Mississippi’s Cathead Distillery Offers Up A 15 Year Old Bourbon

by Hannah Kanik
October 28, 2020

Mississippi’s oldest distillery, Cathead Distillery, recently debuted its newest product: a special variant of their Old Soul Straight Bourbon Whiskey. It is what they label their “2020 Rare & Limited Edition,” and it was aged for 15 years, thus making it a sourced offering the Cathead distilling team says they got from Kentucky.

The 102 proof, non-chill filtered whiskey has a mash bill of 78.5% corn, 13% rye and 8.5% malted barley. It is described as having a profile that was “too unique to pass up.”

Cathead Old Soul Straight Bourbon Whiskey 2020 Rare & Limited Edition (image via Cathead Distillery)

“The barrel’s 125 entry proof is fairly common, but what is unusual is the loss of 23 proof over a 15-year maturation,” Richard Patrick, Founder of Cathead Distillery, said in a prepared statement. “We liked it so much, we felt like people should enjoy it. We’re proud to offer this unique Old Soul to the marketplace.”

Official tasting notes from Cathead indicate this old bourbon “offers a beautifully balanced aroma of oak, sweet dried fruits, leather and tobacco. A delicate entry on the palate leads into a smooth candied mid-palate and a dry lingering finish of oak and rye spice.”

Only 2,400 bottles are being made available for purchase at a suggested retail price of $125 at select retailers.

The distillery behind this release was founded in 2010, according to them, “by friends and blues fans Austin Evans and Richard Patrick. Led by Distiller Phillip Ladner, Cathead Distillery currently produces six products in small batches: Cathead Original Vodka, Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka, Cathead Pecan Vodka, Bristow Gin, Hoodoo Chicory Liquor, and Old Soul Bourbon Whiskey.

“The name ‘Cathead,’ a term first coined by Mississippi blues musicians as a nod to respected artists, is the brand’s way of paying homage to the state’s rich musical heritage; in this spirit, Cathead also donates a portion of proceeds to nonprofits that contribute to the region’s abundant arts and culture.

“Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, a huge milestone for the first legal distillery in the state, Cathead has sold over one million bottles.”