The American whiskey and bourbon industry has certainly been busy in the past week or so. Here is yet another installment of USA new releases.
Garrison Brothers bring back a classic, Metallica bottle lightning, and Mash & Mallow release a S’mores Flavored Whiskey.
Garrison Brothers Lady Bird
Garrison Brothers has announced the return of its award-winning bourbon, Lady Bird.
The whiskey is named for Lady Bird Johnson, former First Lady of the United States and passionate advocate for the environment and the health of Texas wildflowers. In tribute to Lady Bird Johnson, $5 from every sale of this Garrison Brothers expression will be donated to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin.
Garrison Brothers Lady Bird is a Texas straight bourbon whiskey that has been aged in new white American oak barrels for four years. The whiskey is then infused with Burleson’s Texas Wildflower Honey for 8-9 months.
Finally, the bourbon is reracked into French Cognac XO casks to finish for three additional years. Bottled at 114 proof, Master Distiller Donnis Todd calls the Lady Bird “Lady Bird is a Texas straight bourbon whiskey infused with honey and finished in cognac casks”.
Tasting notes for the Garrison Brothers Lady Bird include: “ freshly cut grass and sweet honey accompanied by subtle notes of black cocoa waffle cone and honey wafers; warm buckwheat pancakes, dark chocolate-covered cherries and malted milk balls; cognac cherries, dried figs and plums”.
Nancy Garrison, co-founder of Garrison Brothers said: “ This marks the second year we’ve offered this beautiful and highly sought-after bourbon. Lady Bird continues to be a tribute to Lady Bird Johnson herself and the many gifts she gave us. It reminds us to take a minute to truly enjoy the extraordinary beauty of nature… and the extraordinary flavor in our glass”.
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7,002 bottles of Garrison Brothers Lady Bird have been produced. The first 1,000 bottles will be available to purchase at 8 am on 11th May 2024 at the Garrison Brothers Distillery. The remaining bottles will be available online from mid-May for an RRP of $179.99.
A. Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey
American whiskey brand, Overholt, has unveiled the new A. Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey.
The rye whiskey is distilled from a mash bill comprising 80% rye grain and 20% soft malted barley. This mash bill is the same that was used by the Overholt founder, Abraham Overholt, in 1810 when he established the brand. The resulting rye is in a similar style to that which was produced in the 1800s, allowing Overholt to rediscover its rye roots.
Freddie Noe, 8th Generation Master Distiller at the Fred B. Noe Distillery at The James B. Beam Distilling Co. said: “With over 200 years of exceptional craftmanship, Overholt™ is engrained in American history with its industrial roots and as a spirit that has set the industry standard since inception. he newest launch of A. Overholt is the result of highly crafted whiskey, informed and inspired by generational expertise, and I’m honored to steward this brand forward while paying homage to its past and our shared commitment to American whiskey innovation”.
A. Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey has aromas of caramel, sandalwood, and caraway on the nose. Notes of brown butter, honeysuckle, clove, and seasoned oak cover the palate with a lingering spice finish.
The new whiskey is now available in stores across the US with an RPP of $39.99. You can locate bottles near you using OverholtRye.com.
Blackened Whiskey Rye The Lightning
A new limited-edition release from Blackened Whiskey has been released: Blackened Whiskey Rye The Lightning.
The whiskey brand, created by legendary heavy metal band, Metallica and helmed by Master Distiller Rob Dietrich, uses the BLACK NOISE™ Process to “sonically enhance” the whiskey.
Rye The Lightning was first bottled in 2022. After seeing overwhelming success, Dietrich set out to produce a second batch of this award-winning rye. The 2024 Rye The Lightning is comprised of a blend of straight rye whiskeys finished in Madeira wine and Caribbean rum casks for 2-14 weeks.
It is here that the whiskey undergoes the “BLACK NOISE™ sonic-enhancement process”. The process involves playing low-hertz sound waves that cause the whiskey in the casks to reverberate. This results in increased interaction with the oak staves that give the whiskey its flavor.
The resulting rye whiskey features “notes of green apple, barn hay, caramel, and banana bread on the nose with pear, honeysuckle, muscovado, almond, cinnamon, sawn-wood, and waffle cone on the palate”.
Metallica’s lead guitarist, Kirk Hammett, said: “They say that lightning never strikes twice, but the second release of Rye The Lightning proves otherwise. Rob [Dietrich] captured the spirit of our ‘Ride The Lightning’ album with the award-winning first batch. And now with the 2024 edition, we are excited to take our fans on that ‘Ride’ once again.”
Blackened Whiskey Rye The Lightning is available online and at local retailers for an RRP of $69.99.
Watershed Uncut Unfiltered Straight Bourbon Whiskey Batch 002
Ohio distillery, Watershed, has released the second batch of its Watershed Uncut Unfiltered Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
This new batch release comes on the heels of the first batch’s success at the 2023 John Barleycorn Awards, in which it won a gold medal.
Watershed Uncut Unfiltered Straight Bourbon Whiskey Batch 002 has been aged in level #5 char American white oak barrels. This high level of charring causes increased caramelization of the wood, and imparts flavors of vanilla and toasted oak onto the bourbon.
Greg Lehman founder of Watershed Distillery, said: “We’ve spent years mastering the craft of bourbon making and are in awe of the impact barrel selection can have on distilled spirits. We are excited to be increasing distribution this year on this unfiltered bourbon straight from the barrel and giving more Ohio bourbon lovers a chance to try it”.
Tasting notes for the Watershed Uncut Unfiltered Straight Bourbon Whiskey Batch 002 feature “split vanilla bean, toasted oak, clove and allspice” on the nose. On the palate, expect more toasted oak, apricot, and walnut. The finish is warm spice and herbal tea.
The Watershed Uncut Unfiltered Straight Bourbon Whiskey Batch 002 is bottled at 125.4 proof and has an RRP of $69.99. Currently an Ohio exclusive, the whiskey is now available from the distillery and at selected Ohio retailers.
Lawrenceburg Bourbon Company Pour For The Roses
Lawrenceburg Bourbon Company (LBC) is celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Kentucky Derby with the release of Pour for the Roses 2024 – single barrel, cask strength bourbon.
Only 150 bottles of Pour for the Roses have been produced from a single cask. The whiskey was distilled from a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley.
The LBC iconic kangaroo is surrounded by roses on the label. According to the press release, “[t]he artwork was inspired by the paintings of the renowned, “Brushmen of the Bush”. Rural Australian artists, from Broken Hill, that took Australian art to the world beginning in the 1940s”.
LBC founder and distiller, Greg Keeley, said: “Pour for the Roses was super exciting for the team. Kentucky is all about horses and bourbon, and we are proud to play our small part, with this limited, one barrel release. We hope the punters enjoy it as much as we did”.
The Lawrenceburg Bourbon Company Pour for the Roses 2024 is available exclusively from the LBC gift shop for an RRP of $150.
Echo Spirits Engineer Series
Ohio spirits company, Echo Spirits, has unveiled the new Engineer Series. This series of whiskeys explores the art of blending with unique barrels and batches. The brand is also continuing in its trademark transparency, with a detailed breakdown of the makeup of each blend.
Four batches has been released so far, with the most recent being the Batch 24A – Apricot Cobbler and Batch 24C – The Woodsman, and Batch 24B – Porch Cigars.
Each of these batches is comprised of less than 380 bottles. Details of the mash bills and whiskeys used in each blend can be found on the Echo Spirits website.
Echo Spirits is a craft distillery located in Ohio. Whilst the distillery does produce its own spirit, founders Nikhil Sharoff and Joe Bidinger are also passionate about blending the best whiskeys from across the US to create nuanced and complex flavors.
You can browse Echo Spirits’s selection here. Keep an eye out for more releases in the Echo Spirits Engineer Series.
Mash & Mallow S’mores Flavored Whiskey
In the lead-up to summer and Independence Day on the 4th of July, the perfect accompaniment to a campfire celebration has been released: Mash & Mallow S’mores Flavored Whiskey.
As the flavored whiskey category continues to grow, Mash & Mallow’s S’mores Flavored Whiskey boasts notes of chocolate, toasted marshmallows, graham crackers, caramel, and a hint of smoke. The whiskey makes for the perfect American holiday this 4th of July.
The whiskey is “inspired by long nights beside the fire in the great American outdoors”.
Bottled at 35% ABV, Mash & Mallow S’mores Flavored Whiskey is available for purchase on the Mash & Mallow website for $32.99. States not eligible for shipping are AK, HI, KS, MS, and UT.
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