Our next round of 6 Buffalo Trace barrel picks should be on their way to Warren soon and can’t wait until we can share our two new Eagle Rare 10 Years, the new Weller Antique 107 and wait for it…. our second ever barrel of Weller Full Proof 114! (Not to mention 2 new barrels of good ole BT!)
Until then, now is a good time to reflect back on some of the spirits that really caught our attention in 2023. And an amazing way. The above Buffalo Trace Gold represens the only barrel of the much sought after spirit allocated to the entire state of Florida! All ours! Don’t ask us how. 😉
This barrel was most unusual and a surprise because our team did not personally select this particular barrel but left it to Harlan Wheatley and his team to send us a good one. The surprise? It wasn’t just good. It blew everyone’s doors off! (Even those of us who were not necessarily big BG fans). The rich and creamy texture of this spirit reminds me of no other!
Earlier in the year I was told someone from Hard Truth Spirits in Indiana wished to visit with us one afternoon. Expecting a regional sales rep we deiced “why not?” and agreed. But lo and behold, to our surprise, it was the Master Distiller Bryan Smith himself! We were able to sit with Bryan for several hours and taste through the entire range of his creations.
We were so impressed with the bold and delicious flavor and balance of this spirit that Brian and Jeff booked a flight to visit the distillery that afternoon! Of course, we now own our very own barrel of this incredible sweet malt. (Another surprise? When asked why he chose the arduous route of sweet mash, Bryan informed me that he learned how to make whiskey from Shane and Pat at Wilderness Trail!) Wow. Two of our absolute favorite distillers! And my idols. No wonder it’s so good!
One last most pleasant surprise? Knob Creek’s legendary distiller Freddie Noe finally acquiesced and agreed to release a KC straight bourbon older than the classic 9 year! And damn, it did not disappoint. I guess with someone like Freddie I shouldn’t have been so surprised but I’d definitely put this bottle in my list of favorite whiskies tasted in 2023! (About the 15 & 18 year? Stay tuned. More on those two releases later).
Check in next week and I will continue the list of most surprising brown spirits of 2023 and will be announcing some exciting new arrivals for 2024!
Cheers!
Fitz