The Last Drop Distillers recently introduced its second signature blend, Release No. 28: The Last Drop Signature Blend of Kentucky Straight Whiskeys.
This expression, created by Sazerac Master Blender Drew Mayville, is made up of a blend of vintage straight bourbon and rye whiskeys. In all, 1,458 bottles will be released worldwide, and it’s available in the U.S. at a suggested retail price of $3,999 for a 750ml bottle.
Release No. 28 clocks in at a whopping 121.4 proof.
Since becoming Sazerac’s master blender in 2004, Mayville has preserved small quantities of his favorite whiskeys at Buffalo Trace Distillery.
In a statement from Last Drop Distillers, Mayville said he was confident using his lifetime of expertise, knowledge and palate, combined with the rarified liquids available to him, that he could make a unique and unparalleled blend.
For The Last Drop, Mayville blended vintage whiskeys that he had been saving since he joined the Buffalo Trace Distillery team, tasting more than 40 different vintage bourbon and rye whiskeys.
This in turn created multiple combinations of these spirits before arriving at the final expression that bears his signature.
Bottled at 121.4 proof, Mayville said this high-proof blend is uncut and unfiltered to maximize its flavor and complexity.
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“As a master blender, I wholeheartedly believe that one can take individual components that are already exceptional to create an extraordinarily-beautiful end product,” Mayville said in the prepared statement. “As with music, a clarinet can be beautiful in its own right. However, when you combine it with other instruments in an orchestra you create a symphony – a masterpiece. This blend fully epitomizes this notion, and it’s been a dream come true to create this truly one-of-a-kind spirit for my friends at The Last Drop.”
This blend follows last year’s offering from The Last Drop Distillers, the Signature Blend: 50 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky created by Master Blender Colin J.P. Scott. Released in July 2021, that was the brand’s first foray into the creation, as well as curation, of ultra-premium spirits.
“It has been a wonderfully exciting experience to work with my friend, colleague and inspiration, Drew Mayville, to create this phenomenal blend,” said Rebecca Jago, managing director for The Last Drop Distillers. “The creation of The Assembly in 2020 was one of The Last Drop’s proudest achievements … to see the visions of such stellar icons of the industry come to life in a Last Drop bottle is, for me, a dream come true.”
Drew Mayville’s Release No. 28 distiller’s notes:
- COLOR: A golden amber hue speaks of the wood, the age and the maturation these whiskeys have been through. The high proof can be seen in the long legs which linger on the glass.
- NOSE: This reminds me of walking into one of Buffalo Trace’s warehouses: the atmosphere, the history and the provenance – it packs an evocative punch. Deep, dark fruit, figs, and dates on the nose, some raisins, and an aromatic spiciness, with citrus zest. There is some spiciness from the straight rye, and a creamy, vanilla from the bourbons, yielding a complex and layered flavor.
- PALATE: To begin with, there are dark fruits, candy and orange peel upfront. From there, a journey through a spice merchant’s storeroom, and into a saddle room full of worn leather and wax. The ages of the whiskeys in this blend, and the impact of the American oak here are in balance with the individual elements of the blend. A crescendo of rich and raw spiciness transitions across the palate.
- FINISH: The spiciness is challenging the dark fruit, the chocolate notes, and the sweet vanilla. This is the balance and sophistication that arises when the tangy spice of the rye and the creamy chocolate of the bourbon whiskeys – combined with the influence of the oak – all collide in harmony.
Each bottle of The Last Drop Signature Blend of Kentucky Straight Whiskeys is individually numbered and bears Mayville’s physical signature. As with all recent Last Drop bottlings, it’s contained in a bespoke bottle that suspends mid-air in an oak frame, held within a green leather case alongside a 50ml miniature for private enjoyment, certificate of bottling and pocket-sized tasting book.
The Last Drop Distillers was founded in 2008 by spirits industry leaders Tom Jago and James Espey, with more than 80 years of experience between them. They sought to curate the world’s most remarkable spirits by finding treasures across aged spirit categories and sharing them with enthusiasts around the world. In 2016, The Last Drop was acquired by the Sazerac Company.
For more information on The Last Drop, check out www.lastdropdistillers.com or www.sazerac.com.
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