Four Roses Bourbon is preparing to release the first bottling from new master distiller Brent Elliott next month – a limited edition single barrel whiskey. Full story
Four Roses
The Jews Who Made American Whisky
Many of the iconic bourbon and rye brands on store shelves are or were once owned and operated by Jews, including Jim Beam, I.W. Harper, Rittenhouse, Elijah Craig, Four Roses and Dickel.
From ubiquitous bagels and cream cheese to restorative matzo ball soup to decadently rich pastrami, Jews are famous for contributing a number of delicious dishes to the menu of American food favorites. But when it comes to drinks, the item that usually pops into people’s minds first is, sadly, the sickly sweet kosher wine Manischewitz. Full story
5 Special-Occasion Bourbons
As part of Imbibe’s ongoing National Bourbon Heritage Month coverage, Larry Rice of Louisville’s venerable whiskey haven The Silver Dollar weighs in on his favorite special occasion bourbons. In his own words, here are the bottles he’d choose for celebrating. Full story
A guide to the new Kentucky bourbons being released this fall
Every fall, bourbon lovers make a pilgrimage to Kentucky for two things: the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, which runs through Sunday in Bardstown, and the fall bourbon releases. Kentucky is ground zero for new bourbon — it’ll be released here if it’s anywhere, typically — so collectors come hoping to stock up. Bourbon sleuths scout the new labels approved by the federal government months in advance for inklings of what might be coming. Full story
The 10 Best Affordable Whiskeys Under $35
Older doesn’t always mean better for whiskey, and neither does more expensive. Phenomenal whiskey deals can be found for those looking to spend wisely by shopping the opposite side of the “Pappy” spectrum. While the availability of wonderful whiskey really explodes at the $40-$45 range, herein we’re digging deeper to find the top 10 best whiskeys under $35. Full story
The 10 Best Small Batch Bourbons to Drink
Small-batch bourbon is one of those things you either know about or you don’t. They’re made in small amounts, rarely advertised and targeted directly at whiskey drinkers looking for something a little different. While there’s no consensus (or regulation) on what can be sold as small-batch whiskeys, they are generally distilled in anywhere from 10 to 100 barrels. The resulting whiskey is often a singular experience, unlikely ever to be captured again in exactly the same way. The best of them can be sublime. Full story
Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Distillery tours offer taste of region’s spirit
The bad news for bourbon drinkers is that the brown spirit has become so popular that shortages loom. The good news is that the surging popularity has spurred distilleries to add or expand visitors centers and tasting rooms in Kentucky’s bourbon-making region, where more than 95 percent of the world’s supply is produced. Not surprisingly, the biggest and most elaborate of the new sights along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail belongs to the best-selling bourbon, Jim Beam. Full story
Four Roses to expand operations in Bullitt County
Four Roses Distillery LLC plans to expand its service lines in Bullitt County. The bourbon maker, which moved to Kentucky from Georgia in the 1880s, will build a new bottling center at its warehouse facility in Cox’s Creek. The 60,000-square-foot facility will feature a high-speed bottling line and a single-barrel bottling line, according to a filing with the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority. Full story
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Limited Edition Whiskeys for Gifting
A great look at late 2014 limited edition whiskeys. Full story
Four Roses upgrades second Bourbon Trail stop
Four Roses Bourbon warehouse and bottling employees are adapting to the fancy life — embodied by a new 2,500-square-foot visitors center at the facility in Cox’s Creek. Full story
Five reasons bourbon brands don’t disclose mashbills
Great post here by my drinking buddy, Fred Minnick. In this piece, Fred explores why many brands don’t disclose their mashbills and some of the reasons are pretty interesting. Full story
12 fine bourbons perfect for a last minute Father’s Day present
Say it with bourbon! It’ll look good on the mantelpiece, taste like honey in the mouth and put fire in the belly. Full story
Louisville: Jim Rutledge Signing
Hey Louisville! Jim Rutledge will be at Liquor Barn Springhurst for a tasting and bottle signing on May 28 from 4-7 PM. Be there.
Secret Mash Bills Are Stupid
Video: Bourbon World Goes Berserk
Burning down the rumor mill
Fred Minnick explores the recent onslaught of bourbon-related rumors. Full story
Decisions, decisions. What should I have tonight?
I’m thinking, drink the beer and have a little of the Four Roses 125 and Barterhouse. Win, win, win.
Suntory and Jim Beam: Lessons from Kirin and Four Roses
Before Suntory and Jim Beam , there was Kirin and Four Roses.
William Faulkner said he drank Four Roses bourbon because it was “affordable and easy to find.” That’s until Seagram’s took the best-selling American bourbon off U.S. shelves for 40 years.
Here’s the good news. Kirin bought Faulkner’s go-to bourbon, and according to Four Roses master distiller Jim Rutledge, things continued as they always had, even with the new owner. Kirin did not mess with the bourbon, the recipe, the making of the sour mash. Full story
Iron drams
Great read from Whisky Advocate on high proof alcohols. Full story
Over a barrel: Ky bourbon distiller temporarily scales back operations
A shortage of bourbon barrels is prompting at least one Kentucky distiller to scale back operations after considering temporary layoffs.
“We thought we might have to shut down the distillery,” said Jim Rutledge, Master Distiller at Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg. “We worked around that. We didn’t want to lay off employees during the holiday season.” Full story
Four Roses receives industry praise for limited-edition bourbon
Four Roses’ most recent limited-edition 125th Anniversary Small Batch Bourbon has been named the “editor’s choice” of Whisky Advocate magazine’s winter issue buying guide. Whisky Advocate Editor John Hansell gave the Four Roses 2013 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon a 97 out of 100, deeming it “a classic” and “a mature yet very elegant whiskey…and so easy to embrace with a splash of water.” Full story
Small-batch bourbons make their way to New Orleans
The holiday season means more than the arrival of cold air and Christmas lights.
For bourbon lovers, the fall and early winter represents a special time of year — for ’tis the season of small-batch bourbons. A twinkle in the eye may be less inspired by visions of sugarplums and more inspired by shots of George T. Stagg, the crazed shopping rush incited not by the Playstation 4, but by Pappy Van Winkle 23. Full story
The bourbon family tree
Kentuckians like to tell you that 95 percent of the world’s bourbon comes from their state. What they won’t tell you is that pretty much every last drop of that bourbon comes from a handful of conglomerate distilleries. In this chart—excerpted from The Kings County Distillery Guide to Urban Moonshining, on shelves now—the guys behind Brooklyn’s oldest craft distillery parse out, once and for all, the complicated kissing cousins of the bluegrass state’s bourbon industry. Full story
Whisky Advocate’s Winter Issue Top 10 Buying Guide Reviews
Here it is: a sneak preview of Whisky Advocate‘s winter 2013 issue’s Buying Guide. Revealed here are the top 10 rated whiskies. We begin the list with #10 and conclude with the #1 highest-rated whisky of the issue. Full story
Make It Whiskey in a Barrel, Neat
The old-fashioned served at Middle Branch, a stylish two-tier cocktail bar in Midtown Manhattan, is unlike any other old-fashioned in the world. It’s not the recipe that makes it special, or the house-made cherry or the custom ice, or the way the bartender prepares the drink. It’s the whiskey: Elijah Craig bourbon. Full story
Four Roses 125th anniversary party
In honor of Four Roses’ 125th anniversary, the Haymarket Whisky Bar in Louisville, hosted a party to celebrate. The party included exclusive Four Roses single barrel tastings and master distiller Jim Rutledge was on hand to speak to guests. Thanks to Haymarket and Four Roses for a great night!
Bourbon PR 