GIVING IT TO THEM STRAIGHT - continued
Variety is the spice
Erected on the bedrock of their innate authenticity, American straight whiskeys offer drinkers another enchantingly attractive feature to suit the needs of most contemporary whiskey lovers: wide-ranging variety. As opposed to just a generation ago when the standard brands of American straight whiskeys were deemed sufficient, at the beginning of the third millennium liquor retailers and their whiskey-loving patrons are spoiled for choice. Just 20 years ago Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon (Clermont, KY) with its familiar white label was enough to satisfy the demand. Now, consumers can select from a Jim Beam Brands menu that includes Jim Beam Black 8-Year-Old, Basil Hayden's Small Batch, Knob Creek Small Batch, Booker's Uncut/Unfiltered Small Batch, Baker's Small Batch and more. In addition to its standard bottling, Wild Turkey Distillery (Lawrenceburg, KY) today offers Rare Breed Small Batch, Wild Turkey "Kentucky Spirit" Single Barrel and Russell's Reserve limited edition among others.
Another recent superpremium from Heaven Hill Distilleries is Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel Bourbon, which at 90 proof retails for about $36. |
||
One
of America's most |
The
Buffalo Trace Distillery is renowned for its astounding lineup
of high-end, handcrafted bourbons.
From Heaven Hill Distilleries (Bardstown, KY), you can now own Evan Williams Vintage Single Barrel, Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel, Henry McKenna 10-Year-Old Single Barrel, and the brand new limited edition Bernheim Original, the groundbreaking straight wheat whiskey made up of 51% winter wheat in addition to the customary frontline bottlings of Heaven Hill green label and Evan Williams black label. From its base in Lynchburg, TN, on top of the ubiquitous Jack Daniel's Old Time No. 7 (black label) the Jack Daniel's Distillery now offers the Gentleman Jack and Jack Daniel's Single Barrel special editions.
Not to be outdone, Buffalo Trace Distillery (Frankfort, KY) offers as varied a roster of straight bourbons as any American distiller, with Hancock's Reserve Single Barrel, Eagle Rare 10-Year-Old Single Barrel, George T. Stagg Uncut/Unfiltered, Blanton's Single Barrel, Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel, Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel and Sazerac 18-Year-Old Straight Rye leading the way. Brown-Forman (Louisville, Kentucky) has enhanced its standard line of Old Forester straight bourbons with its new seasonal bottlings (Fall, Spring) of vintage Old Forester as well as Woodford Reserve, produced at their picturesque Labrot & Graham Distillery (Versailles, KY).
|
Pernod
Ricard USA recently launched the |
||
|
Late
last year Barton Brands debuted the |
In other words, since 1984 when Blanton's Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon was released by what used to be called the Ancient Age Distillery (now Buffalo Trace), America's straight whiskey distillers have opened up their rickhouses. From the deepest recesses of those aging warehouses, they are now offering to the consuming public an impressive and unprecedented array of their best whiskeys at all age and batching levels.
Authenticity, wide international availability and variety. There's never been a better time for liquor retailers or for American straight whiskey aficionados. *
F. Paul Pacult is the world's only journalist to concurrently be a life member of Scotland's exclusive Keepers of the Quaich whisky society, a life member of France's Company of Musketeers d'Armagnac, and a life member of Kentucky's Bourbon Hall of Fame. He is the editor of F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal, the author of A Double Scotch (John Wiley, 2005), the monthly wine/spirits columnist for Delta Sky, and a special projects editor to the New York Times. His Web site is www.spiritjournal.com.
LEADING BRANDS OF STRAIGHT WHISKEY
(Mixed Cases)
| Brand | Supplier | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | % Chg |
| Jack Daniel's | Brown-Forman
Beverages |
3,652 | 3,698 | 3,770 | 3,935 | 4,225 | 7.4% |
| Jim Beam | Jim
Beam Brands |
3,110 | 3,141 | 3,150 | 3,100 | 3,175 | 2.4% |
| Evan Williams | Heaven
Hill Distilleries |
925 | 925 | 925 | 925 | 930 | 0.5% |
| Early Times | Brown-Forman
Beverages |
842 | 865 | 832 | 817 | 805 | -1.5% |
| Maker's Mark | Allied
Domecq Spirits USA |
330 | 370 | 425 | 490 | 545 | 11.2% |
| Wild Turkey | Pernod Ricard USA |
501 | 502 | 503 | 511 | 528 | 3.3% |
| Ten High | Constellation
Brands |
500 | 506 | 497 | 502 | 525 | 4.6% |
| Old Crow | Jim
Beam Brands |
473 | 498 | 500 | 500 | 435 | -13.0% |
| Heaven Hill Bourbon | Heaven
Hill Distilleries |
270 | 260 | 255 | 250 | 250 | 0.0% |
| George Dickel | Diageo | 177 | 174 | 176 | 180 | 180 | 0.0% |
| Total Leading Brands | 10,780 | 10,939 | 11,033 | 11,210 | 11,598 | 3.5% | |
| Others | 2,423 | 2,136 | 2,104 | 2,211 | 2,292 | 3.7% | |
| Total Straights | 13,203 | 13,075 | 13,137 | 13,421 | 13,890 | 3.5% | |
16 OUTSTANDING STRAIGHT AMERICAN WHISKEYS
Listed in alphabetical order, not necessarily in order of preference.
Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey 45% abv. $40. Mildly sweet aromas of sap, vanilla bean, Graham crackers and light honey tantalize the olfactory sense. Elegant, warm flavors of charred oak, light toffee and moderately sweet grain cheer the soul.
Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 45% abv. $20. The opening aroma gives off impressions of spice, bacon fat and old leather gloves. The taste profile includes sweet oak, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey, tar and beeswax. One of the best values in straight whiskey.
Eagle Rare 10-Year-Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 45% abv. $25. A decadently plump whiskey that highlights racy aromas and tastes of marzipan, dried red fruits, and maple candy. An after-dinner treat that is best served neat in a tulip-shaped wineglass.
Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 45% abv. $36. The maturity of this buxom whiskey asserts itself in the last stages of tasting as deep flavors of butterscotch, cocoa, dark coffee and tobacco delight the taste buds.
Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 45% abv. $25. Each barrel is personally chosen by Kentucky distilling legend Elmer T. Lee. Many savvy whiskey lovers would think that that's reason enough to buy it. Reason #2: It's delicious.
Evan Williams Vintage 1995 Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 43.3% abv. $25. EW Vintage is currently one of the most sophisticated whiskeys of any type in the world and easily one of America's five best. Nutty and pine-like, with evocative hints of honey and oloroso sherry.
George Dickel No. 12 Superior Brand Tennessee Whisky, 45% abv. $15. A superb Tennessee sour mash that emits ashy, tobacco-like aromas. Tastes of leather, honey, cocoa butter and dried fruits. A gentleman's sipping whiskey.
Knob Creek 9-Year-Old Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 50% abv. $25. Offers seductive aromas of beeswax, buttered popcorn, vanilla and linseed oil that underpin full-bodied sweet tastes of cake frosting, nougat, almonds and candy bar.
Jack Daniel's Gentleman Jack Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey, 40% abv. $24. The flowery, light caramel-like bouquet perfectly sets up the elegant and mildly smoky/sooty/toasty taste profile. The soft nuttiness at palate entry is impressive.
Michter's 10-Year-Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 47.2% abv. $60. Emits deep aromas of cedary oak, ginger, vanilla extract, and sweet grain mash. Taste profile is smoky, resiny, semisweet, and utterly delicious.
Old Forester 100-Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 50% abv. $16. Nuances of beef stock, brown rice and heady spirit highlight the bouquet. At midpalate, the corny/grainy sweetness turns spicy, creamy and honey-like.
Old Overholt Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey 40% abv. $17. Black pepper, sage and resin in the aroma. Taste is lean, semisweet, intensely grainy and spicy. Solid, extremely well made and most certainly deserves a larger audience.
Old Pogue Masters Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 45.5% abv. $40. Smells alluringly of plums, sweet grain and dried fruit. Palate entry is silky smooth. At midpalate, the taste profile features flavors of paraffin, confectioner's sugar, light caramel and sweet corn.
Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 15-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 53.5% abv. $45. Scents of sweet corn in butter, dark toffee and hazelnuts. Richly potent flavors include raisins, lead pencil, black pepper, sautéed butter and deeply charred oak. A straight whiskey masterpiece.
Ridgemont Reserve 1792 Barrel Select 8-Year-Old Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 46.85% abv. $28. Scents of saddle leather, black pepper and pine entice the olfactory sense. Flavors of cocoa, sweet oak, vanilla, palm oil and sap fulfill all the promise found in the aroma.
Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve 10-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 45% abv. $30. Smells of sawed wood, matchstick, dry grain and wood resin. The corny sweetness at palate entry fades at midpalate in the waves of marzipan, dark honey and maple-like flavors.
— F. Paul Pacult
STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY AND THE JACK DANIEL'S QUESTION
Under U.S. law, straight bourbon whiskey is defined as a distillate created from a fermented mash of cooked grains, of which at least 51% but not more than 80% is corn; is distilled at a maximum strength of 80% alcohol; is matured in new charred oak barrels for a minimum of two years and is bottled at a strength of at least 40% alcohol by volume. As declared by a Congressional resolution in 1964, straight bourbon is the officially recognized "native distilled spirit" of the United States. While bourbon can be legally produced in any state of the Union, it is most closely associated with Kentucky. For more than two centuries, the straight bourbon distilling industry has been one of heartland America's most important trades. Millions of drinkers in over 150 nations around the world now enjoy straight bourbon whiskey.
Though Jack Daniel's and George Dickel (the only two whiskey distilleries in Tennessee) are straight whiskeys, they aren't straight bourbons because of their definitive status as straight Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskeys. Tennessee whiskeys do not technically fit the legal criteria for straight bourbon whiskey. That's fine with Daniel's and Dickel because they prefer to be perceived as their own category.
— F. Paul Pacult
