3 bourbons are being released this month, just in time for the holiday season
Three bourbons are being released this month, just in time for the holiday season.
Look for Never Say Die Bourbon, inspired by the legendary namesake racehorse, and a commemorative edition of the Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage Bourbon, plus you can order a personalized bottle of J. Mattingly 1845 bourbon.
Here's what to know about these new releases.
Evan Williams Bourbon Experience launches limited-release bottle
In honor of Evan Williams Bourbon Experience's 10th anniversary on Louisville's Whiskey Row, the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience announced the release of its commemorative edition of Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage Bourbon. The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience opened its doors to the public in November 2013 and has immersed nearly one million guests in the legacy of Evan Williams, Kentucky’s first distiller.
The 2013 vintage is bottled at 110 proof, commemorating the 10th anniversary, is hand-dipped in silver wax and features imagery of the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience on its label and tag. Each bottle of Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage Bourbon includes handwritten label notes detailing the exact day it was put in an oak barrel to age, the barrel number, and the date it was bottled.
“We are proud to be one of the leaders in returning Whiskey Row to its original glory in the heart of downtown Louisville,” Jodie Filiatreau, artisanal distiller at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, said in a news release. “This commemorative bottle of Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage is a unique offering fitting of such a momentous occasion.”
This mashbill is made of Heaven Hill Distillery’s traditional Bourbon Mashbill comprised of 78% corn, 12% malted barley, and 10% rye. Available at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience for $109.99 and at select area retailers while supplies last.
J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery offers personalized bourbon bottles
Since its formal inception in 1845, the name Mattingly has been associated with both world-class bourbon-making and innovation. John Graves Mattingly (1823-1910) was responsible for perfecting the now famous column still used by the greatest bourbon producers in the world to provide a more continuous process to satisfy the growing demand of his customers.
Jeff Mattingly, a sixth-generation descendant of John Graves, has taken that innovation further and created the first-of-its-kind custom bourbon blending process at the J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery in Frankfort, which allows guests to blend their bottle from multiple “Double-Staved” proprietary barrels selected by the Mattingly team of blenders, choose their bottle, label, closure (including wax colors of red, green silver or gold) and add their name to their creation.
Just in time for Christmas, J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery is taking it one step further with the virtual J. Mattingly 1845 Holiday Custom Bourbon Experience. The blending team has been selecting hundreds of barrels of Kentucky Bourbon and Rye Whiskey to create blends for customized bottles for this holiday season.
“We are thrilled to get to watch and interact daily with our thousands of guests who come to the distillery to create their own custom blend and bottle of J. Mattingly 1845,” Andrew Varga, managing partner for J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery, said in a news release. “This holiday season we are equally excited to expand the experience online.”
The J. Mattingly Holiday Custom Bourbon Experience is available in person, 20 Reilly Road, in Frankfort, through Dec. 23. Reservations are requested.
Orders placed on the J. Mattingly 1845 Holiday Custom Bourbon Experience, jmattingly1845.com, by Dec. 8 will arrive by Dec. 24. Orders placed after Dec. 8 will be filled and shipped out as soon as possible but not guaranteed prior to Dec. 24.
Never Say Die Bourbon makes its U.S. debut
Following a successful launch in the UK, Never Say Die Bourbon is returning home to make its U.S. debut. This bourbon is the first to be both ocean-aged on a six-week trip across the Atlantic Ocean and then further matured in barrels in England.
The idea for Never Say Die Bourbon was born at the Kentucky Derby over mint juleps and inspired by the legendary tale of the namesake racehorse, born on Pat Madden's family farm, Hamburg Place, in Lexington. Never Say Die was revived as a sickly newborn foal by a lucky shot of whiskey; three years later, he went on to become the first Kentucky-bred horse to win the Derby at Epsom, in front of a 250,000-strong crowd that included Queen Elizabeth II and Winston Churchill.
“Kentucky is the epitome of both bourbon and horse racing, so we are ... excited to be marrying the two and showcasing to the rest of the world the incredible things that the state has to offer the two," co-founder Madden said in a news release. "Never Say Die is our interpretation of the American dream and our chance to honor the memory of our namesake racehorse; celebrating his fascinating legacy that saw him not only overcome adversity on my family farm in Kentucky but then go on to win the Epsom Derby in front of Queen Elizabeth II."
Never Say Die is an approachable and balanced blend of Never Say Die's six-year-old barrels, with a mellowed spice and citrus that melt into vanilla, leather, and caramel. The retail price is $69.95.
Reach news clerk Gege Reed at greed@courier-journal.com
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: December bourbon releases: Evan Williams, J. Mattingly, Never Say Die
