By Richard Thomas Rating: A- Bourbonola, a high strength bourbon and cola mixer (Credit: Richard Thomas) Bourbonola is a nod to the long history of the Lexington Brewing Company. By that, I don’t mean the modern company, which was established in 1999 and is very much a creation of the late period of the Craft Beer 1.0 era. There is an earlier Lexington Brewing Company, one that got its start in the 1890s. Like many breweries around the country, the company struggled to survive Prohibition. As part of its efforts, they introduced a cola called “Bourbonola.” One can see the ads painted on the ..read more

Milam & Greene Whiskey is introducing the second release of the 2024 Wildlife Collection: Mockingbird Single Barrel Bourbon, a limited-edition, cask-strength spirit. The theme of the Wildlife Collection draws on how extreme weather in the Texas Hill Country influences flavor development of aging bourbon and brings awareness to Texas Parks and Wildlife causes. Mockingbird Single Barrel Bourbon is part of this year’s collector theme which highlights the beautiful and intriguing birds of Texas. It will be available exclusively on the Milam & Greene Whiskey website and in the distille ..read more

By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A124 (Credit: Richard Thomas) When Heaven Hill finally took the 12 year age statement off Elijah Craig Barrel Proof last year, several years after taking the Elijah Craig Small Batch no age statement in 2016, it was an even noteworthy for just how little comment it attracted. Sure, some croaked, but compared to the outrage that similar transitions sparked during the middle 2010s, the response was relatively muted. It seems that the folks stoking the outrage in that bygone era have all either taken their ball and gone home or else otherwi ..read more

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association today announced Bargo 459 in Knox County is the newest member of the non-profit trade group that unites and leads Kentucky’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. Bargo 459 is led by Matthew Bargo II, his wife, Susie, and their son, Matthew Bargo III. Perched on Kentucky Highway 3041 overlooking the new Cumberland Run harness racing track, Bargo 459 is a small craft distillery where only a limited number of barrels are finished at a time. Its address is 133 Wes David Road in Corbin, Ky. Their whiskey is all pot-distilled straight Bourbon that ha ..read more

Lux Row Distillers announced the latest addition to the Ezra Brooks brand family: Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish. Finished in port casks from Portugal for six months, Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish delivers the great spicy ryed bourbon taste and smooth finish Ezra Brooks is known for in its already bold 99 proof bourbon, with additional flavor notes. The new variant will start shipping to retailers later this month at a suggested retail price of $34.99 per 750 ml bottle. With a mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malt, Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish is distilled using the ..read more

Ole Smoky Distillery, best known as the Gatlinburg, Tennessee moonshine-maker and tourist destination, has announced the nation-wide distribution of its Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The distillery is already well-known outside of Tennessee, and is the most prominent of the legal moonshine brands. Now it is staking out a place in the bourbon market with this four year old, Tennessee-made bourbon. “The American Whiskey category is continuing to grow, and as one of the fastest growing spirits companies in the country, Ole Smoky is excited to offer consumers a straight whiskey from a distil ..read more

Diageo’s Orphan Barrel series specializes in older expressions drawn from across that drinks giant’s far flung assembly of whiskey-makers. The series has brought out Canadian and Scotch whiskies before, but has focused on bourbon for the most part, and the latest release is one such: the new Indigo Hour is an 18 year old bourbon. “Indigo’s Hour is perfect for those who appreciate the complex flavors and craft behind American-bourbon making,” said Diageo Master Blender Andrew Mackay. “Its liquid and bottle label symbolizes how the Orphan Barrel collection continues to evolve from its predecesso ..read more

Kentucky distiller Heaven Hill announced today the release of the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 25th Anniversary Edition. This is a special release in the Old Fitzgerald line, outside the bi-annual spring and autumn releases, denoted as a “VVS.” The occasion is the 25th anniversary of Heaven Hill’s purchase of the Bernheim Distillery in Shively (an industrial suburb of Louisville), following the destruction of the company’s original distillery in a 1996 fire. The barrels used for this VVS Old Fitzgerald release were produced in September 1999, emptied in March 2013 and bottled in February 202 ..read more

Templeton Distillery will ship its first in-house whiskey for distribution next month, ironically billed as a high rye bourbon. Templeton Fortitude Bourbon would undoubtedly be a high rye by anyone’s standards, with a mash bill of 55% corn, 40% rye and 5% malted barley. Templeton’s home, Iowa, is renowned for its corn, and so it should come as no surprise that all the corn used came from within 15 miles of the distillery. It’s bottled at 92 proof. “It’s thrilling to be part of this historic moment for the Templeton Distillery and the incredible community of Templeton, Iowa,” said Shane Fitzhar ..read more

New Economic Numbers And Tax Breaks Leave More Questions Than Answers By Richard Thomas Heaven Hill rickhouse near Bardstown, Kentucky (Credit: Richard Thomas) February saw the release of a key economic report from the Kentucky Distillers Association (KDA), the trade group that represents the Commonwealth’s bourbon industry. The statistics presented in the report were held up as a cause for celebration, billed as a picture of the Kentucky bourbon industry going from triumph to triumph, and its release was attended by leaders from both the state government and the bourbon industry. “Kentucky ..read more