KENTUCKY DISTILLERS’ ASSOCIATION WELCOMES COAL PICK DISTILLERY AS CRAFT MEMBER

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Distillers’ Association today announced that Coal Pick Distillery in Muhlenberg County is the newest and 50th member of the nonprofit trade group that unites and leads Kentucky’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry.

Founded by Kevin and Carrie Lawrence in 2017, the distillery is situated on 2,700 scenic acres just outside an area once known as Paradise, Kentucky. The landscape features lakes, rolling hills and meadows with an array of indiginous wildlife.

The operation consists of production of Coal Pick’s own products as well as contract distilling and storage for private label clients. The new rickhouse uses steel framing and a pallet racking system with the capacity to store 2,300 barrels.

In the future, Coal Pick plans to be a destination for people to enjoy an extended experience complete with wildlife sight-seeing, fishing, and distilling education. Located at 1825 Log Creek Lane in Drakesboro, the distillery released its first Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon earlier this year.

Facility Manager Whitney Spence thanked the KDA family for the opportunity to join. “We look forward to meeting and working with everyone as we continue to produce products and advance our industry,” he said.

“I love making Bourbon and love that there are other companies that do as well. I am thankful that our industry has hard-working people like the fine folks on the KDA team fighting to help our industry grow and prosper.”

KDA President Eric Gregory said he has been following the distillery’s progress over the past few years and is thrilled to welcome them to the KDA as the milestone 50th member – the most since the glorious Repeal of Prohibition.

“Kevin, Whitney and the Coal Pick team are building a premium destination in Paradise, one of the most scenic and beautiful areas of Kentucky,” Gregory said. “We are impressed with their growth and vision, and proudly welcome them to our growing family of Kentucky’s finest distillers.”

Learn more at www.coalpickdistillery.com

Coal Pick Distillery is the KDA’s 30th Craft-level member, aging less than 10,000 barrels a year. They join The Bard Distillery in Muhlenberg County in Western Kentucky as KDA members. Coal Pick also is now eligible to apply to join the KDA’s Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour®.

Founded in 1880, the KDA is the voice for Bourbon and spirits issues. Its diverse membership produces the overwhelming majority of the world’s Bourbon, from legendary, global brands to emerging micro distilleries that are building the next generation of the timeless craft.

Kentucky Bourbon is one of the Commonwealth’s most historic industries, a thriving $8.6 billion economic and tourism engine that generates more than 20,100 jobs with an annual payroll topping $1 billion each year, and accounts for over $300 million in local and state taxes and $1.8 billion in federal alcohol taxes.

A key export, the iconic industry is currently in the middle of a $5.1 billion building boom, from innovative new tourism experiences to expanded production facilities, bottling centers and aging warehouses, all to meet the growing global thirst for Kentucky Bourbon.

Bourbon production has skyrocketed more than 430% since the turn of the century.

Kentucky now boasts more than 10.3 million barrels of Bourbon aging in warehouses across the Bluegrass, the most in its revered distilling history. Distillers filled more than 2.4 million barrels last year alone, the third year in a row that production topped the two million mark.

Attendance at the KDA’s Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® distilleries has skyrocketed more than 300 percent in the last 10 years. Total attendance in 2019 was nearly two million, the most since KDA founded the tours in 1999 and 2012, respectively.

Visit www.kybourbon.com and www.kybourbontrail.com to learn more.

For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Eric Gregory at eric@kybourbon.com.

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association that passionately unites, promotes, protects and elevates the Commonwealth’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. The KDA maintains an open membership policy, champions a strong commitment to the responsible and moderate consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage drinking and drunk driving. 

KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL CRAFT TOUR®, KENTUCKY BOURBON AFFAIR™, KBT®, BOURBON TRAIL™, KENTUCKY BOURBON HALL OF FAME®, ORDER OF THE WRIT®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TALES®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL WELCOME CENTER®,, URBAN BOURBON TRAIL® and THE PROOF IS HERE® are trademarks/service marks of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. 

BALLANTINE’S CALLS ON MUSIC INDUSTRY TO CLUB TOGETHER TO FIGHT DISCRIMINATION ON THE DANCEFLOOR

Ballantine’s Scotch whisky, long time champion of diverse talent and underrepresented music communities around the world through its True Music platform, is taking a stand to increase parity within the music industry, after its ‘Resetting the Dancefloor’ report found that 1 in 3 music lovers globally have experienced discrimination and a further 84% have witnessed it on the dancefloor.

The report, which surveyed over 2,300 music lovers across four continents, highlights that while there is work to be done for dancefloors to be truly inclusive, the pandemic offers an opportunity for a ‘reset’. Ballantine’s aims to drive action to address this through a series of commitments and initiatives, including a six-figure fund to support emerging music collectives, and via global experiences that celebrate inclusive dancefloors, with long standing partner, Boiler Room.

Helping spearhead the conversation within the music industry are Berlin-based DJ Honey Dijon, SBTV Founder Jamal Edwards MBE, LGBTQIA+ label and collective He.She.They, rapidly ascending Madrid-based female DJ collective Chica Gang , Brazilian LGBTQIA+ dance collective Afrobapho, and South African rapper and activist Dope Saint Jude who are calling on music fans, artists and those within the business to club together to drive action and change.

While the ideal of the dancefloor being a place of freedom and equality does not reflect the reality – the effects of the past 18 months have resulted in a positive change in attitude with three quarters of people saying they would now speak out if they witnessed discrimination at a music event and 89% believing we all have a responsibility to fight discrimination.

Even though people can’t wait to return to the dancefloor post-pandemic (84%), the safety, diversity and inclusivity of the events will be driving their choice to attend. Treating and paying artists fairly is the number one priority, 63% are more likely to consider whether the music line-up is diverse versus a year ago, whilst 72% will only attend a future event that they feel will be safe and inclusive.

Honey Dijon comments: “All of these things we’re fighting for – diverse line-ups, diverse dancefloors – this is simply us wanting our humanity and our creativity to be considered as worthy as other people’s. That’s an expectation no one should be able to stand in the way of.”

Through its initiatives, Ballantine’s is hoping to raise awareness of issues around diversity and inclusion within music culture and prompt action, and has committed to driving real change in three key areas over the next five years:

• Diverse programming: ensuring all True Music line-ups and content represent diverse communities
• Fair payment: ensuring that no fee gap exists by taking an active role in making sure talent are paid and treated fairly
• Inclusive dancefloors: making safe dancefloors a priority and committing to bringing one billion music fans inclusive True Music experiences through a safe dancefloor policy

Ballantine’s Head of Music Tom Elton comments: “The past 18 months have seen the live music industry suffer, as lockdowns have forced fans to stay at home and repress desires to be on the dancefloor. As the world begins to emerge from the pandemic, we have the opportunity to press the ‘reset’ button and club together to rebuild a music culture for everyone.

A commitment to inclusivity is part of Ballantine’s DNA – the motto ‘a friend to all humankind’ has been on the crest of every bottle for over 100 years – and we are committed to putting our pledges in to practice to help drive tangible change. We all have a part to play in the journey to creating a truly inclusive music industry and this is just the start.”

A key initiative to further champion underrepresented communities within music, will be the launch of a six-figure fund to support emerging collectives and artists in promoting and progressing equality within their scene. Applications to the True Music Fund will open in October.

Ballantine’s will also be running True Music Studios – a series of 40+ global events in partnership with Boiler Room with diversity and inclusion at its core to inspire lasting change in the industry. Launching in October, True Music Studios will offer inclusive experiences for everyone around the world both in real life and online.

For the past seven years, Ballantine’s has been committed to representing, supporting, and promoting global inclusive music culture, championing local and diverse music communities and cultures around the world, supporting over 500 artists, across 50+ events, in 20+ countries.

To find out more about Ballantine’s True Music check out Ballantines.com/truemusic

The fourth release in this much-loved series is here – Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost & Rare Pittyvaich.

Crafted by master blender Jim Beveridge and his team, this limited-edition bottling is focused on Pittyvaich in Speyside, which closed in 1993, as well as the lost grain distilleries of Port Dundas and Carsebridge. Along with the ghost distilleries, the team also brought in whiskies from Auchroisk, Cragganmore, Mannochmore, Strathmill and Royal Lochnagar to reinforce Pittyvaich’s uniquely funky and fruity style.

The result is a whisky that combines the autumnal character of Pittyvaich with the delicate sweetness and spice of well-aged grain whiskies – a fruity palate of fresh apples and berries supported by notes of vanilla, honeycomb and cinnamon. A must for Johnnie Walker fans and an excellent continuation of this sought-after series.

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Tormore 29 Year Old – 1991

£479.90

An independent and well aged single malt from Tormore distillery, matured for over 29 years in a refill sherry butt. Distilled in 1991 and matured in single cask 15384 until 26th January 2021. An independent and well aged single malt from Tormore distillery, matured for over 29 years in a refill sherry butt. Distilled in 1991 and matured in single cask 15384 until 26th January 2021. Bottled by Gordon & MacPhail for the superb Connoisseurs Choice series, with only 255 bottles being filled at 51.5% vol.

Only 255 bottles being filled at 51.5% vol.

ralfy review 900 Extras – Crypto Malt gets NFT’d

Legends Reimagined – Introducing Bowmore® No Corners to Hide

Wyoming Whiskey releases Single Barrel Bourbon

Blended Grain Scotch
We’re On Our Way Houston!

48 Year Old 1972 Blended Grain Single Cask

Apollo 17 marked the final landing mission of the historic Apollo space program. This release marks that spectacular night launch in 1972. During the final moonwalk of the Apollo program, on 13th December 1972, back on Planet Each, this very whisky was put into cask at Invergordon distillery. Matured in a single barrel hogshead yielding just 109 bottles. Expect deep space orange zest, meteor shower of cinnamon and a soft dry finish.

TASTING NOTES

Deep space orange zest on a burst of nutmeg starlight orbiting spearmint asteroids. Nedula of drive fruits, metroid shower of cinnamon, leather and oak observing a soft dry finish.

48 Year Old 1972 vintage Blended Grain Scotch whisky (a secret Invergordon). Single barrel #TWB1024 bottled September 2021 to mark the final Moon landing of the Apollo program, Apollo 17, 1972. 109 numbered bottles.

On December 7th, 1972, Apollo 17 launched from the Kennedy Space Center. A spectcular night launch of the Saturn V rocked market the final landing mission for the histroic space program. Astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt performed three moonwalks on lunar service. During this same time, back on Planet Earth, this very whisky was put into cask on 13th December 1972.

BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY

Blended Scotch whiskies are produced by blending whiskies distilled at two or more different Scottish distilleries and the whiskies may be single malt whiskies, single grain whiskies, or single malt and single grain whiskies.

Buy – 48 Year Old 1972 – £325 / €319 / $370 / c$460*

Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond 100 Proof Rye Whiskey (750ml) $23.99 View

95 points Wine Enthusiast ~  A versatile must-have for mixing cocktails, look for pleasing vanilla, maple and a hint of dried cherry. The finish is long and drying, with plenty of baking spice notes. (KN)  (7/2016)

Whisky Advocate ~  Rittenhouse packs lots of corn, offering a different profile than those higher-rye whiskeys from Indiana. Straight from the glass burst caramel, campfire smoke, and vanilla, with hints of dill weed and Herbs de Provence. Ripe in flavor, it shows slight mint from the rye and a complex voyage of herbs with a touch of chocolate here and walnut shell there. There’s a reason bartenders love mixing with this; it’s good neat or on the rocks. (FM, Summer 2016) 

K&L Notes ~ Named North American Whiskey of the Year at the 2006 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Best Buy of the Year at the 2006 WhiskeyFest. Rye was the first Colonial American whiskey, and was the most popular spirit in the US for more than a century until it fell out of favor. Made in a classic Pennsylvania style at the Heaven Hill distillery in Kentucky, this has been aged for at least four years in barrel and bottled at 100 proof. To be called “Bottled in Bond” it also has to be the product of a single distillery, made in a single season in a single year.

Elijah Craig “Small Batch” Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $24.99 View

91 points Whisky Advocate ~  Subtly complex and nicely rounded. A bed of sweetness (caramel, vanilla) peppered with honey-kissed fruit, golden raisin, and a hint of marzipan. Pleasing oak grip and dried spice on the finish. A great value for such a high-quality bourbon. (JH, Spring 2017) 

K&L Notes ~ Coming from the great master distiller Parker Beam, the Elijah Craig bourbon has to be one of the best value bourbons on the market! Great balance of sweetness and spice. Also, at 94 proof, it has just the right amount of kick.

High West “American Prairie” Kentucky-Indiana Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $31.99 View

Whisky Advocate ~  Minty and herbal on the nose, with notes of fresh oak, licorice, apricots, brown sugar, dried apples, orange peel, peaches, light coconut, ginger, and dried leaves. The palate is sweet up front, with a complex melding of butterscotch, spicy oak, orange slices, and chocolate fudge. The finish offers lots of spice, black pepper, bitter chocolate, and a pleasant note of almond nuttiness. A well-textured whiskey, with lots of spice and heat. (DF, Spring 2020) 

Wine Enthusiast ~  Made with a blend of straight Bourbons, this whiskey has a mild vanilla and resin scent. On the palate, flavors run to vanilla, cedar and citrus. Adding water brings out distinct cinnamon and peach notes, before fading into vanilla. (KN)  (7/2015)

K&L Notes ~ High West is dedicated to preserving and promoting the American West. That’s why they’ve created a whiskey dedicated to one of the greatest land preservation projects of our time: the American Prairie Reserve in Montana, a 5,000-square-mile land tract the size of Connecticut, restored to what Lewis and Clark would have seen. High West will donate 10% of after-tax profits from each bottle to the American Prairie Foundation. This blend of straight bourbons from Kentucky and Indiana continues to showcase High West’s exceptional blending abilities. The base whiskey is a 2-year-old MGP/LDI with a 75% corn mash bill. The other whiskeys come from two undisclosed Kentucky distilleries and clock in at 6- and 13-years old, respectively. No filtration and a satisfying 46% abv, the American Prairie is a welcome followup to the wonderful Reserve and one of the best third-party bottlings in the price range.

Auchentoshan “Bartender’s Malt Edition 1” Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) $32.99 View

Auchentoshan named this whisky the “Bartender’s Malt” because it was designed and blended by a team of twelve different bartenders from all over the world who helped to select the barrels. Here’s the really compelling part: they used single malt whisky from the 1970s, ’80s, ’90s, 2000s, and current decade in the blend, from ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, ex-wine, and even German oak barrels! In our opinion, innovative blends like this are what’s going to drive the business moving forward, especially in a market where single barrel pricing is proving to be cost prohibitive and access is getting more and more difficult. For a very affordable price, this is a drinker’s whisky. It is absolutely jam-packed with sweet barley flavor, loads of vanilla, spicy ginger, candied orange peel. A symphony of oak and baking spices drive the finish that lights up your mouth for minutes with distinct and supple flavors of milk chocolate. Bottled at 47% ABV, it’s got punch as well. This was our spirits buyer’s new house single malt when it first arrived, and his highest recommendation here for a sub-$50 malt. Bravo!

Leopold Bros. 5 Year Old Bottled In Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $37.99 View

Leopold makes whisky a bit differently than most modern distillers. They’re using the highest quality grains, malting their own barley, fermenting with house cultivated indigenous yeasts in open wooden washbacks and double distilling in small copper pots. We’ve always loved what they do over there in Colorado!

Smooth Ambler 5 Year Old “Old Scout” K&L Exclusive Barrel #24295 Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $39.99 View

After years of pining for the days of bourbon yore, we’ve finally come full circle to re-release the Ol’ Old Scout in its original form. There’s been tons of confusion on the market due to Smooth Ambler’s recent release of a large parcel of Tennessee bourbon, which was acquired from the famous distillery at Cascade Hollow, but this product is not that. Those whiskies are much loved by certain folks but show a completely different character than the original Old Scout. The brand became famous for bottling excellent bourbon and rye sourced from a fine distillery in Indiana. Those excellent whiskies were once the backbone for our now extinct Faultline Bourbon. Until now they haven’t had enough aged stock to spare single barrels for this program. Now that their stocks are finally coming of age, they’ve re-released these excellent bourbons at a respectable 5 years of age. This is the very same age that the original Old Scout was released way back in 2011. We’re very lucky to have scooped up several barrels before the rest of the market has realized that these are back on the table. We’ll likely continue to see the age statements on these excellent whiskies increase over the years, but even now the stupendous complexity of these bourbons at this lovely, youthful age is extremely satisfying. This High Rye bourbon (36% rye) was barreled in Char #4 on 7/8/15 and bottled 8/31/20 at 114.6 proof. With a loss of 29% it yielded only 192 bottles.

Following the launch of our new Cotswolds Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky this week, our founder, Dan Szor, shares his thoughts on one of our most exciting whisky releases to date in an exclusive Q&A. From discovering Dan’s favourite Bourbons to understanding the inspiration behind our latest whisky expression and what makes it unique, be sure to read our latest article below.

Q: What is it that makes this Bourbon cask expression unique in comparison to other Bourbon cask-matured whiskies available?

A: I suppose the most unique thing about this expression is the quality of the underlying spirit – which goes into all of our expressions – and the fact that we use only the most premium first-fill ex-Bourbon casks.

Q: Where do you source your Bourbon casks?

A: For the past six years, we have been buying our casks directly in Kentucky. Initially we used first-fill casks which came from a number of Brown Forman distilleries, such as Woodford Reserve, Jack Daniels, Old Forrester and Early Times.

For the past few years, we’ve been buying from Beam Suntory, owner of the well-known Maker’s Mark brand. The casks we buy are their top-of-the-range premium casks which come from distilleries such as Bookers and Basil Hayden’s. They have not been steamed – a process undertaken by many Bourbon distillers to wring out the last few litres of Bourbon from the staves after the barrel has been disgorged – which means there is more Bourbon (and more flavour) remaining in the wood when we receive the casks here in the Cotswolds.

Q: How does the Bourbon cask influence the flavour of this expression?

A: The most recognisable influence of a Bourbon cask on single malt is the wonderful effect of slow ageing in charred American white oak. This type of wood is excellent for the maturation of whisky in that it releases its tannins slowly, without overpowering the spirit with wood flavour, while allowing the wood sugars to come into the spirit giving it the honey, vanilla and crème brûlée flavours characteristic of Bourbon cask maturation. There’s even a bit of toasted coconut, if you look hard enough!

Q: Would you say this is a whisky for whisky purists?

A: This is a whisky for those who love whisky, beer and all things malt. It really shows off our locally-grown, floor-malted Cotswold barley in its best light.

Q: What should people notice when drinking this whisky?

A: When drinking this whisky, think about the grain. If you’ve ever visited our distillery and been lucky enough to time your tour around the first water of our mash, then you’ve had the chance to stick your head inside a mash tun with 500kg of grist being mixed with steaming hot water into an enormous vessel of porridge, in effect. Those malty notes – almost like a warm mug of Horlicks – are reflected in the aromas and taste of our Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky.

Q: How would you recommend people drink this whisky?

A: Though I am a purist and enjoy my whisky neat at room temperature, I would say that this whisky is robust enough to handle bitters (for an Old Fashioned), vermouth (for a delicious Manhattan), or even a splash of soda over ice in a highball. As it is cask strength, it will stand up to ice and still assert itself even through dilution.

Q: Do you plan on releasing any more cask expressions?

A: We will certainly be releasing more cask expressions – things that come to mind are Port and Madeira, as well as a number of other cask types made from both American and European oak; these are, however, likely to be limited releases as the four members of our Cask Collection (Founder’s Choice (STR ex-red wine cask), Sherry Cask, Peated Cask and Bourbon Cask) together represent over 95% of our wood programme.

We may decide to tweak this fill programme slightly – so keep your eyes on the development of our range over the years to come, it’s exciting stuff!