American Whiskey Report July 2024

Happy July! In case you missed it, Wild Turkey’s visitor center has reopened to the public with a brand-new redesign, Jim Beam has uncovered a Revolutionary War cemetery at its Booker Noe Plant, and Colorado’s Talnua Distillery has been making Irish-style pot still whiskey for eight years now. If you’re looking for something cool to sip on, chances are you’re reaching for an RTD this summer — ready-to-drink cocktails and other RTD beverages grew 26.8% between 2022-2023 and are showing no signs of slowing down. Here’s more American Whiskey news you can use:

Product Releases

Heaven Hill has released a new Grain to Glass series, featuring three whiskeys in the first batch: Bourbon, Wheated Bourbon, and Rye Whiskey, all with new mash bills. The new Bourbon mash bill is 52% corn, 35% rye and 13% malted barley, the new Wheated Bourbon mash bill is 52% corn, 35% wheat and 13% malted barley, and the new rye mash bill is 63% rye, 24% corn and 13% malted barley. Grains were grown at nearby Peterson Farms.

Blue Run has released Flight Series II, which includes #1 Biscayne Breeze at 114.1 proof, #2 Joshua Tree Sunrise at 117 barrel proof, #3 Miami Sunset at 115 proof, #4 Santa Monica Pier at 115.1 proof, #5 Tahoe Powder at 116 barrel proof, and #6 Yosemite Pine at 116.6 barrel proof, all blended by Shaylyn Gammon.
Milam & Greene has released a certified Texas-made distillery edition batch 5 Bourbon whiskey pot-distilled in a 300 gallon still in Blanco, Texas with a mash bill of 70% corn, 22% malted rye, and 8% malted barley, bottled at 119.6 proof. They’ve also released Milam & Greene Wildlife Collection Cardinal Single Barrel Bourbon, bottled at 129.8 proof at cask strength, distilled in Tennessee with a mash bill of 84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% malted barley.
Hirsch Whiskeys, owned by Hotaling & Co., has released a sourced single barrel Bourbon from Kentucky called The Single Barrel White with a mash bill of 74% corn, 18% rye, and 8% malted barley bottled at 102.88 proof.
Breckenridge Distillery has a new artist collaboration bottle out. The Sauternes-finished cask strength Bourbon features label art by Los Angeles artist Abby Wren.
Four Roses has partnered with Ooni Pizza Ovens to create Four Roses & Ooni Bourbon Barrel Aged Honey. (See cocktail recipe below!)
Ironton Distillery in Colorado is celebrating six years and releasing a 4 year Bottled-in-Bond American Single Malt to celebrate.

Michters Legacy Series Shenks + Bombergers

Michter’s has released its Legacy Series, which includes Shenk’s Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey and Bomberger’s Declaration Kentucky Straight Bourbon, both of which include malted rye in the mashbill.
Old Potrero has released a unique 100% malted rye whiskey aged completely in toasted barrels which is aged 6 years and bottled at 102.4 proof.
Watershed Distillery is releasing six Ohio-only single barrels through the control state’s stores.
Kentucky Peerless Distilling has released batch 2 of its acclaimed Toasted Barrel Bourbon, a sweet mash Bourbon matured in charred oak barrels before being transferred to a toasted oak barrel.

Hidden Barn, the brand created by Jackie Zykan, Nate Winegar, and the Neeley Family Distillery, has released a 7-year-old Bourbon finished in French Oak casks. The mash bill is 70% corn, 20% rye and 10% malted barley and it is bottled at 109.4 proof and is not chill filtered.
15 Stars is releasing the 2024 version of its triple cask Bourbon, finished in cognac, rum, and apple brandy casks.
Buffalo Trace has added a cask strength rye whiskey to its E.H. Taylor lineup bottled at 126 proof.
Wyoming Whiskey has released the 2024 version of Outryder, a blend of Bourbon and Rye whiskeys that has been one of the distillery’s most popular products.
Old Forester’s latest 117 series is a rum finished Bourbon with the standard mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley finished in a rum cask.

Chattanooga Whiskey Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon

Chattanooga Whiskey has released its Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon distilled in the Spring season of 2020, a wheated Bourbon that combines three wheated Bourbon recipes. Some of which contain malted wheat.
Regeneration Distilling in Winchester, Kentucky has released a rye whiskey called Boone’s Settlement that was aged in a tobacco barn.
Wheel Horse Whiskey has released a 4-year rye whiskey finished in Appleton Estate Caribbean rum barrels.
Knob Creek is releasing its first ever blend of Bourbon and Rye whiskeys, which will combine 9-year Bourbon and 7-year Rye and will be bottled at 113 proof.
Elijah Craig has released a toasted barrel rye whiskey with a mash bill of 51% rye, 35% corn, and 14% malted barley.

People News

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association has announced the Hall of Fame class of 2024. Inductees include Elmer Lucille Allen, the first African-American professional hired at Brown-Forman, who spent 31 years working as a Bourbon industry chemist, Dee Ford, the brand home General Manager of Angel’s Envy, Ken Lewis, Founder of New Riff Distilling, Peter Loftin, former Founder and Chairman of the Bardstown Bourbon Company, and R.M. Corky Taylor, Founder of Kentucky Peerless Distilling.

Other News

James B. Beam Pennsylvania Whiskey Heritage Center’s Overholt Statesroom

Louisville’s 21C Museum and Hotel has a new This We Believe exhibit in the art space, and to celebrate the museum is hosting Sip & Tour monthly guided tours with cocktails.
The James B. Beam Pennsylvania Whiskey Heritage Center has opened at the West Overton Village & Museum in Scottsdale, PA to celebrate the heritage of its Old Overholt Rye brand. The center will include the Sam Komlenic Gallery, which will feature historic whiskey bottles, and the Overholt Stateroom, which will be available for rentals and private events.
Wyoming’s Brush Creek Distillery is offering Distiller for a Day classes, which give participants the opportunity for a deep dive into the distillery’s inner-workings as well as the opportunity to blend a unique bottle of whiskey to take home.
New Riff Distilling will celebrate a decade in July. Festivities will include special distillery-only product releases that will support local causes including Brighton Center, Green Umbrella and Horizon Community Funds with labels that will be screen printed by Dewhaus, DIY Printing, Otto’s Printing, and Steinhauser. There’s also a beer collab with HighGrain Brewing in Cincinnati named Aqui Brew, made with water and corn from New Riff. Finally, there will be special events on the New Riff campus.
Give 270 is having weekly raffles to support the United Way in Central Kentucky thru September 25. There’s a different high-value whiskey prize each week.
Ironroot Republic Distilling in Denison, Texas is celebrating a decade in the whiskey business.
Log Still Distillery is opening a restaurant on Louisville’s Whiskey Row called the Monk’s Road Boiler House.
Buffalo Trace is opening a popup experience called 12 Gold in Paris thru 11 August. Guests will need to follow the soon-to-be-published Instagram profile at @buffalotracedistillery_UK_EU for instructions on how to secure a ticket to the experience.

Cocktail Recipe

Four Roses & Ooni Pineapple Bourbon Iced Tea

1.5 oz Four Roses Small Batch

.75 oz Ooni + Four Roses Bourbon Barrel Aged Honey

.75 oz Fresh lemon juice

3-4 pieces Pineapple pieces

Garnish: Pineapple

Muddle pineapple in a mixing tin. Combine all ingredients (except iced tea) in a mixing tin. Add ice. Shake for fifteen seconds or until cocktail is properly diluted and well chilled. Add iced tea. Double strain into a glass over fresh ice. Garnish.