bourbon

Woodford Reserve Official Bourbon of Belmont

Filed under: Spirits

The Woodford Reserve distillery is in Kentucky, but that doesn't mean its love of horses can't be transferred to the land of Yankees and Manhattans. Woodford Reserve will be "The Official Bourbon of the Belmont Stakes" in Elmont, NY when the race is run this Saturday, June 5.

Woodford Reserve will also sponsor the race immediately preceding the running of the Belmont Stakes. Named the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap, the 1 1/4th mile turf race carries a purse of $400,000 and is for three-year-olds and up.

"Woodford Reserve is proud to partner with Belmont Park and a distinguished race such as the Manhattan Handicap," said Wayne Rose brand director for Woodford Reserve. "As the only bourbon distillery to have its own stable of race horses, we are proud to be associated with another superior group of Thoroughbreds."

Woodford Reserve will also toast race day with the Belmont Breeze, the Official Drink of Belmont Park and the Belmont Stakes.

Woodford Reserve Belmont Breeze
Official Cocktail of the Belmont Stakes

1 ½ oz. Woodford Reserve
2 oz. Lemonade
1 oz. Pomegranate juice

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain over ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge or cherry.

Tags: Belmont Breeze, Belmont Stakes, bourbon, woodford reserve

Park Avenue Whiskey by NY's Tuthilltown Spirits

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

New York's storied Park Avenue Liquor Shop, established in 1934, is releasing new limited edition whiskey bottlings made exclusively for them by the artisanal Tuthilltown Spirits distillery in New York's Hudson River Valley. Priced at $45 per bottle, the Park Avenue Whiskey collection features 375 ml bottlings of bourbon, rye and a special new "BouRye", each 46% alcohol by volume. The first is dubbed "Baby Bourbon" because it is made using very small barrels, the whole grain rye is aged in oak, and the "BouRye" is a 50/50 blend of bourbon and rye, a combination requested specifically by the shop's owner and whisky expert Jonathan Goldstein. Goldstein also selected the specific barrels at Tuthilltown from which the exclusive whiskies were bottled to produce a truly unique set of spirits, presented in hand-numbered, wax-sealed bottles.

Tags: bourbon, distillery, Hudson River, Hudson River Valley, liquor store, New York, Park Avenue, Park Avenue Liquor Shop, rye, spirits, Tuthilltown Spirits, whiskey, whisky

Angel's Envy Bourbon Coming Soon

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Lincoln Henderson, the former distillery manager of Woodford Reserve and Old Forester, is back on the Bourbon scene having started up his own outfit--the Louisville Distilling Company. LDC will release its first expression this Fall, called "Angel's Envy."

For those not in the know, distillers refer to the whiskey that escapes the barrels during the aging process through evaporation as "The Angel's share."

Lincoln isn't saying much. But his son Wes posted the following on www.straightbourbon.com:
"I am pleased to confirm the rumors about Angel's Envy Bourbon, and before taking any additional detailed information to the public, it is important for me to come before this group and provide some details, as we are prepared to release them...

These are exciting times as Lincoln returns to his Kentucky Bourbon roots. The first expression, produced on our behalf, will be available in September for national distribution, but our approach is to take it slow, and let the bourbon speak for itself. And we think it will. We have narrowed our location to 2 potential sites, and are making final decisions on our distillation equipment. The current plan is to incorporate pot stills and continuous distillation into our process, allowing us to maintain an artisanal capability (Dad wants to try a whole bunch of things) and still have the ability to maintain production demands. Production at our facility is expected to begin in September of 2010."

Henderson was instrumental in the rise of Woodford Reserve as one of the leading small-batch Bourbons. And he pumped new life into Old Forester, as well. Angel's Envy will be a highly anticipated release in Bourbon country.

Tags: Angels Envy, Bourbon, Lincoln Henderson, Old Forester, Woodford Reserve

Beyond the Mint Julep: Ten Great Pours for Kentucky Derby Day

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

This weekend is Kentucky Derby Day. That means Mint Juleps, parties at and around Churchill Downs, as well as at people's homes across the country.

Bourbon sales spike in late April as people get ready for their parties, just like Champagne sales climb in the two weeks before New Years Eve.

To make a perfect pitcher of Mint Julep, start with 4 cups of Bourbon, 2 bunches of spearmint, one cup of distilled water, one cup of granulated sugar, and some powdered sugar.

Remove about 40 leaves from the spearmint bunch, and cover with 3 oz. of Bourbon. Allow the leaves to soak for 15 minutes. Wring the mint out over the bowl you have put the whiskey in. Dip the mint bundle into the bowl several times more.

To prepare the simple syrup, mix a cup of granulated sugar and once cup of distilled water in a small sauce pan. Heat to dissolve the sugar. Stir constantly so it doesn't burn. Set aside to cool.

To prepare the Mint Julep, pour 3 1/2 cups of Bourbon into a large pitcher. Add one cup of the syrup to the Bourbon.

Now begin adding the mint extract you made one tablespoon at a time to the pitcher. Once that is done, pour the whole mixture into a bottle with a stopper, and chill for 24 hours to marry the flavors.

To serve, fill each glass (or silver Julep cup, over shaved ice and a sprinkle of powdered sugar to the top of the ice. Add a sprig of fresh mint. Choose your horse wisely.

Here are eleven great pours for Derby Day to have straight or use as the basis of your Juleps.

Gallery: Eleven Great Pours For Kentucky Derby

Tags: Blantons, Bookers Bourbon, Bourbon, Evan Williams, Jim Beam, Kentucky Derby, kentucky derby cocktails, mint julep, Mint Juleps, Rusells Reserve, Wild Turkey

Woodford Reserve & Tiffany Unveil World's Most Exclusive Mint Julep

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Events, Charity

Woodford Reserve, the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, has created the world's most exclusive mint julep in collaboration with Tiffany & Co. Only 73 of the sterling silver cups will be available at $1,000 apiece; purchasers will be served a julep in the cup at Churchill Downs on Derby Day, May 1st. Not just any old julep either. The elite cocktails are crafted from raw-cane sugar made from 100 percent organic sugar cane grown in Brazil; Kentucky Colonel Mint from Louisville, KY which was grown in a used Woodford Reserve bourbon barrel; ice made of water from a 10,000-year-old glacier in the far northern region of the Pacific Ocean near the Gulf of Alaska; and a small batch of the Master Distiller's personal selection of Woodford Reserve super-premium bourbon.

Proceeds from the cups will benefit The Barnstable Brown Kentucky Diabetes & Obesity Center. Each individually numbered cup is presented with a sterling silver sipping straw and features the Woodford Reserve logo along with a unique horse racing design. The handmade silver cups come with a sterling silver sipping straw. Each cup will be presented in a unique Tiffany & Co. "blue box" and will be set in a Woodford Reserve casing made from the same oak as Woodford Reserve barrels. Consumers age 21 years and older can log on to www.woodfordreservemintjulep.com through April 28 to purchase one of the 73 cups (first come first serve basis).

Tags: Bourbon, cocktails, horse racing, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, mint julep, mint julep cup, silver, sterling silver, Tiffany, Tiffany Co., Woodford Reserve

Makers Mark New #46 Bourbon: First Taste

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

For Maker's Mark Bourbon drinkers, there hasn't been much variety. Except for the odd limited run brand extension that involved a bit more aging, the core Maker's Mark has been the whole show.

Contrast that allegiance to the original recipe with a few of its rivals such as Jim Beam, Wild Turkey and Woodford Reserve. Wild Turkey, for example, has six expressions including 80-proof, 86.8-proof, 101, Rare Breed, 8-year old and 12-year old. Woodford has come out with limited run expressions with different barrel finishes like one in which the Bourbon was finished in Sonoma-Cutrer wine barrels for a few months.

Now, Maker's is getting into the act. In a few months, the Loretto, Ky. distiller will launch Maker's Mark "#46," a slightly higher proof Bourbon expression that has been finished in barrels containing toasted oak staves for several extra months of aging. The staves, in fact, are seared on the outside. The result: a Maker's Mark Bourbon with slightly less sweetness and vanilla, and a bit more earthy cinnamon. And while I have read other reviewers comment that they thought #46 was hotter on the tongue than standard Maker's Mark, I had the opposite reaction. #46, to me, is a bit quieter on the tongue and has a smoother finish than regular Maker's despite the higher alcohol content.

This is not a radical departure for Maker's. Indeed, I had to drink both Maker's Mark and Maker's #46 against each other for 15 minutes to formulate my review, and pull out the differences. That's not a huge surprise since #46 has regular maker's at its core. The Bourbon is crafted to the regular Maker's taste profile before it is barreled for the extra finish.

Tags: American Whisky Trail, AmericanWhiskyTrail, Bill Samuels, BillSamuels, Bourbon, Makers Mark, makers mark 46, MakersMark, Small-batchBouron

Continue reading “Makers Mark New #46 Bourbon: First Taste”

Win a VIP Trip to the Kentucky Derby with Woodford Reserve

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Art

Woodford Reserve, the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, has unveiled its limited-edition commemorative bottle for this year's event. The 2010 bottle features the work of nationally-acclaimed, Louisville-based artist Jeaneen Barnhart, and also includes a chance to win a trip to the Derby.

Barnhart's image depicts the vibrancy and intensity of Kentucky Derby racehorses as the jockeys charge toward the finish line. The artist's signature adorns the neck of the bottle, and an attached neck tag bears information about the artist and product.

The limited edition liter-size bottle will be available later this month in 42 U.S. states at a suggested retail price of $42.99. In addition to purchasing a true collector's item, consumers can enter Woodford Reserve's Kentucky Derby Sweepstakes with a chance to win a VIP trip to the 2011 Kentucky Derby.

Though no purchase is necessary, buyers can enter by registering their bottle's unique number, printed on the neck label, at www.WellCraftedDerby.com. Upon registering they will be given a randomly-generated post position, from 1-20, for the 2010 Derby. If the horse that starts from their assigned post position wins, he/she will be entered in the grand prize trip drawing.

For the twelfth year in a row Woodford Reserve Bourbon has been selected the "Official Bourbon of Kentucky Derby." It also sponsors a Grade I race, the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, which is run on Derby Day, May 1, 2010, and has become one of thoroughbred racing's premier turf events.

Tags: bourbon, equestrian, horseracing, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, Louisville, Woodford Reserve

Study Finds Bourbon Gives You A Tougher Hangover

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

A few weeks ago my colleague Carrie Coolidge recommended that holiday revelers steer clear of dark liquors. A new study backs that up, finding that compared with vodka, bourbon can result in a worse hangover. The study conducted by the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University involved 95 participants, aged 21 to 33 who were heavy drinkers. The participants drank either vodka or bourbon mixed with caffeine-free cola on one night. On a separate night they unknowingly drank a placebo. After they sobered up they filled out questionnaires and performed tests. REsearchers found that the bourbon made the drinkers feel worse but did not impair their ability to perform tasks.

Congeners, byproducts of alcohol fermentation which are partly responsible for the color of the liquor, may have an effect on hangover levels. According to a report on MSNBC the amount of congeners in bourbon is 37 times the amount in vodka. The results of the study will be published in the March 2010 issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

Source

Tags: bourbon, hangover, hangovers, whiskey

Woodford Reserve Ltd. Edition Seasoned Oak Finish

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Woodford Reserve has announced the latest limited edition release of its acclaimed Master's Collection bourbons. Called Seasoned Oak Finish, it is finish-aged in unique barrels crafted with wood that has been seasoned longer than any previously used in the industry, producing an extremely robust spirit.

The staves for most bourbon barrels are seasoned for three to five months; however, Seasoned Oak Finish combines fully-matured Woodford Reserve with barrels crafted from wood that has been exposed to the outdoors for three to five years, making for a much richer and more complex flavor profile.

"Of all the distillers in our industry, we are the only bourbon company that crafts its own barrels, giving us unique knowledge and control of the process," said Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris. "As the rough oak staves are exposed to seasonal weather changes and subsequently dried, this natural cycle develops a new range of flavors in the wood."

Seasoned Oak Finish is the fourth in the Woodford Reserve Master's Collection series following the Four Grain, Sonoma-Cutrer Finish and Sweet Mash bottlings. Released periodically at the master distiller's discretion, the Master's Collection whiskeys are are bottled only once in a proprietary package inspired by the copper pot stills of the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery in Kentucky.

Tags: bourbon, distillery, Kentucky, whiskey, Woodford Reserve, WoodfordReserve

Four Roses 2009 Limited Edition Bourbon

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Four Roses Bourbon is releasing its latest limited edition single barrel collection. The Four Roses Single Barrel Limited Edition 2009 Release will be uncut and not chill filtered and should hit stores next month. The distillery plans to produce up to 1,800 bottles from the selected barrels. The 11-year-old whisky offers notes of honeysuckle, roasted nuts, toffee and dark chocolate with a mellow finish of sweet fruit and honey.

Chuck Cowdery received a preview of the limited edition last month and reports that the bourbon has an unusual bite that persists in the aftertaste" with tastes of citrus, licorice, honey, and wheatgrass. Four Roses generally sells for around $40, the cost for the limited edition is usually a bit higher.

Source

Tags: bourbon, four roses bourbon, FourRosesBourbon, spirits

Celebrate Derby Day With Esquire and Maker's Mark

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars, Dining, Spirits, Events, Charity, Sports

On Kentucky Derby day - Saturday, May 2nd - Esquire magazine will celebrate the "Greatest Two Minutes in Sports" at NYC's Eleven Madison Park with Maker's Mark bourbon. Esquire Editor-in-Chief David Granger and Union Square Hospitality Group CEO Danny Meyer will co-host the event at the award-winning restaurant. The fete will feature live coverage of the race at Churchill Downs, chef Daniel Humm's take on Southern cuisine, Maker's Mark mint juleps, a cigar lounge by Nat Sherman, live music, and a silent auction benefiting New York Horse Rescue. Maker's Mark Master Distiller Kevin Smith will also be holding bourbon tastings in the upstairs lounge.

Four special Maker's Mark Bourbon bars will be stationed throughout the restaurant, serving Maker's mint juleps in traditional ice-frosted silver cups. Legendary tobacconist Nat Sherman will transform Eleven Madison Park's patio into a sleek cigar lounge, complete a Maker's Mark bourbon bar and live Kentucky Bluegrass music. A portion of the proceeds from a silent auction of luxury, epicurean and travel packages will benefit New York Horse Rescue, New York's not-for-profit charity whose goal is to place unwanted thoroughbred racehorses in new homes. The price per person is $250, plus tax. To purchase tickets visit www.elevenmadisonpark.ticketleap.com. You can also email derby@elevenmadisonpark.com for more info.

Tags: bourbon, Danny Meyer, DannyMeyer, equestrian, Esquire, horseracing, horses, Kentucky Derby, KentuckyDerby, Makers Mark, MakersMark, Nat Sherman, NatSherman, New York Horse Rescue, NewYorkHorseRescue

Woodford to Serve Up $1,000 Mint Juleps on Derby Day

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Events, Charity, Sports

The other day we told you about Woodford Reserve's limited edition bottle for the Kentucky Derby. Now Woodford, the official bourbon of the famed race, which takes place on May 2, is offering the world's most exclusive mint julep for $1,000. It's made with sugar cane cut and crushed by hand from Sainte Marie in the Reunion Island of France; Turkish mint grown near the Euphrates River; ice made of water from an aquifer in the wilderness of Central Norway; and a small batch of the Master Distiller's personal selection of Woodford Reserve super-premium bourbon. Of course for $1,000 you get to the keep the cup. Made of sterling silver plated in 24-karat gold, it's adorned with jockey silks representing the Woodford Reserve Stables. The cups are made by New England Sterling, the official trophy maker of the Kentucky Derby.

Each comes with a sterling silver straw and an oak box crafted from the same wood as Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels, lined in black satin. There are 96 of the cups available for purchase from April 13 - 29 via their website; you have to pick them up (along with the julep) in person at Churchill Downs on Derby Day. Additionally, there are three extra-special Legends Cups which also feature three diamonds – one for each leg of the Triple Crown – and each one is in honor of a different living Triple Crown-winning jockey. You can bid on your favorite jockey from those offered in the Legends Cups, and the cup has his signature engraved on it. Bidding for the Legends Cups starts at $1,000. Proceeds from the cups will benefit The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and The Robby Albarado Foundation.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: bourbon, cocktails, diamonds, gold, horseracing, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, KentuckyDerby, mint julep, MintJulep, Triple Crown, TripleCrown, Woodford Reserve, WoodfordReserve

Woodford Reserve Ltd. Ed. 2009 Kentucky Derby Bottle

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Events, Art, Sports

Woodford Reserve, the "Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby", crafted at the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky in the heart of thoroughbred country, has released its limited edition 2009 Kentucky Derby liter-sized bottle (right) featuring artwork by retired jockey Tom Chapman.

Chapman's eye-catching image captures the excitement and intensity of the Kentucky Derby as two jockeys in brightly-colored silks concentrate on the race with the historic Twin Spires of Churchill Downs in the background. The artist's signature adorns the neck band of the bottle, and an attached tag bears information about the artist and product.

Woodford Reserve, an award-winning small-batch bourbon, has served as the Derby's official bourbon for the past 11 years. It also sponsors a Grade I race, the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, which is run on Derby Day, May 2, 2009, and has become one of thoroughbred racing's premier events.

"Much as we try, it's impossible to express in words the intensity of racing from a jockey's perspective," Chapman says. "My goal is to capture it with a paint brush and canvas, often using unique angles and vibrant colors to set the tone. But no painting can truly capture the vibrancy and intensity of the Kentucky Derby."

Tags: bourbon, equestrian, horseracing, horses, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, KentuckyDerby, Tom Chapman, TomChapman, Woodford Reserve, WoodfordReserve

Celebrating Derby Day With Jim Beam

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Events, Sports

With the Kentucky Derby coming up on May 2 we start thinking seriously about bourbon. As Fred Noe, Jim Beam's seventh-generation distiller, puts it, "It ain't a Derby without bourbon, and it ain't bourbon if it's not from Kentucky." Noe knows whereof he speaks, given that Jim Beam, which dates back to 1795 and is now he world's No. 1-selling bourbon, is located in Louisville not far from Churchill Downs where the Derby has been held since 1875. In addition to the classic Jim Beam Bourbon we're all familiar with however, there are some other variations which are well worth trying on an important bourbon-drinking occasion like the Derby: Jim Beam 7-Year, Jim Beam Black, and Jim Beam Choice (above, left to right).

Jim Beam Black is the oldest of the trio. Eight years of aging make for a complex, sophisticated taste, with aromas of toffee and tobacco and flavorful notes of oak and toasted grains. Jim Beam Choice, aged five years, is rounded and mature with added complexity and depth from charcoal filtering. The strong aroma of oak and sweet nuttiness is balanced by a rich, creamy flavor. Jim Beam 7-Year is ideal for drinking straight up or on the rocks, and it makes a mean mint julep, with notes of caramel and vanilla. In 2008, Derby-goers consumed nearly 10,000 bottles of bourbon, mixed into 120,000 mint juleps, the Derby's official drink.

To help celebrate on Derby Day, here's a new variation on the mint julep which you can make with your favorite variety of Jim Beam. Bottoms up:

Jim Beam Jule-Up
4 parts Jim Beam Bourbon
3 parts Simple Syrup
3 parts Fresh Lime Juice
6 each Fresh Mint leaves (Medium size)
*note: 1 part = ½ oz.

Tags: bourbon, horseracing, Horses, Jim Beam, JimBeam, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, KentuckyDerby, whiskey, whisky

Whiskey Is A Bright Spot In Declining Spirits Market

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Prevailing wisdom says that when times are tough people drink the cheap stuff. While that may be true for the most part, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States shows that sales for whiskey are up (4.3% by dollar value and 1.3% by volume in 2008) fueled by a love for whiskeys like Jack Daniels and bourbons like Maker's Mark. The last few years brought big numbers for top shelf vodka, tequila and rum but right now super premium whiskey is the hottest growth category for spirits. The classic appeal of bourbon and its use in traditional, simple cocktails may be part of the appeal. Sales of liquor in restaurants and bars are down over all as more people drink at home.

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Tags: beer, bourbon, liquor, whiskey

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