Whiskey collectors often judge other collectors by their whiskey collections. They seem to be impressed when you own a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 23 year old or Old Forester Birthday Bourbon or some other “unicorn” bottle. That does not... Continue Reading →
More artisan distilleries are beginning to experiment with heirloom varieties of corn. Each distiller will say that their choice of heirloom corn adds a unique flavor to their whiskey and that is why they are using that corn in their... Continue Reading →
The other day I was part of a virtual BARDS (Bourbon And Rye Drinkers Society) meeting with David Whitmer, Master Blender from MGP as a guest. One of the subjects we discussed was the warehousing of their whiskey. This set... Continue Reading →
A mash bill is the recipe of the amount of grains used to make a beer for whiskey production. In Scotland it ranges from 100% barley malt for single malt whiskey to corn, wheat and malt for grain whiskey. In... Continue Reading →
A little over six years ago, my friend, Janet Patton, the distilling industry reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader, called me. She had been contacted by Will Arvin, one of the purchasers of the Old Taylor Distillery in Millville, Ky. and... Continue Reading →
People always ask me why I do my tastings with dried cranberries, pecans and a cigar. I do this because of the ephemeral nature of tasting whiskey. There are a lot of variables that have an effect on the flavor... Continue Reading →
Back in the 1990s, no one thought of Louisville as a Bourbon tourism destination. When the Courier-Journal published an article on the best Bourbon bar in America in the mid-1990s, the bar was Delilah’s in Chicago. Even when Bourbon tourism... Continue Reading →
Wilderness Trail Distillery opened in 2012. It was founded by Shane Baker and Pat Heist, who are experts in the growing of yeast and had founded the company Ferm-Solutions. Ferm-Solutions specializes in the cultivation of yeast for distillers, breweries and... Continue Reading →
I am a fan of Kentucky Straight Bourbons. I believe that at this point in history the best Bourbons in the world are being made here in Kentucky. Kentucky has all of the ingredients that are needed to make a... Continue Reading →
