75-Year-Old Whiskey Time Capsule
Plus: Whiskey Passport, New Distribution Deal Unveiled, and More
Hey folks, today we have a famous whiskey brand finding a new home, a passport to the whiskey world, a whiskey time capsule from 1948, and much more. We hope you enjoy it. Cheers!
Our Picks
(Highlights if you only got 2 minutes.)
1. Bob Dylan's Whiskey Finds New UK Home
Bob Dylan has passed the UK distribution baton of his Heaven's Door whiskey to Paragon Brands. The whiskey, a melody of Tennessee Straight Bourbon, Double Barrel, and Straight Rye, was born from Dylan's collaboration with Spirits Investment Partnership. Chris Jones, the maestro at Paragon, welcomes the brand with open arms, singing praises of its quality, substance, and rich backstory. The switch comes as Heaven's Door sets its sights on distilling dreams in Pleasureville, Kentucky.
2. Your Passport to the Whiskey World
Get ready, whiskey lovers, The 2023 American Whiskey Guide, a treasure trove of whiskey wisdom by Booze Press founder David Serfozo, is set to launch this month. Featuring over 200 distillers and 350 entries, the guide is set to be your ultimate companion in the world of American whiskey. Serfozo has been on a year-long adventure, interviewing industry pioneers and visiting distilleries to bring you the inside scoop from whiskey recipes to distillery histories. You can pre-order here.
3. 300 Whiskeys and a Dram of Charm
Dram & Draught, a Raleigh-based craft cocktail and whiskey bar, is set to turn heads in Charlotte's South End with a grand opening on June 26th! It's ready to shake up the local spirits scene by boasting a lineup of over 300 global whiskeys, hand-crafted cocktails, and a worldwide wine list. This 2,800 sq ft haven of good times, complete with an outdoor patio, is the seventh Dram & Draught location in North Carolina. This spirited addition to the Vantage South End site promises a cocktail of delights for Charlotte's thirsty crowd.
Product Launches, Collectibles, and More
1. A Whisky Time Capsule from 1948 Set to Fetch $100,000
The world of ultra-rare spirits is stirring up another storm. This time, the star is a 72-year-old Glen Grant single malt whisky bottle. Hailing from the storied cellars of Gordon & MacPhail, this 1948 vintage (the birth year of Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne, and Olivia Newton-John—coincidence? We think not!) is poised to make its grand U.S. auction debut.
The auction, set to run from June 19 to 29 via Bonhams Skinner, is expected to see the Glen Grant gem fetch a pretty penny, between $70,000 and $100,000.
This exquisite whisky, matured in a sherry-seasoned American oak cask and bottled in a Dartington crystal decanter, is as rare as they come, with only 290 bottles in existence.
The auction will also feature other enticing spirits, such as the Brora Triptych Collection, the 2022 release of Michter's Celebration Sour Mash, a set of Austin Nichols Wild Turkey "Cheesy Gold Foil," and an A.H. Hirsch 16-year-old bourbon. These aged treasures are waiting for your bids, ready to grace the shelves of the highest bidder.
2. The Bourbon World's Best Kept Secret: Milam & Greene's Very Small Batch Release
Milam & Greene released their Very Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey: Batch 1, made from 75 bourbon barrels, a combination of bourbon distilled in Kentucky and barrels of Tennessee bourbon.
Before finishing, the barrels are divided into smaller batches to marry in 1,000-gallon vatting tanks. The bottle is available to approximately 0.00451% of the entire population based on current U.S. Census numbers, and they can release 1,500 9L cases of Very Small Batch Bourbon with these 75 bourbon barrels.
Distilled using their signature mash bill of 70% corn, 22% malted rye, and 8% malted barley. The barrels are aged in Kentucky and then Texas for just shy of 4 years. The Tennessee bourbon is distilled with a mash bill of 80% corn, 10% rye, and 10% malted barley. This batch reflects the influence of the climate on whiskey from three different states: Kentucky, Tennessee, and Texas.
This batch of bourbon is then finished with French oak staves that were once part of casks that held both tawny port wine and then Milam & Greene's award-winning rye whiskey. These staves are "cooked" in the 100-degree Texan summer sun, charred on the outside only, and steeped in the bourbon for about two weeks in the vatting tanks.
The finished product is a complex and sophisticated bourbon with a nose that starts sweet and delicious, followed by some nuttiness, soft vanilla, and French toast aromas. The palate is fruit-forward sweetness at the beginning, quickly evolving to notes of black tea with fresh baked biscuit flavors in the mid-palate. The finish lingers with notes of fresh black pepper and cardamom and a hint of wintergreen. This bourbon will be released twice yearly, with Batch 2 coming this fall.
3. A Rare Gem: Ichiro's Malt 'The Game' in Madeira Hogshead
Ichiro's Malt 'The Game' Single Cask #1370 Madeira Hogshead is a rare and exceptional whisky that can please even the most discerning palate. This single malt whisky was distilled at the Chichibu Distillery in Japan and matured in a Madeira hogshead cask for 6 years. The result is a complex and flavorful whisky with notes of fruit, spice, and wood.
The nose of Ichiro's Malt 'The Game' Single Cask #1370 Madeira Hogshead is dominated by ripe fruits, such as mango, pineapple, and apricot. There are also hints of spice, such as cinnamon and nutmeg, and a touch of wood smoke. The palate is rich and full-bodied, with flavors of dried fruit, chocolate, and coffee. The finish is long and lingering, with notes of spice and wood.
Ichiro's Malt 'The Game' Single Cask #1370 Madeira Hogshead is a limited-edition whisky released in 2017. Only 260 bottles were produced, making it a rare find.
Miscellaneous
Here are a few interesting questions being asked in the world of whiskey.
1. What is the best selling bourbon in the world?
2. What is the rarest bourbon?
3. What drives people to pay thousands of dollars for Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon?
5. Is it true that cigars and scotch don't mix well together?
Whiskey + AI Image of the Week
We’re using Midjourney to develop these images. It doesn’t disappoint. The captions show the prompts we used.
Today’s edition is presented by Norlan
Norlan Glass is an award-winning, patented whisky glass that was refined with master distiller Jim McEwan. It is made from hand-blown double-walled borosilicate glass and features a concave outer rim that fits the lower lip of the mouth elegantly. The glass's unique design reduces ethanol burn through specially developed inner protrusions, making it the perfect way to enjoy your favorite whisky.
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