How to taste Blue Velvet, a new bourbon released by a craft distillery in Providence
When craft distilleries open, they do so with a limited number of products. Some spirits take time to age. Patience is a distiller's virtue.
It's payoff time for Industrious Spirits Company as they are set to release their Blue Velvet Bourbon.
In January of 2021, ISCO bottled their test barrels of the bourbon. The smallest of batches sold out in hours.
"We made a lot this time," said Manya Rubinstein, ISCO CEO and one of the founders of Providence's first distillery after Prohibition. It was established in 2019 and opened in 2020.
This plucky distillery makes everything from its own neutral spirits on up. Head distillers Dan Neff, also a founder of ISCO, and Eric Olson, were getting ready to blend their aged barrels of Blue Velvet last week. Bottling would follow.
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A big celebration is planned for next week and tickets are available online for those who want to be the first to swirl and sip the new bourbon.
Bourbon doesn't have to be made in Kentucky
The rules for making the whiskey are quite finite.
It must be:
Made in the United States;
From a mash bill that is at least 51% corn;
Aged in new charred oak containers;
Distilled at no more than 160 proof;
Barreled at no more than 125 proof;
Bottled at 80 proof or more.
Check and check, said Rubinstein. In fact, Blue Velvet is 100 proof.
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What makes Blue Velvet unique is that it was created from a blend of two distinct blue corns, said Rubinstein.
One is an organic strain of indigo developed in Kentucky and the other is a landrace blue variety from Mexico. Landrace indicates a plant that is still grown in its region of origin with a nearly identical genetic makeup to its wild ancestor.
How bourbon gets its taste and color
Ingredients are important here. They create a flavor story for each spirit. But there's more to it for Rubinstein.
"We want people to think about spirits made from agricultural products," she said.
After being cooked and fermented, the blue corn turns pink, she said. It's due to a pH change. After it is distilled in small batches, it turns clear.
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Then it went into charred new oak barrels for 12 to 18 months “to taste.”
This is when it picks up the bourbon color, she said.
Distiller Neff explained that with all the summer's heat, the bourbon expanded within the oak barrels. The booze gets into the wood and then when it cools, it contracts and pulls out all those flavors in the wood.
Because of all the factors that create the flavors in the barrels (one barrel might get more air, one less) the distillers will pour them all out into a single vessel. That way all the flavors meld together to create one consistent taste that is the same from bottle to bottle, said Olson.
In the end, it will be bottled at 100 proof to preserve the richness and robust mouthfeel. It should have butter caramel, cocoa and blue corn on the nose. Tastes of toasted corn and vanilla spice on the palate. The finish will offer notes of coffee, chocolate and cinnamon.
As for the barrels, they cannot be used for bourbon again. But at ISCO they will use them for their Patina Gin which develops not just flavor from the barrels, but a golden color.
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The Kelvin Cooperage barrels are expensive, and now hard to come by with supply chain issues, said Rubinstein. They won't get their next shipment from the Louisville, Kentucky company until 2023.
In other news, Rubinstein noted that Parker Luthman is now ISCO’s beverage director. He joined after working for years at The Eddy in Providence as well as at The Dean Bar.
As for Blue Velvet here are the launch details:
On Thursday, Sept. 15, there will be a VIP launch party from 5-10 p.m. at the distillery at 1 Sims Ave. The event will included food from The East End restaurant in Providence and the opportunity to sample some unreleased spirits, take a tour of ISCO and enter a raffle for artist made Blue Velvet themed pillows and robe.
There will also be a public party on Sunday, Sept. 18 from noon to 6 p.m. featuring live music by Da Huey, food from Durk’s and a photobooth. Raffle tickets will also be sold. Proceeds from the raffle will be split between The American Farmland Trust and Fundación Tortilla, a Mexican nonprofit that promotes corn as an element of food and culture.
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Blue Velvet: ISCO's Rhode Island bourbon released in Providence
