Yamato Red Samurai Edition pairs perfectly with the traditional Japanese whisky flavor profile. You can witness a silky smooth finish, beautiful fruits, and vanilla from the start. Yamato is your entrance into the world of high-end Japanese whisky.

Dedication and perfection has been a consistent lifestyle in Japanes culture. From a young age to adulthood, the Samurai would train their bodies and spirits rigorously, and serve with high loyalty to their masters. 140 years of the same discipline crafted this specialty Yamato Black Samurai whisky.

Yamato Black Samurai pairs perfectly with the traditional Japanese whisky flavor profile. You can witness a silky smooth finish, beautiful fruits, and vanillas from the start. Yamato Black is your entrance into the world of high-end Japanese whisky. Enjoy it neat, on the rocks, or in a highball. 

Dedication and perfection has been a consistent lifestyle in Japanese culture. From a young age to adulthood, the Samurai would train their bodies and spirits rigorously, and serve with high loyalty to their masters. 140 years of the same discipline crafted this specialty Yamato Gold Samurai whisky.

Yamato Gold Samurai pairs perfectly with the traditional Japanese whisky flavor profile. You can witness a silky smooth finish, beautiful fruits, and vanilla from the start. Yamato Gold is your entrance into the world of high-end Japanese whisky. 

In 1936 Thompson Willett founded Willett Distillery. Today, the tradition continues.

1684

In 1674 Edward Willett went to London and apprenticed to Daniel Mason to learn the pewter trade. When he was twenty-three, Edward received his mark and became a pewterer. He was allowed to strike his touch, pictured here, in the Pewterer’s Hall of London in 1684.

2012

January 27th – The family puts the first barrels of their new-make Bourbon Whiskey into Warehouse A for storage. This would have been Thompson’s 103rd birthday.

2017

On March 17, 2017 (St. Patrick’s Day) the family celebrated it’s 80 Year Anniversary of when Thompson Willett and his family put their first barrels into storage.

Willett Wheated Bourbon Tasting notes

The first release was distilled in the early Spring of 2013 and bottled in the Summer of 2022. The proprietary mashbill is barreled at 115 proof in Char# 4 American Oak. We bottle without chill-filtration to preserve the most flavor possible.

At The Balvenie we stay true to our Five Rare Crafts, making whisky the way we always have. Our craftsmen have an intimate understanding of their materials and a desire to make the very best whisky possible. Our process is a combination of expertise, skill and ambition which gives The Balvenie its unique character. It’s the heart and the passion that goes into each bottle. The dedication. The commitment. The obsession. This is what elevates the expert to the extraordinary. It takes skill to make something great. It requires heart to make something extraordinary.

With over 50 years of experience, Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE possesses an unequalled knowledge of The Balvenie. For The Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch No.2, David hand-selects an assemblage of vintage casks from the distillery’s precious aged whisky stocks and fills them to Tun 1509, housed in Warehouse 24. Three months later emerges this exceptionally complex and rare single malt Scotch whisky. This is a rare interpretation of the marrying process, with each batch limited by the 8000L capacity of the tun itself, allowing these fine casks to come together to create a singular expression; a Balvenie greater than the sum of its constituent parts.

One batch is bottled each year and The Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch 1 was launched in 2014.

At The Balvenie we stay true to our Five Rare Crafts, making whisky the way we always have. Our craftsmen have an intimate understanding of their materials and a desire to make the very best whisky possible. Our process is a combination of expertise, skill and ambition which gives The Balvenie its unique character. It’s the heart and the passion that goes into each bottle. The dedication. The commitment. The obsession. This is what elevates the expert to the extraordinary. It takes skill to make something great. It requires heart to make something extraordinary.

For the 2017 release, The Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch 4, David C Stewart MBE carefully selected 23 casks – 13 traditional American oak barrels and 10 European oak sherry butts – from the distillery’s precious aged stocks.

All were transferred to Tun 1509, which sits in Warehouse 24, for several months before bottling. Tun is a rare interpretation of the marrying process and allows our most mature casks of various vintages to come together to create a unique expression of The Balvenie that is greater than the sum of its constituent parts.

About the Brand

Oak & Eden was birthed out of an ideal for innovation. We believe authority is released when a creator creates, and we believe everyone carries the spirit of creation in them. Because of that, we pioneered a precious technique that would become the lifeblood of Oak & Eden; in-bottle finishing.

Wood; it's what makes whiskey taste like whiskey. When someone prefers a certain flavor in a whiskey, they are really saying they like the naturally occurring flavors that come from the barrel wood the whiskey was aged in.

At Oak & Eden, we follow traditional distillation and aging to the letter, aging our whiskeys for at least three years in American Oak barrels.

We break tradition in the finishing (or double barrel) process, where instead of putting our fully aged whiskey in a second barrel to add more flavor coming naturally from the wood, we place in the bottle a Spire; a spiral-cut piece of oak fashioned from the same species and treatment as barrel oak.

This allows our whiskey to "finish" or flavor naturally, producing rich, sweet flavors that could only come from the power of wood.

WHEAT & HONEY : Wheated bourbon finished with a honey soaked American Oak spire

Our Wheat & Spire begins with a remarkably smooth combination of 51% corn, 45% wheat and 4% malted barley. Once distilled, we age our bourbon in new American Oak barrels producing a rich, deep yet sweet spirit. After bottling our four grain bourbon, we place an American Oak spire in the bottle, which contains hundreds of naturally occurring botanicals, ranging from butterscotch to vanilla to toasted marshmallows. The combination produces a bold, complex, sweet, slightly spicy whiskey. After bottling our fully aged wheated bourbon, we place a honey soaked American Oak spire in the bottle. The partnership of wood and honey is toasted to the perfect degree, ultimately producing a finish that is deep and rich with subtle notes of candied fruit, vanilla and toffee.

Try the HONEY OLD FASHIONED Recipe:

INGREDIENTS: 2oz Wheat & Honey, 4 Dashes of Chicory Pecan Bitters, Barspoon Demerara Syrup

DIRECTIONS: Build in stir glass, stir with ice until diluted and pour into glass. Drop in a large ice rock. Garnish with orange twist for extra credit.

Once a year, Long Island Spirits hand selects 5 our finest aged Bourbon Barrels and bottles fewer than a couple of hundred cases per batch. This high-rye straight bourbon whisky is aged between 4 and 7 years prior to receiving additional maturation in French Oak casks from local wineries that have been rinsed with high proof brandy. When the perfect flavor and balance are achieved, Happy Warrior is bottled straight from cask at 114 proof. Extremely limited releases are selected from the finest casks in the barrel warehouse.

Long Island Spirits, makers of Rough Rider, was established in 2007 as the first distillery on Long Island since the 1800's and became the 100th Distillery in the United States of America; today there are over 1,600 distilleries throughout the USA. Surrounded by centuries old of potato, corn and rye farms, the distillery is located on the bucolic North Fork of Long Island, in the heart of the acclaimed wine region. The North Fork boasts over 60 wineries and dozens of pre-revolutionary family-owned farms that have been blessed with a microclimate that is very similar to the Bordeaux region in France. Housed in twin-cupola barn that has been repurposed into a state of the art Craft Distillery. Long Island Spirits is proud of its sustainable distillery practices and the innovative fermenting, distilling and blending techniques it has pioneered and the fact that all our spirits are non-chill filtered.

Although Bourbon may be produced anywhere in the United States, it is most commonly associated with Bourbon County, Kentucky, where it has been produced since the late 18th century. Made from a mash bill containing at least 51% corn, the Bourbon Whiskey distillate must be aged in new, charred white oak barrels. Bourbon Whiskeys are bottled at eighty proof (40% abv) or higher and cannot contain any added color or flavor. A versatile spirit that can be sipped neat, with water or on the rocks, it also performs nicely added to cocktails like the Old Fashioned.

Founded in 1952, the Kumesen Syuzo Distilling Co began distilling spirits made from Long Grain Indica Rice and fermented with native Black Koji. By 1989 Kumesen began to finish their product in Bourbon casks and Kujira was born. Now after 20 years of aging, Kujira Single Grain Rice Whisky has been perfected. Where others supplement grain whisky to increase production, Kujira Single Grain 20 Year is 100% Japanese with Rice from a single distillery, produced in small batches with the same ingredients and centuries old tradition that make Okinawa special.

RYUKYU IS TO JAPANESE RICE WHISKY AS KENTUCKY IS TO BOURBON
The Ryukyu region of Japan is quickly becoming the hub for quality Japanese Whisky due to the pure water supply and ancient techniques.

Founded in 1952, the Kumesen Syuzo Distilling Co began distilling spirits made from Long Grain Indica Rice and fermented with native Black Koji. By 1989 Kumesen began to finish their product in Bourbon casks and Kujira was born. Now after 20 years of aging, Kujira Single Grain Rice Whisky has been perfected. Where others supplement grain whisky to increase production, Kujira Single Grain 20 Year is 100% Japanese with Rice from a single distillery, produced in small batches with the same ingredients and centuries old tradition that make Okinawa special.

RYUKYU IS TO JAPANESE RICE WHISKY AS KENTUCKY IS TO BOURBON
The Ryukyu region of Japan is quickly becoming the hub for quality Japanese Whisky due to the pure water supply and ancient techniques.

Colkegan Cask Strength Single Malt is a 118 proof version of Santa Fe Spirits’ traditional mesquite smoked single malt whiskey which exhibits more barrel notes of coffee, chocolate, caramel and baking spices. Bottling whiskey at cask strength is about enhanced flavors and aromas, about stripping the whiskey down to its bones and preserving more of the original flavors of the cask and not diluting any of its essence. Colkegan Cask Strength Single Malt received a score of 90 in the Fall 2018 Whisky Advocate, who called it “a truly compelling American single malt," and a score of 90 again in the Spring 2022 Whisky Advocate.

Recent Awards

2022 Silver Medal Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition
2022 Gold Medal Beverage Testing Institute
2022 Silver Medal New Orleans Spirits Competition
2022 91 points Whiskey Advocate
2022 Distilling.com 4 out of 5
2022 Silver Medal Fifty Best
2021 Silver Medal American Craft Spirits Awards
2021 Silver Medal Fifty Best
2020 Craft Distillery of the Year My Whiskey Den
2020 Icons of Whisky, America, Craft Producer of the Year, Highly Commmended

FROM THE CASK

Every Macallan single malt reveals the unrivalled commitment to the mastery of wood and spirit for which The Macallan has been known since it was established in 1824. It is an expression of our enduring desire to go beyond the ordinary, to seek out the extraordinary, and create peerless single malts. Our reputation for the extraordinary is characterised by the exceptional oak casks for which The Macallan is renowned. Sourced, crafted, toasted and seasoned under the watchful eye of the Master of Wood, the hand-picked casks are delivered to the demanding specifications of the Whisky Mastery Team. Once filled, the maturing spirit remains undisturbed in the same casks for the necessary number of years it needs to be worthy of its destined Macallan expression. It is the oak that makes the greatest contribution to the quality, natural colour and distinctive aromas and flavours at the heart of this single malt whisky.

Matured in a unique combination of casks with two distinctive wood types, the Macallan classic cut 2022 single malt exudes flavours of both European and American oak, married together to create a unique tasting experience. With a distinct grapefruit flavour, this whisky emphasises a wide range and complexity of flavours. The two wood types complement and balance together beautifully and offer an experiential journey through flavour, aroma, colour and texture. It reveals flavour notes of grapefruit, peach, caramel and light spice, a refreshing combination for a whisky cocktail to savour in an exceptional sensory revelation.

TASTING NOTES

COLOUR: Golden Butterscotch

NOSE: Fresh fruit medley of grapefruit, peach, apple and orange with vanilla sponge, oak, light spice, fruit blossom and almonds

PALATE: Fresh fruit, caramel, a wisp of chocolate, lemon sponge, nuts, oak and light spice

FINISH: Sweet and creamy with warming spice

WHISKY MAKER Steven Bremner

If the concept of a Japanese blender behind a bourbon sounds familiar, that’s because Jim Beam introduced this concept with Legent a few years ago, a collaboration between master distiller Fred Noe and Suntory blender Shinji Fukuyo. Now Kentucky Owl has gotten in on the action as well, combining the forces of master blenders John Rhea and Yusuke Yahisa of Japan’s Nagahama Distillery. So how does this new release differ?

Obviously, the bourbon at the core of the release is entirely different. Kentucky Owl is a brand started by Dixon Dedman in 2014, a revival of his family’s whiskey legacy that sourced bourbon and rye from undisclosed distilleries, and often ended up selling for hundreds of dollars. Dedman left the company last year and has since embarked upon new endeavors. Stoli Group, which owns Kentucky Owl, is currently building a massive new distillery-cum-themepark in Bardstown, KY, but in the meantime there’s been some limited-edition releases with Rhea (formerly of Four Roses) as head blender.

Takumi Edition Bourbon (“takumi” means “master” in Japanese) is the latest, a blend of four-, five-, six- and 13-year-old Kentucky bourbon made from mash bills containing corn, wheat or rye, and malted barley.

Tasting notes include rye bread and caramel on the nose, followed by cinnamon, apple and pear on the palate. 

ABOUT THE BRAND

Old Carter Whiskey Co is the passion project by husband and wife team Mark & Sherri Carter. They began their beverage endeavors in the wine business. They produce fine wines in Napa Valley with their Carter Cellars Cabernets garnering nine perfect 100 point scores by critics. The whiskey business found them several years ago when they partnered with a Kentucky friend to resurrect a long dormant bourbon brand. That brand sold in 2017, but by then the Carters were hooked on the process of making and blending whiskies, as well as the state of Kentucky and so they started Old Carter Whiskey Co to carry on their love affair with whiskey making. They now produce Straight Ryes, Bourbons and American Whiskies in various locations throughout Kentucky with their headquarters in Louisville (Please note: we are not open to the public). Mark and Sherri create all of the new blends themselves as well as select single barrels for their program. In addition, Sherri designed the label and still participates in handwriting individual labels per bottling (upate! Jay Matthews now helps Sherri write labels among a host of other tasks, hooray! :). It is a very hands-on approach and has allowed them to continue to create together. It is a true labor of love at Old Carter. Being able to share their passion with whiskey lovers everywhere completes the picture for the Carters.

ABOUT THE BRAND

Old Carter Whiskey Co is the passion project by husband and wife team Mark & Sherri Carter. They began their beverage endeavors in the wine business. They produce fine wines in Napa Valley with their Carter Cellars Cabernets garnering nine perfect 100 point scores by critics. The whiskey business found them several years ago when they partnered with a Kentucky friend to resurrect a long dormant bourbon brand. That brand sold in 2017, but by then the Carters were hooked on the process of making and blending whiskies, as well as the state of Kentucky and so they started Old Carter Whiskey Co to carry on their love affair with whiskey making. They now produce Straight Ryes, Bourbons and American Whiskies in various locations throughout Kentucky with their headquarters in Louisville (Please note: we are not open to the public). Mark and Sherri create all of the new blends themselves as well as select single barrels for their program. In addition, Sherri designed the label and still participates in handwriting individual labels per bottling (upate! Jay Matthews now helps Sherri write labels among a host of other tasks, hooray! :). It is a very hands-on approach and has allowed them to continue to create together. It is a true labor of love at Old Carter. Being able to share their passion with whiskey lovers everywhere completes the picture for the Carters.

OUR STORY

Our story starts with our people. Big Stick is owned by Mike Ryan and Joe Baker. Mike is an engineer and inventor. His best friend, Joe, is a retired USMC Lieutenant Colonel of 21 years, and for the last 16 years was with the Navy in the Department of Defense. These friends of 40 years decided to follow through on a shared passion to create a world-class bourbon of their own called Big Stick.

Big Stick begins in the traditional bourbon making method. We source the finest ingredients and age them in charred New American White Oak to our exact specifications.

After experimenting with traditional mash bills and dozens of variations, we opted for a unique blend to offer an unmatched flavor profile.

Big Stick Bourbon is ultra-smooth because before bottling, we add a c­harred New American White Oak Stick into every bottle. The bourbon to stick in bottle ratio is 99.8% equivalent to that of bourbon in a 53-gallon barrel. Similar to a “Double Oaked” whiskey, this added step allows our bourbon to gracefully integrate with new oak for a second time.

This innovative process creates an exceptional and extremely smooth whiskey with rich, enhanced flavors. With no evaporation in bottle versus in barrel; we like to say, “We Make The Angels Thirsty!™” All Big Stick Bourbon is small batch.

MISSION FOCUSED

With a strong respect for tradition combined with innovation, we are dedicated to creating world-class bourbon.

We intentionally make Big Stick Bourbon at 47.5% ABV or 95 proof. We do so symbolically for our pledge to donate 5% of our profits to charitable organizations that support our military and their families. We love the United States of America and support with gratitude to those that serve to protect and defend our nation.

We realize we cannot solve all the issues that affect our service members and their families from these donations. But if by aiding these organizations in some way eases the lives of the honorable men and women that have served, then we believe it is the least we can do. Please visit our Operation Gratitude page to view a list we have supported and if you are able join our efforts to contribute.

OUR PASSION

HONORING ALL WHO SERVED

 Our drive for creating a great bourbon is only matched for our devotion to giving back to the military community.

We are blessed to live in the greatest country in the world and recognize the many sacrifices members of the military have made to allow us to pursue our love of making a great whiskey.

To help direct support to service members, Big Stick Bourbon will dedicate five percent of our profits to military organizations.

Semper Fi — It’s not just a name, it’s a way of life.

TASTING NOTES

Big Stick Bourbon is the only whiskey that adds a charred American white oak stave in every bottle which continually improves the flavor and smoothes out the drinking experience.

COLOR: Saddle brown leather

NOSE: Fresh cut oak, spearmint, clove with a touch of cigar box

PALATE: Black currant, vanilla wafers, raisins, caramel toffee, and glazed honey

FINISH: Well-balanced, integrated seasoned oak, blueberries, blackberries, stone ground crackers, and a mix of citrus

THE KOVAL METHOD
KOVAL Distillery crafts a line of whiskey, gin, and specialty spirits using unique organic grains and signature “heart cut” techniques with only the absolute best quality distillate. Known around the world for its bright, approachable flavors and unprecedented creativity and design, KOVAL has been the recipient of over 100 international awards.

A NEW WAVE OF CRAFT SPIRITS
KOVAL’s founders have used their experience and knowledge to educate thousands of people in the art of craft distilling. Through their consulting with Kothe Distilling Technologies, they have helped set up hundreds of new distilleries all around the world, ushering in a new wave of craft spirits internationally. They serve as ambassadors for the industry, maintaining close ties with various trade organizations,special interest groups, and government officials to ensure that independent craft brands continue to receive support and opportunities to thrive around the world.

KOVAL Rye, aged for a minimum of four years in our federally bonded warehouse, bottled at precisely 100 proof. Ideal for those who like plenty of spice, and a single, unmalted grain expression. Not shying away from a complex flavor profile, grain-forward spiciness nuanced by cinnamon and ginger give a nice kick to the entire drinking experience. 

Naughty Dog and The Digital Spirits Project worked in collaboration to create a Blended Scotch Whisky that truly reflects the Last of Us Part II, and the stories of its two iconic locations Jackson and Seattle.

Discover this limited edition Blended Scotch Whisky matured in 100% American Oak Barrels filled in 2013. A vintage distilled in the same year Cordyceps devastated The Last of Us universe. Created by our Master Blender Kevin Balmforth – a true fan of the game – bridging the gap between whisky and gaming.

Crafted in partnership with Traeger®, the original wood fired grill, SmokeStock is the ultimate whiskey for the backyard bartender. This limited edition whiskey is aged in American Oak No. 3 char barrels and then smoked slow and low with Traeger’s all-natural Apple BBQ wood, imparting campfire smoke and subtle savory notes alongside our signature bold and spice-forward style. A nod to the American cookout season, it’s perfect on the rocks while you fire up the Traeger®, or paired with your favorite BBQ recipe to share around the backyard table this summer.

AGED IN NEW AMERICAN OAK, SMOKED WITH TRAEGER APPLE BBQ WOOD

TASTING NOTES

NOSE: Smoky notes with hints of leather and vanilla.

PALATE: Smoke gradually wells up on the palate bringing a mouthful of warm creamy apple and slight savory notes of barbecue.

FINISH: Long and smoky with our signature Rye finish.

THE SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING LAPHROAIG