This week’s new launch round-up options American whiskeys, led by a port cask completed mix from Woodford Reserve and a California purple wine cask end from Insurgent. Elijah Craig has dropped the second barrel proof batch of the 12 months, whereas Nashville pitmaster Carey Bringle is providing a 15 12 months previous rye. Elsewhere, Cedar Ridge has a brand new single malt completed in a multiplicity of casks, whereas different new choices are from Frank August, Spirit Hound, Milam & Greene, and World Whiskey Society. And in a separate story, we cowl two distillers who’ve introduced releases honoring the U.S. army.
Woodford Reserve Distillery Collection: Tawny Port End Mix
ABV: 45.2%
SRP: $65/375 ml
Availability: Restricted
Grasp distiller Elizabeth McCall’s latest Woodford Distillery Collection launch first mixed rye and bourbon collectively. From there, McCall added a tawny port-finished bourbon to the mix; as soon as that was married, she balanced the prevailing parts out by including extra unfinished bourbon to the combination. The whiskey was bottled at Woodford’s customary 90.4 proof.
As a Distillery Collection launch, Tawny Port End is sort of restricted; this one is allotted to Kentucky retailers, the Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky, and on-line by way of Woodford’s web site.
Insurgent 100 Childress Vineyards Cabernet Franc Barrel End bourbon
ABV: 50%
SRP: $40
Availability: 3,000 bottles
For its newest bourbon, Insurgent partnered with North Carolina-based vineyard Childress Vineyards. The whiskey is Insurgent’s flagship wheated 4 12 months previous bourbon that’s then completed in Cabernet Franc barrels from Childress Vineyards, imbuing it with notes of candy berry, caramel, and spice, per grasp distiller John Rempe. There are simply 3,000 bottles of the bourbon obtainable, and so they’re allotted solely to North Carolina retail shops and Lux Row Distillers in Bardstown, Kentucky.
The Lux Row model’s partnership with Childress Vineyards isn’t random—Insurgent has served because the official sponsor of NASCAR crew Richard Childress Racing (owned by Childress Vineyards proprietor Richard Childress) and driver Kyle Busch since January 2024. Earlier this spring, Insurgent launched a single barrel bourbon made in collaboration with Busch, who visited Lux Row Distillers and chosen the whiskey with steerage from Rempe.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon (Batch B525)
ABV: 63.1%
SRP: $75
Availability: Nationwide
Annually, Heaven Hill releases three distinct batches of its Elijah Craig Barrel Proof bourbon. This month, the second batch of the 12 months, B525, is rolling out. It carries an age assertion of 11 years and 6 months.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (ECBP) has been a mainstay in Heaven Hill’s portfolio since 2013. In essence, ECBP is Heaven Hill’s flagship Elijah Craig bourbon on steroids—sporting a double-digit age assertion and buying and selling within the typical 47% ABV for bottling at cask power. The collection has been spectacular through the years, routinely scoring properly above 90 factors with our tasting panel and successful our Whisky of the 12 months award in 2017.
ECBP as soon as had a typical age assertion of 12 years previous, however in recent times the precise age has fluctuated together with the proof. A part of the enjoyable is evaluating these stats from batch to batch. Followers can be joyful to listen to that each numbers have elevated from January’s A125 batch, which was bottled with 11 years & 6 months of growing older and 59.1% ABV—the bottom proof level the collection had seen since 2021.
Jefferson’s Mix of Straight Rye
ABV: 44%
SRP: $35
Availability: Nationwide
For its newest launch, Kentucky-based Jefferson’s goes outdoors its bourbon-centric consolation zone for a uncommon rye launch. This expression combines the model’s ship-aged Ocean Rye with different ryes that vary in age from 6–9 years previous. Based on founder Trey Zoeller, the purpose was to showcase the model’s mixing expertise by creating a flexible whiskey that would rise up in cocktails and work properly neat or on the rocks. Contemplating the age of the liquid included within the mix, $35 looks as if a really cheap worth level.
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Cedar Ridge The QuintEssential Particular Launch: Quantity 5 American Single Malt
ABV: 58.9%
SRP: $100
Availability: Restricted
Fittingly sufficient, grasp distiller Murphy Quint completed Cedar Ridge’s fifth restricted version QuintEssential American single malt in a mix of 5 casks: imported port and madeira casks, and port, marquette purple wine, and V (madeira-inspired wine) casks from the distillery’s on-site vineyard. The brand new launch is accessible on the Cedar Ridge Distillery in Swisher, Iowa, in choose states, and on-line at cedarridgedistillery.com.
Earlier limited-edition releases within the QuintEssential lineup have completed fewer cask finishes, highlighting port; port and sherry; or port, sherry, and madeira, a few of which had been additionally pulled from the Cedar Ridge vineyard.
Peg Leg Porker Pitmaster Reserve 15 12 months Previous Double Oaked Rye
ABV: 50%
Worth: $400
Availability: Tasting room; Nationwide
Nashville-based Peg Leg Spirits has unveiled the second version of its high-end collection Pitmaster Reserve. The primary version, launched in 2020, was a 15 12 months previous bourbon, and the newest is a rye of the identical age that was sourced from Canada, batched and aged in American oak barrels, and completed with toasted American white oak staves for six months. The primary version was a scorching ticket merchandise, promoting out on the day of launch. With 2,900 bottles obtainable, every expression comes with a commemorative case and a pig bottle stopper, an homage to the founder’s occupation as a pitmaster.
Touted as the one whiskey model developed and owned by a pitmaster, Carey Bringle, the label bears the identify of the proprietor’s barbecue restaurant and catering firm. Each the whiskey aspect and the restaurant had been launched in 2013. Since then, there’s been an array of age-statement bourbons from 4 to 12 years previous, alongside an 8 12 months previous rye. The model additionally opened a tasting room in Music Metropolis final July, the place this launch and the opposite expressions within the lineup can be found.
Frank August Case Examine: 05 Wheated Reserve Bourbon
ABV: 52.25%
SRP: $130
Availability: In retailers throughout 17 states
Bardstown, Kentucky-based mixing home Frank August has launched the primary expression in its Case Examine collection—a group of one-off batches that spotlight some experimental or distinctive attribute. This one, dubbed Wheated Reserve, is an effort to make use of wheat as a flavoring grain. It’s a mix of 5 wheated bourbons from an undisclosed distillery and vary in age from 6–7 years previous. Earlier expressions within the collection have included a mix of double-oaked bourbons, a rye blended from shares distilled solely within the winter, and bourbons completed in mizunara oak and vintage-dated PX brandy casks.
Frank August Small Batch Kentucky Straight Rye
ABV: 50%
SRP: $70
Availability: AZ, CA, CO, D.C., DE, FL, OH, KY, MD, MO, NV, NJ, NY, OK, SC, TN, TX, and WA.
Frank August’s flagship rye is right here, supplementing a flagship bourbon that launched final summer time. Whereas there isn’t a definition for “small batch,” the model defines its personal Small Batch rye (and bourbon) as constituted of 10 to fifteen barrels per batch. The whiskey itself shouldn’t be distilled by Frank August, which has been a non-distilling producer since its debut in 2022, however by an undisclosed Kentucky supply; now that Potter Jane Distilling Co., the distillery co-founded by Maker’s Mark alums Denny Potter and Jane Bowie, is up and working , the model can be made there. Model co-founder Johnathan Crocker—a former style govt—can also be chargeable for the model’s mixing, with steerage from Potter and Bowie.
Milam & Greene “The Reply” 5 12 months Previous Straight Bourbons
ABV: 54%, 58%
Worth: $150/set of 375ml bottles
Availability: on-line; nationwide starting Might twenty eighth
What occurs once you evaluate the identical whiskey aged in two completely different places? That is the query Blanco, Texas-based Milam & Inexperienced has answered in its new launch, aptly named “The Reply.” The sourced distillate was made in Bardstown, Kentucky, from a mashbill of 70% corn, 8% malted barley, and 22% malted rye. It was then divided into two batches. One batch stayed in Bardstown, and the opposite was aged in Texas. Each had been aged for five years, after which bottled on the market as a set of two 375ml bottles.
Not surprisingly, the warmer, drier Texas air produced chemical compounds related to woodier flavors and the next evaporation fee, with a closing ABV of 58% in comparison with the cooler, extra humid local weather in Bardstown that displayed a prevalence of fruity and floral esters and a decrease evaporation fee with 54% as the ultimate ABV. Solely obtainable as a set, the thought is to sip and evaluate the variations in taste. However mixing them can also be inspired.
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Spirit Hound Bottled in Bond Sherry Cask American Single Malt
ABV: 50%
SRP: $125
Availability: Distillery unique
Just like the distillery’s different single malts, this one was distilled from domestically sourced elements utilizing Spirit Hound’s hand-built stills and aged in a solera system. However this one stands out for its end, which makes use of palo cortado sherry casks sourced from the Sánchez Romate bodega in Jerez. The whiskey is at the moment obtainable solely on the distillery, together with its tasting room cocktail lounge.
World Whiskey Society 20 12 months Previous Cigar Mix Gothic Version American Mild Whiskey
ABV: 48%
SRP: $169
Availability: Restricted; at choose native retailers and on-line
In latest instances, cigar whiskies—expressions which might be particularly made to pair with premium tobacco merchandise like cigars and pipes—have garnered a lot consideration. These whiskies usually bear a posh cask ending routine that’s meant so as to add sweeter notes to counterbalance the earthy and smoky flavors coming from the tobacco. This newcomer from World Whiskey Society isn’t any completely different, ending 20 12 months previous mild whiskey—probably sourced from MGP—in six several types of casks beforehand holding cognac, tawny port, awamori, tequila, PX sherry, and madeira.
