Yellowstone Limited Edition 2020 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Yellowstone Limited Edition 2020 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, 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. The annual Limited Edition series of straight bourbons from Yellowstone has been around since 2015. The blended bourbons are on the experimental side, having been aged in (sometimes re-charred, even multiple times) wine casks, resulting in unique expressions. The 2020 edition is a 7-year-old small-batch affair that was finished in French armagnac casks, imparting the bold, oaky, and sweet bourbon with toffee, butterscotch, and chocolate notes.