Four Roses Bourbon

By Blake

We hit the Bourbon Trail back in April for the second time, which was a long awaited return to our mother ship! Driving through the beautiful countryside filled with rolling pastures, historic tobacco barns, and herds of thoroughbred horses really brought us back to our roots. It is so easy to get caught up in our day-to-day routines, which unfortunately tends to take us away from the modest, simple beginnings that we all came from (in one way or another). I like to think of my trips through Kentucky as both a vacation and a cultural experience that ends up making me feel right at home.

One of our primary goals during this trip, besides betting on horses at the Maker’s Mark Mile, was to visit the historic Four Roses distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. During our previous trip to bourbon country, we had to miss this landmark facility because of time constraints and blood alcohol levels. But as with most good things, the wait and anticipation only made our experience at Four Roses all the better.

Arriving to the smell of fermenting mash on the backdrop of the 1910 Spanish Mission-Style buildings was like taking a trip back in time. This is one of the very few large distilleries left that has maintained its historical identification, both in the actual buildings that house the distillery, and in the process by which they produce their bourbon. Unlike some of the other mass production distilleries on the Bourbon Trail, Four Roses is truly an authentic facility that has held true to its purpose and roots in the culture of bourbon.

I have to admit, Four Roses was not even in my personal bourbon collection prior to this trip. I had some mental block that prevented me from being able to think of any bourbon with the Four Roses name as the “sipping type”, which has turned out to be my loss. In fact, all Four Roses bourbons (even the “mixin’ types”) are made with extremely high quality and the highest respect for the bourbon tradition. They also produce several top shelf varieties that boast a smoother finish with a richer palette to satisfy those of us who prefer to enjoy bourbon by itself. In either case, if you have any negative pre-disposition towards Four Roses bourbon, I highly encourage you to visit their facility (if possible) and at least give their product another shot at a fair evaluation.

Pruitt and I have stocked up on Four Roses bourbon so that we can taste it and rate it ourselves. Check our Bourbon Reviews page periodically to see what new things we are discovering about these products and the many more that are emerging on the bourbon scene these days.

The Elusive Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve Bourbon

By pruitt

As far as I am concerned, Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve (20 year old) is the holy grail of bourbon. There are more expensive bourbons out there, even some that have been aged longer, but none are more elusive. Blake, Shay (a friend of the journal), and I went to Kentucky last year to tour the Bourbon Trail with a goal of obtaining a bottle of the fabled bourbon. Previously we had been unable to find it online or in stores, and had been told supplies were very limited at the distillery. When we arrived at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, it was a rainy day but we were excited to see the tour of this award winning and innovative distillery. We called ahead and made reservations for the hardhat tour, which I highly recommend. On the hardhat tour, you will get to see every step of the distillation and aging process firsthand. From the time the grain arrives at the distillery on the truck, to single barrel bourbon being hand bottled, you get a glimpse at every facet of the bourbon production process.

After a great tour, we enjoyed a delightful tasting of the Buffalo Trace brand bourbon as well as their new Eagle Rare single barrel bourbon and the Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream Liqueur. The Eagle Rare and Buffalo Trace bourbon can be found at most any package store, however, the bourbon cream liqueur can only be bought on sight at the distillery. After the wonderful tasting, we were cut loose on the gift shop which had most of the brands that are owned and produced by the Buffalo Trace distillery proudly displayed. The only thing that we could not find on any of the gift shop shelves was a bottle of the acclaimed Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. When we asked a clerk she said we should check with the bartender in the back. So, in what can only be described as a less than confident manner, we anxiously walked back to the bar tender and asked for the Pappy. With no assurance in his voice, he said he would check in the back and then disappeared behind the rear entrance to the bar area for several minutes. To our delight, he returned saying they had four bottles left, all signed by the current proprietor of the Pappy Van Winkle name, Julian P. Van Winkle, IV. Of course we responded with a “We’ll take ‘em, all of ‘em”. At that moment, Blake, Shay and I each bought a bottle for ourselves and picked up the 4th for a fellow bourbon connoisseur that we knew would truly appreciate it. You could have heard a pin drop in that gift shop as the 20 or so tourists who were waiting on the next tour admired our exit. It was as if we had just cashed in a jackpot in a Mississippi casino and had the world right at our fingertips! Mission accomplished, the trip was a resounding success, highlighted by the fact that we bought the last four bottles of Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve bourbon in existence at the distillery.

We have each been saving our bottles for suitable occasions, each wondering who would be the first to open the stock. I recently bought my first house here in Raleigh and celebrated the occasion with some friends from work. We grilled some steaks and had some beers to christen the new place in style with good food, good company, and good banter. As the party thinned out and only a few of my closest friends remained (Blake, Geoff – another friend of the bourbon journal), the vibe was just right and I decided to uncork the Pappy. I have to say, this bourbon was absolutely worth the wait! Unbelievable complexity unravels on your tongue, a delicate taste that has been developed over 20 years in a barrel reveals immensely intimate flavors of Rich oak with honey and citrus notes chasing each other around in the glass. Add an ice cube and the taste continues to evolve and open up, lightening the taste profile so that you can pick up floral hints, flavors of fig, and as Blake swears, sweet tea! It just keeps giving and giving as it passionately unfolds and develops on your palette. Evolving from the first sip to the last, a truly delightful bourbon. I can see why it is as elusive as it is, and in the words of Farris Buller, “If you have the means, I highly recommend you pick one up”.

Woodford’s Finest, The Master’s Collection

By Blake

Nestled in the rolling hills of Versailles, Kentucky, at the Woodford Reserve distillery, we discovered a nice little gem in the Labrot and Graham repertoire, the “Master’s Collection”. Unlike the well known “Distiller’s Select” bourbon that sits on the shelf in its unmistakable flask-shaped bottle, the Master’s Collection bottle strongly resembles the trademark copper stills from which it is born and bred.

More than just a distinguishable bottle, this bourbon has become one of our favorite pleasures to enjoy on the back porch at the end of a long day!  This unique bourbon is the only bourbon in the world that is distilled solely in copper pot stills.  It is through this careful and time-honored process that Woodford Reserve has produced one of our most treasured bottles in the Bourbon Journal collection!

Each year, Oscar Pepper and James Crow add a new edition to the Master’s Collection. Our current bottle is from last year’s batch (2008), which was labeled “1838 Sweet Mash”, and sweet it is! Like velvet on your palette, this bourbon breathes life into your senses as it reveals its impressive taste profile. This year’s edition (2009) is called, “Four Grain” and shows much promise to be a worthy addition to our beloved collection. Rather than writing about it here, I am sure it will gain a spot in our top ten bourbon reviews that are forthcoming on the Bourbon Reviews page.

While Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select is a popular choice for many bourbon-philes, if your ready to take a step into the truly remarkable, I highly recommend you pick up a bottle of the Master’s Collection.  While acquiring it may not be easy, you are sure to find that it is worth the effort of the hunt. The only package store that we could find it in is located in the heart of bourbon country, Loretto, Kentucky. Some online distributors carry a few bottles, but be prepared to discover that most are already out of stock! Your best bet may be to just head over to Versailles and buy a bottle from Mr. Crow himself.

Thoroughbreds and Redheads

By Blake

It’s snowing in Raleigh, the roads are an absolute mess, and I have Pruitt’s bottle of Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection 1838 Sweet Mash staring me in the face…I’m sure he won’t mind if I take a pour! So while I enjoy this fine glass of bourbon, let me take a few seconds to plug an upcoming event.

For those of you who have ventured out to Loretto Kentucky and visited the Maker’s Mark distillery, you probably already signed up for the Maker’s Mark Ambassador program. If so then you probably already know about some of the fantastic events that they host from time to time, if not then I strongly encourage you to register. Trust me, you really don’t want to miss out on the upcoming Thoroughbreds and Redheads event on April 9th and 10th 2010! Rumor has it that the good people at Maker’s Mark plan on showcasing a new bourbon, which is huge since they have traditionally focused on producing one specific product.

I have always respected Maker’s Mark for only focusing on mastering and producing one product, but I have to say that I am very eager to see what they do here. Those folks in Loretto sure do know alot about bourbon and so I think we are going to witness the birth of a new star this April!