Brett Atlas's Blog, page 2

Back in 2016, a small group of Bourbon & Banter members met in St. Louis to attend Whiskey In the Winter. Following a wonderful evening gathered around Pops’ dining room table sipping pre-prohibition whiskey and other mid-century dusties, the actual show itself was largely forgettable – save for one large exception. In Seminar Room C, Luke Castle and I were blown away by the magnetism, passion and expertise of a new force in whiskey named Jackie Zykan. Jackie, the Master Bourbon Specialist for Brown-Forman’s Old Forester at the time, took us on a brief tasting journey through her brand. Old Forester is the only bourbon produced before, during and after Prohibition by the same family. There was a magical juxtaposition between the insanely cool young woman and the 19th century bourbon blue blood which worked precisely because, as is now completely obvious to everyone, Jackie Zykan is the real deal. She would soon be certified as Master Taster and quickly become one of the biggest stars in bourbon.

Old Forester’s Jackie Zykan from the 2016 Whiskey In the Winter catalogue

During our brief breakout session with her, we tasted five Old Forester expressions, two of which I vividly recall. One was the heralded Birthday Bourbon, a limited annual fall release aggressively sought by collectors. I had coincidentally published my Bourbon & Banter review of it just before the event. But the most memorable sip by far was a barrel strength expression of Old Forester not available for purchase anywhere. It was the true rare treat, which Luke and I enjoyed it more than anything else at the entire show. I asked Jackie why Old Forester wouldn’t release something so incredible, and [my best recollection after an evening of tasting whiskey was that] she noted the challenges of maintaining their high standards of quality and consistency with higher proof offerings in larger quantities. Whatever the issues happened to be, they sure figured them out.

Tasting five Old Forester expressions at the 2016 Whiskey In the Winter with Luke Castle

Soon after the event, the Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style, a non-age stated 115 proof bourbon, became readily available with a $60 price point. It quickly became a favorite among bourbon enthusiasts due to its penchant for going toe-to-toe with much more expensive bottles in blind tastings. With quality bourbons in this price range disappearing due to allocations and hoarders, the 1920 remains an easy grab for any situation. In fact, just last week I recommended it to a good friend looking to purchase a holiday gift.

The year 2020 will undoubtedly be remembered as a dumpster fire for many reasons, but certainly not when it comes to Old Forester. Ironically, the legendary distillery’s 150th year of operation may be regarded as the beginning of a something special. It began in January, when Zykan answered my prayers by introducing an unfiltered, barrel-strength option to their single barrel program. Of particular note to me was her enthusiasm for “creating a bespoke product that’s unique to [the fans’] personal flavor profile.” To the great credit of Zykan and her team, this is precisely what they’ve given us. One of the most exciting aspects of this program is the variation in flavor profiles you can get. This is a feature, not a bug. In other words, while high quality standards are most definitely maintained, the people picking the barrels matter a lot more. For someone like me who loves the process, it’s a dream come true.

Like many others this year, I got on Zoom with my Seattle-area friends to pick a barrel of Old Forester Barrel Strength for Bob’s Lake City. Brent Enloe is one of those people who will only put the “Bob’s” name on something he would be excited to buy a bottle of himself. Each of the three samples was unique, but our unanimous selection was everything I had hoped for. In fact, in a recent blind tasting I organized, the Bob’s Old Forester bested some pretty big bottles, including a Four Roses Small Batch Limited, a Thomas Handy Rye and an Evan Williams 23 year – three of my favorite whiskeys! That should get anyone excited about the potential of these four-year old Old Forester picks.

Bob’s Lake City “Old Growth” Old Forester Barrel Strength Selection

Also this year, Ryan Geller at Basecamp Wine & Spirits selected two different barrels of Old Forester Barrel Strength, which I got to taste side-by-side. Unlike me, Ryan possesses the enviable ability to appreciate differences between two similar bourbons and refuses to name a favorite between the two. That is a level of maturity and introspection which just doesn’t square with my typical approach to barrel picking as a zero-sum death match. Regardless, there is no question both barrels are wonderful and both sold out immediately.

Basecamp’s 2020 Vision and Blindness Old Forester Barrel Strength picks

Then, in October, Old Forester unveiled its 150th Anniversary limited edition trio. Released just one month after their annual Birthday Bourbon, Old Forester’s 150th Anniversary project saw 150 barrels divided into three separate unfiltered, batch-proof releases and packaged in a new dark bottle in a sweet white tube. Retailing for $150 a bottle, I was immediately skeptical about paying double for a limited-edition release with comparable specs (Non-Age-Stated or “NAS”, 125-ish proof) to their outstanding barrel strength offerings. I initially viewed the entire concept as yet another grift to fleece newer bourbon collectors who will buy anything. Then I tasted it.

The Old Forester 150th Anniversary Batch 1 is gorgeous inside and out

The first batch of the Old Forester 150th Anniversary is one hell of a bourbon. The nose and palate are complex, balanced and lovely. The finish goes on and on. You aren’t happy with just one sip. It’s one of my favorite releases of 2020. Most certainly it is a bottle deserving of its beautiful packaging, because the real beauty is found inside the bottle. As always, the question is asked, “Why should I pay $150 retail (or more than double that on the secondary market) for a NAS bourbon in a cool bottle and tube?” For me, I’ve never tasted an age statement before, so I don’t rely on them too often as a guarantee of quality. I’ve had some wildly disappointing aged bourbons, while these recent NAS bottles Old Forester is kicking out are fantastic. As always, you’ll have to try them for yourself. Thankfully a few of you chose to trade me your bottles rather than open them.

Old Forester has dialed into the current bourbon craziness with offerings that actually deliver for everyone. The Birthday Bourbon is an annual limited edition, suitably exciting and frustrating along with its fall contemporaries. The 1920 is a reasonably-priced, higher-proof bottle you can generally find on the shelf. The Barrel Strength picks are a treasure trove for private selection lunatics like me, with most of the proofs in the mid to upper 120’s. And the 150th Anniversary release may be a golden harbinger of exciting things ahead.

We sip in a world where any distillery’s single new release is measured against all it has released before. Nearly everything bottled today is unfairly saddled with unrealistic expectations. Overly critical armchair experts (present company included) agonize over the self-imposed obligation of placing each bottle into its proper historical context. As a result, otherwise outstanding whiskeys are doomed to disappoint and are thus relegated to the bottom half of Facebook polls.

Still, while some major brands face growing criticism over the perceived decline of value versus price, Old Forester is heading in the opposite direction. For a 150-year old brand to generate this much enthusiasm in today’s bourbon climate is a testament both to their people and their commitment to quality. I’m expecting some pretty exciting things from Old Forester in the years ahead.

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Published on December 27, 2020 15:52

A Barrel Full of Roses

If there is one thing about bourbon I haven’t gotten bored with over the years, it’s selecting a private barrel. Every so often, a truly special one stands out from the others. Such was the case when, earlier this year, we got this incredible short barrel OESF for Mike Bridges at Jack’s in Fremont, Nebraska. It’s the “Bitch Wolf Barrel” we named after Ruthie from the show ‘Ozark.’

Bottle from The Bitch Wolf Barrel (notice the recipe in the symbols?)

The whiskey inside was magnificent, so I definitely wanted to do something fitting with the barrel itself. I always loved the whiskey bar my friend Brian Haara had created out of the first Bourbon Crusaders Deatsville Elijah Craig barrel, and I reached out to him for help.

Brian connected me with Kentuckian David Ballard, who did the work on his barrel. David and I talked over the project and he gave me several options. Like Brian, I chose locking doors, lazy susans and interior lights. He even gave me a choice of stain color, which you can see add a richness when compared to my other barrel in the picture.

The barrel came back today and I couldn’t be happier with the quality of craftsmanship. There were even little details I didn’t expect like wheels on the bottom and a hanging hook inside one of the doors! It’s the perfect place to house my most special Four Roses bottles.

These are a few of my favorite things.

If you’re interested in having something similar done for yourself, David told me I could share his email address: dballard_59@yahoo.com. I don’t get any referral fee or discount. I can tell David takes incredible pride in the work he does and I want to share the love!

*Thank you to Michael Lincoln for driving and picking up the barrel for me.

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Published on November 12, 2020 19:04

Talking Private Picks on the Steak, Bourbon & Sports podcast

Ari Tempkin and Jeremy Mandel were kind enough to invite me on their Steak, Bourbon & Sports podcast last night. Really enjoyed discussing private barrel picks with them. Check it out!

https://steak-bourbon-sports.libsyn.com/not-all-store-picks-are-created-equal-brett-atlas-steak-bourbon-and-sports-with-ari-temkin-and-jeremy-mandel

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Published on September 16, 2020 04:30

Review of Starlight Single Barrel Rye (21 Kings x #Greg’s Pick Private Selection)

The words ‘Distilled In Indiana’ on a whiskey label used to automatically mean one thing: This whiskey was sourced by Midwest Grain Products (MGP). Well, not anymore.

THE HISTORY OF STARLIGHT DISTILLERY

The Starlight Distillery Rickhouse

Starlight Distillery may seem to have burst onto the scene like another hot craft whiskey start-up, but it is actually part of a now seventh-generation family business privately owned and operated for over 175 years. The nearly 800-acre Huber farm was founded in Starlight, Indiana in 1843 by Simon Huber, who emigrated to the United States from Baden-Baden, Germany. Simon’s great, great, great grandson Ted Huber and his cousin Greg Huber currently run the business along with their wives and children.

The distillers (from l to r): Jason Heilingenberg, Christian Huber, Ted Huber, Blake Huber and Jesse Williams

Starlight Distillery, DSP-31, began producing spirits in 2001. Due to Indiana legal restrictions at the time, only fruit-based spirits could be produced and sold, which was perfect for the Huber farm and its head winemaker, Jason Heiligenberg. With an abundance of grapes, peaches, apples and pears, there were no shortage of options for brandies. There is currently an 18-year brandy still aging there.

Despite being legally restricted from selling whiskey back then, Starlight had still been actively experimenting with producing it. By the time Indiana state law changed in 2013 to allow grain-based spirits, Starlight was already well on its way to distilling vodka and whiskey. They do currently source some grains to go along with their many acres of corn and rye, but everything is milled, mashed, fermented, distilled, aged and bottled on the property. They do not source any whiskey.

Like Wilderness Trail Distillery (who I previously reviewed), Starlight produces whiskey using the sweet mash process, meaning everything is cleaned after each distillation run. This is not an easy process to perfect, which is why so many distilleries opt for the sour mash process instead. Those who elect to go the sweet mash route accept the risks to consistency in exchange for the opportunity to produce what they feel is a tastier whiskey. After mashing and fermenting, the whiskey is double pot distilled.

There are several other factors which make Starlight’s whiskeys exciting to those who crave something unique. There are different types of barrels for aging and finishing, different treatment options for those barrels, different mashbills (recipes) and even different barrel entry proofs for the whiskeys!

Starlight currently purchases barrels from six different cooperages including Independent Stave, Canton, Kelvin, ZAK, Speyside and Seguin Moreau. These barrels have different char levels and different characteristics. Barrels staves can be seasoned and barrel heads can be toasted. Starlight has also used different barrels to produce port finished bourbon, sherry finished bourbon, sherry finished malt, Sauternes finished bourbon and even aged maple syrup finished bourbon! All this leads to a seemingly endless myriad of flavor opportunities which may truly never be duplicated again. This should be music to the ears of several private barrel picking groups.

Seventh-generation Huber brothers Christian (left) and Blake (right) thieving whiskey samples

Starlight has four primary mashbills: a standard bourbon (60% corn / 20% rye / 20% malted barley), a four-grain bourbon (51% corn / 20% rye / 20% malted barley / 9% wheat), and two different ryes (80% rye and 90% rye). The two ryes are cut at different barrel entry proofs. However, adding even more variability, they will occasionally deviate from these recipes depending on what grains are available. In fact, the rye I’m reviewing is from a barrel of 85% rye, and there was recently a 70% corn bourbon barrel sold to a group in Chicago.

REVIEW

My friends from 21 Kings and #Greg’s Picks were kind enough to let me purchase their private Starlight Rye collaboration pick. If the words ‘seasoned wood’ and ‘toasted barrel’ get you excited, you’ll want to pay attention.

W HISKEY STATS:

Whiskey: Starlight Single Barrel Huber’s Old Rickhouse Rye (21 Kings x #Greg’s Picks Private Selection)

Distillery: Starlight Distillery (Indiana DSP-31)

Mashbill: 85% Rye / 15% Malted Barley

Barrel: #4 Char New Seguin Moreau Icône American white oak with air dried and seasoned staves for at least two years. Barrel heads were also toasted.

Age: Five years (just two weeks shy of six years)

Proof: 118.8

TASTING NOTES:

NOSE: Floral | Spearmint | Rich Sweetness | Light Spice

PALATE: Thick Mouthfeel | Herbal | Cotton Candy | Spice

FINISH: Good length | Throat warming | Lingering espresso beans

I found adding a few drops of water rounded things out a bit without diminishing the nose or the finish. I would definitely recommend it.

CONCLUSION:

After two separate evenings tasting this rye, I gave up on my notes because it just kept changing on me! When I first cracked the bottle with friends, we all noted a unique, almost funky herbal flavor reminiscent of Charbay hop-flavored whiskey. A few nights later, the funk had receded a bit, bringing more of a sweet-then-spicy experience with a lingering espresso note long after the finish. Where does that crazy flavor come from? Most likely the Seguin Moreau barrels, which are much older than those typically used by other distilleries. Then there is the seasoning of the staves and the toasting of the barrel heads to consider. In attempting to solve this mystery, I have already nearly depleted my first bottle. And isn’t that really the point of a good whiskey: to sip while contemplating and enjoying it?

The reviewer of single barrel whiskeys from private groups is just asking to be pelted by verbal tomatoes. After all, what benefit is there for the reader to know how delicious something is if they can’t go and buy it for themself? I understand that, but the value here is in getting to know Starlight and their unique approach to whiskey, not in identifying one specific barrel to find. In fact, I am now excited to try bottles from other Starlight barrels and see how those flavors compare.

Clearly, there are some very exciting things happening at the Huber Farm, and it should be on everyone whiskey fan’s radar. I am seeing more and more photos of Starlight bottles lately, and I expect the trend to continue. I look forward to visiting there myself and participating in what I fully expect to be a very unique and memorable barrel picking experience.

My Score: 3.75 / 5

My My score: 3.5 / 5

SCORING SYSTEM:

5 – Among the best I’ve had in this category

4 – So good one bottle isn’t going to cut it

3 – Good, something I will share and enjoy

2 – Disappointing, only hope is a mixer

1 – Drain pour, wouldn’t risk my reputation pouring this for anyone

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @brettatlas for blog updates and additional content

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