AMERICAN still unmistakably Wild Turkey .” Two filtration methods - one through American White Oak charcoal and the second Texas mesquite , were used .
Russell has played with barrels as well - the just-released Master ’ s Keep Revival is Oloroso sherry cask-finished . “ This is just the beginning , and we will continue to see more of the finishes of other type of casks ,” he says .
While most finishes follow tried and true paths , Heaven Hill went outside the box for the 2018 Parker ’ s Heritage Collection : bourbon aged for seven to eight years in the upper floors of a single rickhouse , finished in orange curaçao barrels for four months .
FINDING THE RIGHT SPOT Buffalo Trace has been known for pushing the limits with a range that included the Experimental Collection . Now there is Warehouse X . The warehouse has four distinct chambers and was built to test various factors that impact the aging process .
“ The main driving force is for us to completely understand why our whiskey tastes the way it does ,” says Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley . “ In order for us to do that we have to understand how the environment influences our whiskey . Warehouse X is designed to explore the environment through air flow , sunlight , humidity and temperature . This will give us clues on what to expect based on what we know about the whiskey .
The goal is to improve established brands , as well as look at limited offerings or new brands . “ We have tried to use the information to create more consistency with our legacy brands and also create new flavors and ultimately new brands ,” he says .
“ The age of the bourbon and the warehouse floor location are two of the most important factors that infl uence fl avor while it ’ s in a barrel ,” Russell says . “ We have seven floors in our warehouses and the middle or center cut are truly the sweet spot given how the Kentucky climate of hot summers and cold winters impacts the aging process These middle floors give the caramel , vanilla and fruity flavors we look for .”
LEADING BRANDS OF STRAIGHT WHISKEY , 2016-2017
( 000 9-Liter Cases ) |
|
|
|
|
’ 16 /’ 17 |
BRAND |
SUPPLIER |
2016 |
2017 |
% CHG |
Jack Daniel ’ s |
Brown-Forman Corporation |
5,175 |
5,231 |
1.1 % |
Jim Beam Family |
Beam Suntory |
4,560 |
4,962 |
8.8 % |
Evan Williams |
Heaven Hill Brands |
2,294 |
2,431 |
6.0 % |
Maker ’ s Mark ( includes 46 ) |
Beam Suntory |
1,502 |
1,685 |
12.2 % |
Bulleit Bourbon |
Diageo |
1,075 |
1,195 |
11.2 % |
Wild Turkey |
Campari America |
636 |
658 |
3.5 % |
Early Times |
Brown-Forman Corporation |
516 |
493 |
-4.5% |
Woodford Reserve SBL |
Brown-Forman Corporation |
401 |
469 |
17.0 % |
Ten High |
Sazerac |
460 |
445 |
-3.3% |
Knob Creek |
Beam Suntory |
380 |
420 |
10.5 % |
Gentleman Jack |
Brown-Forman Corporation |
361 |
387 |
7.2 % |
Old Crow |
Beam Suntory |
363 |
344 |
-5.2% |
Ancient Age / AAA |
Sazerac |
353 |
340 |
-3.7% |
Kentucky Gentleman |
Sazerac |
278 |
287 |
3.2 % |
Heaven Hill Bourbon |
Heaven Hill Brands |
279 |
275 |
-1.4% |
Ezra Brooks |
Luxco |
218 |
258 |
18.3 % |
Bird Dog |
Western Spirits |
190 |
203 |
6.8 % |
Basil Hayden ’ s |
Beam Suntory |
138 |
178 |
29.0 % |
Four Roses |
Four Roses Distillery |
150 |
175 |
16.7 % |
George Dickel |
Diageo |
168 |
173 |
3.0 % |
Kentucky Tavern |
Sazerac |
170 |
169 |
-0.6% |
Old Forester |
Brown-Forman Corporation |
157 |
167 |
6.4 % |
Total Leading Brands |
19,824 |
20,945 |
5.7 % |
Others |
1,417 |
1,570 |
10.8 % |
Total Straight Whiskey |
21,241 |
22,515 |
6.0 % |
Source : Beverage Information & Insight Group ’ s Liquor Handbook 2018 . For more data and analytics , visit BevInfoStore . com .
StateWays | www . stateways . com | September / October 2018 35