the distillery in the next few days, you can purchase two bottles per person for $59.99 each. Because of the bottle limit, they will likely have these through the weekend I would guess. But you never know. People do clamor for this bourbon, so don’t delay if you can help it.

Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Origin Series is worth the six-year wait

December 29, 2022The Bar Belle Leave a comment

In September of 2016, I stepped foot inside the massive Bardstown Bourbon Company for the very first time. The occasion was a media hardhat tour, and I recall being thrilled that we actually got to wear a hardhat since construction was still going on all around us. I knew big things were in store for this new kid on the block, and looking back now, isn’t that the understatement of the year?

They’ve since expanded several times, going from 600,000 proof gallons per year to 7 million proof gallons — making them the seventh largest distillery in the United States. A majority of what BBCo makes is for other clients/brands/companies, but of course they dedicate some time on the still to themselves.

Six years ago they put some barrels down under the astute leadership of Master Distiller Steve Nally, and I’m happy to announce the three expressions are ready for their spotlight as part of the Origin Series.

“The Origin Series is the first opportunity to taste an expression that is 100 percent our whiskey,” said Dan Callaway, VP of Product Development for BBCo, in a news release. “We’ve put years of patience into this bottle, waiting six years until we felt it was truly ready to share with the world. The full technical capabilities of our distillery are on display with these three bespoke products.”

The Origin Series consists of a high-rye Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, a wheated Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, and a Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey. It will replace the distillery’s Fusion Series, which included some of their younger distillate blended with aged whiskey that was sourced. The popular Discovery Series (blends of sourced aged whiskey) and Collaboration Series (finished whiskeys) will continue to be released.

The new 6-year-old whiskeys will debut in early 2023 and should not be hard to find — at the distillery and in your local liquor stores and bars. They’ll be released across the country in 24 states and will range in price from $44.99-$69.99. Also worth noting, BBCo will be starting a single barrel program for on- and off-premise retailers, so be on the lookout for single-barrel store picks.

I was fortunate to get samples of the three flagship products that make up the Origin Series, so let’s dive into them one by one. No hardhat needed.

Origin Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

96 Proof | $44.99

With a mash bill of 60% corn, 36% rye and 4% malted barley, this high-rye bourbon is phenomenal from the get-go. On the nose I get candied peach drizzled in caramel — and some hints of baked apple and citrus.

And on the palate those fruit notes come to life, sprinkled with cinnamon, nutmeg, more caramel and a reward of vanilla on the finish. I get the spice up front from the rye, but by the time it reaches my throat, it’s as smooth as molasses.

Knowing I can get a quality bourbon like this under $50 makes me happy.

Origin Series Bottled-in-Bond

100 Proof | $49.99

This Bottled in Bond release uses a wheated mash bill of 68% corn, 20% wheat and 12% malted barley. There is no sting or tingling with this one because there is no rye to be found, but what you get is a well-balanced, soft bourbon with layers of creme brûlée, toffee and even a little mint on the palate.

Of course there’s the familiar caramel and milk chocolate notes swirled up in there as well, and on the finish, I get the flavor combination of sucking on a Werther’s Original while taking a spoonful of vanilla bean ice cream. Delicate is the word that keeps coming to mind for this bourbon — delicate and delicious.

I’d love to revisit this mash bill after two more years of aging and about seven proof points higher. It just might give Weller Antique a run for its money.

Origin Series Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

96 Proof | $69.99

With the standard rye whiskey mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley, this release hits you with spice up front, but then it rewards with incredible notes of baked cherries, toasted marshmallow and dark chocolate-covered toffee (yes, there is such a treat at Muth’s Candies in Louisville, Ky.).

The finish is long and sweet, with a little mix of sugar and spice and all things nice. This is a sipping whiskey for sure — something I could pass the time with while sitting in front of a fire. There are so many complex layers of flavor going on here that these tasting notes might just be the tip of the iceberg.

I’d absolutely love to try this at barrel strength. Who’s signing up for a single barrel? Take me with you!

A rendering of the Bardstown Bourbon Company tasting room

Awesome! Bardstown Bourbon Co. to open tasting room, bottle shop in Louisville

November 10, 2022The Bar Belle Leave a comment

Louisville is home to about a dozen distilleries and bourbon experiences, and now there’s another one coming to town to add to our bourbon resumé. Bardstown Bourbon Company announced this morning they’ll be opening a tasting room, bottle shop, and full-service bar at 730 W. Main St., just caddy-corner to Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery. It’s slated to open in the summer of 2023.

According to a news release, the space will offer bourbon educational experiences including blending, aging, making cocktails and more. And throughout the year, it will host a variety of events from special bottle releases, private tastings and one-of-a-kind elevated experiences.

“Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s new experience will feature education and deep dives that articulate our modern approach to blending, innovation and collaboration, capped by our genuine approach to hospitality,” said Dan Callaway, VP Innovation and Hospitality, in the release.

BBCo. is working with Joseph & Joseph Architects, Buzick Construction and Willie Martin’s for the project, which sits just a few doors down from the Slugger Museum.

“The bourbon experience we offer is second to none,” said Mark Erwin, CEO of BBCo., in the release. “We’re excited to bring this modern transparent approach to bourbon making to our Louisville home and look forward to introducing more consumers to the Bardstown Bourbon Company brand.”

A rendering of the Bardstown Bourbon Company experience | Courtesy

If you recall, the James B. Beam Distilling Co. opened a similar concept at Fourth Street Live, but it ended up closing during the pandemic. They promised at the time that they would be back in Louisville in some form or fashion, so fingers crossed we continue to get even more of these unique bourbon experiences in town.

I am personally thrilled Bardstown Bourbon Co. will have a presence here. Many people traveling to Louisville for conventions, business meetings or just passing through don’t have time to drive out to the distilleries, so this gives them an up close and personal look at different brands and the people behind them, and expanding bourbon knowledge is always a good thing!

11th Angel’s Envy Cask Strength drops today

November 1, 2022The Bar Belle Leave a comment

It’s crazy to think that just about a decade ago, downtown Louisville didn’t have a single distillery or bourbon experience to be found. And now, thanks to pioneers like Evan Williams, Old Forester, Michter’s and Angel’s Envy, the city now boasts about a dozen distilleries and plenty of bourbon-soaked adventures for locals and tourists alike.

Angel’s Envy launched its first product in 2011 and opened the doors to its state-of-the-art distillery on Main Street in 2016. And during that very first year or two of introducing the world to the Angel’s Envy brand, the Hendersons, led by co-founder Wes Henderson, decided to come out with a special cask-strength version that would become a rare treat for fans each year.

Angel's Envy bottle — Angel’s Envy bottle

Well, the 11th annual Angel’s Envy Cask Strength comes out today, and in my opinion, these are truly getting better each and every year.

This year’s release is bottled at 119.8 proof and comes with the fancy wooden case, just like in previous years. And there will be about 17,000 of these released in every U.S. state to spread the bourbon love around.

“Our annual Cask Strength expression is our most highly anticipated annual tradition at Angel’s Envy, both for our team and for our fans, and this year’s release is special – not just because it is an exceptional whiskey, but because it also marks an exciting time in Angel’s Envy’s growth,” said Gigi DaDan, general manager of Angel’s Envy, in a news release. “Looking ahead, we can’t wait to see the unique perspective that our new Master Distiller Owen Martin will bring to the Cask Strength program as he oversees it with the support of our best-in-class production team.”

I was able to try a sample of this year’s release and can attest to its creamy mouthfeel, as the press release describes. It comes off a little hot on first sip, but once you acclimate to the high proof, you get those nice warm flavors of brown sugar, black pepper, citrus and of course a drizzle of caramel.

The Cask Strength retails for $229.99.

Stagg returns for this year’s coveted Buffalo Trace Antique Collection

October 26, 2022The Bar Belle Leave a comment

Most bourbon lovers, myself included, believe the annual Buffalo Trace Antique Collection is near the top as far as bourbon unicorns go. Each bottle in the collection is near perfect most years, and the chances of you getting your hands on one of these are slim to nothing.

If you’re not familiar, the Antique Collection — abbreviated BTAC by us bourbon nerds — includes George T. Stagg, William Larue Weller, Thomas H. Handy, Eagle Rare 17 and Sazerac 18. The line came out more than two decades ago and pays homage to some great distillers and bourbon industry pioneers.

The big news this year is that George T. Stagg returns after being held back last year because he did not pass his tests. Really! The powers that be at Buffalo Trace decided the barrels selected for Stagg just weren’t ready yet, so back in the rick house they went. This year’s bottle features uncut, 15-year-old Stagg bourbon that has an impressive proof of 138.7.

Suggested retail for these is a laughable $99. Again, if you ever find one for that amount, you should run out and buy a lottery ticket immediately. On the secondary market, these range from $800-$3,000. Buffalo Trace notes that they’ll be hitting the market in mid-November.

Below is a description of each whiskey pulled from the press release:

George T. Stagg Bourbon

Created in 2002 at the request of a fan for a well-aged and barrel strength whiskey, George T. Stagg bourbon is well respected amongst bourbon connoisseurs and spirit judges. This year’s offering was distilled in the spring of 2007, making it 15 years and 5 months old at bottling. The proof is 138.7, the highest proof for this whiskey in the past six years. This year’s barrels were aged in warehouse K. Tasting notes for this bourbon call out toasted pecan and chocolate sauce on the nose, a rich blend of baking spice, vanilla and cherry pie on the palate, and a robust finish of black coffee, molasses and oak.

William Larue Weller Bourbon

The Antique Collection’s uncut, unfiltered, wheated recipe bourbon is William Larue Weller. The previous release of this wheated bourbon was honored with a Double Gold medal at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The 2022 release was distilled in the spring of 2010 and barrels were aged in warehouses C, K and N. This bourbon registers at 124.7 proof. A nose of toasted coconut, butterscotch and caramel, followed by a touch of mint, dark cherry and molasses on the palate and a full-bodied finish with hints of leather, nutmeg, toffee and vanilla can be found in this year’s offering.

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye Whiskey

Thomas H. Handy is the uncut and unfiltered straight rye whiskey. Last year’s release earned 97 points and was named in the top 100 spirits by judges at the 2022 Ultimate Spirits Challenge. This year’s Handy was distilled in the spring of 2016; aged in warehouses I, L and M and weighs in at a hearty 130.9 proof, the highest proof for this whiskey since 2012. The flavor profile includes a nose with floral notes, anise, marmalade and meringue, followed by a palate with baking spice, a burst of orange peel and subtle dark chocolate, and a long finish of cinnamon, praline and candied orange.

Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Bourbon

This 101-proof whiskey was distilled in the spring of 2005 and barrels were aged in warehouses H, K and L. The 2021 Eagle Rare release was honored with the Chairman’s Trophy at the 2022 Ultimate Spirits Challenge. This bourbon has a nose with a hint of tobacco, chocolate covered cherries and a touch of oak, followed by caramel, vanilla bean, dark chocolate and oak on the palate and a full-bodied finish with baking spice, vanilla and butterscotch.

Sazerac Rye 18-Year-Old Whiskey

Previous releases of Sazerac Rye 18-Year-Old were named in the top three finest whiskeys in the world by the “Whisky Bible.” This 2022 straight rye whiskey release has a nose of orange peel, lemon zest and molasses, a palate with a bold blend of black pepper, coriander seeds and maple syrup, and a well-rounded finish with mint, tobacco leaf and oak. The barrels for this whiskey were filled in the spring of 2003 and 2004 and rested in warehouses K, M and P. It is bottled at 90 proof.

Rum and rye whiskey meet again for another Fortuitous Union

October 12, 2022The Bar Belle Leave a comment

And here we have another installment of “happy accident turns into a damn fine spirit,” courtesy of the guys behind Rolling Fork Spirits.

In 2018, Louisville rum fanatics Turner Wathen and Jordan Morris joined forces to create a rum company in bourbon country. Of course they would utilize the plethora of bourbon and whiskey barrels we have here in Kentucky as finishing agents to their rum, which they source from Jamaica, Trinidad, the Dominican Republic, Barbados, etc.

During one of their finishing sessions, they accidentally poured their precious Trinidad rum into a vat full of rye whiskey, and thus was born Fortuitous Union, a blend of rum and rye that actually was quite delicious and nabbed much attention from whiskey drinkers near and far.

Fortuitous Union Batch 2 — Say hello to FU2! | Courtesy

You can read the full story of that here.

Now, four years later, there are some new Fortuitous Unions on the market.

While the process of blending rum and rye whiskey was fully intentional this time, there was still a small hiccup of forgetting a barrel or two of rye whiskey in the finished product. But we’ll get to that in a bit.

Let’s talk about the ingredients here.

FU Batch 2 consists of 4-year-old rum distilled in Barbados; 4-year-old rum distilled in Jamaica; 4-year-old rum distilled in the Dominican Republic; and 6-year-old rye whiskey distilled in Indiana (MGP).

The spirits mingled together for three days in a stainless steel tank, and then the rum-whiskey hybrid (aka distilled spirits specialty, or DSS) was put into highly sought-after, used bourbon and rye whiskey barrels.

The brands of those barrels weren’t named in the press release, but I was fortunate … or fortuitous? … to hang out with Wathen and Morris one Sunday afternoon in their barrel rick house, which happens to be at Starlight Distillery in Indiana. So I got to peek behind the curtain of this year’s FU and I took note of the brands.

One batch went into a used Weller barrel, one in a used Thomas H. Handy barrel, and one in a used Woodford Double Oak barrel. How about that charred oak real estate?

Turner Wathen is proud of his rum experiments, which will be revealed soon. | Photo by Sara Havens

The guys then created a small batch using the juice from all three finishes, as well as single barrels from each of the three.

So if you see this on the shelf, take a close look at the bottom of the label, and it will present you with a clue as to which one it is.

Wathen and Morris are doing some interesting things with rum finishes, especially in their Rolling Fork line, and as Wathen thieved barrel after barrel of experiments they have going on at Starlight, he was as giddy as a kid getting a pony for Christmas.

The FU sample I was most drawn to came from the Weller barrels, and it was bottled at 111.8 proof. It’s got some sweet tingles up front, followed by a little heat and spice from the rye, and then finishes long with a pleasant taste that reminds me of the frosting that goes on a cinnamon roll.

And the longer I let the sample sit out, the richer and more complex it got.

This would be great in a traditional daiquiri or even an old fashioned, but I’ll probably end up sipping most of it on its own. Wathen and Morris came up with their own cocktail, FU-Man-Daq, which merges a manhattan with a daiquiri, and I’ll post that recipe below.

I promised you earlier that there was a small snafu to this year’s FU, so here it is. When the FU brain trust was blending the rum and rye whiskey together, they forgot to add two barrels of the MGP rye. Thus the final product is about 85% rum and 15% rye.

But don’t fret: That rye really comes out on the palate, and the result is a perfect blend of two spirits that work well together. FU sells for about $55.

FU-Man-Daq Cocktail

2 oz. Fortuitous Union
.75 oz. Antica vermouth
.75 oz. fresh lime
.75 oz. simple syrup

Shake with ice, strain and top with lime bitters.

What’s with the ‘Throwback Content’?

October 12, 2022The Bar Belle Leave a comment

Today I published my first article with the tagline “Throwback Content,” and I wanted to quickly explain what that means. Basically, when Insider Louisville went under in 2019, they moved all of our content to a different site and disabled the photos and links.

You could still find the stories if you really dug through the interwebs, but then, about a year later, everything ceased to exist. Luckily I saved backup PDF copies of most of what I wrote for Insider Louisville the five years I worked there as Culture Editor.

RIP Insider Louisville: 2010-2019

So this “Throwback Content” is a way to bring those stories back to life. The first one is the comical story of the guys behind Fortuitous Union, a rum and rye whiskey combo that was created by accident.

It was a bit tedious to get the text from PDF to Word and then onto the website, so please excuse any spacing errors you might see. A few paragraphs I had to re-type because of glitches caused between the three platforms.

I hope to streamline this process and figure out a way around some of the issues I ran into today so that I can put up more of my old copy from IL. Stay tuned for more throwbacks!

The Bar Belle

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