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  • Alright here is a sneak peak of the pattern only episode for you free feed guys and gals. If you wanna learn more go to Patreon.com/the_whiskeyshaman

    And thank you to our sponsors

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  • So you got a barrel of whiskey where do you put it, in the attic, basement, garden. Rickhouses are the best bet, lets get into it but first our sponsors

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    Barrel rickhouses are warehouses where barrels of aging whiskey are stored on wooden racks, or ricks, that are stacked vertically. The design of a rickhouse allows air to circulate around the barrels, so they don't need to be moved or rotated.

    Rickhouses are important to the bourbon industry, and have been since the late 1700s in Ireland. The term "rick" may come from the Irish word for "king".

    Here are some things to know about rickhouses:

    Temperature

    The temperature inside a rickhouse can vary significantly, with the top floors being hotter and drier, and the lower floors being cooler and more moist. These temperature fluctuations can accelerate the maturation process, which can enhance the whiskey's flavor.

    Location

    The location of the barrel in the building can affect the maturation process. For example, brick warehouses can create steadier climates than open-air rickhouses, which can allow for slower aging.

    Cost

    A rickhouse can cost around $7 million and house between 18,000 and 55,000 barrels.

    Barrel storage

    There are other types of barrel storage, including palletized warehouses and dunnage warehouses. Palletized warehouses are more modern and cost-effective, but rickhouses can be more innovative and efficient for storing barrels.

    Great Insights:

    A Closer Look at Our
    Kentucky Rickhouses

    HOW SIMPLE STRUCTURES PRODUCE COMPLEX FLAVORS

    2019

    High-quality charred oak barrels are essential to developing Elijah Craig's signature flavor. But where and how those barrels are stored are an essential part of the story. Discover the Greatness Within our open-air rickhouses.

    Aging our Bourbon in Level 3 charred oak barrels is the first step to developing Elijah Craig’s signature flavor; but equally important is where those barrels are stored. For centuries, American distillers have aged whiskey in warehouses with styles ranging from converted barns to ornate, custom-built brick buildings. Today, we age our Bourbon in what are known as traditional open-air rickhouses.

    These modest wood-frame structures, usually seven stories tall, have corrugated metal sides and roofs. Each floor is filled with wooden ricks, in which barrels are stacked three-high and stored throughout the aging process. The design allows the air to circulate around the barrels, which means they never need to be moved or rotated during their time in the rickhouse. According to Donald Blincoe, whose firm, Buzick Construction, Co., has been building rickhouses since 1937, very little about these buildings has changed over the past century for one main reason: the design works.

    Apart from being simple to build, these storage spaces serve unheralded roles in the development of Elijah Craig. With only a thin sheet of metal separating them from Kentucky’s climate, our barrels experience drastic swings in temperature—which ultimately improves the flavor of the Bourbon they hold. Our rickhouses are not climate-controlled or insulated in any way; nature alone dictates how hot or cold the temperatures are inside. Temperatures can swing from below 0° F in winter to more than 100° F in just nine months.

    Barrels stored on the highest floors endure the summer’s worst heat, which leads to more water evaporation and results in Bourbon with higher proofs. On the lowest floors, where temperatures are much cooler, the reverse happens: barrels often lose more alcohol than water, and proofs drop. The moderate temperatures of the middle floors form a sweet spot where maturation is most balanced.

    Elijahcraig.com

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  • I know what your thinking, and yes I am burning through them. Today we have Nate from Hinterhaus Distilling, we talked all thinks from Tesla to Terroir. I really hope you enjoy it. And please check out there website. Hinterhausdistilling.com

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    OUR STORY

    HIN·TER·HAUS
    rear building, house at the back


    Hinterhaus is named in honor of the hinterland at our doorstep - the vast Sierra Nevada wilderness that has long beckoned explorers and adventurers to this breathtaking mountain range. Our spirits are born beneath the long shadows and rustling needles of tall trees using fresh mountain water that flows just beyond our doors before bottling at our 4000 ft perch. We are proudly family operated, and we collaborate with our neighbors to source local ingredients and casks. Every spirit we produce reflects the pristine region we call home. Enjoy a taste of the Sierra with us, and we raise a dram to those who carve their own path.

    EXPLORE OUR SPIRITS

    At Hinterhaus Distilling we create our spirits using thoughtfully sourced, high quality ingredients. This results in a provenance and sense of place that you can nose and taste.

    AMERICAN SINGLE MALT

    WHISKEY - DISCOVERY

    Distilled using thoughtfully sourced, high quality barley. Aged to perfection at our Sierra Nevada mountain home.

    TRAPPER'S OATH

    EXTRA AGED RYE WHISKEY

    Extra aged rye whiskey finished in ex-bourbon ex-stout beer barrels.

    CALAVERAS CASK FINISH

    BOURBON

    Interesting bourbon finished in an ever changing variety of local wine casks. Each batch stands on its own merit.

    NORTH GROVE VODKA

    Award-winning vodka made from Northern California wine.

    CALAVERAS CASK STRENGTH

    SINGLE BARREL RESERVE

    BOURBON

    Single barrel local wine barrel finished bourbon. Full proof, full flavor.

    SOUTH GROVE GIN

    Sierra Nevada Gin distilled from wine and vapor infused using botanicals native to the Sierra.

    Ratings Best Buy

    Hinterhaus Calaveras Cask Finish Bourbon

    California, US

    Rating

    94

    Price

    $39

    Brand

    Hinterhaus

    Category

    American Whiskey/Bourbon

    Alcohol

    46%

    Bottle Size

    750 ml

    Issue Date

    7/1/2022

    Print Shelf Talker

    Buy Now

    When you buy something through our link, we may earn a small commission from our affiliate partners. Wine Enthusiast maintains complete editorial independence and all wines are blind tasted. Read more about our policy.

    The concept: a blend of bourbons finished in four California wine barrels, intended to replicate a popular wine blend. The result: allspice, cola and sarsaparilla aromas, leading into a bracing palate with burnt almond and oak. It finishes with a big, drying exhale of cinnamon and burnt orange peel. — Kara Newman

    What Is Blind Tasting?

    All tastings reported in the Buying Guide are performed blind. Typically, products are tasted in peer-group flights of from 5-8 samples. Reviewers may know general information about a flight to provide context—vintage, variety or appellation—but never the producer or retail price of any given selection. When possible, products considered flawed or uncustomary are retasted.

    View Video

    About The Scores

    *Products deemed unacceptable (receving a rating below 80 points) are not reviewed.

    98-100

    Classic
    The Pinnacle of quality

    94-97

    Superb
    A great achievement

    90-93

    Excellent
    Highly recommended

    87-89

    Very Good
    Often good value; well recommended

    83-86

    Good
    Suitable for everyday consumption, often good value

    80-82

    Acceptable
    Can be employed

  • Guys this was a great chat, Cole is a awesome dude. And the whiskey topnotch. We went deep into there WHY and what the brand is all about. Hope you enjoy, Have you checked out our sponsors

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    HKYoungbourbon.com


    Elevating the art of toasted barrel whiskey

    Toasted barrel blend

    What is the "toasted barrel blend?"

    As a brand, we have committed ourselves to exploring toasted barrel finishes. We want to find how toasted barrels can influence, alter, and emphasize the aromas and flavors of whiskey. In teaming up with the brilliant people of Independent Stave Company (ISC) we found three types of toasted barrels (for now) that perfectly accomplish our goals:

    Heavy Toast American Oak Barrels: Caramelized oak, toasted nuts, hints of dark chocolate, and coffee

    Custom Spice Toast, Char #1 American Oak Barrels: Baking spice, subtle char, smoky note, coconut-like character

    Medium Toast, Char #1 Hybrid Oak (American/French) Barrels: Vanilla, caramelized sugar, nutty aromas, fresh oak notes


    Additionally, each of these barrels was seasoned for extended periods of 18 to 24 months, allowing ample time for oak extraction and oxidative maturation to occur, contributing to textural richness.
    Like any good blend, we start with a base. To create the base of our Toasted Barrel Blend (dramatic pause for the “eureka moment”), we develop a custom blend of our bourbons that were finished in these three different toasted oak barrels. It’s quite amazing to discover the different profiles you can create by using whiskey of the same mashbill but finished in three different toasted oak barrels. Once we’ve developed our base blend, we integrate other Kentucky straight bourbon whiskies to layer additional flavors into the blend, creating a final product that is sure to turn you into a believer.

    What makes H.K Young Bourbon Co. THE toasted barrel finish bourbon company?
    We've committed our brand to exploring how toasted barrels change whiskey's profile. By meticulously selecting and blending whiskeys finished in our unique toasted barrels, each crafted to enhance specific notes, we create distinctive batches that showcase the extraordinary flavors and aromas toasted barrels provide.
    Join us in a toast to the extraordinary!

    Batch #2: “Panacea”

    In Greek mythology, Panacea is the goddess of cure. By modern definition, panacea means “a solution or remedy for all difficulties.” Now, it is the name for the second batch of our H.K. Young Toasted Barrel Blend. Batch #2 distinguishes itself from Batch #1 with its nearly medicinal-like, oily viscosity, reminiscent of the early apothecaries blending ingredients to ward off ailments, and the days when whiskey was considered a medicinal remedy. “Panacea” embodies the rich outcomes achievable when blending select whiskies finished in our toasted oak barrels. While Batch #1 focused on higher tannins for a drier mouthfeel, Batch #2 dramatically increases viscosity, aiming to provide an experience that is not only delicious but also evocative of a time when a sip of whiskey was a trusted remedy for both body and soul.
    On the nose, “Panacea” opens to delightful aromas of maraschino cherries, candied pecans, and vanilla, with hints of cigar smoke in the background. The palate is layered and viscous, offering notes of artisan chocolate-covered cherries, raw honeycomb, and babelutte toffee. As the flavors transition into the finish, notes of sweet oak, peanut brittle, and tobacco harmonize to create a memorable and incomparable pour

  • Are you scared yet, well you will be. This is the spooky episode of TWSP and we found some new stories and legends. So sit back and relax, on second thought turn the lights on and grab a bottle. And enjoy after you visit our sponsors.

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    Allow me to regale you instead with the story of the Glenrothes distillery in Scotland. The story actually starts many miles to the south of the town of Rothes, where the distillery is situated, and some years before its construction, by the Firth of Tay at Dundee.

    An ambitious construction project to build a rail bridge over a nearly 3 mile-long stretch of the fifth began in 1871. Due to challenges and necessary redesigns, there were significant delays, and the construction was only completed in early 1878, after which the first engine successfully crossed the bridge. Queen Victoria herself used the bridge in June of 1879.

    In the same year in which the bridge was completed, the construction of Glenrothes began, and it was not very long until it was ready for production. On the evening of Sunday, 28 December 1879, the first distillation run occurred. On that very same evening, one of the greatest structural disasters in all of the British Isles occurred when a violent storm blew at the precise angles and strength to cause a collapse, just as a train carrying roughly 70 passengers was passing over it. There were no survivors.

    Just as the first spirit flowing out of the stills at Glenrothes was being collected, so too did the spirits of those ill-fated travellers depart from this world. Though initially prosperous, the future of Glenrothes would be very turbulent indeed. A fire which raged throughout the distillery 18 years later caused major damage and losses, threatening closure, but they managed to scrape through. Just six years later, in 1903, there was a massive explosion that caused serious damage. In 1922, the second great fire to ravage the distillery burnt down warehouse number 1 and destroyed over 200 000 gallons of maturing whisky. That was not the end of Glenrothes' trial by fire, though, as another significant one occurred in 1962 and prompted the owners to rebuild the damaged structure and also expand the distillery to increase production.

    The distillery, by the way, is situated right next to a graveyard. One can't help but think of the staff who worked late shifts throughout the years and caught a glimpse of the tombstones illuminated by the cold glow of a winter moon and reminisced about that tragic day, which some thought to be the cause of all the distillery's woes.

    But like an undying spectre, the spirit of Glenrothes has always endured, and they have made and continue to make some good Speyside whisky, though they are quite often overlooked or maybe just regarded as best forgotten, lest some unfortunate series of events be summoned. Better to just let some things lie undisturbed.

    Haunted Distilleries: Spirits of a Different Kind

    October 31, 2023 –––––– Julia Higgins

    Over the centuries, the distilling business has produced famous figures, legends, outright myths, and even ghosts—more than a few of them, in fact. Reports of spectral sightings and other phantom phenomena have occurred so often that they’re almost the rule rather than the exception. Some distilleries have conjured up so much spooky notoriety that paranormal experts have visited, often affirming suspicions that unseen forces are at play. To toast Halloween, we’ve rounded up a handful of distilleries around the world where spirits—the liquid and the otherworldly kind—are both part of the story.

  • This is the blind challenge I did with Nora from Lost Lantern. It was a awesome time, check it out.

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    Whiskey blinds are a way to taste whiskey without knowing what it is, which helps remove biases and develop your palate. Blind tasting can help you learn to taste the whiskey more objectively, and to rely on your senses to identify its characteristics.

    Here are some tips for setting up a blind whiskey tasting:

    Arrange bottles randomly: Cover the bottles with numbered sleeves or bags to hide their identities.

    Prepare tasting glasses: Provide a tasting glass for each participant.

    Have water and palate cleansers: Provide water and palate cleansers for participants.

    Bring a notepad and pen: Have a notepad and pen available for taking notes.

    You can also buy blind tasting kits, which can include whiskies, instructions, and tasting sheets. Some examples include:

    Whiskies of the World: A package that includes four different whiskies, instructions, a tasting sheet, and hints to help you guess which whiskey is which

    Blind Barrels: A subscription service that provides four 50 ml samples of American whiskey each quarter, along with a tasting led by a spirits guide

    Great Whiskey Challenge: A premium blind taste testing kit that you can use with family and friends

  • Man oh man i'm so excited to bring this episode to y'all. Today we have Jason with Still Austin Whiskey. We had a great conversation about the brand and the spirit. Lets get into it. Have you checked out our sponsors yet.

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    It all started in 2012. Cleveland Seals was looking for a post-retirement project to occupy his time and had the wild idea to start a whiskey distillery. Cleveland shared his dream with his son, Chris, and asked for his help.

    Chris —a longtime economist and risk manager— knew all too well how difficult it would be to bring his Dad's dream to life. Looking at the risks, Chris thought that the chances of success were pretty low, but he liked the idea of spending time with his dad, so he suggested to Cleveland that they do a “feasibility study.” The supposed “study” would ostensibly determine the chances of success in starting an Austin-based whiskey distillery, but secretly, Chris’s real plan was just to spend time with his dad, get him settled into retirement, and after having a lot of fun, decide not to actually do it.

    Over the course of the next year, that is exactly what Cleveland and Chris did. The two traveled together, visited whiskey distilleries, and had a lot of fun drinking whiskey together. Prior to this “study” the father-son duo rarely talked with one another, but they soon found themselves talking every day. And not just talking about business. After a few whiskeys they were talking about everything -- even their feelings! As Chris says, “it was the best thing that ever happened to me and my dad.”

    Then, as fate should have it, in 2013 state laws in Texas changed. The changes made it easier to open a craft Bourbon distillery in Texas, and also made it likely that a Texas Whiskey category would emerge. Having devoted a year to studying the market, the two realized they just might be at the right place at the right time. They assembled a team of local farmers, whiskey experts, local artists, and crazy co-conspirators — and together with the support of their whole community, Still Austin Whiskey Co was born.

    The distillery broke ground in 2014 and began distilling in 2017 (yes, it took three years to build this special distillery). In 2020, Still Austin's first straight bourbon whiskey was released. Over the past decade, Cleveland and Chris discovered the power of believing in a special future - especially for someone you love. Cleveland's dream came to life as an authentic Texas whiskey, made from grain to glass in Austin, Texas. Together we make whiskey for everyone: the musicians, the visionaries, the lovers, the scientists, the oddballs, the artists, and the everyday dreamers.

    Everybody knows that really great whiskey HAS to come from Kentucky, right?

    And everybody knows bourbon HAS to come from Bourbon County, right? Right?

    Everybody is wrong.

    The truth is great whiskey can come from anywhere, and great bourbon can come from anywhere in the United States (as long as you follow the rules).

    Dozens of fantastic whiskeys have popped up over the last few years from all over the world, even from places as far away from the U.S. as Australia. As whiskey making has grown more popular, people from all over the world have learned how to make great

    whiskey, and Texas is leading the way.

  • Here we go again, this was an awesome talk with Ryan. He is a wealth of knowledge for his brand and I can't wait for y'all to see it.

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    A RICH HISTORY

    The patriotic men of the 10th brought diversity, courage, and hope to the Rocky Mountains when they arrived in the 1940s to train just a few miles south of what is now Vail.

    They were part of the greatest generation of men, wanting to make each day count and each day better than the last. The mentality they had was strong after being shaped from the rigors of mountain warfare, their egos humble.

    Camp Hale, the legendary home of the 10th Mountain Division, was constructed in 1942, located 22 miles west of Vail between Leadville and Minturn in the Pando Valley. The initial population of Camp Hale included 15,000 soldiers, 3,000 administrative, medical, and other non-skiing staff, 5,000 mules, and 200 dogs.

    In January of 1945, the 10th deployed to Italy’s Apennines Mountains, where they would battle the German army for the next two and a half months. On May 2, 1945, Germany surrendered to the Allies in Florence, Italy, ending the 10th’s Italian Campaign.

    After World War 2, many of the 10th Mountain Division warriors came home to the USA and continued skiing. The 10th Mountain Division veterans started many of the US ski areas we now love. At least 62 ski resorts have been founded and managed by former 10th Mountain Division veterans.

    The tradition of excellence established by the original 10th Mountain Division continues with today’s 10th Mountain Division Light Infantry (LI). Now based at Ft. Drum in Watertown, New York, the 10th Mountain Division LI has the distinction of being the most deployed military unit when a humanitarian, natural disaster, or conflict arises in the world.

    the mountain lifestyle

    The 10th Mountain Whiskey and Spirit Company is an extension of the mountain lifestyle, bringing together the old with the new. Generation after generation, men and women alike, all share this same passion, enjoying it for a day, a weekend, a lifetime, or somewhere in between. No matter how long it’s embraced the combination of friends, mountains, memories, and spirits, brings people together like no other.

    To encourage these relationships, to embrace the mountain lifestyle, and to honor the 10th Mountain soldiers who inspired our way of life, we created a tribute spirit company in Vail Colorado. Not only is it a tribute to the 10th Mountain soldier, but it is also a tribute to those that enjoy the mountain lifestyle, living it fully, every day.

    Hero to Hero Bourbon

    Hero to Hero focuses on connecting qualified military personnel with first responder careers.

    This bottle's purchase helps defray the costs of requisite training and associated living and travel expenses, eliminating undue financial stress from this transitional period.

    AGED: 2 years

    PROOF: 116

    ABV: 58

    APPEARANCE: Rich Copper and Bronze

    NOSE: Brown Sugar, Caramel, a Hint of Strawberry

    PALATE: Less sweet than the nose would have you believe. Toffee, Vanilla and Oak. Buttery mouthfeel

    FINISH: Slightly hot, but all the palate’s flavors come bouncing back at the end

    10th Mountain Rye Whiskey is an award-winning spirit that is sure to please. Distilled with the finest rye grain, this 750mL whiskey has a smooth, balanced taste and a pleasing aroma, making it an amazing drinking experience.

    MASH BILL 69% Rye with Corn and Malted Barley
    APPEARANCE golden amber
    NOSE aromas of oak, dark fruit and light caramel with a hint of cinnamon
    PALATE spicy, full-bodied, touch of toffee
    FINISH dry finish with lingering spice and oak notes
    AGED new charred oak barrel

  • Alright this was such a fun talk. Today we chatted with Nick founder of Found North Whisky. These guys are doing some amazing things I can't wait for yall to see it.

    Make sure you sign up for there mailing list there last Batch sold out in 90 seconds.

    But first a word from our sponsors.

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    Foundnorthwhisky.com

    FOUND NORTH

    Each batch of Found North whisky is a careful selection of casks blended to bring out the best and most distinctive qualities of the chosen whiskies. Every release is unique, but each also builds on previous batches and fits into the unfolding saga of Found North. All our whiskies are non-chill filtered with no coloring or additives. Batch 001 and Batch 002 were released in April 2021 and both received Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Batch 003 was awarded Double Gold and Batch 004 won "Best Canadian Whisky" and was awarded Double Gold at the John Barleycorn Awards Spring 2022.

    Found North Hell Diver
    First Flight

    Description

    Hell Diver First Flight is the newest addition to our High Altitude Collection. Unlike our Batches where we blend fully matured whiskies, our High Altitude Collection is defined by the process of blend, finish, reblend. Adhering to this creation philosophy, Hell Diver started as a blend of 15, 22 and 23 year old corn with 18 and 19 year old rye, which we recasked into Pedro XimĂ©nez Sherry, Cognac, and New American oak casks. Over the following year, we meticulously tracked these casks’ progression, pulling and vatting them as they reached their peak maturation. To achieve the correct balance, we only used two-thirds of these casks in the final blend.
    We designed the original blend with Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks in mind. Sherry casks are heavy-handed and prone to overwhelm meek-spirited whisky. A domineering cask requires an imperious spirit. As such, we created a deep, rich and viscous original blend with prominent orchard fruit preserves, earthy rye spice and pronounced rose blossom water top notes. We believed this foundation would handle the sweet and dry resonance of PX Sherry casks.

    Flavor Notes

    A swirling aura of fig preserves, chocolate pound cake and straight cacao waft from the glass as the first pour flows from the bottle. The nose evolves into caramel, shortbread wafer and candied apricot with coffee ice cream and chocolate covered raspberries.
    ‍
    Hell Diver lands like a power chord, strumming cinnamon, dark chocolate and wood spice on the front palate. This whisky is a maelstrom of layered flavor and texture. Like the wind and the tide, the oily-sweet viscosity on the tongue merges with the crackling nutmeg spice on the roof of the palate, meeting in the middle to create a tempest of tannin, graham cracker, vanilla and allspice, all tinged a deep shade of ruby red fruit. If your palate had eyes it would see claret.
    The flavors coalesce, the sea calms and the finish leaves you with reverberating notes of candied dates and cloves.

    Why We Made This Whisky

    For us, Found North is an ongoing journey, an unfolding story. When we made Peregrine, we had a vision for an elegant, elevated whisky; a bird, a blend and a style that could wear the crown of the High Altitude Collection. The resulting whisky embodied the high-soaring Peregrine Falcon that reaches for the heavens.
    As we contemplated the next chapter in the collection, we wanted to create Peregrine’s counterpart. Though the loon is a great flier, traveling upwards of 500 miles in a single day, it is known for its aquatic prowess and its eerie nighttime call that haunts the foggy northern lakes of North America. Nicknamed the Hell Diver, the Common Loon is an uncommonly heavy bird allowing it to propel itself below the water’s surface.

    And if you read this far Batch 10 release is right now so get it while you can.

  • This is a impromptu live I did with Dylan over at Whiskey House Pub House.

    https://open.spotify.com/show/7zR1lKeyjR7WCOTO9hkxW3?si=0e14c04fa1214fc0

    And Psychman Joined as well.

    Such a good time with whiskey family.

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    https://youtube.com/@whiskeyhousepubhouse?si=NAjMrTW_xusAJVIQ

    And psych man is MIA

  • Bourbon heritage month is upon us and a big milestone happened. Jimmy Russell just passed 70 years at Wild Turkey, this is such a epic event they are releasing a special bottle for the event. But first a word from our sponsors.

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    JIMMY RUSSELL’S
    70th ANNIVERSARY
    8-YEAR-OLD RELEASE

    Commemorative bourbon release honoring Master Distiller Jimmy Russell’s 70th Anniversary with Wild Turkey making him the longest-tenured spirits Master Distiller in the world.

    WILD TURKEY JIMMY RUSSELL’S 70TH ANNIVERSARY

    To honor Jimmy’s incredible impact on the bourbon world, Wild Turkey is proud to present the limited-edition Wild Turkey Jimmy Russell’s 70th Anniversary 8-Year-Old Bourbon.

    This collector-worthy release is an 8-Year-Old, 101-proof bourbon, with an additional blend of 8- to 9-year-old whiskeys, hand-selected from a few of Jimmy’s favorite Rickhouses. Best enjoyed neat or over ice, this bourbon is a true tribute to Jimmy’s legacy

    From his earliest days at the distillery sweeping the floors at age 18 to rising through the ranks to become Master Distiller, Jimmy has remained committed to crafting bourbon one way, the right way, even when it wasn’t popular. In the 1970’s and 80’s when the bourbon industry was close to collapse, Jimmy stayed the course.

    1855

    Wholesale grocer Austin Nichols begins selling wine and spirits. The business would later go on to own and sell Wild Turkey.

    1869

    The Ripy brothers open their family distillery on Wild Turkey Hill in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.

    1893

    The Ripy Brothers’ bourbon represents Kentucky at the World’s Fair in Chicago, Illinois.

    1940

    Wild Turkey Bourbon gets its name after a distillery executive shares his bourbon with friends on an annual hunting trip — of course, they were after wild turkey.

    THE RUSSELL EFFECT

    1954

    Master Distiller Jimmy Russell joins Wild Turkey. He learns his craft from becomes the third in a line of master distillers for the brand which includes second master distiller, Bill Hughes, and Ernest W. Ripy, son of the original distiller.

    1976

    Wild Turkey introduces the world’s first bourbon liqueur, introducing a broader audience and attracting even more drinkers to the bourbon world. The liqueur would eventually lead to the creation of American Honey.

    1981

    Eddie Russell, son of Jimmy Russell, joins Wild Turkey as a relief operator and begins to work his way up the distillery ladder.

    1991

    Wild Turkey introduces our premium Rare Breed bourbon, one of the first barrel proof bourbons to hit the market.

    1995

    Wild Turkey follows it up with the launch of Kentucky Spirit, a single-barrel 101-proof bourbon, one of the only single barrel American whiskey offerings of the time.

    THE NEW VISION

    2000

    Master Distiller Jimmy Russell is inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame.

    2004

    Jimmy Russell celebrates his 50th year at the Wild Turkey distillery.

    2010

    Eddie Russell is inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame by his father, Jimmy Russell.

    2015

    Eddie Russell is officially given the title of Master Distiller, then making Jimmy and Eddie the only active father and son duo of bourbon Master Distillers in the world.

    2016

    Famed actor and bourbon enthusiast Matthew McConaughey joins Wild Turkey as Creative Director.

    2018

    Wild Turkey introduces Longbranch, a small-batch bourbon refined with Texas Mesquite and American Oak charcoals, and the first co-creation from Master Distiller Eddie Russell and Creative Director Matthew McConaughey.

    2020

    Wild Turkey introduces Rare Breed Rye, our premium quality, masterfully crafted barrel proof rye.

  • Alright guys I got a great story for y'all. Today we chatted with Josh with Ranger Creek Distilling. They are based in San Antonio Texas, they are also a brewery. We dipped into a couple samples, and talked of process and backstory.

    Lets get into it, but first a word from our sponsors

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    SAn antonio's Brewstillery

    Ranger Creek is a combined brewery/distillery proudly located in San Antonio, TX. Established in 2010, we make beer and whiskey in our “brewstillery”, and we make it by hand one batch at a time with lots of love and attention.

    handcrafted texas Whiskey

    Award-winning Texas bourbon, single malt and rye whiskey. Grain-to-glass spirits made in small batches using Texas ingredients.

    RANGER CREEK .36 TEXAS STRAIGHT BOURBON

    .36 Texas Straight Bourbon is our flagship whiskey, handcrafted in small batches, aged in traditional large oak casks and matured under the Texas sun. It’s an award-winning sipping bourbon that’s also cocktail friendly.

    Originally crafted by our Co-Founder and Head Distiller emeritus, TJ Miller, each batch follows our grain-to-glass philosophy. Texas corn is milled, mashed, fermented, and our whiskey is distilled and aged at our San Antonio distillery, That same traditional process is carried on today by our current head distiller, Josh Gardner, and assistant distiller Tim Crofton.

    RANGER CREEK .36 TEXAS Cask Strength

    This is Texas Bourbon in all its grandeur. Directly out of the barrel. Uncut. Unfiltered.

    Our .36 Texas Cask Strength Bourbon is a rare release, using only a few barrels hand-selected by our head distiller. Handcrafted at our San Antonio distillery, aged and matured in the Texas heat, this whiskey is a unique and bold expression with Texas terroir.

    The finish is smooth. The flavor is bold. The craftsmanship is uncompromising.

    RANGER CREEK .44 TEXAS RYE

    Ranger Creek .44 Texas Rye Whiskey is made from 100% malted rye and matured in our used .36 Texas Straight Bourbon barrels. The process highlights the complexity of the rye grain, resulting in a spirit-forward whiskey. It pours a rich gold with a nose of cinnamon, mint and toffee. At 94 proof, the taste is strong but mellow with notes of clove and spice. The taste ultimately gives way to a clean, warming finish with lingering notes of fresh bread.

    True and authentic to our brand, .44 Texas Rye is a premium whiskey made from grain to glass in our hometown of San Antonio, Texas. Enjoy it neat or on the rocks. It also works great in a classic Old Fashioned or Manhattan cocktail.

    RANGER CREEK RUM

    This original rum was inspired by the positive response to our limited small-batch release. Made with the finest molasses and twice distilled in copper pots, this rum offers a smooth yet complex flavor profile. Our approach to crafting spirits is forged in authenticity and the desire to create products Texans are proud to call their own. Cheers!

  • Bonus Episode this is the live stream I did September 7th it was a lot of fun. Note all giveaways are already done.

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    2023 Birthday Bourbon

    In 1870, George Garvin Brown was the first to seal his whisky, Old Forester, in a glass bottle. To commemorate his birthday, the First Bottled BourbonTM annually releases a limited edition, vintage-dated expression: Birthday Bourbon. The September 2nd release markets the 23rd limited edition expression. Hand selected by Master Distiller- Emeritus Chris Morris and Master Taster Melissa Rift, this small batch bourbon offers a unique character and flavor profile that will never be replicated.

    The 2023 Birthday Bourbon is presented at 96 proof. After showing exceptionally unique character during a tasting panel, the 12-year old barrels were chosen specifically for Birthday Bourbon. The full allotment of product represents barrels that come from the same day of production.

    Aroma

    Bright candied citrus and floral overtones give way to rich turbinado sugar and roasted coffee beans as slight cedar and charred oak round out the nose.

    Taste

    Subtle citrus with heavy notes of dark honey, molasses and charred oak.

    Finish

    A dry toasty oaked caramel with lingering bittersweet tannins.

    Respect to theaging process.

    PLEASE SIP RESPONSIBLY

    Old Forester Straight Bourbon Whisky, 43-63.5% Alc. by Vol., Old Forester Mint Julep Cocktail, 30% Alc./Vol. Old Forester Distilling Company at Louisville in Kentucky. OLD FORESTER is a registered trademark. “AMERICA’S FIRST BOTTLED BOURBON’ is a trademark. ©2024 Brown-Forman Distillers. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

    Please do not share or forward this content to anyone under the legal drinking age.

    To find out more about responsible consumption, visit Responsibility.org and OurThinkingAboutDrinking.com

    A birthday is the anniversary of the birth of a person, or figuratively of an institution. Birthdays of people are celebrated in numerous cultures, often with birthday gifts, birthday cards, a birthday party, or a rite of passage.

    Many religions celebrate the birth of their founders or religious figures with special holidays (e.g. Christmas, Mawlid, Buddha's Birthday, Krishna Janmashtami and Gurpurb).

    There is a distinction between birthday and birthdate (also known as date of birth): the former, except for February 29, occurs each year (e.g. January 15), while the latter is the complete date when a person was born (e.g. January 15, 2001).

    Legal conventions

    In most legal systems, one becomes a legal adult on a particular birthday when they reach the age of majority (usually between 12 and 21), and reaching age-specific milestones confers particular rights and responsibilities. At certain ages, one may become eligible to leave full-time education, become subject to military conscription or to enlist in the military, to consent to sexual intercourse, to marry with parental consent, to marry without parental consent, to vote, to run for elected office, to legally purchase (or consume) alcohol and tobacco products, to purchase lottery tickets, or to obtain a driver's licence. The age of majority is the age when minors cease to legally be considered children and assume control over their persons, actions, and decisions, thereby terminating the legal control and legal responsibilities of their parents or guardians over and for them. Most countries set the age of majority at 18, though it varies by jurisdiction.

  • We are back again for round 3. This time we dive into some bourbon stories and lore. We get into Pappygate and a lot of stuff, hope you enjoy.

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    Whether we’re choosing thousands of barrels to make a batch of our most popular bourbon or picking just a few for a limited release, it takes a lot of veteran employees and a bit of technology to find exactly what we want. Currently, we have over 1.2 million barrels of whiskey aging in 54 rickhouses at six sites throughout Central Kentucky. If you’re thinking that’s a lot of whiskey to monitor, you’re right. But by using computers to track those barrels’ locations, our experienced crews can quickly target the exact ricks where the best whiskeys lie waiting. Technology helps, of course, but when it comes to taste, humans make the decisions at Heaven Hill.

    “When we do a bottling run for Evan Williams black label, we’re typically going to dump a few thousand barrels,” says Heaven Hill Distillery Master Distiller Denny Potter. Using proprietary barrel inventory control software (known to us as “BIC”), Denny starts the search for 5- to 6-year-old barrels of our bourbon rye mashbill. And while he could select that number of barrels from within any of our 20,000-plus barrel rickhouses, he never pulls the entire lot from just one.

    “We spread what we choose out across multiple warehouses, because you get so much variation in flavor from different warehouses and even warehouse sites,” he says. “For Evan Williams black, we like to take a cross-section of those barrels from three to four sites because we’re mingling the whiskey in those barrels to create a consistent flavor profile. “If we pulled all of the barrels out of our Deatsville location at one time, and pulled just from a Bardstown warehouse the next, every batch of that whiskey would taste different.”

    BIC is also used to identify each barrel’s specific location in every rickhouse. If located on the highest floors, where Kentucky summers heat the air to 115 degrees, water evaporates from the whiskey and boosts its alcohol content well above its initial 125 proof at barreling. By contrast, barrels resting on lower levels can see proof decrease. There, in the damp coolness of the rickhouse, water stays behind while some of the alcohol evaporates. Barrels in the middle levels, as you might expect, yield a balance of water, alcohol and flavors from the wood.

    Recently, Denny let a small group of guests taste these weather-influenced changes for themselves by sampling barrels from multiple rickhouses and locations. One bourbon came from the first floor, another from a middle floor, and another six stories up near the ceiling.

    “The one from the sixth floor was 150 proof, while the whiskey from the bottom floor was 99-a 51 proof difference!” Denny says. “That 99 proof was a 16-year-old wheated bourbon, and I’m telling you, it was one of the best whiskies I’ve ever had. The 150 proof was really good, but really hot.”

    Barrels chosen for our small batch whiskeys are more tightly scrutinized-first by experienced individuals looking through BIC, then by our onsite crews. An Elijah Craig or Larceny hunt will cull out 200 barrels or less to be dumped and mingled. For Henry McKenna 10-Year-Old Bottled-In-Bond, about 30 barrels are identified and segregated as single barrels, without batching, from rickhouse to bottle. With batches ranging from two to 200 barrels, the need to have their actual flavor sampled by tasting panels increases.

    “It’s tougher to blend less whiskey to achieve the final flavor you want when the dump is that small,” Denny says. “Say it’s part of our Parker’s Heritage Collection, a 24-year Bottled-in-Bond, the number of barrels we choose for that is a really small amount, and every barrel is sampled.”

    Heavenhilldistillery.com

  • Welcome back guys this was a lot of fun. Today we have Raleigh Hughes the sales lead for Bendt. We talked backstory, we talked process, we talked submarine stills. Use the coupon code GETBENDT24 to get a discount ot there website Bendtdistillingco.com And now a word from our sponsors

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    A native Texan, Raleigh loves golfing, Dallas sports, and sipping cocktails under the big Texas sky. He learned to golf from his grandfather, and actually spent some time playing professionally. He enjoys hanging out on local patios with his pup, Maggie, and spending time with his family. Raleigh joined #teambendt in March 2020.

    How does Raleigh #getbendt? BENDT + Lemonade


    2011

    Before the distillery was born, the DeHarts were homebrewing up a storm in their Dallas home, and Quentin Witherspoon was making rum on the side. A chance visit to Dallas by a mutual US Marine Corps friend of Ryan & Quentin brought the original partners together, and after a night of drinking whiskey and plotting an exciting venture into craft distilling,
    a plan was formed.

    2012

    A warehouse was leased, permits were applied for, and a still was being built by hand. And Witherspoon Distillery had become a party of four - Quentin Witherspoon, Ryan DeHart, Natasha DeHart and Laurent Spamer formed the founding management, production, sales and marketing teams. By late summer 2012, Witherspoon Distillery was approved as a fully legal and operational craft distillery. The learning process had begun, a small distributor was on board, and Quentin’s River Rum was making its way into the market. Before long, the crew discovered what would become a never-ending issue - growth in the distilling industry comes with a need for space. And whatever space you think you need, you’ll need significantly more by next year.

    2013

    Distillery intern Christy Cockrell became the first of several additions to the WD team in the summer of 2013. Little did we know at the time that her project, a grain-to-glass malt whiskey that was later branded as “Cross Timbers”, would eventually alter the direction of the distillery from rum to whiskey.

    On September 1, 2013, Texas law changed to allow distillers to pour samples, and on a limited basis, sell cocktails and bottles directly to consumers. That week was spent constructing a bar from fencing remnants, creating a limited cocktail menu, and inviting friends and family for the first ever Witherspoon Distillery tour. On Saturday, September 7th, the first distillery tour took place, the Maple Old Fashioned and Hemingway cocktails were served, and the first official guests visited.

  • This is a fun episode talking about all the unique process and mash bills. Everything from cherry smoke to sheep dung smoked. The possibilities are end less.

    There is a lot of cool stuff out there, let me know some of the weird whiskey you have ran into. Lets get into it, but first a word from our sponsors

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    Stauning Danish Rye Whisky, an exceptional alternative to traditional American rye whiskey. Made with Danish rye which has
    been growing in the tranquil Danish nature for over 2,000 years. Stauning whisky offers a unique flavor profile that’s rich, nuanced, and perfectly balanced. Discover a new dimension of rye whisky with Stauning Danish Rye Whisky.
    ​
    SkÄl!

    Local Danish ​rye & barley

    100% floor-malted​ for maximum flavor​

    Direct-fired small copper pot stills ​(24 of them)​

    Bottled on-site, natural colour, ​non-chill filtered​


    FlĂłki Single Malt Sheep Dung Smoked

    Our Sheep Dung Smoked Reserve is a truly unique smoked malt. Here we apply an old traditional Icelandic smoking style using sheep dung to smoke the barley.
    For centuries, Icelanders used this smoking method to preserve food and heat houses; to this day it is used for traditional food preparation and Icelandic malt crafting.
    The result is truly a unique whisky with a complex flavor profile. Sweet smoky notes compliment the intense flavor of the Icelandic barley and a rich, lingering aftertaste that brings you back to the farm you worked on decades ago.
    FlĂłki Sheep Dung Smoked Single Malt is handcrafted and produced from 100% locally farmed Icelandic barley, smoked using traditional Icelandic methods and materials. It is a Single barrel whisky aged for 3 years in ex-FlĂłki Young Malt barrels under the base of mount Hekla.
    Sheep dung smoked Icelandic single malt is available at the Duty Free Store in Iceland, most local liquor stores in Iceland and through our distributors world wide.

    Whisky Advocate’s Artisan Whiskey of the Year – The whis- key that put us on the map.

    We use three individually smoked malts (cherrywood from Wisconsin, beechwood from Germany, and peat from Scotland) to craft this deep and complex whiskey. Using 3 distinct smokes provides consistent and balanced smoke from nose to the pallet and throughout the finish.

    Corsair never uses artificial flavors or colors, achieving superior flavor and color through quality malted barley, innovative distillation and small barrel maturation.

    Tasting Notes

    Smoke and notes of cherry pervade the palate, finished by a slight brininess from the mossy peat. Pot distilled then aged in new American charred oak, Triple Smoke has the sweetness of an American whiskey with the rich smoke of an Islay single malt scotch.

    Adventurous Stills is a craft distillery located in Tempe, Arizona. Founded by Kelly Lattig in 2015, Adventurous Stills handcrafts premium award-winning whiskey & spirits using locally grown grains and traditional distilling practices. Our mission is to craft unique and flavorful spirits that express the adventurous spirit of Arizona.
    Adventurous Stills is committed to using sustainable processes and delivering an exceptional line of spirits without any compromises. All our whiskey and spirits are 100% natural with all their flavors coming from the grains and the barrels - Never sourced, flavored, or colored!
    We offer:

    Bottle sales online, at our distillery & select local establishments

    Distillery tours & handcrafted cocktails at our Distillery & Tasting Room

    Membership Program with access to our limited releases

    Special Services like group events & tours, private barrel/white label program and more

    Stauningwhiskey.com

    Flokiwhisky.is

    Corsairdistilling.com

    Adventurousstills.com

  • Guys I'm so excited to have this ready for y'all. I have been waiting a minute to release this one, through scheduling conflicts and having a backup of guests. Hope you enjoy because i did.

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    Who was Ben Holladay?

    Ben Holladay is one of the greatest unknown figures in American history. Born in Kentucky, he moved to Weston, Missouri, as a teenager to seek his fame and fortune.

    He became the original transportation tycoon, famed as the “Stagecoach King” for creating the Overland Express stagecoach lines that were ultimately sold to Wells Fargo, just one piece of a transportation portfolio that also included steamships, streetcars, and a railroad. He even owned the Pony Express for part of its brief history.

    With everything from silver mines to saloons also under his domain, he was the largest individual employer in the US in the late 1800s and kept close counsel with everyone from President Lincoln to Brigham Young. He built an empire that spanned the entire country, and this distillery is the only piece left standing. Little did he know that whiskey would be the lasting legacy that carried the Holladay name well into the future.

    Where it all began

    The Holladay Distillery was established over 166 years ago, but the history of the property goes back even further. Over fifty years before founder Ben Holladay acquired the land, Lewis and Clark passed through in 1804 during their famed expedition to the West. They discovered and charted the limestone springs that run abundantly throughout the property and traveled through what would later become Weston, Missouri.

    It wasn’t until 1837 that the town of Weston was officially established, earning its name by virtue of being the “farthermost town west in trade” of that era. It was a small town of fewer than 300 people, but it was the second-largest port on the Missouri River at the time, surpassing both Kansas City and St. Joseph.

    Ben Holladay purchased the land in 1849. The site consisted of several acres of land and a stone building that had served as a meatpacking house. Upon discovery of the site’s limestone springs, the idea for Ben’s next business venture was born. As a Kentucky native, Ben knew that limestone water was optimal for bourbon production and he and his brother, David, went to work on acquiring the necessary items needed for distillation.

    In 1856, Ben and David distilled their first batch of bourbon under what they had named the Blue Springs Distillery. The barrels were stored in an ancient cave on site that had previously been used for meat curing and preservation. To this day, the same cave is intact and continues to be a fan favorite along the tour route of the facility.

    After a short year of aging, the first batch of whiskey from the Blue Springs Distillery was sold for 35 cents per gallon. Shortly after, Ben transferred ownership of the distillery to his brother, Major David Holladay. The business stayed in the Holladay family through the end of the 1800s, passing from David Holladay to his son and son-in-law to become Barton & Holladay in 1894.

    Drink like a distiller with Holladay Rickhouse Proof

    When Kyle begins the process of crafting a batch of Ben Holladay or Holladay Soft Red Wheat, he blends bourbon from different barrels and tastes them in their original form – at Rickhouse Proof. Each expression of Holladay Rickhouse Proof is bottled at the exact proof from the bourbon barrel yield after a minimum of six years aging in one of the original Holladay Rickhouses. No two releases will ever be exactly the same, but every bottle of Rickhouse has one important commonality – full proof, full flavor.

  • We are back at it again. The bourbon flows on this one, we talk about history. Theres a distillery story and some gossip. Then we talk about Bottled in Bond, there is a lot going on.

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    Bottled-in-Bond (BIB) is a standard for American whiskey that has been aged and bottled in accordance with a set of legal regulations initially outlined in the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. To be labeled Bottled-in-Bond, a whiskey must originate from a single distillery, produced during a single season—either spring (January to June) or fall (July to December)—aged for a minimum of 4 years in a federally bonded warehouse, and bottled at 100 Proof (50% ABV). The label on the bottled product must indicate the distillery where it was distilled and, if different, where it was bottled.

    Bottled-in-Bond stands as the world's first and highest standard for whiskey, and Colonel James E. Pepper played a crucial role in advocating for its creation and its implementation.

    One of the primary goals of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 was to establish a quality standard for bourbon whiskey. Prior to the act's passage, much of the whiskey sold as straight whiskey was far from genuine. A significant portion of the product was adulterated, being flavored and colored with substances like iodine, tobacco, and more. This led to a widespread belief that there was a pressing need for a system to verify and assure the quality of the whiskey.

    Michael Veach, Bourbon Hall of Fame Author & Historian:

    "This was a controversial piece of legislation opposed by many rectifiers. The two sides of the argument included E.H. Taylor Jr., and James E. Pepper, who argued on the side of the straight whiskey producers, and George Garvin Brown and Isaac Wolfe Bernheim, who argued on the side of the rectifiers."

  • Got a good one for yall today. We got Davin Topel from Real Spirits, and we have a great conversation about life, whiskey, real estate. Hope you enjoy

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    From Grain to Glass:
    The Real Spirits Way

    Real Spirits emerged from deep roots of craft brewing in the Texas Hill Country.

    After 21 years of building a solid foundation of beer, we launched the Real Spirits Distilling program in 2017. Our owner, Brad Farbstein, is as passionate about unique handmade spirits as he has always been about craft beer. In October 2014 he filed for a distillery permit and began tinkering away to create what would become Real Spirits. In April 2017, after years of experimentation and fine-tuning, we launched Real Spirits to the public out of our tap room with Texas Hill Country Signature Whiskey, Grain to Glass Gin, and the highly limited first batch of Single Barrel Whiskey.

    See Our Spirits

    It starts with beer

    All Real Spirits starts with – of course – a foundation of Real Ale beer. Currently, Real Ale’s Devil’s Backbone Belgian-style Tripel and the award-winning Real Heavy Scotch Ale are used to make our signature and single barrel whiskey, and White, a Belgian-style wheat ale, is the base beer for our gin. This means we make all Real Spirits liquors grain-to-glass. They are brewed, fermented, aged, bottled, and served on-site at the brewery and distillery in Blanco.

    Distilling the good stuff

    Real Spirit’s whiskey process begins as any other day at the brewery. Our brewers brew beer for distilling the way they normally would. The only difference is that they forgo the addition of hops during the brewing stage. This is then fermented to about an 8% ABV beer. Our distiller fills the 1100 liter hand-hammered copper pot still with the beer and brings it to the boiling point of ethanol (around 170F degrees). The steam that is generated is then pushed through the lyne arm into the condenser where it is introduced to a cold environment, turning the steam back into a liquid. This liquid is cut into three portions, heads, hearts and tails (beginning, middle, and end of the distillation). Only the hearts are collected and barreled for a determined period of time. As the whiskey ages, we taste each barrel and determine when the spirit has matured. Finally, the spirit is harvested from each barrel and mingled together for bottling.

    Whiskey Sour

    A whiskey sour is yours for the making year-round. It’s refreshing enough to keep up with a spritz during the warm summer months, but appropriate during the colder seasons of the year as well.

    Ingredients

    2 oz. Real Spirits Texas Hill Country Whiskey

    Juice from 1 lemon

    1 1/2 tsp agave nectar

    Cherry

    Lemon wedge

    cocktail glass

    ice

    Directions

    Pour Signature whiskey into a shaker of ice.

    Add lemon juice and agave necatar

    Shake lightly

    Strain into a cocktail glass full of ice.

    Garnish with a cherry and lemon wedge

    Enjoy!

    Ginger’d Ass

    Finish with the ginger beer of your choice. We like Maine Root Ginger Brew.

    Ingredients

    2 oz. Real Spirits Texas Hill Country Whiskey

    1 sprig of rosemary

    1 lime wedge

    ginger beer

    cocktail glass

    ice

    Directions

    Pour Signature whiskey into a shaker of ice.

    Add rosemary and lime wedge

    Shake well.

    Strain into a cocktail glass full of ice.

    Top with ginger beer.

    Enjoy.

  • Long over due episode about bourbon, what it is why it is. This is part 1 which means we didn't get very far. Habanero candy simple syrup, and merica got in the way. hope you enjoy.

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    WHAT IS BOURBON?

    Bourbon is an American Whiskey produced mainly in the southern part of Kentucky State.

    What Is Bourbon?

    According to US Trade Legislation, “bourbon” is a type of whiskey where the “mashbill”—the recipe of grains used to produce the whiskey—consists of 51% - 80% corn. Typically, distillers use approximately 70% corn content and can choose other grains for the remainder of the mashbill. The type of grain used will affect the style and flavors of the whiskey.

    There are specific guidelines that distillers must follow to put the word bourbon on the label.

    The Process - Most bourbon starts with sour mash. It is taken from a previous batch of mash (crushed grain going through the fermentation process), set out to sour overnight, and then added to a new batch. The process is much like that of starting a sourdough bread.
    The Recipe - Bourbon is distilled from a fermented mash of grain, yeast and water. The “mash bill” must have a minimum of 51% corn. For most bourbons, the average is about 70%. Other grains such as rye, malted barley, and wheat are considered “flavor” grains.
    Length of Aging - Bourbon must be aged for at least two years. Many premium bourbons on the market are aged between 5 and 12, with some as long as 27 years.
    The Barrel - Bourbon must be aged in brand-new barrels made of white oak and charred on the inside. Brands determine the varying char levels for their barrels from 1 to 4.
    Flavor – By law, nothing can be added at bottling except water. Nothing is added that might enhance flavor, add sweetness or alter color.
    Proof - Bourbon is bottled at between 80 and 125 proof. Only water may be used to lower the proof of the alcohol.
    Location – Bourbon can be made anywhere in the US. Only whiskey produced in the State of Kentucky can be called labeled Kentucky Straight Whiskey.

    Traditional Bourbon

    Knob Creek (rye content approx. 30%)

    Jim Beam

    Wild Turkey

    Evan Williams

    High-Rye Bourbons

    Rye is the second grain used in Bourbon, it adds dry, spicy, peppery flavors to the whiskey's character. Examples of Bourbons with high rye content include

    Basil Hayden’s

    Bulleit

    Buffalo Trace

    Eagle Rare

    George T. Stagg

    Old Forester

    Old Grand-Dad

    Woodford Reserve

    Four Roses Single Barrel

    High-Wheat Bourbons

    Wheat adds elegance and a soft, smooth character, often with hints of nuts and cinnamon. Whiskeys with high wheat content include

    Maker’s Mark

    Old Fitzgerald

    Old Rip Van Winkle, or Pappy Van Winkle

    Rebel Yell

    WL Weller

    A bourbon is also distinct from a whiskey in other ways:

    The bourbon leaves the still at no higher than 80% alcohol by volume.

    The bourbon enters new charred white oak casks for aging at no higher than 62.5% abv.

    The bourbon is bottled at no less than 40% abv.

    The bourbon is flavored by nothing other than water—this means the Jack Daniel’s is not a bourbon!

    The bourbon must state its age on the label if the maturation time is less than four years.

    Bourbon is so intrinsically linked to the ‘Bluegrass State’ that it’s easy to think the spirit is exclusively made there. What’s more, according to the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, 95 per cent of the world’s supply comes from Kentucky. The reality is, however, that it can be produced anywhere in America, and new bourbon distillers are cropping up across the country all the time.