Bourbon Lens

Our guest is Morgan Hancock, Founder of Bourbon with Heart, Kentucky's first and only arts-focused bourbon charity.  Bourbon with Heart is hosting the Inaugural "Barrels of Heart" bourbon barrel art exhibit at the Frazier History Museum in Louisville, Kentucky. The Exhibit began on February 1, 2023 and runs through April. Visit Bourbon with Heart on Social Media to vote for your favorite barrel; the winning barrel artist will receive a $1,000 cash prize plus an additional $1,000 donated to their favorite charity.

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there. 

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Check out our BourbonLens.com to read our blog posts, whiskey news, podcast archive, and details on our upcoming single barrel picks.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

Bourbon with Heart just announced that they raised $63,000.  According to Morgan Hancock and the Charity, the event has raised $63,000 that will go towards the Bourbon with Heart (501c3) mission of raising awareness surrounding our local art community, providing better access to first-class arts experiences regardless of age, race, class, gender, or ability -and raising funds for other local non-profits. 

Over the next couple of months, Bourbon with Heart will share individual testimonies from the artists, sponsors, and community members on how their experience with Bourbon with Heart, this exhibit, and the funds raised have positively impacted their lives. 

About the "Barrels of Heart" Event:

The Inaugural "Barrels of Heart" bourbon barrel art exhibit is located in Louisville, Kentucky. The exhibit opened at Frazier Kentucky History Museum starting in February 2023. It features twenty custom-painted bourbon barrels decorated by local artists & sponsored by your favorite bourbon brands and local companies.  Bourbon with Heart's (501c3)  mission is to leverage the influence and popularity of Bourbon to raise funds for local charities while also providing a first-class arts experience for Kentuckians regardless of age, race, class, gender, or ability.  Whether it's dance, design, music, photography, theatre, or crafting a delicious bourbon blend, Bourbon with Heart deeply appreciates art in all its various forms. We believe art, like a good glass of bourbon, brings people together and encourages self-expression. With a strong desire to see the arts culture in Kentucky continue to thrive (and grow), Bourbon with Heart is distilling ART right into the heART of its mission.

Bourbon with HeART in the News:

• Bourbon with Heart
• Frazier History Museum 
• Bourbon with Heart to raise funds for local charities 
• "Barrel of Heart" Art Exhibit at the Frazier Museum Opening Feb. 2 | whas11.com 
• Bourbon with Heart: How one woman is tapping Kentucky's bourbon boom to emphasize culture
• Bourbon with Heart uses the popularity of bourbon to raise money for local charities - Louisville Business First
• Bourbon With Heart
• Louisville Alum: How ADHD Pushed Me to be an Entrepreneur
• Distilling Art | Inspiring Lives Magazine

Colin Spoelman is our guest this week and he is the Co-Founder of NYC's Kings County Distillery.  We discuss how Colin grew a tiny distillery into New York City's oldest and most respected craft whiskey distillery.  Colin has a unique approach to his whiskey craft and isn't afraid to ruffle a few feathers to make great whiskey and gain respect amongst the world's largest, and even smallest, distilleries.  Find out what makes Kings County whiskey stand out in the crowd by downloading this week's episode.

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there. 

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Check out our BourbonLens.com to read our blog posts, whiskey news, podcast archive, and details on our upcoming single barrel picks.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

About Colin Spoelman:

Colin is Co-Founder and Head Distiller at Kings County, New York City's premier craft whiskey distillery and has written The Guide to Urban Moonshining and Dead Distillers about American whiskey. He grew up in the moonshine (not the bourbon) part of Kentucky and graduated from Yale University.

About Kings County Distillery:

KINGS COUNTY DISTILLERY is New York City's oldest, largest, and premier whiskey distillery. Founded in 2010, Kings County makes handmade bourbon, rye, and other whiskeys out of the 123-year-old Paymaster Building in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. We use New York grain and traditional distilling equipment to make whiskeys that have been praised by the New York Times, Wine & Spirits Magazine, and Whisky Advocate and is recognized as one of the preeminent craft distilleries in the United States, having been named Distillery of the Year in 2016 from the American Distilling Institute. 

Recent Press Release from Sept. 13, 2022:

BROOKLYN, N.Y.- Kings County Distillery, New York City's premier craft distillery, is releasing a new flagship whiskey in wide-release, a blended bourbon made from house-distilled straight whiskeys. The resulting whiskey is bright, complex and approachable—a multi-occasion whiskey for neat sipping or mixing. With a suggested price of $54.99, Kings County's Blended Bourbon will be its most accessible aged spirit and arrives in a striking new blue label, one which clearly differentiates this spirit from Kings County's established bourbon, rye, and single malt whiskeys.

"As we have done with moonshine and bottled-in-bond, making a blended bourbon is a way of asking whiskey drinkers to reconsider an overlooked category of spirit," said Co-Founder and Distiller Colin Spoelman. "Blended whiskey is most often associated with crowd-pleasing scotch or Canadian whiskies. We used the all-but-forgotten category of blended bourbon to create the American analog to these reliable and endlessly versatile spirits. Composed entirely of in-house, pot-distilled straight bourbon, straight corn whiskey, straight rye whiskey, and malt whiskey, our Blended Bourbon makes for a sippable, lower proof bourbon, suitable for nearly any application calling for an approachable American whiskey. In the interest of providing the drinker with the highest level of transparency and elevating a category historically associated with intentionally vague labeling practices, we list the exact blend composition on every bottle."

By law, blended bourbon must use 51% straight bourbon, but the open-ended definition allows the Kings County's blending team to use the full breadth of our mature inventory to craft a complex and purposeful flavor profile within the lineup. With this added flexibility, Blended Bourbon can become a volume leader in Kings County's portfolio, joining an existing line of superlative aged whiskeys.

Kings County's spirits have been widely accepted and appreciated, but with supply of aged whiskey growing short across the spectrum of American whiskey, Kings County aims to lead the market with a superior all-purpose two-year-old spirit. With notes of honey, caramel, and rye pepper, this is a flexible whiskey, and one that shows what can be achieved through the use of quality organic ingredients, careful distilling, and creative blending. It also presents a spirit suitable for mixing, creating a new audience for the brand.

Kings County Blended Bourbon will be available throughout New York State starting on September 14th with national rollout to follow, visit www.kingscountydistillery.com for more information. With the new entry-level aged whiskey will come a reduction in pricing on Kings County's unaged spirits. "While many distillers are raising prices, we are making our whiskeys more affordable and accessible," said Spoelman. "We want to be the distiller that meets the moment for our customers and fans."

Kings County Distillery Online and in the Media:

• Kings County Distillery 
• Kings County Distillery (@KingsCoWhiskey) / Twitter
• Kings County Distillery Guide to Urban Moonshining 
• Dead Distillers: A History of the Upstarts and Outlaws Who Made American Spirits 
• 'Hazmat' Whiskey Is Gaining Popularity, but What's the Pleasure in Drinking Something So Strong? 
• Why the Irish Whiskey Association Is Beefing With a Brooklyn Distillery
• Kings County Distillery: the oldest in New York, founded in 2010 
• US distiller calls IWA claim 'ridiculous' - The Spirits Business
• Tasting Six Whiskeys From NYC's Kings County Distillery - Paste 
• Kings County Distillery New York - Sip in Brooklyn Navy Yard
• In American Whiskey, Is Heritage Everything? | VinePair

Our guest this week is David Coors, of the iconic Coors Brewing family.  David is leading the Next Generation of Beverages for Molson Coors and he joins us to discuss their Five Trail Whiskey lineup.  Find out what inspired David to explore the whiskey world and how he convinced his brewing family to get into spirits.

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there. 

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Check out our BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, whiskey news, podcast archive, and details on our upcoming single barrel picks.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

Five Trail Blended American Whiskey, the first full-strength spirit from the iconic Molson Coors Beverage Company, announces the release of its limited Batch 002 blend. Bottled at 95 proof, the new expression is sold for an SRP of $59.99 and is currently available in markets within Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Nevada, New York, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.

Supporting the evolution of Molson Coors as a beverage company, Five Trail debuted in September 2021 with Batch 001 – an intentional blend of 4-Year Colorado single malt, 4-Year Kentucky four grain bourbon, 4-Year Indiana wheated bourbon and 13-Year Kentucky bourbon, cut to proof with pure Rocky Mountain Water. It was bottled in partnership with Bardstown Bourbon Company and received numerous accolades and awards, including Double Gold at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Platinum Best of Class in the SIP Awards and Double Platinum in the 2022 Ascot Awards.

The Batch 002 blend is also bottled in partnership with Bardstown Bourbon Company but replaces the 4-Year Colorado single malt with 6-Year and the 13-Year Kentucky bourbon with 12-Year. The result is a golden amber whiskey with an aroma of sweet caramel, pecans, and biscuit with hints of wood sugar, caramel, apple, white cherry, smoke, ginger, and allspice on the palate. The finish is easy going and lingering with notes of oak, ginger, and nutty balance.

"The response to Five Trail has been overwhelming," said David Coors, Vice President of Next Generation Beverages at Molson Coors. "Our team really loved the flavor profile we came up with for the inaugural release and wanted to keep Batch 002 in this same vein. Batch 002 is an homage to our debut expression, but with a few nuances stemming from the thoughtfully selected mixture of age statements, creating a complex and layered flavor profile. I hope whiskey drinkers and spirits enthusiasts will enjoy this release as much as the first, if not more so."

Along with Batch 002, Five Trail also launched the below expressions, available in limited quantities within the brand's eight distribution markets:

Barrel Proof: Barrel Proof takes the Batch 002 blend and bottles it at 119 proof. A whiff unlocks aromas of cinnamon brioche, milk chocolate, ginger, caramel apple, and vanilla pudding. A sip features notes of caramel, marshmallow, and candied dates, with ginger, cinnamon, and black pepper on the end, finishing with caramel, ginger, oak tannin, and campfire smoke.

Cask Finish Series: Bottled at 95 proof, it's crafted from a blend of 4-Year Indiana wheated bourbon, 4-Year Kentucky four grain bourbon, 4-Year Colorado single malt and 7-year Indiana rye. The whiskeys are rested in Imperial Porter Barrels from the AC Golden Brewing Company in Golden, Colorado and cut to proof with Rocky Mountain Water. It features notes of biscuit, roasted nuts, and caramel on the nose with hints of toffee, vanilla pudding, apple, candied date, almond, oak, black tea, and cinnamon crumb cake on the palate. Expect a finish of nuts, delicate ginger, and cinnamon.

Small Batch Blend: The Small Batch is blended from a base of 4-Year Indiana wheated bourbon, 4-Year Kentucky four grain bourbon, and 8-Year Colorado single malt whiskey with 17-Year Tennessee whiskey. Honey amber in color, there are notes of warm baked bread, slight citrus, ginger, white pepper, and cardamom on the nose with honeyed granola, creamy vanilla, orange marmalade, oak, and honeysuckle with a bit of paprika on the palate. The finish is warm and powerful ginger and oak melded with embers of smoky overlay. It's bottled at 95 proof.

"We're thrilled to continue Five Trail's journey with these new expressions," said Kim Fox, Marketing Manager – Wine & Spirits. "Whether you're a whiskey novice looking for a flavorful bottle or a whiskey connoisseur looking to expand your cask strength collection, we truly have something to satisfy everyone. We're excited to keep experimenting and expanding our footprint in whiskey and beyond."

About Five Trail Blended American Whiskey

Five Trail marries Colorado provenance with the innovative distillation techniques of pioneering distillers in Kentucky and Indiana to produce this golden amber whiskey, using Coors malt from their brewhouse and the purest water in America, straight from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Five Trail is founded in an Unbroken Spirit, spanning a journey that started 150 years ago, with trials, tribulations and an enduring frontier spirit. Five Trail is forged on the expertise, knowledge, and innovative frontier spirit of five generations of the Coors legacy. 

For More Information:

https://www.fivetrail.com 

About David Coors, Vice President, Next Generation Beverages

A fifth generation of the Coors family, brewing and beverages are part of David Coors' blood. He began his career at MillerCoors serving as the Area Sales Manager, before working his way up to Associate Innovations Brand Manager. From there, he joined the Molson Coors brand, holding positions as the country Development Manager, General Manager Australasia and Global Senior Director Craft and Retail. In 2018, he was named President of AC Golden Brewing Company before heading up the Next Generation Beverages Division as the Vice President. Under his leadership, the company launched its first full-strength spirit, Five Trail Blended American Whiskey. 

In addition to his brewing accolades, Mr. Coors serves on a number of community and civic boards, including The Yuengling Company LLC, the board of Truss CBD USA LLC, Mario St. George Boiardi Foundation, Committee Members for the Young Guns Coors Western Art Exhibit, and Visit Denver. Mr. Coors holds a Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Engineering Management from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Additionally, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering from Cornell University College of Engineering.

Online & In the News:

• Five Trail Whiskey 
• Molson Coors Will Release Its Second Five Trail Whiskey - Thrillist
• Coors' Five Trail Whiskey Expands to Canada, Panama
• Introducing Molson Coors' Five Trail Batch 002 | Brewbound

We sit down with James Doherty, Founder of Sliabh Liag Distillers (pronounced "sleeve league") to discuss their portfolio of Silkie Irish Whiskey which recently launched in the United States. We discuss the unique features of Irish Whiskey as well as the various offerings from Sliabh Liag. Find out what makes their whiskies stand out in a market that is seeing explosive growth for Irish Whiskey. 

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there. 

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow whiskey lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Check out our BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, whiskey news, podcast archive, and details on our upcoming single barrel picks.

Cheers, 
Scott and Jake 
Bourbon Lens

About Sliabh Liag Distillers

Bringing the almost-forgotten smoky style of Irish whiskey back into the consciousness and repertoire of discerning premium spirits drinkers is the collection of Silkie whiskeys. Each blended to an exacting standard by Sliabh Liag Distillers founder, James Doherty, the core range of three whiskies – The Legendary Silkie, The Legendary Dark Silkie and Midnight Silkie – take drinkers on a journey through the rich, surprising rewards of whiskies with a varying degree of smoky character.

James's childhood holidays in Donegal nurtured a love for the folk tales of the Sliabh Liag peninsula and more importantly a dream for the future possibilities of reclaiming Donegal's distilling heritage; this is the driving passion behind James and Moira Doherty's return to Donegal to establish Sliabh Liag Distillers. The Silkie range – named after the mermaids who would come ashore, shedding their seal- like coat to become beautiful dark haired maidens and steal the hearts of local fishermen – is the first product launched by the business.

Founder of Sliabh Liag Distillers, James Doherty, says the inspiration for the collection of Silkie whiskeys comes from memories of those early years in Donegal: "In the mornings, I would head down to the kitchen, where beside the stove, grandad's pipe would be sitting from the night before. Grandad was a wonderful man, tall, strong, hard-working, and generous, with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Eleven-year-old me would tug on his pipe and I can viscerally remember the sweet tobacco, smoky and ashy aroma. It seemed to compliment the smell of the stove, the peat and my gran's baking. Although it's a morning moment, the whiskey is the taste of the night before".

Once he has this taste in his mind's eye, the sense of place for James is richer than the lighter Irish whiskey style prevalent today. His aim is to create a style that harks back to a richer era in Irish whiskey, pre-prohibition, and for which Donegal's distillers were famed.

James continued: "I look for balance in the structure of that taste in the whiskeys available to me. One building block of Dark Silkie is intense sweetness - Grain Whiskey virgin oak provides a rounded sweetness, caramel toffee; it feels rich, luxurious, generous, and safe, and captures the innocence of that version of me. It also brings a degree of tannin to the whiskey. Another is smoky, ashy; triple distilled peated malt provides the pipe aromas, an earthy smoky note that we can get to play off the sweetness of the grain. Accents include aromatic dryness. To balance the intense sweet grain I choose the aromatic freshness of a double distilled single malt in sherry, more estery and zesty to cut into the sweetness in the final blend, all of which creates a maritime herbal quality that is almost salty".

For more information on Silkie Irish Whiskeys visit www.silkiewhiskey.com and for Sliabh Liag Distillers, visit www.sliabhliagdistillers.com. Follow us on Instagram at @SilkieWhiskeyAmericas.  

Jake and Scott catch up with Colin Blake, Director of Spirits Education at Moonshine University, after becoming two of the newest Executive Bourbon Stewards. Stave and Thief Society, which is part of Moonshine University, is the first bourbon certification program recognized by the bourbon industry and the only to be recognized by the Kentucky Distillers Association as its "Official Bourbon Education Course." The Executive Bourbon Steward Certification is a day-long, intensive training to strengthen your understanding of the technical side of bourbon production, its history and relationship to other whiskeys, and the variety of aromas and flavors found in different expressions of bourbon. For those of our listeners who are unable to attend this class in Louisville Kentucky, Moonshine University recently launched an online Executive Certification which is helping people around the world to now become Executive Bourbon Stewards. 

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there. 

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Check out our BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, whiskey news, podcast archive, and details on our upcoming single barrel picks.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

About Moonshine University:

Moonshine University®, located in Louisville Kentucky was created to bring together specialists from every facet of the distilling and spirits industries under one roof to provide education, training, R & D, and support for industry professionals, established companies, and those entering the business. With a faculty of over 50 of the industry's recognized experts, we provide the opportunity to learn from the best of the best, from distillers and marketers of the world's most successful brands to owners and operators of working craft distilleries.

Moonshine University® is located on a beverage campus that houses a fully-equipped distillery, state-of-art classroom, production facility with bottling line, extensive sensory library, and 24,000 square foot beverage innovation laboratory. Our proximity to industry supplier and manufacturing facilities allows us to incorporate "field trips" into our curriculum.

As the exclusive educational member of the Kentucky Distillers' Association, Moonshine University® has the full breadth and depth of its support. KDA members produce nearly all of the major brands and many of the well-known craft brands in the United States. It is with these resources that we are able to offer such an in-depth training and business education for the distilling industry.

About Stave & Thief Society:

Stave & Thief Society was founded in 2014, and is the first bourbon certification program recognized by the bourbon industry and the only to be recognized by the Kentucky Distillers Association as its "Official Bourbon Education Course." The programs were developed by professional distilling and spirits educators and advised by a panel of experts in the bourbon and hospitality industries to provide a premium, standardized bourbon education that is accessible and holds real value.

About Colin Blake | Director of Spirits Education

Colin joined the Moonshine University team in 2012 as its Director of Spirits Education. As a researcher and writer of spirits and cocktails with a background in film production and comedy, Colin is known for delivering expertly curated courses with an entertaining presentation. He is also the proud co-creator of the Stave & Thief Society. When he isn't teaching, Colin is busy producing custom educational experiences for craft distillers and large spirits brands, alike.

Executive Bourbon Steward Course Overview:

Spend a day at our hands-on learning center and have the time of your life as you attain a real working knowledge of bourbon and bourbon production. Designed for industry professionals and bourbon enthusiasts alike, this day-long workshop offers state-of-the-art classroom training, hands-on distilling, and advanced sensory training, along with plenty of bourbon to enjoy throughout the day (for educational purposes, of course).

You'll gain a strengthened understanding of the technical side of bourbon production, its history and relationship to other whiskeys, and the variety of aromas and flavors found in different expressions, giving you all the tools you need to build creative flights and guide your own engaging sensory experiences. In addition to joining the 2,500+ Bourbon Stewards from around the world who have graduated our program, you'll also gain the ability to speak with knowledge and confidence when sharing your appreciation for Kentucky's signature spirit.

Key concepts covered:

• Whiskey classification, including what makes bourbon unique
• The science of bourbon distillation and aging
• An overview of bourbon production practices and equipment
• The history of America's national spirit
• Sensory and aroma training
• How to educate consumers in a friendly and engaging way
• Tips on how to build and conduct bourbon tastings

Included with your purchase:

• The Bourbon Steward handbook
• A 36-piece bourbon sensory training kit
• A crossed thieves lapel pin (upon course completion)
• A special Stave and Thief Society challenge coin (upon course completion)

Jake travels to Bardstown for an early look (and taste) of Bardstown Bourbon Company's first estate-distilled collection of whiskey releases; The Origin Series.  These whiskies release later this week and we had the opportunity to be among the first to try each of the 3 releases. If you've followed the Bourbon Lens for a while, you know that we have anticipated these whiskies for many years.  We discuss the new lineup with Dan Callaway and Brandon Smith from BBCo.

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there. 

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Check out our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, whiskey news, and details on our upcoming single barrel picks.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

Bourbon Lens Coverage of Bardstown Bourbon Co.:

• New! Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series Coming Soon! 
• Bardstown Bourbon Company's Latest Collaboration Focuses On The Barrel
• Bardstown Bourbon Company: The Penultimate Fusion Series
• Bardstown Bourbon Company: is Fercullen Their Best Collaboration?
• Bardstown Bourbon Co. to Release Final Expressions in Fusion Series
• 191: Inside the Vintage Whiskey Library at Bardstown Bourbon Company
• Bardstown Bourbon Reimagines Château de Laubade Collaboration with Second Release
• Finding Gold at The Bar: Bardstown Bourbon Company: Muscat Mistelle Collaboration
• 42: Bardstown Bourbon Co.'s Dan Callaway
• 31: Discover Bardstown Bourbon Company

About the Bardstown Bourbon Co. Origin Series:

New core product collection features Straight Bourbon, Bottled-in-Bond and Rye whiskies distilled and aged at the brand's Bardstown homeplace. 

Six years after their first whiskey was distilled, Bardstown Bourbon Company, one of the largest and most sophisticated distilleries in the country, will release its first estate-distilled collection of whiskies in early 2023.

The Origin Series introduces consumers to the modern brand's core product line through three distinct 6-year-old whiskies: Origin Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Origin Bottled-in-Bond and Origin Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey.  The full series, all of which has been distilled, aged and bottled at Bardstown Bourbon Co., will be distributed to retailers in 24 states, at the distillery gift shop, and via a number of online retailers.

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

Origin Series Bourbon is a 6-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. This 36 percent high-rye mash bill showcases the best of classic bourbon with a burst of rye spice. A balanced blend of apricot, orange blossom, and mint rests on caramel, nutmeg, and rich oak unfolds on the nose. On the palate, waves of cinnamon and vanilla lead to a bold, signature lasting finish. Origin Series Bourbon is presented at 96 proof (48 percent ABV) for a suggested price of $44.99.

Wheated Bottled-in-Bond presents the best locally sourced corn and wheat grains in this 6-year-old straight bourbon whiskey. This bourbon features 20 percent wheat in the mashbill, creating a beautifully balanced modern expression.  Baked peach with cream meets cocoa with hints of lemon on the nose. An indulgent, smooth mouthfeel of stone fruit and toffee leads to an alluring and enduring finish. Origin Series Bottled-in-Bond is presented at 100 proof (50% ABV) for a suggested price of $49.99.

Kentucky Straight Rye is finished in custom barrels comprised of alternating toasted American oak and toasted cherry wood staves. This finishing process creates a wholly unique flavor unlike anything seen in the rye category. Ripe cherry resonates through toasted oak, highlighted by white flower, dill, and cinnamon. A rich, round mouthfeel bursts with fruit flavor leading to a one-of-a-kind sublime finish. Origin Series Kentucky Straight Rye is presented at 96 proof (48% ABV) for a suggested price of $69.99. 

In addition to the three core products, the launch of the Origin Series will include for the first time, a single barrel program for Bardstown Bourbon Co. A limited number of Origin Series Bourbon single barrels will be available annually for purchase by the barrel to on- and off-premise retailers. Each retailer will be able to hand-select their unique single barrel on-site at Bardstown Bourbon Co.

Origin Series Bourbon:

Mashbill: 60 percent corn, 36 percent rye, 4 percent malted barley

Proof:     96 proof (48% ABV)

SRP:     $44.99

Origin Series Bottled-in-Bond:

Mashbill: 68 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, 12 percent malted barley

Proof:     100 proof (50% ABV)

Price:     $49.99

Origin Series Kentucky Straight Rye:

Mashbill:  95 percent rye, 5 percent malted barley

Proof:     96 proof (48% ABV)

Price:     $69.99

Since 2016, Bardstown Bourbon Co. has grown from a 600,000 proof gallon per year distillery to the 7th largest in America, custom distilling and bottling more than 7 million proof gallons per year. In this time, when many would release un-aged spirits, the brand has instead become known for its boundary-defying approach to bourbon blending, pulling from both old and newer stock, a variety of mashbills and origins to create single-release products. Founded in the spirit of bringing transparency to an industry often cloaked in secrecy and lore, Bardstown Bourbon Co. has established itself through not only custom distillation but also unprecedented collaboration with a number of spirits brands. 

About Bardstown Bourbon Company:

Founded in 2014 by Peter Loftin in the heart of Bourbon Country on 100 acres of active farmland, Bardstown Bourbon Company, 1500 Parkway Drive, Bardstown, Ky., is one of the country's most modern and technically advanced whiskey distilleries. Celebrating the art of making high-quality, authentic bourbons, the innovative distillery produces custom rye, whiskey and bourbon for prominent brands including Jefferson's, Blue Run, Belle Meade and many others through its one-of-a-kind collaborative distilling program. Bardstown Bourbon Company honors tradition and drives innovation with their exceptional destination experience for visitors, offering the only full-service restaurant located within a distillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, The Kitchen and Bar at Bardstown Bourbon Company.

We are exploring American Single Malt again this week and tasting a lineup from Colkegan from Santa Fe Spirits in New Mexico. We're joined by Colin Keegan, one of the pillars in the American Single Malt Whiskey community.  Colin talks about his path to making spirits in the Southwestern United States, the difficulties in growing a craft brand, and his commitment to crafting the best single malt whiskey in America. 

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there. 

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Check out our freshly redesigned website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, whiskey news, and details on our upcoming single barrel picks.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

About Santa Fe Spirits:

Santa Fe Spirits was founded by Colin Keegan in 2010 with the goal of becoming the Southwest's pre-eminent artisan distillery. With products ranging from silver whisky to barrel-aged apple brandy to Colkegan Single Malt Whiskey, Santa Fe Spirits is a relatively small distillery proud to be producing exceptional spirits designed to capture and accentuate the essence of the Southwest. 

About Colin Keegan:

Colin started Santa Fe Spirits in 2010 with the goal of making the highest quality handcrafted spirits. As he and his wife Suzette live in an apple orchard in Tesuque he had 'experimented' with making brandy from the fall crop since 2002. On putting together a business plan he realized that apple brandy alone would not be a sustainable business model, so he formulated a plan of a range of spirits, and sold to multiple markets, with a major focus on American whiskies. The business began with whiskey, apple brandy, and one assistant in the distillery.

Over the last twelve years the company has been through many changes. It has been through many expansions and is now on the 4th which will double the facility size. SFS continually adds more products to our portfolio. We have grown from just Colin to eight fulltime and four part-time team members. We now distribute to 11 states across the US and export to Germany, Australia and Japan.

​We have received national awards for all our spirits, but are always looking to improve on all we do. Our next few years will be focused on extending our whiskey market.

​Colin really believes in the craft distilling industry and is a strong advocate for craft distilleries. He was a founding member and has been a board member of the American Craft Distillers Association (ACSA) for 5 years. He also served a 2-year position as their treasurer.  Colin was the founder of the New Mexico Distillers Guild (NMDG) in 2015 and served as its president for three years. He grew the organization from three founders to 20 members. As a founding member of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission (ASMWC), Colin truly believes American Single Malt Whiskies are really coming into being and will see great growth over the next few years.  As a board member of the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, Colin is a big contributor to the local community and small business. He served as Board President in 2016.

We're joined by Filmland Spirits Founder and CEO Troy Bolotnick. Filmland Spirits has just released 3 new whiskies to market and are seeking to tell a story with every bottle.  Inspired by decade's past B–Movies, their bottlings are sure to catch your attention on the shelf.  Each release is a homage to Hollywood, film-making, and wild storylines.  Visit FilmlandSpirits.com to grab yourself a bottle for your next movie night.

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there. 

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Check out our freshly redesigned website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, whiskey news, and details on our upcoming single barrel picks.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

Our guest this week is David Souza, the Founder and Distiller for Corbin Cash Distillery in California.  We discuss the farm-to-glass approach of the Distillery and what drives David to produce craft whiskey in the San Joaquin Valley where his family has been farming for decades. 

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there. 

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Check out our freshly redesigned website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, whiskey news, and details on our upcoming single barrel picks.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

Our guest this week is Matt Hofman of Westland Distillery.  Matt is the Co-Founder and Master Distiller of Westland Distillery in Seattle, Washington. Matt has passion for exceptional whiskies that reflect the region where they were made. He has received a General Certificate in Distilling from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling in London, as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Distilling from the International Center for Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt University. Matt's work in American single malt whiskey has been praised by business and trade organizations alike, including being named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2016 and receiving the 2018 American Master Distiller of the Year award by Whisky Magazine.

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there. 

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Check out our freshly redesigned website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, whiskey news, and details on our upcoming single barrel picks.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

About Westland Distillery:

Founded in 2010 and acquired by Remy-Cointreau in 2017, Seattle's Westland Distillery brings a new and uniquely American voice to the world of single malt whiskey by exploring possibilities that have been ignored for generations. Along the way, Westland has been recognized as the country's leading producer of American Single Malt Whiskey and founded the formal establishment of the emerging American Single Malt Whiskey category by starting the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission. While the distillery uses the same basic ingredients and processes used for centuries by traditional Old World single malt producers, it doesn't simply seek to replicate the results of its Scottish predecessors. Instead, Westland works to create whiskies that reflect the distinct qualities of its time, place and culture in the Pacific Northwest. All of Westland's expressions are distilled at the Seattle distillery from 100% malted barley and fermented with a unique Belgian Saison brewer's yeast before maturing in one of a variety of cask types, including new American oak, ex-Bourbon, ex-Sherry, and Garry Oak, to name a few.

Coverage and Praise for Westland Distillery:

• Episode 63: Westland American Single Malt Whiskey - Bourbon Lens
• Westland Distillery 
• American Single Malt May Soon Be an Official Designation | Wine Enthusiast
• Westland Distillery Celebrates 8th Annual Peat Week - Bourbon Lens 
• What an Official American Single Malt Category Means for the Future of Whiskey in the U.S. | VinePair
• TTB announces proposed American Single Malt standards
• Follow Matt Hofmann (@matthewhofmann) on Instagram
• American Single Malt Whiskey Commission