Bourbon Companies Help Yellowstone Recover

June 23, 2022 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank Wyoming Whiskey for providing the review sample of National Parks No. 2 for this story. It was provided at no charge with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Landscape shot of Yellowstone National Park. Two geysers are in the foreground with tree-covered mountains in the distance.

As I’m sure you have probably heard, Yellowstone National Park and the communities that surround it are in the process of recovering from devastating floods. And bourbon makers with ties to the park are not standing still in helping out.

Limestone Branch Distillery Donates $50,000 to Help With Flood Recovery

Limestone Branch Distillery, makers of Yellowstone Bourbon, and long-time supporters of Yellowstone National Park have stepped up to help the park and the surrounding communities recover from this month’s devastating floods. Quoting from the press release that landed in my email this morning:

In response to the devastating floods impacting Yellowstone National Park and surrounding areas, Lebanon, Kentucky-based Limestone Branch Distillery – makers of Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – has donated $25,000 each to the National Park Service (NPS) and to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) for long-term support of flood-relief efforts.

Additionally, Limestone Branch distillery has agreed to match up to $50,000 in donations made in conjunction with a fundraising event benefiting the Southwest Montana Flood Relief Fund – a joint effort between the Park County Community Foundation (PCCF) and Greater Gallatin United Way – and the Red Lodge Area Community Foundation. The event, hosted by National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), will be held June 28 at the Rialto in Bozeman, Montana.

“We were saddened to learn of the devastation caused by flooding at and around Yellowstone National Park. Our Yellowstone Bourbon brand shares a long, storied history with the park, and our master distiller Stephen Beam has been an avid supporter of – and visitor to – our country’s national parks for many years,” said Limestone Branch Distillery Brand Manager Caitlin Palmieri Jackson.

Yellowstone Bourbon also has set up a website (www.limestonebranch.com/about/yellowstone-gives-back) to provide additional information about fundraising efforts as well as links to vetted support organizations, where consumers can learn more about donating and other ways to help. For more information regarding the fundraiser in Bozeman, Montana, visit https://e.givesmart.com/events/rJK/.

On a personal note, a good percentage of my own annual charitable donations go to the National Parks Conservation Association. I’m glad to see them putting my money to good use.

Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Join us in giving back. Scan the code to donate.

Wyoming Whiskey Releases National Parks No. 2 to Support Yellowstone Forever

Now, this particular bourbon was announced prior to the Yellowstone Floods. The bottle was released to celebrate the 150th birthday of Yellowstone National Park. But as the organization that the bottle supports, Yellowstone Forever, is in the thick of things in the recovery efforts I thought it would be good to include it here. Quoting from the press release:

Wyoming Whiskey announces the release of its limited edition National Parks No. 2 straight bourbon whiskey in tandem with the brand's continuing partnership with Yellowstone Forever, the official nonprofit partner of Yellowstone National Park. The collaboration was born in celebration of Yellowstone National Park's 150th anniversary. The Wyoming Whiskey National Parks No. 2 bottle is the second collectible Limited Edition release in an annual National Park series which debuted in April 2021. It is now available in Yellowstone National Park and throughout Wyoming. It is also available in select U.S. markets and online from ReserveBar, Flaviar and Caskers.

The inaugural release of Wyoming Whiskey's National Parks series contributed over $120,000 to the National Park Foundation in 2021. Wyoming Whiskey continues on a steadfast mission to support our nation's sacred outdoor spaces with this year's initiative and has committed to donating $150,000 to Yellowstone Forever in the park's historic 150th year.

Let’s see how it tastes.

Wyoming Whiskey National Parks No. 2

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $69.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: 52.5% ABV. 5 years old. Mash bill: 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley. Made from non-GMO Wyoming-grown grains and water.

Nose: Strong oak notes followed by caramel, vanilla, and baking spice.

Mouth: Nicely spicy. Cinnamon, dark chocolate, and ginger.

Finish: Medium to long and spicy. follows the month with notes of dark chocolate, cinnamon, ginger, and almond.

IMAGE: This is delicious, it gets a smile.

Thoughts: This is absolutely delicious. I really like it. If you have the opportunity. pick this one up. It's delicious and helps a good cause.

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Yellowstone Family Recipe

April 26, 2022 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank ByrnePR and Limestone Branch Distillery for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

IMAGE: A sample bottle of Yellowstone Family Recipe from Limestone Branch Distillery.

I am a huge supporter of the National Parks. About half of my annual charitable giving goes to organizations that support the National Parks and the Park Service. And Yellowstone is one of my favorites. I have a goal to visit every National Park and in light of that, I don’t do a lot of return trips. Yellowstone is one that I’ve returned to multiple times.

So, when I found out that the good people at Limestone Branch were honoring the 150th Anniversary of Yellowstone National Park with a new addition to their Yellowstone Bourbon lineup. I knew I needed to showcase it. And it was an easy decision as I’ve liked almost everything that has come out under the Yellowstone name since the brand moved production to Limestone Branch and their Master Distiller Stephen Beam.

So what makes this one so special? Here is what the distillery has to say about that:

Inspired by a recipe found in notes from Beam’s grandfather, Guy Beam, and containing cloned yeast using DNA from a yeast jug belonging to Beam’s great-grandfather, Minor Case Beam, Yellowstone Family Recipe reflects the original Yellowstone Bourbon mash bill and carries its original namesake’s six-year age statement. It is this recipe that Stephen Beam has been distilling at Limestone Branch Distillery since 2015 and is now ready to share with the world.

This will retail for about $70 and will roll out in three allocations throughout 2022. The first will be in Wyoming and Montana to celebrate their namesake Park’s momentous anniversary. Shortly after it will also release in Kentucky, both at the distillery and at retail. The second release will be nationwide in August 2022. The final will be sometime in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Going back to the press release for a quote from Stephen Beam:

“Even before opening the doors at Limestone Branch Distillery, I dreamed about producing a bourbon that was faithful to old family recipes and maintained my family’s heritage and tradition of distilling,” said Beam. “Yellowstone Family Recipe Bourbon is the culmination of decades of dreaming and more than 10 years of effort at the distillery. I believe bourbon lovers will enjoy drinking Yellowstone Family Recipe as much as I enjoyed recreating it!”

So let’s see how it tastes.

Yellowstone Family Recipe

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is: $69.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: 50% ABV. 6 years old.

Nose: Clean Hay, tobacco, caramel, and apricot jelly.

Mouth: Apricot jelly, green apple, cinnamon, nutmeg, oak, tobacco, and mint.

Finish: Medium to long and warm. Notes of apricot jelly, tobacco, cinnamon, and menthol.

Thoughts: I like this, but it is certainly a "change-of-pace" bourbon for me. As it doesn't follow the stereotypical bourbon flavor profile (the apricot and tobacco combination is right up front and runs throughout), I wouldn't want it everyday. But I would happily grab this when I'm tired of the same ol' thing.

Blood Oath Pact 8

April 21, 2022 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank ByrnePR and Lux Row for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Blood Oath Pact 8. Including bourbon finished in Calvados Casks. 98.6° proof.

In previous years, I’ve shared my love of many of Lux Row Master Distiller John Rempe’s creations. Including many of the Blood Oath series. They are always one-time recipes. Most of them have included some sort of finished bourbon in the blend. This time they are using Calvados, which has me pretty excited. While I like a good brandy, I really like a good Apple Brandy. Which is what Calvados is: very good French Apple Brandy. Well, at least the ones that I’ve had have been good. I guess I can’t speak to the entire drink category.

Anyway, let’s hear what Lux Row has to say about all of this.

Blood Oath Pact 8 features a combination of the finest bourbons Rempe could find, including a 14-year ryed bourbon and an 11-year ryed bourbon, as well as an 8-year ryed bourbon finished in Calvados casks. Calvados is an apple or pear brandy from the Normandy region in northwestern France that is distilled from cider and aged for a minimum of two years in oak casks. These casks impart their unique aroma and flavor to make Blood Oath Pact 8 a one-of-a-kind pour.

So let’s see how this one tastes, shall we?

Blood Oath Pact 8 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $119.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $8.00

Details: 49.3% ABV. 3 Bourbons: a 14-year-old bourbon, an 11-year-old bourbon, and an 8-year-old bourbon that was finished in Calvados casks.

Nose: Almond, caramel apple, and hints of brown sugar and cinnamon.

Mouth: Nicely spicy with notes of cinnamon and nutmeg to start. Notes of herbal vanilla, apple, and brown sugar follow.

Finish: Warm and long. Notes of cinnamon and nutmeg.

IMAGE: A smile because I like this and my wife really likes it.

Thoughts: This is quite tasty. I think that if I saw this on the shelf and passed it by, my wife would be quite upset with me, even at the newly increased price. I'm a fan, but she really likes it. This is odd and worth noting because she is not a fan of Calvados or any Brandy for that matter. Apple or otherwise. I guess that just goes to show the value of having a great blender.

Yellowstone Hand-Picked Collection: Cox's Evergreen Liquors Pick

January 4, 2022 Eric Burke

IMAGE: The front label of Yellowstone Hand Picked Collection. IT is from Cox's Evergreen Liquors, Louisville, KY. 115 proof.

Guess what? This is the last time I’ll mention my September trip to Kentucky. After tonight, I will have officially reviewed all of the bottles that I brought home.

I do a lot of shopping on that trip each year…

This last bottle is a store pick from one of a short list of liquor stores that I make sure to hit up every time I head to Louisville. I’m not a local, so I’m no expert on if the store is great or not, but Evergreen Liquors always seems to have a fun store pick when I stop by. And honestly, since I can get most brands at home, it is the store picks that I am most interested in these days. Especially if it is from a brand that I hadn’t previously had a store pick from. Like Yellowstone. I’ve had a lot of different expressions from the folks over at Limestone Branch, but this is a new one for me.

Let’s see if it was worth the wait.

Yellowstone Hand-Picked Collection: Cox's Evergreen Liquors

Purchase Info: $65.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Evergreen Liquors, Louisville, KY.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.40

Details: 57.5% ABV. Barrel#: 7571573. Barreled: 12/17/16

Nose: Caramel, vanilla, cinnamon candies, and oak.

Mouth: Hot with strong notes of cinnamon candies right off the bat. Notes of caramel, chocolate, and oak follow.

Finish: Warm and long. Notes of caramel, chocolate, cinnamon, and mint linger.

Thoughts: This is a very tasty selection from a store that I think is one of the best at picking them. I've never regretted making the drive to one of the Evergreen locations when I visit Louisville. I'm loving the cinnamon/caramel/chocolate combination on this one. Delicious.

Rebel Single Barrel Store Picks: Distiller's Collection and Cask Strength

December 14, 2021 Eric Burke

Two weeks ago I covered a pair of Ezra Brooks store picks that I’d picked up in Kentucky and the branding program that led to each bottle having a different name. Tonight we are taking a look at the wheated versions of the same program by looking at a Rebel Distiller’s Collection store pick and a Rebel Cask Strength store pick. I went over the program in the Ezra Brooks post but to recap:

There are two main differences between these two labels. The first is the proof. Rebel Distiller’s Collection store picks are bottled at 113° proof while Rebel Cask Strength store picks are bottled at 120° proof. The other difference is in how the picks occurred. Distiller’s Collection picks are allocated and are done via samples sent to the retailer. There are no in-person barrel picks for these barrels. The Rebel Cask Strength picks, on the other hand, are not allocated and are only done at Lux Row Distillery. So what each label tells you, the consumer, is whether your retailer went to the distillery to pick the barrel or whether it was sent to them via samples. As I said last time, I’m sure there is a reason for this that I am not seeing since I do not work in either a distillery or a liquor store. But in any case, there you go.

So let’s check out a couple of store picks. The Distiller’s Collection is from Jax Liquors in Chattanooga, Tennessee and the Cask Strength is from Liquor Barn in Danville, Kentucky.

Rebel Cask Strength Single Barrel Selections

Rebel Distiller's Collection (Jax Liquors)

Purchase Info: $39.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Jax Liquors, Chattanooga, TN.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.67

Details: 56.5% ABV. Barrel #: 7503430. Barrel filled: 9/30/2016.

Nose: Dried grains, wheat bread, mint, and a hint of honey.

Mouth: Hot and sweet with a good mouthfeel. Notes of honey, cinnamon, and wheat bread.

Finish: Long and warm. Strong notes of cinnamon candies and honey.

Rebel Cask Strength (Liquor Barn #4)

Purchase Info: $58.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Liquor Barn, Danville, KY.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.93

Details: 60% ABV. Barrel#: 7270811. Barrel filled: 12/31/2015.

Nose: Dusty oak (think the inside of a rick house), cinnamon, and honey.

Mouth: Oak, cinnamon, chocolate, and orange.

Finish: Warm and long. Follows the mouth with notes of orange, chocolate, cinnamon, and oak.

Thoughts: These are both very good, yet noticeably different. The Jax Liquors bottle was very hot, but also really sweet. The Liquor Barn bottle showed much more oak and a sort of orange note that I found a bit surprising. The orange is kind of like the orange slice jelly candies. I wasn't expecting that. It's tasty though. The chocolate notes really elevate this one. If forced to choose I'd choose the sweeter Jax bottle. My wife however is drawn to the Liquor Barn bottle. Good thing we bought both!

Ezra Brooks Single Barrel Store Picks: Distiller's Collection and Cask Strength

November 30, 2021 Eric Burke

And we’re back! I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving! I know that mine was fantastic. It started out with a ton of dogs in my house. On Thanksgiving itself we had our traditional pan of Lasagna (neither my wife or I like turkey in it’s domesticated form), home made pumpkin pie made from pie pumpkin from our garden, and of course a glass or two of Wild Turkey. As the weekend progressed and the number of dogs began to dwindle, my beloved Minnesota Golden Gophers walloped our hated rival the Wisconsin Badgers in an upset to take possession of Paul Bunyan’s Axe.

It was a glorious weekend.

Of course as the weekend started to draw to a close, I took a look at the calendar to see what was on the docket for tastings this week. I’d been not so patiently waiting for this pair of Ezra Brooks store picks’ turn to come since I picked them up. See, I’d found this pair, and their brethren with the Rebel label, while wandering around Tennessee and Kentucky. I’d had a vague recollection of reading about a single barrel store pick brand on the market, but that’s all it was just a vague recollection. So when I saw that there were two different labels for sale at the various stores, I figured it would be best to buy them both and figure it out when I got home.

So once I got home, I reached out to my PR contact for Lux Row and asked what was going on. According to the information he passed along, there are two main differences between these two labels. The first is the proof. Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection store picks are bottled at 107° proof while Ezra Brooks Cask Strength store picks are bottled at 120° proof. The other difference is in how the picks occurred. Distiller’s Collection picks are allocated and are done via samples sent to the retailer. There are no in-person barrel picks for these barrels. On the other hand, Ezra Brooks Cask Strength picks are not allocated and are only done at Lux Row Distillery.

So what each label tells you, the consumer, is whether your retailer went to the distillery to pick the barrel or whether it was sent to them via samples. I’m sure there is a reason for this that I am not seeing since I do not work in either a distillery or a liquor store.

So let’s check out a couple of store picks. Both from Kentucky.

Ezra Brooks Single Barrel Store Picks: Distiller's Collection and Cask Strength

Distiller's Collection: Total Wine, KY PJ #2

Purchase Info: $35.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Louisville, KY

Price per drink (50 mL): $2.40

Details: 53.5% ABV. Barrel #: 7384651. Barrel filled: 5/4/2016

Nose: Leads with oak notes. Beyond that are notes of nutmeg, spearmint, and vanilla.

Mouth: Nutty with notes of mint, nutmeg, and oak.

Finish: Warm and of medium length. Notes of mint, caramel, and nutmeg.

Cask Strength: Liquor Barn #3

Purchase Info: $52.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Liquor Barn, Danville, KY

Price per drink (50 mL): $3.53

Details: 60% ABV. Barrel #: 7544620. Barrel filled: 11/15/2016.

Nose: Vanilla, honey, orange julius, and baking spice.

Mouth: Spicy warmth with notes of baking spice, mint, citrus, and cocoa.

Finish: Spicy, warm, and of medium length- Notes of cinnamon and chocolate.

Thoughts: These are both very good. Glad I stumbled across both of them. The Total Wine bottle is sweeter whereas the Liquor Barn bottle is much more baking spice forward. If trying to define the major difference between the two, I'd say that the Liquor Barn bottle is "Beam-ier" than the Total Wine (Jim Beam and Heaven Hill being the suppliers for Lux Row as I learned from Cheif Marketing Officer and Lux family member on my tour of the facility). Saying that they are both in the Ezra Brooks flavor profile. I like them both. A lot. I am hoping my local stores can get in on these programs soon.

Daviess County Double Barrel Bourbon

September 28, 2021 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank ByrnePR and Lux Row for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

IMAGE: A bottle of Daviess County Double Barrel Bourbon and two Glencairn glasses.

Last year, Lux Row launched Daviess County Straight Bourbon (for about $40) as well as a French Oak cask-finished bourbon and a Cabernet Sauvignon cask-finished bourbon (for about $45). Their timing on the launch wasn’t great. As their press release confirmed, a lot of things were going on right about the time the brand launched, and a lot of people, myself included, just forgot about them. Luckily for all of us, Lux Row has reminded us of the Daviess County line of bourbons by releasing a new variety: Double Barrel Bourbon. I did an in-depth discussion of the history of the Daviess County brand last year when the initial three products in the line were released so I won’t go into all that again except to say that I really enjoyed all three and was happy to receive the reminder that the line existed.

Daviess County Double Barrel is being released in partnership with Ducks Unlimited and the name is a play on both the gun often used in duck hunting as well as the finishing process used to create the bourbon. According to the press release:

Finished in Missouri white-oak barrels with toasted heads, Daviess County Double Barrel was created by Lux Row Master Distiller and long-time DU member, John Rempe. Double Barrel features a mashbill that is similar to the other Daviess County Bourbon variants, along with the same proof level (96 proof). The double-barrel finish gives this limited-edition release a unique flavor profile … Available for purchase beginning mid-September, Daviess County Double Barrel Bourbon has a limited supply offering at a suggested retail price of $49.99 per bottle. DU members can sample and bid on Daviess County Double Barrel Bourbon at a series of DU events to be announced later this year.

Now, fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when I left on a wonderfully long vacation. The day I left, I happened to receive a FedEx package containing the newest release in Lux Row’s Daviess County line of bourbons. And because I am the type of person who likes to drink bourbon while on vacation, I immediately shoved the bottle into my luggage and brought it along. I also decided to grab a couple of Glencairn glasses so that I could do the tasting notes while I was gone as well. I mean, you folks probably want to know if it is any good, right?

Daviess County Double Barrel Bourbon

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $49.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.33

Nose: Bubble gum, mint, red fruits, good bread, and oak.

Mouth: Caramel, chocolate, mint, cinnamon.

Finish: Medium warmth and length. Notes of bubblegum, mint, cinnamon, caramel, chocolate, fruit, oak, and good artisan bread.

Thoughts from a Louisville Loft: This has a really nice finish. Tons of flavors coming through after you swallow. I'm a fan.

Thoughts from Home: This is really good. Powerful cinnamon with a lovely sweetness when compared to the Straight Bourbon. Double Barrel is much sweeter than the straight bourbon. It also has more defined cinnamon notes and is lacking some of the “burn.” One might say Double Barrel is “smoother” if they were apt to use that descriptor. I enjoyed the heck out of this while on vacation and will continue to enjoy the rest of it now that I am home.

Yellowstone Limited Edition 2021

August 26, 2021 Eric Burke

I’d like to thank ByrnePR and Lux Row for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

IMAGE: The new (as of 2021) bottle of Yellowstone Limited Edition

We are going to do something a little different tonight. Normally, my wife and I do tastings together and the published tasting notes are an amalgamation of each of our notes. Well, I couldn’t do that this week because my wife isn’t here. She is spending the week with her mother on a trip to Yellowstone National Park. Her mother had never been and wanted to go before she died. Not that my mother-in-law is in immediate danger of dying, but she is almost 80 years old. So there is only so much time left.

By a weird coincidence, last Friday, I got a sample of the latest edition of Yellowstone Limited Edition bourbon. I thought it only fitting to send a healthy sample with my wife so she could do her tasting notes of Yellowstone Bourbon while she visited Yellowstone National Park. As you can see in the photo above, I did mine at my desk.

My very dusty desk.

The 2021 edition of Yellowstone Limited features a mixture of seven-year-old and fifteen-year-old bourbons with some of the seven-year-old having been finished in Amarone wine casks. Amarone is a dry, rich, Italian red wine made from partially dried grapes and aged for at least in oak casks. The suggested retail price of the 2021 Yellowstone Limited Edition is $99.99.

So now, back to the something different. Since our tasting notes were conducted about 1000 miles apart and done with no interaction between the two of us. I thought it would be fun to publish both sets of notes without combining them.

Yellowstone Limited Edition Bourbon, 2021 edition

Purchase Info: This sample was sent by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $99.99.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $6.67

My Wife’s Notes

Nose: Vanilla, caramel, and cherry.

Mouth: Almond/cherry, caramel, cinnamon (spicy), and sweet baking spice.

Finish: Warm and medium length. Cinnamon and almond/cherry notes.

Thoughts: I love it!

My Notes

Nose: Vanilla ice cream, black cherry, and caramel.

Mouth: Dry and spicy. Notes of cinnamon, tobacco, brown sugar, and black pepper

Finish: Dry, spicy, and pretty long. Nutty with more cinnamon, cherry, and black pepper.

Thoughts: This is one of those bourbons that I enjoy much more in a "drinking glass" than I do in a tasting glass. Lucky for me, I hate drinking out of a Glencairn. My usual rocks glass accentuates the fruitier notes where the Glencairn seems to accentuate the drier aspects of the drink. This is pretty good. It isn't my favorite of the Yellowstone Limited releases, I like a sweeter whisky usually. But this is no slouch either.

Oh and this was the view out of my wife’s cabin at Old Faithful tonight.

Blog

Limestone Branch Distillery Donates $50,000 to Help With Flood Recovery

Wyoming Whiskey Releases National Parks No. 2 to Support Yellowstone Forever

Wyoming Whiskey National Parks No. 2

Yellowstone Family Recipe

Blood Oath Pact 8 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Yellowstone Hand-Picked Collection: Cox's Evergreen Liquors

Rebel Cask Strength Single Barrel Selections

Rebel Distiller's Collection (Jax Liquors)

Rebel Cask Strength (Liquor Barn #4)

Ezra Brooks Single Barrel Store Picks: Distiller's Collection and Cask Strength

Distiller's Collection: Total Wine, KY PJ #2

Cask Strength: Liquor Barn #3

Daviess County Double Barrel Bourbon

Yellowstone Limited Edition Bourbon, 2021 edition

My Wife’s Notes

My Notes