Yellowstone Limited Edition 2019 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Yellowstone Limited Edition 2019 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Yellowstone National Park was established in 1876, and just a few short years later, the Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey brand would emerge with an equally-rich story. J.B. Dant, the legendary distiller, and son of J.W. Dant, first began distilling in the late 1800s, using a log still instead of the more popular yet more expensive copper pot stills (a log still is made by hollowing out a tree trunk and lining the interior with copper pipes, a cheaper yet still effective way of distilling). As Dant's Yellowstone brand gained popularity in Kentucky, he was able to purchase other nearby distilleries and formalize his process. In the early 1900s, it was through this expansion that Dant began working more closely with M.C. Beam of the illustrious Beam family. Together, Dant and Beam operated their network of facilities as the Yellowstone Distillery and continued to produce Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey for medicinal purposes throughout Prohibition. Although the Yellowstone brand changed hands several times throughout the 20th century (first to Diageo and recently to Luxco) and eventually fell out of favor, Luxco, along with the Beam family's new Limestone Branch Distillery, has recently revitalized the brand, unearthing an old Beam family recipe and partnering with Paul and Steve Beam to create a spectacular bourbon that pays homage to the original. This year's 2019 Limited edition is comprised of a selection of unique hand-picked hidden gems in the rick house including barrels of extra-aged nine-year and 12-year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. I tasted many quality, mature Kentucky Straight Bourbons in order to find the right two ages for this year's release I had a certain taste profile in mind and I sought those barrels that matched it, says Steve Beam, head distiller at Limestone Branch Distillery. The barrels I chose were in different parts of the rick house, and each barrel's unique location contributed to the taste profile and complexity of this bourbon. When combined, these extra-aged bourbons create a mature and complex bourbon with robust spice and oaky undertones. This year's edition delivers cinnamon notes with toffee, dried fruit and a hint of citrus to the palate, followed by a dry finish of brown sugar and oak. Using Beam's expertise and honed palate, only the finest barrels were chosen for this year's expression.