On the banks of the Salt River, nestled in the quiet Kentucky countryside near Lawrenceburg, Four Roses Distillery is a testament to American ingenuity and perseverance. Built in 1910 to resemble the architecture of California wineries, the distillery now listed on the National Register of Historic Places was one of six distilleries that was granted permission to operate during Prohibition in order to produce medicinal bourbon. Following Prohibition, Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon became the top-selling bourbon in the United States. In 1943, Seagram's bought the distillery and a decade later, discontinued the sale of Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon. In 2002, the distillery changed hands again, and the new owner brought a renewed sense of purpose and vigor to Four Roses. Four Roses Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is made from a blend of four different Kentucky bourbons, each distilled at the Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg. Two of the bourbons are comprised of a mash of 60% corn, 35% rye and 5% malted barley, while the other two bourbons are comprised of a mash of 75% corn, 20% rye and 5% malted barley. Each of the bourbons is fermented with a unique, proprietary yeast culture used to bring about a specific flavor in the bourbon. "We do things differently," said Jim Rutledge, Four Roses' former master distiller - Whisky Magazine's Hall of Famer. After distillation, each bourbon is aged for a minimum of four years at a one-story rickhouse maintained near the distillery. While most distilleries age bourbon in warehouses that are many stories high, Four Roses ages its bourbon in a one-story warehouse to ensure that each barrel is aged in a similar environment. After aging, the barrels are hand-selected and then blended together in order to create Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon. The high rye content in two of the bourbons results in a rich, spicy flavor and contributes notes of nutmeg and cinnamon. In addition, the high corn content in the remaining two bourbons results in a lighter, fruitier flavor that balances out the spiciness with notes of maple syrup and caramel.

The use of wooden barrels to store and transport liquids dates back to 2690 B.C., when ancient Egyptians during the Early Dynastic Period began replacing clay vessels with wooden casks in order to meet the demands of their sprawling civilization. The advantages of wooden barrels were evident not only were they less fragile than clay vessels, but their cylindrical shape allowed them to be rolled rather than carried across short distances. As settlers along the Nile quickly realized, however, barrels made from wooden staves were rather porous any liquids stored in the barrel slowly evaporated as the barrel "breathed." As whiskey ages in wooden casks, it evaporates through the pores of the wood. On average, approximately 2% of aging whiskey is lost to evaporation each year this 2% is commonly referred to as the angel's share. In the United States, federal regulation requires that bourbon be made from a mashbill of at least 51% corn and aged in new, charred oak casks. Bourbon that meets these requirements and that has aged for a minimum of two years may be called straight bourbon. Each bottle of Rock Hill Farms Bourbon is aged about 8 years in a single, new, charred American oak barrel, and is bottled in bond at a robust 100 proof. Made from a mash bill of corn and malted barley, as well as more rye than typical bourbons, Rock Hill Farms Bourbon has a bit of spice to go along with its sweet notes of toasted nuts, fruit, chocolate and marshmallow. The bourbon finishes extremely smooth, with a lingering sweetness. Named for the rich farmland along the Kentucky River that runs outside the Frankfurt distillery where the bourbon is made, Rock Hill Farms Bourbon was called "The World's Greatest Bourbon" by Washingtonian Magazine. In addition, Jim Murray awarded Rock Hill Farms Bourbon 95 points in Whisky Magazine, while Wine Enthusiast rated it 96-100 points.

Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. is widely considered one of the founding fathers of the bourbon industry, fighting for the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, nearly three decades after he purchased what is now called Buffalo Trace Distillery. During his time, Taylor implemented several innovative methods still used today, including climate controlled aging warehouses. Many of the barrels selected for the E.H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel are aged in Warehouse C, which was built by Taylor in 1881 and proven to be an excellent aging warehouse. Each barrel is hand-picked and Bottled in Bond at 100 proof to honor its namesake. 

Barrel pick may vary, the available pick will be shipped

TASTING NOTES

The aroma carries lightly toasted oak, with dried figs and butterscotch. One sip brings flavors of sweetness balanced with tobacco and dark spices. The finish is just long enough to prepare the palate for another sip. The bottle itself is a likeness to Colonel Taylor's original design used over a century ago.

Most recent Awards

2020 Gold Medal - San Francisco World Spirits Competition

2020 Gold Medal - World Whiskies Awards

2019 Gold Medal - New York World Spirits Competition

2019 Gold Medal - Whiskies of the World

2019 Gold Medal - North American Bourbon & Whiskey Competition

2019 Silver Medal - Los Angeles International Spirits Competition

2019 Double Gold Medal - San Francisco World Spirits Competition

2019 Silver Medal - Denver International Spirits Competition

In the modern whiskey climate where consumers are more savvy than ever, and more demanding than ever that producers meet at least a minimum transparency requirement, Black Saddle stands out as a black hole completely void of pretty much any information other than the fact that it is Kentucky straight bourbon and at least 12 years old.  The only hint the bottle gives is in small print on the back label, stating that it was “bottled by Frank-Lin Distillers Products in Farfield, CA”.  A further search for Frank-Lin Distillers Products reveals that they are a California-based bottler of a variety of spirits and wines. In Scotland, you would commonly refer to such a company as an independent bottler.  In the bourbon industry we call it a non-distilling producer, or NDP.

So in a nutshell, Black saddle is a 12 year old bourbon distilled somewhere in Kentucky, aged somewhere, containing a mash bill of at least 51% corn and who knows what other grains, and bottled by a relatively obscure company in California.  Alrighty then!  The only other information you can easily find on Black Saddle is that it won a couple of awards at the San Francisco Spirits Competition in 2014.  

Tasting Notes

Nose:  Little besides ethanol comes out of the glass before this bourbon has had a good rest.  After some air time, aromas of buttered popcorn, vanilla, and a bit of nougat emerge.

Palate:  Simple and lacking much heft or depth.  The arrival is buttery and the development is filled with vanilla, before a bit of pepper shows up on the back end.  Nothing is offensive or off putting, but it’s devoid of any real complexity.

Finish:  Slightly warming.  Spicier than the nose or palate with some light pepper, vanilla, and a touch of citrus to round things out.  Medium length.

Following the end of the American Civil War, the Ripy Brothers returned to their native state of Kentucky and together, opened a distillery on the slopes of a hill in Lawrenceburg. The distillery operated continuously for nearly fifty years until the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the sale of alcohol in the United States, was ratified. Following the end of Prohibition, the Ripy Brothers Distillery was reopened and a distillery executive named Thomas McCarthy took samples of maturing whiskey from the distillery on a turkey hunt with a group of friends. The next year, his friends asked him to bring "some of that wild turkey whiskey"on their next hunt, giving birth to the distillery's new name. Today, Wild Turkey Distillery is stewarded by Master Distiller Jimmy Russell and his son Eddie Russell (together, the pair have over 90 years of experience producing bourbon). "I was born and raised in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky," says Jimmy, "which was a small community when I was growing up, but there were four bourbon distilleries here, and you had families working all the distilleries. You wanted to get in the business. My grandfather and my father, me, and now my son, we've all been in the business." Wild Turkey 81 Bourbon is crafted using a high-rye mashbill, which gives the bourbon a unique and spicy flavor profile. Once the bourbon has been distilled, it is aged in American oak casks that have been charred with a #4 char. Typically, the degree of charring within a cask is measured on a scale of one to four, with a #1 char referring to casks that have been lightly toasted, and a #4 char referring to casks that have been charred so heavily that the interior resembles an alligator hide. After maturing for six to eight years, Wild Turkey 81 is bottled at 81 proof. The bourbon has a bold aroma of rye, cloves and baking spices that gives way to notes of almonds, honey and blackberries on the palate, which are complemented by a subtle spicy kick. Wild Turkey 81 earned a score of 89 points from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge and the Silver Medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. 

In keeping with the history of the brand and to assure that only the finest quality Bourbon is labeled Belle Meade Bourbon, we painstakingly select barrels sourced from the nation’s finest distillers. To ensure that no other Bourbon in the world tastes like Belle Meade Bourbon, we created a proprietary blend using different high-rye content mash bills and complementary yeast strains. Each batch of our well-aged proprietary blend creates the signature flavor profile that makes Belle Meade Bourbon the award-winning Bourbon of choice for the discerning whiskey drinker.

The high-rye blend of Belle Meade was designed to make it a versatile Bourbon.  It shines whether served neat, with a splash, or on the rocks but it’s also outstanding in a well-made cocktail. The high rye content and 90.4 bottling proof helps Belle Meade Bourbon to stand up to mixers that often mask other Bourbons, thus making it the perfect Bourbon for your favorite classic or craft cocktail creation.

Whoever said everything old is new again was dead on. So don’t drink like your Dad. Drink like your Great Great GREAT Granddad. Drink Belle Meade Bourbon. 

AWARDS

Winner: Double Gold Medal at the 2015 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. 

Winner: - Outstanding Gold, 2015 Spirits of the Americas Competition

Winner: - Made In The South Awards 2013, Garden & Gun Magazine

Winner: - Top 3, Best Bourbons In America, Maxim Magazine

93 Points - Tasting Panel Magazine

91 Points - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Maple syrup and caramel with floral fragrances and a citrus zest.

Palate: Caramel and vanilla with bold rye spice and hints of apricot.

Finish: Long, smooth finish with mellow cherry and plum notes accented by cinnamon, all without the burn found in other 90 proof bourbons.

Colorado Gold Straight Bourbon Whiskey is made using a mash of four locally-sourced grains: corn, rye, wheat and malted barley. 

AWARDS

Earned the title "Best in Class"at the American Distilling Institute Competition in 2012,

Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2013.

In the 18th century, a Swiss Mennonite farmer by the name of John Shenk settled his family near Pennsylvania's Blue Mountain Valley. Within a few years, Shenk was harvesting more grains that he could sell, and so he began distilling the excess grains into whiskey. Shenk's distillery, which was eventually named Michter's Distillery, became the United States' first distilling company. Just two decades after Shenk opened the doors to his distillery, General George Washington began purchasing Michter's Distillery Whiskey in order to fortify his men as they camped through a long and brutal winter at Valley Forge. Michter's Distillery, as the saying goes, was the whiskey that warmed the American Revolution. The passage of Prohibition in 1919 forced Michter's Distillery, along with nearly every other distillery in the United States, to close. In the early 1990's however, Joseph J. Magliocco teamed up with Richard Newman in an effort to resurrect the brand. "When we set up our whiskey program for Michter's Distillery," says Magliocco, "Dick and I wanted to get back to the "cost be damned' roots and produce the finest whiskey possible. Our goal was to show that whiskey made in the United States could be the equal of great whiskey made anywhere in the world." Michter's Distillery 20 Year Old Bourbon is the brainchild of master distiller Willie Pratt. Pratt, a maturation perfectionist with over forty years of distilling experience, is known as "Dr. No"since he often refuses to bottle aging barrels of whiskey. According to Pratt, whiskey that is aged for over a decade hits a "fork in the road,"and can either become incredible or unpalatable. "One of the barrels we sampled was unbelievably woody," Magliocco says. "And we reject that, we literally sewer it. Willie had another barrel that tasted delicious, but the consistency was like molasses, and we obviously couldn't sell that." Michter's Distillery 20 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon is a sourced bourbon that Pratt realized had hit its peak. The single barrel bourbon has a dark amber color, along with an aroma of coffee, vanilla beans and smoked chips. Notes of spices dominate the palate, and are complemented by touches of milk chocolate, citrus, molasses and caramel. The finish is medium-long, with touches of chewy leather, smoked dates and oak.

Colonel Charles Goodnight was a force to be reckoned with when the west was still being won. As an iconic cowboy, he blazed the historic Goodnight-Loving Trail from Texas to Colorado, driving scores of cattle thousands of miles over dusty plains and snow-packed passes. As a Texas Ranger lawman, he doled out vigilante justice to protect ranchers from rustlers and outlaws. But Goodnight had a head for commerce too, building towns as well as businesses. This premium Small Batch Bourbon harnesses the unique character of this legendary man. Unflappable, unforgettable and one of a kind.

Tasting Notes

Rich aromas of vanilla and caramel and flavors of honey, spice, and smoky tobacco

Situated in Seattle's Capitol Hill Neighborhood, Oola Distillery was founded by Kirby Kallas-Lewis as "a labor of love, intellectual curiosity and commitment to the neighborhood." Oola Waitsburg Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon is crafted from a mash of approximately 65% corn and 20%-28% rye, with the remaining balance split evenly between malted barley and white winter wheat "All our grains are sourced from two organic farms in Eastern Washington," says Kirby. In addition, the use of wheat in the bourbon's mashbill "allows me to hold back on the corn and add more rye. This results in a more complex, balanced and less overly sweet bourbon." Once the ingredients arrive at the distillery, they are milled and mashed before being distilled through Kirby's copper-pot still. Following distillation, the bourbon is matured in small, American white oak casks that are subjected to large temperature swings of up to 50-70 each day. "The idea is to extract a lot of the influence from the barrel early on in the aging process." After this initial beautyrest, the bourbon is transferred to 53-gallon, American white oak casks that boast an alligator char. The alligator char allows the whiskey to penetrate the wood, which hails from the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, up to a inch. There, the bourbon rests for an additional three to four years. Whereas at that point, multiple casks are typically married together to create a blended bourbon whiskey, Oola Waitsburg Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon represents a single barrel bottling from Oola's finest stock of maturing whiskey. This particular batch no. 6, bottled at cask strength exclusively for members, produced only 216 bottles at a robust 114 proof. Doing so allows "the full richness of the nose and flavor profile to stay as intact as possible," says Kirby. Oola Waitsburg Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon has a spicy aroma, with touches of cinnamon, ginger and black peppercorn that give way to notes of caramel, vanilla, cherry and oak on the palate. The finish is warm and balanced, with hints of brown sugar, toffee and maple syrup complementing each other. The bourbon was "highly recommended" by the Beverage Testing Institute, and has a "pleasingly long and mellow finish," according to the Capitol Hill Times. In addition, it earned the Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2013 and the Silver Medal at the Beverage Testing Institute Competition in 2012. Pick up a bottle today!

After 10 years of perfecting our Cask Strength, we thought we should take a look back on our previous expressions. This bourbon, our 10th release, has tasting notes of toasted oak, vanilla, and leather. Read more to see how it has evolved over the past decade. 

After two Colorado family farms grow our heirloom varietals of wheat, barley and rye, our labor-intensive cooking technique brings each grain’s individual character to life, while open-air sour mash adds soulful complexity. After three years in 53-gallon charred oak barrels, influenced by our high-altitude climate, an entirely novel bourbon unfolds.

AROMAS: Orange blossoms compliment notes of black tea, honey and dusty pepper

FLAVORS:  Pekoe tea, orange peel, cinnamon and vanilla custard. Hints of sweet tobacco and spice lead to a rich, dry finish.

MASH BILL: 60% corn, 20% heirloom wheat, 10% heirloom rye, 10% heirloom malted barley

AGED: 3+ years in new 53 gallon charred oak barrels

The Featherbone Factory built by E.K. Warren in the 19th century to manufacture women's corsets sits on the banks of Lake Michigan just across the Indiana border in Three Oaks, Michigan. As the factory changed hands in the twentieth century, it became a production site for everything from buggy whips to pickles. Today, it's home to Journeyman Distillery and Bill Welter, Journeyman's master distiller. Welter, who was formerly a banker in Indiana, began his Journey when his family business was sold in 2006. He moved to Scotland, where he began to learn the art of craft distillation from Greg Ramsay (master distiller at Nant Distillery) and Bill Lark (master distiller at Lark Distillery). After returning to the United States, Welter spent time producing and resting whiskey using a prominent organic & kosher distiller's facility in Chicago before opening the doors of his own distillery in Three Oaks with the intention to offer grain-to-glass spirits from day one/drop one. Featherbone Bourbon is made by distilling a mash of 70 percent organic corn, 25 percent organic wheat and 5 perfect organic rye through a 5000-liter, copper pot still imported from Germany. Welter sources the corn and rye from a farmer in Illinois, and the wheat from a local farmer in Michigan. The grains are produced without the use of synthetic fertilizers, artificial pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, growth hormones, feed additives, or genetically modified organisms and enable Journeyman Distillery and all of its products to be certified organic by the Midwest Organic Services Association. Following distillation, the bourbon ages to profile in newly charred American oak casks. Using multiple size barrels, each distillation is tailored to the barrel it will age in and bottled once it has reached the desired taste profile. Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon is bold, assertive and youthful, with earthy flavors, nutty notes, spirituous, cereal notes, peanut butter, sweet, caramel, vegetal qualities - warming on the palate.

George T. Stagg built the most dominant American distillery of the 19th century, during a time known as the Gilded Age of Bourbon. Uncut and unfiltered, this robust bourbon whiskey ages for nearly a decade and boasts the bold character that is reminiscent of the man himself.

TASTING NOTES

Rich, sweet, chocolate and brown sugar flavors mingle in perfect balance with the bold rye spiciness. The boundless finish lingers with hints of cherries, cloves and smokiness.

Recent Awards

2021 Best in Class ASCOT Awards

2021 Taste Master American Whiskey Masters

2021 Bronze North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition

2021 Silver International Wine & Spirits Competition

During the late 19th century, an overwhelming number of distilleries throughout the United States were still not aging their whiskey. As a result, some retailers would add juices and syrups to sweeten the whiskey, while others would add acid and tobacco to give their whiskey its signature, amber hue. In 1870, George Garvin Brown a young pharmaceuticals salesman from Kentucky saw the need for a consistently high-quality whiskey that would remain unadulterated after distillation. After saving $5,500, Brown and his brother opened the doors to J.T.S. Brown & Bro. Distillery and began distilling bourbon. Unlike other distilleries at the time, Brown aged his bourbon, which was named Old Forester, in oak casks and bottled it in a sealed glass bottle to ensure authenticity and quality. Since its introduction in 1870, Old Forester has been on the market continuously, even during Prohibition, when it continued to be sold for medicinal purposes. It is the only bourbon continuously distilled and marketed by the founding family before, during and after Prohibition. Old Forester 1870 Original Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the first release in Old Forester's Whiskey Row Series, which aims to highlight the distillery's significant milestones and production innovations throughout its nearly 150 year history. The whiskey is named for another practice pioneered by George Garvin Brown batch distillation. Brown was the first to batch together bourbons from multiple distilleries in order to ensure consistency of flavor. In homage to Brown's pioneering spirit, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is made by batching together bourbons from various warehouses at the distillery, creating a final product that is greater than the sum of its parts. Old Forester 1870 Original Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey has a lively aroma of caramel apple, vanilla bean and oak, which leads to a palate filled with leather, tobacco and vibrant spices including cinnamon and ginger. The finish is dry and smooth, with notes of oak, candybar and more baking spices. 

A hand-crafted blend that adds a degree of softness on the palette while creating layers of depth and complexity. Our distiller decided to bump this up slightly in proof in order to accentuate the finish notes on this thoroughly enjoyable spirit.

90 Proof

Available in 750 ml. bottles

During the late 19th century, an overwhelming number of distilleries throughout the United States were still not aging their whiskey. As a result, some retailers would add juices and syrups to sweeten the whiskey, while others would add acid and tobacco to give their whiskey its signature, amber hue. In 1870, George Garvin Brown a young pharmaceuticals salesman from Kentucky saw the need for a consistently high-quality whiskey that would remain unadulterated after distillation. After saving $5,500, Brown and his brother opened the doors to J.T.S. Brown & Bro. Distillery and began distilling bourbon. Unlike other distilleries at the time, Brown aged his bourbon, which was named Old Forester, in oak casks and bottled it in a sealed glass bottle to ensure authenticity and quality. Since its introduction in 1870, Old Forester has been on the market continuously, even during Prohibition, when it continued to be sold for medicinal purposes. It is the only bourbon continuously distilled and marketed by the founding family before, during and after Prohibition. Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon touts itself as the first bourbon ever bottled. The bourbon is made from a mash of corn, rye and malted barley after the grains have been milled and mashed, they are fermented for five to seven days with a proprietary yeast strain that is grown fresh daily at the distillery. This extra-long fermentation process ensures that the bourbon has an unparalleled depth and complexity. Following fermentation, the grains are twice distilled before being matured in new, American oak casks. Old Forester Mint Julep is a ready-to-drink cocktail made with Old Forester, mint, sugar and water, as well as other ingredients. Old Forester Mint Julep which comes in a one-liter bottle was the official drink of the 141st Kentucky Derby, and was served to patrons of Churchill Downs who came to watch American Pharoah win the first leg of the Triple Crown. Although Old Forester was established in 1860 and the Kentucky Derby in 1865, this collaboration represents the first time the two legendary organizations have officially partnered, and the result is an outstanding, convenient take on Kentucky's most famous cocktail. Pick up a bottle (or two) today!