News

Live Q&A with Tom Bulleit

Passing along some info to you Bulleit fans out there.  Tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. EST, Tom Bulleit will be conducting a live virtual Bulleit tasting and education session on Livestream.  He’ll also be answering viewer questions.  Ask your questions directly to Tom by tweeting @worldclassus or #asktombulleit.    I’ve interviewed Tom before.  He’s a great conversationalist and is extremely passionate about the Bulleit brand, so this should be a fun experience.

Watch the livestream here Wednesday  (10/29) at 1:30 p.m. EST:  https://new.livestream.com/diageoworldclass/tombulleit

 

 

Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Reviews Coming Soon

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It’s an exciting time at the Childs household.  My fiancee and I just purchased our first house.  We’re a few weeks away from getting married.  Last, but most definitely not least,  Buffalo Trace just announced their 2014 Antique Collection is being released at the end of the month.  If that wasn’t enough, this week I received my review samples.  Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll post reviews of this year’s George Stagg, William Larue Weller, Eagle Rare 17, Sazerac 18, and Thomas Handy Sazerac.  I can’t wait.  To whet your appetite in the meantime, here’s their press release:

 

BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY RELEASES 2014 ANTIQUE COLLECTION WHISKEYS

 

FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY (Sept. 4, 2014) Whiskey aficionados can start their holiday shopping early once Buffalo Trace Distillery releases its 2014 Antique Collection in late September. The highly anticipated collection will once again feature five limited-release whiskeys of various ages, recipes and proofs. Here’s what loyal fans can expect:

George T. Stagg

The 2013 release of this perennial favorite received the prestigious Chairman’s Trophy during the 2014 Ultimate Spirits Challenge.  Barrels for this year’s George T. Stagg bottling were selected from Warehouses C, H, I, K, L, P, and Q.  This uncut and unfiltered bourbon was distilled back in the spring of 1998 and weighs in at 138.1 proof.  Although still highly allocated, happily there are a few more bottles available this year, since Buffalo Trace increased distillation for George T. Stagg back in 1997. This whiskey tastes of dark chocolate, vanilla, coffee, and dates.

William Larue Weller

The Antique Collection’s uncut, unfiltered, wheated recipe bourbon is William Larue Weller. The previous edition was given a “95” rating by Whisky Advocate Magazine.  The 2014 offering was distilled in the spring of 2002 and aged on the second, third, fourth, and sixth floors of Warehouses D, K, and L.  This bourbon registers in at 140.2 proof – the strongest Weller release ever.  The bold flavors include dark molasses, plums, and toffee.

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye

Thomas H. Handy is the uncut and unfiltered straight rye whiskey. The 2013 edition was named “World’s Best Rye Whiskey” at the 2014 World Whiskies Awards.  This year’s Handy was distilled in the spring of 2008, aged on the fifth floor of Warehouse M and weighs in at 129.2 proof.  The flavor has been described as Christmas cake, allspice, coconut, and clove.

Eagle Rare 17 Year Old

The previous edition of this bourbon was honored with a Silver Outstanding Medal at the 2013 International Wine and Spirits Competition. The 2014 edition has been aging on the second, third and sixth floors of Warehouses I and K.  This bourbon was aged nearly two decades and tastes of oak, leather, cinnamon, and tobacco.

Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old

Last year Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old was awarded a Gold Medal from Whisky Magazine’s World Whisky Awards.  This 2014 straight rye whiskey release was aged in Warehouse K and has notable flavor of all-spice, molasses and hints of mint, along with a long, dry finish.

The Antique Collection was introduced more than a decade ago and has become a cult favorite among whiskey connoisseurs. Since 2000 these whiskeys have garnered numerous awards from such notable publications as Whisky Advocate Magazine, Spirit Journal, and Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.

The 2014 Antique Collection whiskeys will be available in limited quantities starting in late September or early October.  Suggested retail price is $80 each.  For more information visit www.greatbourbon.com.

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 1786 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 seven distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine andWine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named Whisky Magazine 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 200 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.  To download images from Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracemediakit.com

What’s Tennessee Whiskey?

Over the course of the next several weeks, I’m diving head first into Tennessee Whiskey.  There are two giants in the Tennessee whiskey world:  Jack Daniel’s and George Dickel.  I’ll be looking at several of their offerings, and next week I’ll post an interview I recently conducted with Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller Jeff Arnett.  To kick things off, let’s answer the question:  what’s Tennessee whiskey?

Tennessee whiskey has been made with pretty high standards for well over a hundred years, but it wasn’t until recently that it was put into law. In April of 2013, Tennessee passed house bill #1084 into law.  That bill defines rules for a spirit to be called Tennessee whiskey.  There are seven of them.  To be called Tennessee whiskey, a spirit must be:

  1. Manufactured in Tennessee;
  2. Made of a grain mixture that is at least fifty-one percent (51%) corn;
  3. Distilled to no more than 160 proof or eighty percent (80%) alcohol by volume;
  4. Aged in new, charred oak barrels in Tennessee;
  5. Filtered through maple charcoal prior to aging;
  6. Placed in the barrel at no more than 125 proof or sixty-two and one half percent (62.5 %) alcohol by volume; and
  7. Bottled at not less than 80 proof or forty percent (40%) alcohol by volume.

These are the same rules distillers must follow when making bourbon, with a couple of exceptions:  Bourbon can be made anywhere in the United States and doesn’t have to be filtered with maple charcoal prior to aging.  The maple charcoal filtering is generally referred to as the Lincoln County process.  At one point the Jack Daniel’s distillery was located in Lincoln County, TN.  County lines were redrawn and it now resides in Moore County.  The process refers to drip filtering new distillate through maple charcoal (like Jack Daniel’s) or steeping the maple charcoal in vats of the new distillate (like George Dickel).  It’s said this kind of filtration removes the harshness of the new spirit.  Critics say it removes some of the flavor and body of the spirit.

Another difference is that to be called bourbon, a spirit must age at least two years in the barrel.  Tennessee whiskey rules do not cover minimum aging.  However, most Tennessee whiskey out there is aged at least two years, and can technically call themselves bourbon whiskey.

Now Tennessee whiskey is an official sub-sect of American whiskey, along with bourbon and rye. If you haven’t tried Tennessee whiskey beyond Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7, please do so.  That’s just one expression of Tennessee whiskey.  Like bourbon, Tennessee whiskey ranges in flavor between expressions.  You’re still reading?   Get out there and taste some Tennessee whiskey!