Limestone Branch’s Latest Yellowstone Bourbon Includes Amarone Cask Influence

Limestone Branch Distillery has released the newest expression of its Yellowstone Limited Edition bourbon, this time with an influence of Amarone red wine casks.

The new 2021 Yellowstone Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey features  7-year-old and 15-year-old bourbons hand-selected by Limestone Branch Master Distiller Stephen Beam, including select 7-year-old barrels finished in Amarone casks. The new edition is bottled at 101 proof (50.5% ABV) and sold in custom-designed bottles featuring embossing, a high-end natural cork and a label featuring the 2021 Yellowstone Limited Edition emblem.

“Amarone is a rich, red wine that – much like bourbon – takes time and patience to craft and requires at least two years in oak casks to age. Finishing select barrels in these Amarone casks brings notes of fresh cracked pepper and tobacco, as well as hints of black cherry, fig and dark chocolate to the classic bourbon notes of caramel, vanilla and hints of citrus,” Beam said in a prepared statement. “With a finish of oxidized fruit, cherry and black currant, this bourbon is reminiscent of pre-Prohibition whiskeys.”

2021 Yellowstone Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (image via Limestone Branch)

Stephen Beam and his brother Paul opened Limestone Branch Distillery in 2011, with the goal of crafting fine spirits in small batches. With a history of distilling in their family, the brothers are seventh-generation distillers. The Yellowstone brand was established in 1872 by their great-great-grandfather and early bourbon pioneer, J.W. Dant. In 2015, the brothers brought the brand back and since have produced Yellowstone Select, Yellowstone Limited Edition, and Minor Case Rye Whiskey, as well as the newest addition, Bowling & Burch Gin.

In past years, the annual Yellowstone Limited Edition bottlings have included as many as three bourbons used in a blend, incorporating bourbon aged in different levels of charred wine casks. The Yellowstone Limited Edition is available across the nation with 7,500 cases (3 bottles per case) having been produced.

“Domestic straight bourbon sales saw 21% growth versus last year, with ultra-premium bourbons experiencing 38% growth. The Yellowstone brand has experienced nearly five times that level of growth,” Brand Manager for Limestone Branch Distillery Caitlin Palmieri Jackson said. “Our Limited Edition expression is equal parts a celebration of that success and a way to raise awareness and continue momentum for the brand family.”

The bourbon prices for $99.99 per bottle.