Chalonda & Nkosi 5/1/21 Chalonda & Nkosi 5/1/21

From Bardstown To West Virginia

**Boondocks Craft Whiskey, Bardstown, KY**

You can almost drawn a straight line (a 6hr line) between these two distilleries on the map - Boondocks Craft Whiskey and Smooth Amber Spirits.

This week’s pair of cask strength whiskeys couldn’t be more different. One hails from the Bourbon Capital of The World offering an 11yr old product. The other is a crew from West Virginia that launched their distillery 11yrs ago.

Exploring options staring you in the face on the shelf is the theme of this pair. Our local shop was beyond excited to carry at trio of releases from Boodnocks in Bardstown. The project is led by a the Master Distiller that help launch the Woodford Reserve. Dave Scheurich, the 40 year veteran has a hit on his hands with Boondocks.

The barrels are second use bourbon barrels so it’s not technically bourbon. We opted for the cask strength for this ep, but the port finished was described as “an Angels Envy killer” during our visit to the shoppe.

**Fuck Around And Be My Fav 4Yr Product Of The Year So Far**

I’ll say this about the cask strength, it reminds you a lot of the non peated scotch offerings from Speyside. Sometimes we wish Scotches or Irish Whiskeys were released more often at barrel strength. The Boodocks, with less emphasis on char, and more on floral notes and orchard fruits really delivers with a unique profile. Did we mention its a goddam 11 year old cask strength American Whiskey sitting on the shelf for 50$?

Smooth Ambler Old Scout Rye is coming off a bit like a pecan pie in a glass..creamy. nutty. spicy. delicious. This whiskey is barrel proof, it’s four years old, and it’s an exercise in the understand that age doesn’t always tell the whole story in bourbon.

On the show we talk about how at a fraction of the age of the Boondocks, this Old Scout Rye is every bit as complex as the older whiskey. Never even heard of Smooth Ambler outside of their barrel picks ending up on Fred Minnick’s Best Bourbons of the Century So Far list kicking off that list at number 30. Based in Maxwelton, West Virginia, Smooth Amber Spirits has been around since 2009.

More than any previous ep. of the pod we are appreciative bourbon’s current state and the ridiculous amount of quality bottles on the shelf.

Later in the week I went back and picked up another bottle of Smooth Amble Cask Strenghth Single Barrel Rye for the vault. Outside of the Binny’s Barrel Select Knob Creek (10yr, 120 proof, 50$) this is the only time I’ve considered having a backup since we launched the show. Be sure to check out Episode 35 of The Neat Pour Pour Podcast for our thoughts on this highly recommended, easy to find, affordable pair of whiskies.

—The Neat Pour

No Cocktail of the Week (again), Chalonda too busy playing on her dumbass phone to contribute.

**A Pair Of Recommended Shelf Offerings This Week**

Chalonda & Nkosi 4/18/21 Chalonda & Nkosi 4/18/21

A Triple Cask Finished Rye Whiskey Banger From Barrell Craft Spirits - Seagrass!

**The Latest From Barrell Craft Spirits, Louisville, KY**

The last finished rye whiskey we encountered was Angels Envy Rye is aged for 6 years then finished 18 months in Plantation XO Caribbean Rum casks. That combination, even with ta 95% rye mashbill is all breakfast syrup over pancakes on the nose.

This highly anticipated Seagrass from Barrell Craft Spirits is a completely different animal. A blend of U.S. and Canadian whiskeys finished in a Martinique Rum, Madeira and Apricot Brandy Barrels.

Rye whiskey on it’s on takes on these cocktail qualities anyway. So the finishing amplify notes maraschino cherry, pear and burnt orange effortlessly. We get that notorious Land-O-Lakes butter aromatic that gives way quickly to a ripe fresh fruit medley.

The rye spice shows up in a conventional way. It tickles the nostrils and lingers with a pleasant grassy, herbal sensation that slightly numbs the tongue a bit. For a lack of a better descriptor it smells like the forest with hints of honey.

**Finished in Martinique Rum, Madeira and Apricot Brandy Barrels.**

As excited as we were about the recco to try Barrell Armida (finished in pear brandy bbls), this honestly is a more exciting use of the brandy barrel finishing technique.. We usually go head-to-head on the pod, trying to compare flavors between a pair of whiskeys on the show. It’s a testament to the Seagrass that it made sense to only spotlight one product this week.

I opted against Chalonda making a cocktail of the week for this one. Just wanted to sit with the layers of the Seagrass for a few weeks, and my lady is heavy handed with the ingredients sometime. That all went out the window as she crafted a most excellent bourbon milkshake during the White Sox in Boston double header we write this. Chocolate liqueur, coffee liqueur, Barrel Seagrass and vanilla ice cream blended for the win.

-The Neat Pour

Be sure to check out our thoughts on the Barrel Seagrass in Episode 34 of The Neat Pour Podcast.

**Armida, The First Barrell Expression To Showcase Brandy Barrels**

**American and Canadian Rye Whiskey Finished in Brandy, Madeira and Rum Casks**

Chalonda & Nkosi 4/10/21 Chalonda & Nkosi 4/10/21

The Original Small Batch Bourbon Collection

Jim Beam is celebrating 225 of distilling this year. Baker’s is probably the least discussed member of their Small Batch Collection and we’re not sure why. Basil Hayden, Booker’s, Knob Creek all have a higher profile than the Baker Beam namesake we featured this week on the pod. In fact it was only on our radar because Chalonda found an article about the revamped bottle design and how it could be a collectors item now that it’s retired.

Baker’s began as a 7yr small batch release but nowadays it’s rolled out in 7yr and 13yr single barrel variations. Gone is the wine bottle silhouette popularized by the legendary Booker’s releases. In its place its a smaller, bolder label design and a bottle shape that looks a lot like Absolut Vodka.

**Basil Hayden and Basil Hayden Dark Rye, 80 Proof**

**The Legendary Booker’s Country Ham 2019-3**

We forget that that Jim Beam and Makers Mark are both owned by Suntory. My first dance with Bakers was at JFK Airport in NYC on my way to Dublin. The Bourbon Legends Tasting Exhibit gave anyone in that international terminal samples to enjoy. That Baker’s when taking it side-by-side with Knob Creek 12 comes for your nose with waves of rich vanilla and classic caramel overtones. Most Beam offering are notorious for that nuttiness in the aroma or on the palate.

Chalonda picks up a black walnut note in those releases, it tastes more like a peanut brittle or a toffee to me, either way always a nuts for sure. Bakers somehow plays almost like a product from a completely different distillery. It’s a fantastic variation on what you expect from the Jim Beam lineup. It’s fair to compare the flavor profile difference of Bakers and Knob Creek 12 to that of Evan Williams BIB (white label) and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof from Heaven Hill .

**7 Proof Points Higher and 3yr Older Than Standard Knob Creek**

Not sure why Baker’s isn’t discussed more in the bourbon world. We are half way into our bottle already and it is quite the groove. Had the bottle design not changed we would have missed a chance at exploring this one.

Knob Creek 12 on the other hand with its rich flavor profile in every aspect was named top whiskey of 2020 in some circles. At 100 proof you did get a those smoky tobacco notes, the big, boozy spice notes as well as the delicate caramels found in Baker’s.

For my money I’ll still tell you last year’s the Binnys Select Barrel Picks of Knob Creek at 120 proof were the best thing I had from Beam last year. But we can understand why folks are amped about Knock Creek 12.

**The Recently Retired Baker’s Small Batch**

Beam Small Batch Collection when it debuted was meant to raise awareness of the main portfolio offering different special releases for nerds to get excited about. The idea isn’t too much different from Single Malt Scotch philosophy across the pond.

They were ahead of the curve, now as much of the enthusiasm around bourbons these days is centered around unique one-off barrel strength releases. You can thank Jim Beam for changing the landscape of American bourbon forever with this collection.

Other Notes:

-Booker’s Kathleen’s Batch and Country Ham were part of postgame follies after last week’s recording.

-Be sure to check out Episode 33 of The Neat Pour Podcast for all our thoughts on Knob Creek 12 and Baker’s 7yr

Chalonda & Nkosi 4/4/21 Chalonda & Nkosi 4/4/21

Order These Whiskeys Now

**Guidance Whiskey | Nashville, Tennessee**

It was ‘Attack of the Yankee Whiskeys’ week on the channel.

We didn’t mention on the show the Guidance barrel aged project with Chicago’s Turner Haus Brewing. Too caught up in how good their 2yr, 80 proof whiskey is. The Tennessee based project led by Founder Jason Ridgel is all about focusing on the lack of black owned distillers in the country. His YouTube channel has commercials for the product with backgrounds ranging from meetups to horse back riding.

When you ask about tactical tasting notes the response is “it tastes like a celebration”. I’ll tell you it shouldn’t be as good as it is. It’s reminiscent a little of Evan Williams Single Barrel. It’s a whiskey that is small but not watered down.

It really has changed our conversation about what a 2yr product is supposed to be, or even a whiskey produced in Iowa for that matter. Jason is a Tennessee State grad and understands his calling by making it known the importance of leaving the door open for other black ventures with any traction gained from his progress with Guidance.

Nothing but respect for this crew…the whiskey is fucking good too.

It’s a true recipe collaboration, not just a contractor or a sourcing of stocks. Jason and his Iowa distilling partner created the recipe based on Guidance specs.

So good that Chalonda got back on the wagon and made her triumphant return crafting Cocktail of the Week for the first time in like six weeks. It was The Beer Hunter, Michael Jackson’s birthday so we celebrated by opening Barrel Proof Ragtime Rye, Garrett Oliver Single Barrel.

Most of NY Distilling Co’s whiskey is produced upstate so New York State law designates them eligible for a tasting room. So in Williamsburg they produce craft cocktails and give tours in the same neighborhood as the legendary brewmaster’s Brooklyn Brewery location. The Michael James Jackson Foundation for Brewing and Distilling is a non profit that advances technical education for black folks and other minorities “people of color” is the term they use.

At some point we need to discuss how POC includes minority groups that don’t like black people, but that’s not a dive for this channel. New York Distilling donated 35K to Garret Oliver’s foundation initiatives.

Garrett is a cool customer a dapper dresser and a collaborator of the highest order. We featured the Four Roses Small Batch Black Ops release in port because we were huge fans of is. I had a nerd out moment when he signed a copy of my Oxford Companion to Beer, a book that he published back in 2001. The only time was overly interested in a live taping of the Good Beer Hunting Podcast is when Garret made a live appearance at the Logan Square studio.

It made Chalonda’s whole life when he complimented her at her Afro Beer Chick booth, it’s a story she relives every time he comes up in conversation… I mean we like his style.

Both of these entires were unexpectedly fantastic in their own way. The Ragtime might be my second favorite rye experience of the year behind Thomas H. Handy. Just the right amount of spice, lemon and bitter orange with a wonderful salted caramel sweetness. Understands and subtle is a good description for Guidance. That crew makes me rethink the things I thought to look for in whiskey, I’m beyond excited about that .

—The Neat Pour

Other Notes

- Listen Episode 32 of The Neat Pour Podcast

-Order The Garret Oliver Barrel Selection

-Order Guidance Small Batch Whiskey

**Brooklyn Brewery Black Ops + Garrett Oliver NY Distilling Ragtime Rye Single Barrel**

Chalonda & Nkosi 3/28/21 Chalonda & Nkosi 3/28/21

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Holds It’s Own Next To Parker’s Heritage

**Top Tier Cask Strength Releases From Heaven Hill**

For six generations every Master Distiller at Heaven Hill since their inception back 1935 has been a member of the Beam family. Parker’s Heritage is of course the annual release named after long time Master Distiller, Parker Beam. The Parker’s Heritage Collection speaks to his preference of barrels in the warehouse, with a different focus every release.

It also serves as a fundraiser, bringing awareness to ALS, the condition that Parker battled until he passed in 2017. This is the 14th edition of Parker’s Heritage, on the show we focused on the latest release, 10 yr Heavy Char along with an all-time favourite, the instant classic, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.

It’s a tall tale of sorts to call Elijah Craig ‘The Father of Bourbon’ but bourbon is loaded with these types of larger than life narratives.

My first dance with EC was back when Goose Island Pub Brewmaster, Jared Rouben explained that it was his barrel of choice for BA release he entered into FOBAB. Jared love that bourbon because it was the first one that he shared with his father.

**Named For 6th Generation Heaven Hill Master Distiller, Parker Beam**

Elijah Craig barrel strength all things considered might be the best whiskey in the Heaven Hill lineup. They are affectionately known as the ‘kings of the bottom shelf’ in some circles for their presence on the lower shelves at every liquor store ever with solid, budget friendly screw top options that always taste pretty fucking good.

JTS Brown is my go to on Sundays when I Zoom with mom. That whiskey was also featured in The Hustler starring Jackie Gleason back in ‘61.

There’s JW Gant, Evan Willams (top selling bourbon in the U.S.) and of course Rittenhouse Rye. The rye is actually where the L5 char story begins. Heaven Hill whiskeys usually all enter Level 3 barrels for aging with the exceptions including Rittenhouse Rye and this last Parker’s Heritage Heavy Char.

**Entry Number 14 in the Parker’s Heritage Collection**

The process refers to barrels that are torched for 1 min, 30 seconds (Level 5) compared to the traditional 40 seconds (Level 3). Heavier barrel charring means a deeper penetration of the liquid into the wood creating richer flavors.

Much like wanting to understand premium offerings from Michters and Old Forester, we feel its our duty to compare limited releases to their more widely distributed counterparts.

On the show we tried relay that as much as we enjoy the leather, toasted pecan and cinnamon spice of Elijah Craig, the PH just takes that idea and remasters it. So hints of ginger, more sweet oak, big Red Hots candy spice, these layers of complexity that don’t reside in the Elijah Craig are present. It’s one of the few examples where the limited release is clearly more pronounced with more depth than the standard.

PH is worth hunting down as it captures the essence of Heaven Hill’s ethos by executing on classic bourbon flavors but with an unexpected concentrated profile of those notes that you love.

—The Neat Pour

Other Notes:

-Be sure to check out Episode 31 of The Neat Pour Podcast our thoughts on these massive releases from Heaven Hill.

Chalonda & Nkosi 3/21/21 Chalonda & Nkosi 3/21/21

The Saint Cloud Kentucky Bourbon Interview

Saint Cloud Bourbon Founder, Ray Walker has created a luxurious experience with his full proof bourbons over the past few years.

Whiskey nerds may notice the elegant bottle design from last year’s Spring cover of The Bourbon Review Magazine. Bourbon is the continuation of Ray’s vision that began as a Grand Cru wine producer in Burgundy, France. After a brief, passionate exchange over IG we decided to reach out and set up a chat with the charismatic curator to learn more about the background of Saint Cloud Bourbon and where it’s headed.

The Neat Pour Your bottles reference the City of Sparta, Kentucky

Ray Walker/ Saint Cloud Bourbon We pull materials from all different parts of the world. My bottles and paper are coming in from France, we print and label in St. Helena, California. My medallions are from Argentina. It all comes together in Sparta where we bottle the bourbon. Up until that point we have barrels located across warehouses in Kentucky.

The Neat Pour What’s the origin of the name Saint Cloud?

Saint Cloud I wanted a name that was both strong and dynamic without being too heavy. Saint Cloud refers to this black, disruptive cloud coming over the industry and changing the way things are done. We take a high end approach that has finesse and a femininity to it.

The Neat Pour As an NDP what is your process for bourbons before they are ready to be mingled and packaged?

Saint Cloud When we first launched we had batches because we didn’t have a lot of bourbon. All the bourbon we had went into batches until bottling.

After the second release we started gaining recognition in the bourbon community and began buying single barrels. Those stay in barrels until it’s time to package, we want those barrels to be as old as possible.

The Neat Pour We noticed the Fleur-de-lis placed throughout the branding on the bottle.

Saint Cloud There’s a lot of French in my background. My great, great grandfather and his three brothers were given French names because their father fought in the War of 1812.

I also wanted to pay homage because I spent so much time in France and wanted some of that connection represented.

There’s been a recent redesigned where we removed those to focus on an Art Decco approach going forward.

Right now our bottle is minimal and beautiful with a black background but there’s no life to it. We want our new labels to show people of color without a statement. Just showing us in real life will add color seamlessly and speak to what our vision.

The Neat Pour The current 7yr expression is pouring very well. What can we expect next on the horizon for Saint Cloud?

Saint Cloud Southern Glazer’s will be taking us national, there will be a deeper presence in states where we already sell. New products will include a 100 proof statement released in places Indiana. Not everyone is into cask strength bourbons so this a more inclusive entry with a lower price point.

The Neat Pour Your palate lends itself to the curation of unique profiles from bourbons all across the state in your releases. Will that continue to be the focus?

Saint Cloud I was detailed and hands on when making wine, I love production. We starting laying down barrels with a mashbill that I came up with. It’s always a question of balancing when you are self funded with limited resources. You have to decide sometimes between expanded production or focusing on outreach for the brand. I have to be patient.

A Natiional Expansion On The Horizon For Saint Cloud

The Neat Pour How important is it to remain a Kentucky product in the bottle as the brand expands?

Saint Cloud Kentucky is great and it’s really important to me. I’ve tasted whiskeys from other states and it shouldn’t make a difference but we haven’t found examples that excite me.

All the bourbons we’ve gotten our hands on from Kentucky have been very good. I have all this history tied into Kentucky. It’s important financially, it’s important from a heritage perspective, it’s important family-wise and it’s my personal taste preference as well. I have many reasons to keep it Kentucky.

—The Neat Pour

Chalonda & Nkosi 3/7/21 Chalonda & Nkosi 3/7/21

The Beauty of Blends - Tullamore DEW X.O. Irish Whiskey Finished in Caribbean Rum Casks

***Legendary Conversations Since 1829***

This blend of delicious Irish whiskey celebrates the blend of cultures of the people who came over from island and are now a part of the American heritage. Of the well known Irish Distillers- Jameson, Powers, Bushmill, Paddy’s all of them are triple distilled..but only one is triple distilled, blended and casks - Tullamore D.E.W.

Tullamore is a place that is both the geographical and emotional heart of Ireland. Daniel Edward Williams (the DEW in Tullamore D.E.W.) was an iconic individual who is remembered for his whiskey but is much bigger than that.

Daniel brought the first car and the first telephone to Tullemore. More importantly he brought the electrification project of rural Ireland. In the late 1800s early 1900s the interior of the island wasn’t connected.

***Tullamore D.E.W. Triple Distilled, Blended, Cask Irish Whiskey.***

To understand the complexity of this whiskey we should speak to the components that make it special.

There are three types of Irish Whiskey. Tullamore DEW original blend, the one you know, see and love is a tripled distilled whiskey. But what makes it interesting is that it’s tripled blended.

Grain Whiskey - produced in column stills, creates a light, sweet style whiskey.

Malt Whiskey - Malted Barley is when the grains are immersed in water. All the barley has to be germinated in malted barley, and all has to be from the same distillery if it’s a Single Malt.

Pot Still Whiskey - A Whiskey comprised of half malted and half unmalted barley, only made in Ireland. The Malt Tax of 1775 why was pot still became a thing. The King of London created a tax for all Irish brewers and distillers.

The English came to Ireland when they weren’t invited and they stayed too long. If only 50% of the barley is malted then only 50% would be taxed. This has been an essential part of Irish Whiskey since that tax law.

***Daniel Edward Williams (the DEW in Tullemore DEW)***

There is no other Irish whiskey that blends 3 casks. - ex bourbon, sherry and Tullumore Dew casks. This is the only whiskey in the world made this way.

You’re greeted by fruit on the nose but on the palate there’s a vanilla sweetness from the grain whiskey. Lovely, chocolate, vanilla, spices, dried fruits, and marzipan are the notes. Bourbon casks are made from American oak, vanillin is a compound in that wood. Spice and nuts flavors are coming from the pot still whiskey.

The X.O. is finished for 14 weeks in rum casks from the Demerara Distillery (El Dorado Rum). It’s called XO because it’s aged in wooded casks. This is the perfect Sunday night whiskey. The mouthfeel is creamier with flavors of rum raisin ice cream, bananas and toffee.

—The Neat Pour

***Both The Geographical + Emotional Heart of Ireland, Tullamore***

Other Notes:

-The only rules of Irish whiskeys are that they be distilled and matured on the island of Ireland. You don’t have to bottle Irish whiskey in Ireland. If a jet hits an Irish bottling plant and you have to bottle somewhere else, it’s still Irish whiskey.

-Original Tullamore DEW is a 5yr old product.

-Spanish casks cost $800 and are twice the size of a bourbon cask.

-You can pull significantly greater flavor from Spanish casks, but there isn’t enough sherry consumed for whiskey producers in Ireland and Scotland to just use sherry casks for aging.

-Sherry casks in most cases up to 5 times and they whiskey can mature for 2yrs.

-The X.O. is was the only whiskey awarded the Outstanding Gold Medal at The 2017 International Wine and Spirits Challenge.

-IWSC is considered the Oscars of wine and spirits. The only Irish whiskey to win was a Tullamore DEW was awarded Best Irish Whiskey.

Chalonda & Nkosi 3/4/21 Chalonda & Nkosi 3/4/21

Low Key, Michter’s Got Us Into Whiskey

***Afro Beer Chick. One Half Of The Neat Pour Podcast + Michter’s 10 Single Barrel Bourbon***

Aside from noticing the Michter’s Celebration every time it appeared on Showtime’s Billions, this distillery was our first home bar purchase.

Before cruising The Bourbon Trail or getting overly friendly with our local bottle shops, we always knew that we loved the profile of Michter’s whiskeys…and you could find them everywhere.

Michter’s Small Batch US 1, the bourbon and the rye with their low, approachable proof the spicy, sweet, syrupy profile draws us all in. Their special releases are mythical, Michters 25 is something we’ll never encounter and the aforementioned Celebration carries a $5000 price tag on secondary right now.

One Of Last Year’s Best Releases- Cask Strength Toasted Barrel Rye

As much I appreciate what this crew did to help us find our palate, there’s an issue with the 10yr lineup (Straight Rye, Kentucky Bourbon). They are nearly triple the price of the core lineup and roughly check in at the same proof point as the standard offerings.

There was a similar issue for us with Buffalo Trace’s Blanton’s Gold 103 proof (130$) to Blanton’s 93 proof (65$). Not saying proof is everything but on the Michter’s bottles you’re left searching for subtle nuances to the point where it doesn’t feel worth the effort to explore the older offerings.

To be clear, the texture on the 10yr releases is noticeably more engaging. It sticks to the palate with a nice richness that is slighted more elevated.

The whispers of berry, peach and baker’s chocolate are more noticeable. I’ve got a feeling that the family of M20 releases (20yr Bourbon, 25yr Rye, 25yr Bourbon) would be a different vibe in part because I’ve tried the Willett Family Estate 20yr and that remarkably aged whiskey is also rumored to be sourced from Willett.

***US*1 Single Barrel Straight Rye. The 1st Bar Purchase***

The one Michter’s release we’ve had access to that stood the tallest is that Toasted Barrel Cask Strength Rye. Low barrel entry proof and toasting before charring their barrels are two signatures of the distillery across all the brands. It was one of my favorite whiskeys of 2020.

Smoked aromatics in a way that reminds of a mezcal, herbal and rich with a grilled pineapple quality to it. Hints of creme brûlée and almost this marshmallow over an open flame vibe that can’t be denied. While we can’t speak to the what the 25 year portfolio offers, this is the most fun of all the Michters we’ve had on the show thus far.

Be sure to check out Episode 12, Episode 15 and Episode 19 of The Neat Pour Podcast for a deep dive into US1 OG Sour Mash, Straight Bourbon, Straight Rye, 10yr Straight Rye, Cask Strength Toasted Barrel Rye and Single Barrel 10yr Bourbon. Michters is a brand that dates back to the 1700s and is a hybrid of Michael and Peter, the children of the founder. They have a Whiskey Row location in downtown Louisville with main production in Shivley, KY.

—The Neat Pour

***This Fuggin Guy. The Family Lush -Raleigh***

Other Notes:

-Michter’s doesn’t reveal their mashbill were sourcing for a while as their distillate is currently aging and hasn’t yet to be released.

-It is believed that the products on the shelf currently have been contract distilled by an undisclosed Kentucky producer and customized to Michter’s specifications.

-Be sure to check out Episode 12, Episode 15 and Episode 19 of The Neat Pour Podcast for a deep dive into Michter’s.

Chalonda & Nkosi 2/27/21 Chalonda & Nkosi 2/27/21

The Willett Family of Kentucky Bourbons

Single Barrel Willett Family Estate Offerings

Kentucky Bourbon Distillers was established in 1984. The Willett Family bought this distillery at a public auction in 1984. It’s been in their family on and off since the 1930’s. It’s small operation wildly popular with the nerds for their vintage bottlings, special occasion bourbons..quite honestly some of the greatest whiskey barrels ever collected. Willett is responsible for keeping alive stocks from the golden era of great affordable whiskey.

At one point 90% of all whiskey that was 15yrs or older was coming from Willett. Master Distiller, Drew Kulsteen and family are prolific with their approach to sourcing amazing whiskeys. From 1980-2012, there was no production at their distillery.

Willett 80th Anniversary Straight Bourbon Whiskey at Frontier Chicago

While everyone else in the industry was sleep at the wheel, the Willet Family was calling distillers to inquire about excess inventory available from monthly production. Everyone from Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, Diageo, Brown-Foreman, Four Roses would fax over sheets of what’s available by number of barrels and price then send over samples.

During that period Willett was the home to customized new releases of older whiskies on the market creating the most interesting of expressions. Michter’s 25, Hirsch 25, 21yr Anniversary Delilah’s, Black Maple Hill just to name a few.

This approach was heralded by whiskey veterans who understood that without Willett preserving these old stocks, they could have easily been blended off in to some forgotten Jim Beam White Label or gotten lost in some Canadian Whiskey.

The approach of releasing a barrel at 16yrs old that was purchased at 3yrs old is a bit wild to me. Or an 18yr old rye arriving in a steel tank car that was then re-barreled and aged for another 10yrs!!??

The current single barrel program, Willett Family Estate is one of the most unique in all of bourbon. Customers can come in a pick any barrel no matter the age or profile as long as they buy the barrel.

Willett Family Estate Program Started Because Accounts Wanted A Single Barrel Expression of Noah’s Mill

Many of the brands under the current Willet umbrella - Kentucky Vintage, Johnny Drum, Old Bardstown, Noah’s Creek were all hand drawn by Drew’s dad. For Ep 28. of The Neat Pour Podcast we featured three house brands.

Johnny Drum started as a creation in the early 1950’s for Trader Joes. It was named after the family salesman, Johnny Willett.. It was his job to go drum up business. Johnny Drum begins as the original family recipe bourbon and has a high rye whiskey blended with it.

Named For Family Salesman Johnny Willett

Noah’s Mill began as a 15yr old age stated whiskey that really contained a blend of 15-18yr old whiskeys. It kinda taste like bourbon maple syrup. Somehow these notes of both peanut butter and chocolate covered cherry are mingled together in the most elegant way.

It is enjoyable beyond my expectations and restores my faith in affordable bourbons on the shelf. Today all of the house brands are made 100% from Willet distillate, it has been that way since 2017. The current lineup of 6 mashbills are often co mingled to create a unique profile with brands like Kentucky Vintage.

Over the last 40 years the family distillery been a cash based company with no private investors. It’s a small operation with 8 warehouses that have been restored and hold about 5500 barrels each.

—The Neat Pour

Be sure to checkout Ep 28 of The Neat Pour Podcast featuring Johnny Drum, Noah’s Mill and Family Estate 4yr Rye.

Chalonda & Nkosi 2/25/21 Chalonda & Nkosi 2/25/21

Maker’s Mark: Calligraphy, Red Wax + World Domination

The iconic red wax tundrells are recognized worldwide. What can we say about the Makers Mark crew?

Established in 1958, they are one of the youngest on The Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Julian Van Winkle III cant wait to tell you how it was Pappy Van Winkle who helped Bill Samuels Sr. develop the recipe - 70% corn, 16% Red Winter Wheat, 14% Malted Barley mashbill for Makers back at the start of this project. Makers Mark hand-dipped 30M bottles last year.

Through their Ambassador Program and their clever relationship with marketing executives over the last half century, they’ve become one of the most recognizable brands on the planet.

Makers 46. Finished 9 Weeks of French Oak Staves

Double Fisted On The Small Batch 90 Proof

There are two things you need to know about this crew. Their Victorian hillside mansion distillery is the most scenic in all of Kentucky. They are the only team in the top five of Kentucky distillers by volume that literally only has one mashbill for all their products. This guardrail has been in place since day one.

Much like Michters today and Stitzel-Weller before them, Makers Mark goes in the barrel 103 proof. Much lower than the 126 proof they are legally allowed to enter that barrel. Not only that, barrels are rotated in the warehouse to ensure consistency throughout the program. They age to taste around these parts. That ends up being around seven years for the finished released but there is no age statement on any product.

Black Bourbon Society care package circa 2019

Both Buffalo Trace and Makers Mark will tell you they are the oldest continuously running distillery in the state. Both go out their way to look old as well. So who knows what truth is in that arena. What we can speak to is that no other brand explores the effects of wood variants on their releases quite like these guys.

A conversation with their barrel producer, Independent Stave led to Bill Samuels Jr. creating Makers 46. It’s basically the OG recipe finished on ten French Oak staves for nine weeks. Bill’s mom is responsible for the signature wax dipping on each bottle.. that was her idea.

Time Honored Tradition Dating Back To 1958

Bill Jr. went to ad men in Ohio and shared his moms origin story then asked that group, “If she was alive today and designed a bottle for us, what would it look like?” The Makers 46 bottle was born out of those meetings.

Finishing spirits on different barrel staves is a practice well adopted in the wine industry. Today there are five stave selections in the Makers 46 program. Their interpretation of what it means to have a product line means that instead of designing new recipes or focusing on specific barrels in the warehouse to create new flavors, they allow their partners to develop their own take on the bourbon.

Makers outsources their design process to bars and associations around the world. There are over 1001 stave combinations possible from the five finishing staves. It’s a tradition like no other. Anyone with a bar can come to Loretto, pick five staves and let their whiskey rest on them for a unique interpretation of an American classic.

The only crew to win a double gold in this program at San Francisco’s World Spirits Competition was the Black Bourbon Society in 2019

They held a party at Virtue in Hyde Park, Chicago to celebrate. Suntory/ Makers Mark reps at that event let us know that the crew who went through more variations (21) than anyone ever before deciding on their Makers 46 bottle blend was Chicago’s own, Delilahs.

-The Neat Pour

Be sure to check out Ep 27 of The Neat Pour Podcast for our thoughts on the party and the influence both BBS and Delilahs have had on this channel.

Other Notes:

-A judge ruled in Makers Mark favor when Jose Cuervo dipped bottles in red wax. That judge also mentioned that if a Makers bottle is released with any alternate colors it weakens the case to protect red wax on a spirits bottle.

-As a result going forward you’ll see less releases of alternate wax colors like Lakers (purp, gold wax) Cubbies (blue wax) or the Gold wax made for dignitaries like Chalonda’s grandad, Mayor James Harris who was mayor of Phoenix, IL a small south suburban village about 20 miles south of downtown Chicago.

Cask Strength Dunk! and Makers 46 Private Select by Black Bourbon Society

Makers 46 Finishing Staves

-Baked American Pure

-Seared French Cuvee

-Makers 46 (French Oak)

-Roasted French Mocha

-Toasted French Spice

BBS didn’t use Mocha in their award winning finish, even though its the program’s most popular stave. In 2021 Maker’s has decided to retired to the Mocha option just as a way to keep things fresh and interesting for the selections.

A Call Was Made To Julian From The Samuels Family Politely Requesting He Not Dip Any More Of These Corti Brothers Bottles In Red Wax.

Chalonda & Nkosi 2/13/21 Chalonda & Nkosi 2/13/21

The Secret Weapon Against Winter Depression - High West A Midwinter Nights Dram

Chalonda joked that we drank 1/2 the bottle before the show even started. It definitely distracted us from a snow a single digits and kinda taste like Xmas in a glass.

A Midwinter Nights Dram is a cult favorite from Park City, Utah’s High West Distillery. One of our all time favorite photos is from the High West exhibit at Chicago WhiskyX Fest a few years back at Soldier Field. The cowboy, frontier western expansion theme was on full display at that joint. It’s still to this day the only true bourbon festival we’ve attended.

The High West Distillery and Saloon Booth at WhiskyX Chicago

At 99 proof this high rye whiskey punches outside of it’s weight class. It feels like a much higher proof on the palate. Act 8, Scene 3 is the bottle we cracked and is rumored to be a blend of an 8yr MGP mashbiill (95% rye) and High West’s own distillate 6yrs (80 proof). It’s a blend of rye whiskeys finished in French Oak Port barrels. The finished product comes off like a greatest hits of your spice cabinet along with some very pleasant tannins that are bright and acidic in nature.

I mean this in a complimentary way but this is kinda like the pumpkin ale of the whisky seasonal releases. That style divides audiences and I could see some people turned off by this release. We dig it but don’t see it being destination outside of the winter months. But I’ll be damned if this ain’t the perfect antidote for any cold slump we we’re in.

The name is a nod to William Shakespeare ‘s A Midsummer Nights Dream, a comedy written back in 1595. The bottle label its an ode to what the playwright probably looked like that back then. High West bottles are tall and slender like wine bottles. Embossed and sprinkled with gold specs throughout. For some reason the bottle is going for $300 on secondary online shops. The October 2020 release retails for about $90.

—The Neat Pour

-Other Notes

-Excerpts of the Shakespere play are on the back label of the bottle.

-Park City Utah is home to High West the county’s only ski-in gastro distillery.

-Be sure to check out Ep. 26 of The Neat Pour Podcast featuring Midwinter Night’s Dram

A Limited Engagement blend of rye whiskeys

Raleigh pouting per usual when we dont open whiskeys for him

Chalonda & Nkosi 2/6/21 Chalonda & Nkosi 2/6/21

Buffalo Trace’s Most Awarded Bourbon

When you hear bourbon dignitaries like Jimmy Russell or Booker Noe talk about Elmer T. Lee and their relationship with him, its always “Elmer over at Ancient Age”. That was the nickname of the Frankfort, KY facility when their Master Distiller Emeritus was in charge during the Age International era.

It was Elmer who had convinced ownership to invest into the infrastructure and consider entering foreign markets. Blanton’s was born in that time as the world’s first single barrel named after his mentor Albert Bacon Blanton..the space was known as the George T. Stagg Distillery when Albert Blanton ran the show.

Stagg Jr and George T. Stagg were the features this week on Episode 25 of The Neat Pour Podcast. Stagg Jr. is oddly a higher proof than it’s Antique Collection sibling GTS. Every week for whiskey Wednesday Master Taster, Drew Mayberry and Master Distiller, Harlan Wheatley often describe George T. Stagg as the finest example of what they are capable of producing as a distillery. As well as referring to it as the most awarded whiskey in their legendary lineup.

George T. Stagg is regarded as the man responsible for expanding E.H. Taylor’s Old Fire Copper Distillery (now known as Buffalo Trace)and making it a financially stable operation.

It’s quite literally the flagship bourbon over there. Buffalo Trace Bourbon is a 90 proof, 8yr expression of Stagg Jr. You don’t often think of those two brands as being the same mashbill but it speaks to the variables of location in warehouse, time in barrel, and proof drastically changing a flavor profile.

Buffalo Trace is and mashbill 1 mate Stagg Jr.

Where Chalonda prefers Jr at 128 proof, Nik adores the restrained excellence of Big Stagg. I’m guessing because our first dance with Jr led to her making these extra large lemonade ice cubes to tame Stagg Jr. This combo ended up being the soundtrack of the summer last year.

George T. Stagg has all the botanicals and black cherry soda vibration of its younger counterpart. Theres an underlying molasses and fig sensation that rounds out the palate in Sr. that makes it undeniable.

We talk about Sazerac products all the time on this channel. I can say without any hesitation that George T. Stagg and Thomas H. Handy, two monumental real life figures in the Sazerac/ Buffalo Trace lineage are also the only two whiskeys I don’t regret paying near secondary pricing for.

In fact they seem to either remain at that same top tier experience even as the bottle reaches below the neck, and even to the halfway point. Its still just as good as the first sip. Not all the bourbons we sample are out here making that small but much appreciated moment happen.

—The Neat Pour

Chalonda & Nkosi 1/30/21 Chalonda & Nkosi 1/30/21

Life Is Short, We May As Well Drink Smoke Wagon

Smoke Wagon Bourbon closed out 2020 with the type of viral, cult following we’ve never really seen before from a “new distillery”. It’s one the coolest bottle designs we’ve ever seen with embossed guns and roses patterned throughout the dark brown, slim wine bottle shaped silhouette.

The liquid inside is a high rye mashbill (35% rye) sourced from the good folks at MGP. The bottle features a wax coined inspired by the Morgan Silver Dollar. There’s a pair of revolver handguns on the coin along with the phrase ‘Bibamus Moriendum Est.’ (Let us drink, for we shall die).

The curation of barrels is clearly a central theme in bourbon. We’ve enjoyed several MGP offerings from Bull Run, Belle Meade, Bardstown etc. Even if the source is reportedly the same we still have excitement about exploring the next one.

Some of this is straight forward, the Lawrenceburg IN facility has 5 bourbon mashbills, 3 rye and 2 wheated bourbon. Even when hear something is sourced it doesn’t mean you’ve experienced that particular profile before.

For Smoke Wagon their Small Batch is a mingling 8 and 4 year old barrels from a specific warehouse give them their signature flavor variant. Small Batch was a Gold Medal Winner at San Francisco World Spirits Competition back in 2016.

The buzz around Smoke Wagon in Chicago rivaled that of any distillery we could think of as Single Barrel and Store Picks from Garfields, Binnys and Osito’s Tap sold out immediately.

Part of the excitement could be attributed to retailers that don’t want to play games with allocation that the big guys force on to you. Some stores refuse to sell any goddamn Fireball cases to gain the right to purchase seasonal offerings from Buffalo Trace.

The result is that you can walk into a boutique shop like Off Premise in Lincoln Park and sample Remus Reserve or Drifless Glen. Talk with a local retailer can get lost in the stories about brands you know nothing about..soon you forget about missing out on E.H. Taylor Single Barrel. The reward for tapping into a community of lushes that live near you outweighs paying $800 on secondary for Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye.

The story goes that a screenwriter from movies like Die Hard With a Vengeance and Jumanji became friends with a bar owner in Eagle Rock, California back in 2004. The pair hit it off and decided they should open a bar concept in Las Vegas in 2007. The bar project led founding partners Aaron Chepnik and Jonathan Hensleigh to open the Nevada H&C Distilling Company in 2012.

For more on our thoughts about the cult of Smoke Wagon be sure to check out Ep 24 of The Neat Pour Podcast - Who Wants The Smoke?

—The Neat Pour

Chalonda & Nkosi 1/23/21 Chalonda & Nkosi 1/23/21

Favorite Bourbons Staring You Right In The Face At Every Bottle Shop

Baby Saz, OGD114 + Evan Williams White Label

Low key when Chalonda proposed this episode idea, I wasn’t all the way with it. In fact its a topic that been explored on several other channels and I feared the retread of it. But coincidently my favourite retail outlet that same week decided to finger fuck their loyal constituents with an absurd price point for their whiskey of the week program.

It was a valuation that saw them not only sell two ounce pours for $140 each, but raise the price significantly on items that can be located year round in our region.

We take pride being a team that sources some difficult to acquire bourbons to focus on every week. But the reality is that scarcity and price point are not the entire story of whiskey.

Honestly, if you take a closer look it’s not even about age and proof all the time. The point we’re making is to drink it all and then decide for yourself what’s good. Im not sure we realized that till we paid $130 for a bottle and realized there are $30 options we like just as much as this fancy one we just copped.

Old Grand-Dad 114 (29$) Jim Beam Suntory

8th Generation Master Distiller, the legend Fred Noe speaks about the yeast strain from their Old Grand is different from the other products in their lineup. The nutty, earthy funk is a little more presence that in Basil Haden for example.

This version of a brand we associated with half pint sipping hobos back in the day is better than the 80 proof and Bottled In Bond versions. Big red hots spice and brown sugar vibes, the heavy handed nutmeg from BIB is also present here.

Cant think of better companion for a hot toddy all winter long that this 114. Maybe Midwinter Night Dram (not $30tho!) That stumpy bottle with the wax stamp, fat cork and the fact that an actual bust portrait of Basil Hayden adorns the label are all the cherry on the sundae.

Dont You Dare Sleep On That Maker Cask Strength

Evan Williams Bottle In Bond (17$) Heaven Hill

One of the worst kept secrets in all of bourbon is how good white label Evan Willams is. The same could be said for Wild Turkey 101. Evan Williams black label 86 proof is actually the top selling bourbon in the US.

I’m not the biggest fan of black label, it’s always the shot and a beer special at dive bars. Those scenarios always include beer out of code and a shot that didn’t help me forget that old ass beer I just drank. But the 100 proof version is a bit more complex and goes deeper than just the light vanilla and rye of the black label. I get that Heaven Hill circus peanut note in a major way on this one.

Thanks to spots like Longman & Eagle and Violet Hour we revisit anything bonded these days as a preference in cocktails. Heaven Hill are certainly top dog in that category of 4yrs, 100 proof whiskies and this is hands down their best one of those.

Sazerac Rye (29$) Buffalo Trace

Buffalo Trace started bottling this baby version of their Sazerac 18 in New Orleans to pay homage to its historic roots at The Sazerac House. As you know the original Sazerac cocktail was made with brandy until bartender, turned bar owner, Thomas Handy started using American Rye Whiskey instead.

After prohibition American produced spirits replaced those from other countries in many cocktails all across the US.

Buffalo Trace only has one rye mash bill. So whether it’s Van Winkle Family Rye (13yr), Sazerac from Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (18yrs) or Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye (6yrs, 135 proof). Its all the same recipe, different expressions.

Baby Saz is 90 proof and might be my personal favorite on this list. It was born after bartenders expressed their love for Sazerac 18 but felt guilty using probably the oldest bourbon on their shelf in cocktails. Sazerac Rye in my view is close to perfection. For price, availability and complexity very few whiskies compare.

I enjoy mine from a red solo cup in the park, or on a summer patio in the shade. Notes of spiced amaretto cake, butterscotch, dark tea all just tickles the senses. It’s my go a a sidecar for Zoom calls and mandatory talks with the wife. It never lets me down.

—The Neat Pour

Other Notes:

-Special shout to Makers Mark Cask Strength, Wild Turkey 101, Jim Beam Black and Buffalo Trace.

-Be sure to check out Episode 23 of The Neat Pour Podcast where we dive into our experience over the year with these offerings.

Chalonda & Nkosi 12/12/20 Chalonda & Nkosi 12/12/20

Old Forester 150th Anniv Batch 1 + Whiskey Row 1920

Afro.Beer.Chick. one half of The Neat Pour Podcast

Honestly the Brown-Forman crew is rivaling Sazerac for shelf space in The Neat Pour Studio. Old Forester was bourbon my grandma drank. She preferred hers with a squirt of that ReaLemon, the one in the store shaped like an actual lemon.

The past month we’ve copped Old Forester Single Barrel Cask Strength, Single Barrel 90 proof and traded Lot B and Weller 12 for Birthday Bourbon 2020. I’m not even mad at this collection. We’ve been legit excited with each entry.

The 150th Anniversary arrives in a canister much like several scotches do. The 3 batches are the all near 126 proof and represent the 3 distilleries Old Forester sourced from at one point.

This week on The Neat Pour Podcast we opened batch 1. It’s a bit of a fruit and spice bomb. It also comes in throwback dark brown glass. The way the oak plays on the nose is really a lot like Land O Lakes butter. Apricot and peach are present.

There’s no age statement and its rumored to be near 7yrs old and aged on the top floors. It drinks a little hot with a loads of red hots and baking spice on the finish, it almost numbs the tongue a bit. The more it opens up you get some fan-fuggin-tastic cherry, blueberry compote flavors in your glass to compliment that heat. It’s a most excellent pour. We are still looking to trade that OFBB ’20 for a 19’ so the closest thing we opened the Whiskey Row 1920 for comparison.

Where you get banana wafers in the Single Barrel 90 Proof, banana and bing cherry in the Cask Strength Single Barrel, the note in that 1920 is tropical punch. They deserve credit for the way 1920 and 150 Batch 1 have a similar nose but that’s where the comparisons end.

The proofs are similar but the flavors are much richer and darker in the anniversary batch. We are still not on board with the trend of non age statement bottles costing $170 retail but we are admirers of the end result here. There is a phenolic note at play here that Is noticeable in the experience that I’m not a fan of but, other than that and price its a solid play.

—The Neat Pour

This Year’s Haul of Old Forester Goodies

Chalonda & Nkosi 12/6/20 Chalonda & Nkosi 12/6/20

The Four Roses Edition of Brooklyn’s Black Ops

Lawrenceburg, KY / Williamsburg, Brooklyn NYC

Brewmaster of The Brooklyn Brewery, Garrett Oliver, is a godamn American icon. The James Beard Award winner and Queens, NY native has authored a pair of books along with editing the 900+ page Oxford Companion to Beer back in 2011.

Brooklyn started their relationship with Four Roses Bourbon a couple years ago when it was decided that a co-branding opportunity made sense for the barrel aged version of their Black Chocolate Stout, a beer known as Black Ops. Up to that point the crew was using Woodford Reserve barrels with no formal arrangement on supply for future vintages of the barrel aged beer.

Four Roses COO, Ryan Ashley was a brewer for 20 years in a former life. In fact Ryan and Garrett worked on the Carnegie Special 175th Anniversary Porter together. It made sense for brands to join forces on this variant. In general breweries are competing with other countries for barrels as scotch and whiskies from places like China and India are aging spirits in American whiskey barrels. Having an agreement in place became a priority for Brooklyn as Black Ops is a massive annual release.

Small Batch Four Roses is a collection of four different recipes, so to truly represent ‘small batch’ in the barrel aged beer steps were painstakingly detailed. Separating barrels and filling them with beer in the same proportions as the source whisky was the only way to achieve this.

The beer was aged for 12 months instead of the typical 4 months in the Woodford Reserve version. It’s fascinating that the partnership has yielded a beer that is a blend of four expressions.

These bottle conditioned beers are dangerously approachable for a 12% imperial stout. It all falls in place, theres a savory note in place like a sprinkle of salt over a dark chocolate bar.

There’s an ethereal, delicate component to this beer that becomes more complex the longer its in your glass. Brilliant in its presentation, Black Ops is a display of bitter chocolate and earthy vanilla tones.

The drinkability is higher than that of it’s contemporaries like GI’s BCS. There’s also no overload of cloying dessert properties you find in many stouts these days. It’s actually not that sweet, the champagne yeast in the bottle makes it effortless.

The experience invites you to pair anything from bleu cheeses to ice creams to coffee rubbed smoked meats. It’s this layered composition of dark fruits oak, roasted malts, fruits and baking spices in the beer that makes it undeniable.

The idea of Black Ops was born out of ‘Ghost Bottles’. A concept that refers to beers that were produced without including the marketing team. On the record, these beers straight up did not exist. They were produced in secret as gifts for friends and family of the brewery.

It’s interesting to note that Four Roses were the barrels of choice for Half Acre’s Benthic this year. 50% of that blend spent time in Single Barrel Four Roses.

Brent Elliott, Four Roses Master Distiller and team are producing bourbons so revered that brewers are excited about the extra layers those barrels provide to beer. Usually a component of bourbon (chocolate, oak, spice etc) is present more than others in the beer as a result of aging. The balance of rye and ripe fruit notes in the source whiskey is credited for making a noticeable impact of overall bourbon character to these beers releases.

Aged Equally In 4 Different Bourbon Barrel Expressions

Four Roses bourbons can be characterized as bright, structured, rich and fruity with moves that bloom to coat your palate with an array of subtle flavors that have a beautiful length to them.

No secret that we’re huge Four Roses fans. The bourbons are always accessible and linear with their flavor approach. The whiskeys seem to open up in ways that are both flavorful and always consistent. In some ways they’re a perfect match for Brookyln, a crew that embodies a level of sophistication. Their large format cork and cage bottle releases are among the very best when we’re talking readily acceible American craft beers.

—The Neat Pour

Other Notes :

-Copper and Kings Orange Curaçao Barrel Aged Black Ops won a gold at Great British Beer Festival for Best American Cask Beer in 2018

-OBSK, OBSO, OESK, OESO are the four recipes that make up Four Roses Small Batch

-Small Batch is aged 6-7yrs, 90 proof and was first produced in 2006

-Small Batch is a back-to-back medalist (silver then gold) at Denver’s International Spirits Competition the last two years.

Chalonda & Nkosi 11/27/20 Chalonda & Nkosi 11/27/20

Family and Fine Bourbon

Julian Van Winkle III is the first person from Kentucky to receive a James Beard Award. In 2011 he won for Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional. What get lost in the hype of the Van Winkle Family Reserve universe is that the only 10yr versions of 107 and a 90 proof existed in the lineup before Julian took over. So Lot B, Family Reserve Rye, 15, 20 and 23 were all born on his watch.

There were other books on the Pappy Van Winkle topic before this year’s Pappyland. Sally Van Winkle released But Always Fine Bourbon: The Story of Old Fitzgerald back in ’09. But this book really weaves together how the pursuit of family legacy is at the center of Juilan’s efforts.

No Van Winkle has ever actually produced bourbon according to Preston Van Winkle (4th generation). In fact before taking over the Stitzel-Weller operation Pappy (Julian Proctor Van Winkle Sr ) got his start as a salesman for Weller. My favorite line in the entire Pappyland book might be “..the most important ingredient in bourbon is added by the drinker when the bottle is purchased.”

Uncovering history and relating it to your own existence is part of why we fuck with bourbon as hard as we do, it’s a vehicle to bond, explore and transport to a different place through a bottle. It’s about the romance of all the events that led to you opening that bottle.

Julian famously likes his whiskey with on the rocks with a twist of lemon. When deciding which of the Buffalo Trace wheated recipe barrels to curate for Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery bottling they are sampled at 40 proof.

Something that was news to us was that the infamous Beverage Institute of Chicago 99 rating back 1996 bestowed upon the 20 year Family Reserve wasn’t from Stitzel-Weller stocks at all. It was sourced from the Old Boone Distilling probably in Petersberg KY.

Wild Turkey couldn’t keep up with demand in the 90s so they bought barrels from Boone and sold them to Julian back in the day. This shit is wild how mingling of barrels and blending of stocks goes back decades if not centuries in whiskey.. its really no big deal to them.

Pappyland by Wright Thompson, Penguin Press 2020

Always Fine Bourbon was a legit way of life for this crew. You can legally have the entry point of your distilate into the barrel be as high as 125 proof. Pappy and those boys intentionally went in at a lower proof simply because the product would retain more character and taste better. Michters and Maker Mark also do this but literally everyone is entering at max proof.

The cocktail of the week was the Vanhattan. Chalonda is the reigning queen of our cocktail program but this week the ole boy was your mixologist. Its full blown fuckery to mix any Van Winkle’s because of supply, but fuck all that. Our friends at the best taco bar in town recall custies ordering Stagg Jr and Coke at the bar when we shared this plan. So they were on board with it because at least it’s a cocktail.

The Vanhattan

-1/2 Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13yr

-1/2 Old Rip Van Winkle 10yr ( The book calls for Pappy 15)

-Carpano Antica Vermouth

-Blood Orange Bitters

-Luxardo Cherry Juice

3 shakes of bitters, 2 tsp of vermouth and cherry juice, a twist of orange to set it off. The better the whiskey, the better the cocktail is a phrase that appears in the book.

Our history with top shelf bourbon in cocktails doesn’t reflect that mantra. But the sum of the parts in the Vanhattan do shine and nothing is lost when combined in a drink. We rolled with Rip 10 because we couldn’t score Pappy 15. Both of those are 107 proof.

More Rye, Rip 10 and Lot B are being produced now than ever before. The 13yr Rye is a younger version of the Sazerac 18 that appears in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection annually.

According prior to 2012 to Chuck Cowdery of Whiskey Advocate the Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye had been a 50/50 combination of Medley and Cream of Kentucky Rye whiskeys. It was put into steel tanks years and drawn down every Fall for release. Back then it was believed to have been closer to 19 years old although the label always read 13 yr.

Julian rocking a peach colored barrel bowtie at The Derby with a flask full of Weller 12 or with his daughters singing Purple Rain as a party is ending. The images Wright Thompson brings to life in this book are a joy.

It should be noted that between Stitzel-Weller closing in 1972 and the Buffalo Trace partnership starting in 2002, JVWIII was on his own creating a marketing for premium bourbons. It wasn’t trendy at all to be selling 15-25yrs old whiskey.

Julian had an old warehouse and bottling line he bought in Lawrenceburg mingling barrels in an attempt to recreate combinations that reminded him of his family distillery.

—The Neat Pour

Other Notes:

-Pappy 20 debuted in 1994

-The Old Rip Van Winkle logo was create prior to Stitzel-Weller closing. The name and image were purchased from a pre-prohibition rectifier brand. Plans to release it never happened.

-Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery releases were sourced from Glenmore, Boone, Wild Turkey and Stitzel-Weller prior to the current Buffalo Trace partnership

-This year’s 20 and 23 Pappy Van Winkle are not Buffalo Trace stocks.

-Julian’s triplet daughters run Pappy & Co. they sell an assortment of goods including syrups, mixes and apparel.
-Rip 10 (107proof) Lot B (90.4proof) Pappy 15 (107proof) Pappy 20 (90.4proof) Pappy 23(95.6 proof)

-Be sure to check out this week’s Pappyland Episode of The Neat Pour Podcast.

Chalonda & Nkosi 11/1/20 Chalonda & Nkosi 11/1/20

Weller 12, Lot B + Goose Island Anniversary Bourbon County Stout

This a story about the world’s most wanted bourbon and the greatest American Stout of all time. Goose Island certainly isn’t the first brewery to put things in barrels.,.humans have been doing that shit for a long time. But they deserve plenty credit for the popularity of bourbon barrel aged beer programs as a standard in most breweries across the country. In many ways it all started with them.

Ever since Batch 1000 was brewed at Clybourn Pub and aged six months in Jim Beam barrels secured from Booker Noe himself, the team has celebrated the annual release of Bourbon County Stout.

Some choice selections have been featured in the past, Pappy 23 (BCS Rare 2010) some misplaced 35yr old Heaven Hill barrels (BCS Rare 2015). But nothing compares to the combo of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon and Weller 12 barrels used for a pair of the 2020 releases.

Weller 12 Year. Same Proof. Same Mashbill as Lot B.

If Weller 12 wasn’t such a pain in the ass to acquire I wonder if we would consider in such high regard. To be fair Elijah Craig is also 12 year product, in fact, it was named Bourbon of The Year by Whiskey Advocate’s in 2017 when it was used for BCS Reserve. You can find Elijah Craig everywhere, same age, slightly higher proof than W12. For the latest ep. of the podcast it made sense to have the full lifecycle of Weller 12, Van Winkle Lot B. 12 yr and the BCS Anniversary.

Honestly the happiest I’ve been all year is sipping Weller 12 next to this beer aged 2yrs in those barrels. It actually made me appreciated the source whiskey more than ever. When compared to Antique 107 or Full Proof, W12 has always taken a back seat to those variants.

It’s the buttery, warm cinnamon roll vibes and the sweet oak that makes W12 so damn attractive. When comparing it to the refined and well integrated Van Winkle Special Reserve 12yr Lot B, 12 has more of that classic wood presence that you love.

The story is that these two revered bourbons from Buffalo Trace are literally the exact same product. Lot B is a collection of barrels that Julian Van Winkle and team select from the available Weller barrels. Their blessing is the only differentiation in the process. We have to assume location in the warehouse is a common theme with barrels that end up in the Van Winkle family of bourbons.

Weller Wheated Bourbon expressions

Special Reserve, Antique 107, Full Proof, Single Barrel, Weller 12, William Larue Weller

Lot B is the nectar that you expect it to be. Stay with me here but it has in common all the things you love about a good mead. It’s floral, layered and wavy with those familiar pastry vibes and baking spices we all find. It’s understated and actually not trying to be noticed… all the way down the packaging. A simple white label and a red matted neck wrap.

The bottle actually looks more like an armagnac than a “traditional” bourbon. I personally prefer the way the oak arrives in the W12 over Lot B. We appreciate the overall harmony of the Van Winkle selection, but in this twelve year category it’s just not the preferred of the two. For a lack of a better assessment ..it’s just too cute for me.

ABV Chicago for the last couple years has organized a FOBAB Fantasy League. You draft brewery prospects with hopes predicting who will win the most medals.

In addition to the mock draft, this year the asked for a list of your all time favorite BCS variants to commemorate 10 years of Bourbon County Black Friday in Chicago this Fall. I selected Double Barrel as my number one.

Looking back, this 2020 Anniversary would have cracked my lineup but we were excluding this year’s releases. 2 years in a barrel is the longest Goose if comfortable with a beer in a barrel slated for bottle packaging. Something about those concentrated flavors of the Original send the experience into another gear.

Double Barrel and this year’s Anniversary are the only two to ever get that extended aging treatment. The end result with both is that they are both best in class expressions but also offer the emotions of experiencing Bourbon County Stout for the first time.

—The Neat Pour

Vintage Goose Island Stout Fest Taster 2012

Other Notes:

-Goose Island Black Friday is November 27th

-Lot B. is a reference to where Van Winkle has been produced since 2002 (Buffalo Trace Distillery). The Original Lot A was located at the Weller-Stitzel Distillery.

-Cheers to Julian Van Winkle III if we have the story right, his grandfather Pappy Van Winkle only produced the 10 and 13yr versions of the recipe. It was Julian’s vision that created the 15, 20 and 23yrs expressions.

Chalonda & Nkosi 8/22/20 Chalonda & Nkosi 8/22/20

We Need More Full Proof Bourbons

Probably the most hyped release of 2019 was this extension of the Weller lineup. If you’re like us, for the longest time you thought that full proof was just a synonym for barrel strength. It actually refers to the spirit being proofed down to it’s original barrel entry proof. In comparison, cask strength whiskey is bottled at whatever proof was yielded at barrel dump.

Since we started this channel 1792 Full Proof has been the staple bourbon of the recording studio bar. It’s complexity ranges from cherry and cinnamon to ripe peach and sweet oak. The limited release is 126 proof and lately our preferred cocktail of choice is a gentleman’s pour of 1792 Full Proof over large ginger lemonade ice cubes.

This varietal is about double the price of their Small Batch offering and worth every red cent. 1792 of course refers to the year that Kentucky became a commonwealth. It’s also one of the most unique bottle shapes in all of bourbon.

Before even knowing or understanding the brand we’ve always been curious about it from a distance throughout the years of just admiring it’s silhouette on shelves.

We don’t know much about the Barton 1792 distillery other than the parent company is Sazerac. Both the bottle aesthetic and instagram feed borrow heavily from the look and feel of Hollywood Blvd circa 1950.

1792 was known as 1792 Ridgemont Reserve from 2002 until 2004 Brown-Forman won a lawsuit claiming that consumers would confuse the Ridgemont Reserve with it’s brand Woodford Reserve.

Weller Full Proof is an item going for $649 if I’m suppose to believe the Drizly popup ads that appear in my Facebook feed right now. The higher proof and non chill filtering unleashes the potential of this recipe as it has instantly replaced Weller 12 as my personal fave in the Weller universe (WLW excluded).

It’s easy to see why people love this lineup. Rich oak and tobacco play the background. Big robust, rich full flavors all around starting with brown sugar and mixed berries. Not fresh ones, more of a reduced berry concentrate.

Produced at Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, KY

You don’t get much complexity, it’s the simple, classic profile that makes it most appealing. Weller of course switched to its current label design back in 2016. The current label is both elegant and stately…but also synonymous with the cat leaving the bag. Everything except for Special Reserve is becoming as hyped and hard to find as just about any other bourbon in the Buffalo Trace lineup.

You’re more likely to see distilleries release bottled in bond versions of bourbons before you see full proof. We hope to see a shift because as it stands Weller and the 1792 full proof releases are the sweet spot in those lineups.

—The Neat Pour

Other Notes:

-Barton 1792 was owned by Constellation Brands until it sold to the Sazerac Company in 2009

-Weller Full Proof is rumored to be 7yrs old 70% corn| 16% red winter wheat | 14% malted barley

-Special Reserve, Antique 107, 12 Year, Single Barrel. CYPB (Craft Your Perfect Bourbon) and Willam Larue Weller are the other varietals in the Weller lineup

-1792 Full Proof is 8.5 yrs old 75% corn | 10% rye | 15% malted barley

-Sweet Heat, Small Batch, Bottled In Bond, High Rye, Aged Twelve Years, and Port Finish are the other offerings in the 1792 lineup

-Be sure to check out Episode 9 of The Neat Pour Podcast

- Chalonda’s Cocktail of The Week is 1792 Summer Bourbon Slushie

The Sazerac Company Owns Both Buffalo Trace + Barton 1792

Chalonda & Nkosi 8/14/20 Chalonda & Nkosi 8/14/20

Thomas H. Handy, New Orleans + The Sazerac

A few summers ago we visited the Hennessy Le Voyage in Chicago - a cognac activation in a mansion. The big takeaway was that cognac was at the heart of the world’s most beloved cocktails before Prohibition. In their observation, the word’s earliest recorded classic cocktails like the Mint Julep, French 75 and the Sazerac were all made with cognac. The reason that stopped was primarily because access was limited when booze was outlawed in the U.S. from 1920-1933.

The good folks at Buffalo Trace have a different timeline regarding the adaptation of rye whiskey in popular cocktails. It includes Thomas H. Handy incorporating rye in place of brandy around 1837.

Thomas Handy was a bartender in New Orleans back in the era of ‘coffee houses’ on every corner. These houses were basically bars and saloons disguised as coffee shops. The most well known of these coffee shops was The Sazerac House where Antoine Peychaud Jr. first served the Sazerac cocktail with his family’s bitters recipe, absinthe and brandy.

To make a long story short, Thomas H. Handy went on to eventually purchase this famous coffee house that gave birth to the cocktail. Handy is credited for changing the spirit in the Sazerac cocktail from yak to rye in 1873, a full 60 years before Hennessy suggests it happened.

We held a blind tasting of four rye whiskey’s recently on the pod. None on those was uncut, unfiltered and 125.7 proof like the Thomas H. Handy Sazerac.

There are spiced marmalade overtones with the first sip. The longest of hugs lingers for full minutes after it’s gone. Pear preserves, anise, cinnamon, orange peel and white pepper flavors are all present…imagine a spiced bourbon carrot cake. My favorite aspects are the very dense aromatics of orange buttercream with a very pronounced herbal, mint sensation mid palate.

Replica of The Sazerac House in New Orleans

The Rye Is This? Episode of the pod was a blind four top - Pikesville, Michter’s, Old Forester Rye and Kentucky Owl 11yr Rye Batch 1. The Owl was for sure in the wrong weight class in that lineup but we needed to showcase the range of the category. Once you accept the wonderful world of rye spice in your life, you notice how it playfully reveals itself in different ways throughout the a blind rye lineup. Michter’s was my favorite for that reason. It was a vibe of pears and mint with rye riding shotgun through every phase of the sip. There was no sudden peak of rye spice or a lingering wave, it was steady and enjoyable the entire ride.

Fresh cut herbs, lemon and a yet to be defined savory note are what separated the older ryes ( Sazerac and Kentucky Owl) from that group.

Thomas H. Handy is 1 of 5 annual releases from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. It’s the only one not aged for at least 17yrs. Most will agree that rye whiskey matures faster than bourbon, so this is offering is about 6.5 years. Be sure to check out Episode 8 of The Neat Pour Podcast featuring Thomas H. Handy and Kentucky Owl 11yr Rye for a breakdown of these ryes, news and more.

—The Neat Pour

Other Notes

-Peychaud Bitters in considered definitive component of the Sazerac Cocktail .

-Rye is known for being a more expensive grain compared to wheat, rye or corn.

-Eagle Rare 17, Willam Larue Weller, George T. Stagg and Sazerac Rye are the other entries in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.

-The Louisiana based Sazerac company owns both 1792 and the Buffalo Trace Distillery.

-Be sure to check out Ep 8. of The Neat Pour Podcast