By Susannah Skiver Barton

Brown-Forman —the American company best known for Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey —announced the appointment of Rachel Barrie as whisky maker for its scotch portfolio, which includes the GlenDronach , BenRiach , and Glenglassaugh distilleries. Barrie is leaving Morrison Bowmore Distillers (owned by Beam Suntory ), where she has served as master blender for the last five years, working with such brands as Laphroaig , Bowmore , Auchentoshan , Ardmore , and Glen Garioch . Her new position starts on mars 1 ^st .

Barrie takes the reins from Billy Walker, who founded The BenRiach Distillery Company...

By Susannah Skiver Barton

This week, check out two vintage scotches from Glenmorangie and Benromach , and the latest Master’s Keep bourbon from Wild Turkey .

 Glenmorangie Bond House No. 1 Grand Vintage 1990

Style: Single malt scotch Proof: 43% ABV Price: $630 Release: februari 2017 Availability: Nationwide, but in limited amounts

Need to know: This is 25 year old whisky aged in ex-bourbon casks, with a small amount aged in ex-sherry casks.

Whisky Advocate says: The Bond House No. 1 Collection is a new series aimed at collectors, and each whisky released will be a vintage. The name comes...

By Susannah Skiver Barton

Barrell Craft Spirits —the company behind the Barrell Bourbon, Barrell Whiskey, and Barrell Rum brands—has announced plans to build its own distillery in Louisville, Kentucky’s Gilmore Industrial area, naming Tripp Stimson as master distiller. Stimson formerly worked as a scientist at Brown-Forman and as master distiller at Kentucky Artisan Distillery (KAD), where Jefferson’s bourbon , among other brands, is made. In addition to providing consultation services to the craft spirits industry for the last few years, he also built Kentucky’s first malting operation at KAD in 2016.

Barrell was founded in 2014 with a business model based...

By Susannah Skiver Barton

This week, blended whiskey enters new territory.

Cask & Crew

Style: Blended whiskey Proof: 40% ABV Price: $25 Release: februari 2017 Availability: 7,500 bottles available in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Connecticut, Maryland, and Kentucky

Need to know: This whiskey blends 51% Canadian rye with 49% American corn whiskey. The Cask & Crew range also includes Walnut Toffee and Ginger Spice flavored whiskeys (both 35% ABV).

Whisky Advocate says: This is a new one to us—blending Canadian-sourced rye whisky and American corn whiskey. The label calls it a blended rye whiskey. Although it originated in Canada, the rye...

By Susannah Skiver Barton

Angel’s Envy —which opened its new, $27 million dollar distillery and visitor center in Louisville, Kentucky in november 2016—has become the tenth member of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Louisville’s major, Greg Fischer, and members of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association made the announcement this morning, presenting a copper plaque to the company to commemorate the occasion and stamping the first Angel’s Envy page in the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Passport.

Angel’s Envy was founded in 2006 by Wes Henderson. His father, Lincoln, had worked as a master distiller for Brown-Forman for nearly 40 years, helping to develop brands like...

By Susannah Skiver Barton

Tobermory distillery , located on Scotland’s Isle of Mull, will be closing down for up to two years starting on mars 31 ^st . Owner Distell Group Ltd. has plans refurbish the facility which require shutting it down. The visitor center, however, will remain open to guests and will host tours. Distell noted in a statement that staff jobs “will be protected as far as possible.”

Tobermory distillery produces both Tobermory and Ledaig single malt whiskies (Ledaig is highly peated, while Tobermory is not). During the two-year renovation period, Ledaig 10 year old and 18 year...

By Susannah Skiver Barton

There’s never been a better time to be a whiskey-drinking sports fan . The NBA announced a new partnership with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey that will continue over the next several years. The sponsorship agreement covers both the NBA and WNBA , as well as the NBA D-League and USA Basketball , and it starts with a two-day “experiential event” during NBA All-Star Weekend , februari 17 ^th -19 ^th , in New Orleans.

Jack Daniel’s currently sponsors five NBA teams—the Atlanta Hawks , the Denver Nuggets , the Los Angeles Clippers , the Oklahoma City...

By Susannah Skiver Barton  

Glenmorangie has released the eighth whisky in its Private Edition series, and Wyoming Whiskey is launching a sherry-finished bourbon.

Glenmorangie Bacalta

Style: Single malt scotch Proof: 46% ABV Price: $100 Release: februari 2017 Availability: 21,600 bottles for the U.S.

Need to know: The latest in Glenmorangie’s Private Edition series, Bacalta is 10 year old Glenmorangie aged in bourbon casks, then finished for two years in American oak casks that were seasoned with Malmsey madeira. “Bacalta” is Scots Gaelic for “baked” and refers to the way madeira is essentially cooked in-cask in the hot sun.

Whisky...

By Susannah Skiver Barton

Stewart Laing, Jim McEwan, Andrew Laing, and Scott Laing toast to Ardnahoe distillery. (Photo by Ralph Dunning)

Legendary master distiller Jim McEwan is taking on a new role as production director of Ardnahoe distillery . McEwan retired in juli 2015 from Bruichladdich, where he had been master distiller for 15 years, creating whiskies like the heavily-peated Octomore, as well as The Botanist gin. Prior to that, he had been at Bowmore for 38 years, working his way up from apprentice cooper through positions in the warehouse, blending, and distilling, and finally ending up as the brand’s...

By Susannah Skiver Barton

Bardstown Bourbon Company announced a partnership with Western Spirits Beverage Company to produce whiskey for the company’s brands, which include Bird Dog whiskey , Lexington bourbon and Calumet bourbon . The distilling starts this month. Bardstown Bourbon will make whiskey for all three brands which will then be aged at its on-site warehouses. The joint venture is part of Bardstown’s Collaborative Distilling Program—a contract-distilling initiative that currently is completely sold out with around 12 partners. Western Spirits—which doesn’t disclose where its whiskey is currently made—is the first partner to be publicly announced.

Bardstown Bourbon’s current facility, which...

By Susannah Skiver Barton

This week brings a trio of half-size bottles of straight Kentucky bourbon from the Wild Turkey distillery and Woodford Reserve .

Whiskey Barons Collection

This new range from Campari —which owns Wild Turkey—aims to “recreate historically significant bourbons that were lost after Prohibition,” according to a press release. Although both bourbons were distilled at Wild Turkey, neither Jimmy nor Eddie Russell, Wild Turkey’s co-master distillers, were involved in their creation. A portion of the profits from each bottle will be donated to the restoration of the historic T.B. Ripy house in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.

Bond & Lillard...

The lawsuit alleging that Buffalo Trace and parent company Sazerac deliberately misled consumers about the age of Old Charter Bourbon has been voluntarily dismissed, according to a motion filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York by Bursor & Fischer on behalf of plaintiff Nicholas Parker. Parker had originally filed the lawsuit in november 2016, alleging seven counts of deceptive acts or practices, false advertising, unjust enrichment, breach of warranty, fraud, and negligent misrepresentation. He sought compensatory, statutory, and punitive damages, as well as to put a stop to the “illegal practices.”

Recall, Old Charter was previously sold as an...

Cubs President of Business Operations Crane Kenney with Beam Suntory CEO Matt Shattock

By Susannah Skiver Barton

There’s another reason to celebrate the reigning World Series Champions, the Chicago Cubs . Starting this year, two bourbon brands— Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark —are launching partnerships with the team.

As part of a deal made by parent company Beam Suntory , Jim Beam bourbon will have long-term naming rights to a new first base club at Wrigley Field. The club will take two seasons to complete, so for now, expect to see Jim Beam signage and promotions in the upper deck...

By Susannah Skiver Barton

We welcome two new single malts this week—one from India’s far north, and the other from Islay.

Rampur Indian Single Malt

Style: Single Maltwhisky Proof: 43% ABV Price: $70 Release: januari 2017 Availability: 12 states plus Washington, D.C. with expansion in the works

Need to know: Rampur joins Amrut and Paul John in the ranks of Indian single Maltwhisky. Unlike the other two brands, which both hail from India’s southern half, Rampur is made at the foot of the Himalayas in Uttar Pradesh.

Whisky Advocate says: We’ve been impressed with existing Indian single malts...

By Susannah Skiver Barton

America begins a new chapter in its history today with the inauguration of the 45 ^th President, Donald Trump. Whether celebrating or lamenting this event, you’re probably reaching for a bottle of whiskey, right?

If you want to stay on-theme with the day’s activities, now you can drink Presidential whiskeys. Conceived by Dave Schmier—who founded Redemption Rye , among other whiskey-related accomplishments—and alcohol distributor Michael Cherner of Ledroit Brands, One Term Presidential Dram Straight Rye and Two Term Presidential Dram Straight Bourbon were distilled at MGP in Indiana. The rye was aged for at least four...

By Susannah Skiver Barton

Longtime lovers of Scotch whisky are usually familiar with Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet. The 18 ^th -century bard’s use of the Scots dialect in his compositions made him one of the country’s most beloved figures, and every januari 25 ^th , millions of people in Scotland and throughout the world celebrate his birthday with feasting, poetry, and whisky.

As Scotch whisky has grown in popularity in recent years, more people in the U.S. are hosting a Burns Night supper. Presuming you can choose your own Scotch (and if you can’t, consult our Buying Guide ), here’s...

By Susannah Skiver Barton

This week we have a new straight rye from Ezra Brooks, a new batch of The Exclusive Malts’ single cask bottlings, a very limited 16 year old bourbon, and a whopper of a 50 year old Dalmore.

Ezra Brooks Straight Rye

Style: Straight rye whiskey Proof: 45% ABV Price: $19-$22 Release: januari 2017 Availability: Widely available

Need to know: The Ezra Brooks  range currently includes a straight bourbon, a 7 year old bourbon, a blended whiskey, and a bourbon cream liqueur, all priced for everyday drinking.

Whisky Advocate says:  Brand owner Luxco —which also produces the David Nicholson, Rebel Yell, and...

  By Susannah Skiver Barton

Visitors headed home from the Kentucky Bourbon Trail now have a reason to get to the airport early. Both Louisville International Airport and Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport are opening new bourbon-centric venues to allow travelers to enjoy one last taste of the good stuff before boarding their planes.

At Louisville’s airport, Book & Bourbon Southern Kitchen recently opened, taking the place of a restaurant that focused on the Woodford Reserve brand. The new bar and restaurant features a wide array of Kentucky-made whiskeys. It’s designed to have the look and feel of a library, from leather-bound...

By Susannah Skiver Barton

The whiskey world shines a little less brightly today with the death of Parker Beam, who passed away last night. The longtime master distiller at Heaven Hill , an independent, family-owned distilled spirits company based in Bardstown, Kentucky, Parker had been fighting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS—also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) for the last six years—a public battle that brought the entire Kentucky bourbon community out to rally around him and push for a cure.

Parker grew up learning from his father, Earl Beam, who was master distiller at Heaven Hill before him. Parker started his...

By Susannah Skiver Barton

This week it’s all about scotch. Read on for freshly launched single cask bottlings from Chieftain’s  and newcomer Chapter 7 , plus a whole new range of age statement whiskies from Glen Moray and a recently released Kilchoman .

Glen Moray 12 year old, 15 year old, and 18 year old single malts

Style: Single malt Scotch whisky Proof: 40% ABV (12 and 15 year olds), 47.2% ABV (18 year old) Price: $40 (12 year old), $55 (15 year old), $90 (18 year old) Release: december 2016 Availability: Widely available, although the 18 year old is...