A small announcement today from Beam illustrates why bourbon-making is so good for Kentucky, even when bourbon-making itself isn't directly involved.
Last year, Beam acquired the Pinnacle vodka brand, which continues to boom. Pinnacle and other products from that deal are now bottled in Maine, but Beam has decided to close and possibly sell that facility, and will bottle in Frankfort, Kentucky, instead. The move is expected to add 45 jobs. Last year, Beam closed a facility in Cincinnati and moved those operations to Frankfort as well.
Consolidating operations is efficient and just good business, but where to consolidate? In the case of Kentucky's bourbon makers, since Kentucky bourbon whiskey can only be made in Kentucky, and is preferred by consumers, Kentucky is always the obvious choice. Since they aren't going to move bourbon distillation and maturation to another state (or country), they might as well do everything in Kentucky, at least everything that can be done anywhere, like bottling vodka, and that's a boon to Kentucky's economy.
Beam obtained the Frankfort facility, located at Forks of the Elkhorn, in 1987 when it acquired National Distillers. It was then the Old Grand-Dad Distillery but other National brands, such as Old Overholt Rye Whiskey, were also made there. Beam closed the distillery portion but still has active maturation warehouses there, and the bottling operation has been expanded several times. Beam's distilleries are at Clermont, which also has bottling, and Boston, which does not.
Beam's Maker's Mark Distillery in Loretto is entirely self-contained; distilling, aging, and bottling Maker's Mark Bourbon and nothing else. All three distilleries are close to Bardstown, Kentucky.
This phenomenon is not unique to Beam. Last year, Campari America announced that it is building a new bottling facility at the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. It will bottle Wild Turkey, of course, but also the company's much larger Skyy Vodka brand. Again, since Wild Turkey needs to be in Kentucky, it just makes sense for other company operations to be there too.
Another example is 'California' brandy. Although the grapes are grown in California, and the brandy is distilled there, three of the top five domestic brandies are aged and bottled in Kentucky, primarily because it's cheaper to transport the brandy than it is to transport the used bourbon barrels in which it is aged.
Wherever bottling is done, that's where finished good distribution begins, which benefits shipping companies and their drivers, as well as all the businesses that support that industry, from truck mechanics to road builders.
Although the Commonwealth has gotten much better in recent years, Kentucky often seems to take its bourbon industry for granted. Other states would kill for something like that, an industry so tied to its home state in the minds of consumers that it can't possibly relocate, and that by its mere presence attracts other businesses that produce jobs, tax revenue, and economic vitality.
Both literally and figuratively, Kentucky would be a much poorer place without its bourbon makers.
Showing posts with label Wild Turkey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wild Turkey. Show all posts
Friday, January 25, 2013
Friday, December 14, 2012
Of Whiskey and Innovation (Part 3); Russell's Reserve Single Barrel
Marketers know which words have the most power to draw eyes and attention. 'Free' is number one, but 'new' is right up there too.
The power of these words is mostly in that they make you look, which causes you to think about the brand, which makes you more likely to buy it, even if the 'news' itself is not particularly compelling to you.
New products introduced under the banner of an existing brand are called line extensions. In addition to other benefits of being new; they tend to get the brand a little more shelf space, a floor display, or a bartender recommendation, things which in themselves will increase sales of the whole line, not just the new item.
This is the strategic foundation underlying much of what is called 'innovation' in the whiskey business today. Case in point: new Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon.
The analysis above is necessary for understanding why this product exists.
Russell's Reserve began in 2001 as a Wild Turkey line extension, named in honor of veteran Wild Turkey Master Distiller Jimmy Russell. The original iteration was 10 years old and 101° proof (50.5% ABV). Soon it was repackaged to something closer to the current look and the proof was cut to 90° (45% ABV). A 90° proof, 6-year-old rye soon followed.
Beginning with release of the rye, the Wild Turkey name disappeared and Russell's Reserve became a brand in its own right. The line was positioned to be a little more contemporary than Wild Turkey, hence the lower proof and milder taste profile. Eddie Russell, Jimmy's son, is responsible for the profile and is the brand's principal spokesperson.
The latest 'innovation' in the line is Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon, which has no age statement (NAS), but is a whopping 110° proof (55% ABV). Another Wild Turkey bourbon, Rare Breed, claims to be 'barrel proof' at 108.2° proof (54.1% ABV), but that is being updated to 111°. About six years ago, Wild Turkey raised its barrel entry proof from 110° to 115°, following an earlier increase from 107°, which accounts for the higher proofs emerging now in mature barrels.
Even at 115°, Wild Turkey has the lowest barrel entry proof of any major bourbon distillery.
Many bourbon enthusiasts still mourn that long-ago proof cut from 101° to 90°. For them, Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon is a restoration, with a 9 point bonus!
In creating this single barrel line extension, Campari USA has followed what Beam did with Knob Creek Single Barrel earlier this year. Knob Single is 20° higher proof than standard Knob, and Russell's Reserve Single Barrel is 25° higher proof than standard Russell's Reserve Bourbon.
Although the new single barrel is NAS, Campari USA Senior Brand Manager Robin Coupar says the barrels are all eight to nine years old. Russell's Reserve Single Barrel should begin to appear in stores next month at a suggested retail price of $49.99.
The power of these words is mostly in that they make you look, which causes you to think about the brand, which makes you more likely to buy it, even if the 'news' itself is not particularly compelling to you.
New products introduced under the banner of an existing brand are called line extensions. In addition to other benefits of being new; they tend to get the brand a little more shelf space, a floor display, or a bartender recommendation, things which in themselves will increase sales of the whole line, not just the new item.
This is the strategic foundation underlying much of what is called 'innovation' in the whiskey business today. Case in point: new Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon.
The analysis above is necessary for understanding why this product exists.
Russell's Reserve began in 2001 as a Wild Turkey line extension, named in honor of veteran Wild Turkey Master Distiller Jimmy Russell. The original iteration was 10 years old and 101° proof (50.5% ABV). Soon it was repackaged to something closer to the current look and the proof was cut to 90° (45% ABV). A 90° proof, 6-year-old rye soon followed.
Beginning with release of the rye, the Wild Turkey name disappeared and Russell's Reserve became a brand in its own right. The line was positioned to be a little more contemporary than Wild Turkey, hence the lower proof and milder taste profile. Eddie Russell, Jimmy's son, is responsible for the profile and is the brand's principal spokesperson.
The latest 'innovation' in the line is Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon, which has no age statement (NAS), but is a whopping 110° proof (55% ABV). Another Wild Turkey bourbon, Rare Breed, claims to be 'barrel proof' at 108.2° proof (54.1% ABV), but that is being updated to 111°. About six years ago, Wild Turkey raised its barrel entry proof from 110° to 115°, following an earlier increase from 107°, which accounts for the higher proofs emerging now in mature barrels.
Even at 115°, Wild Turkey has the lowest barrel entry proof of any major bourbon distillery.
Many bourbon enthusiasts still mourn that long-ago proof cut from 101° to 90°. For them, Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon is a restoration, with a 9 point bonus!
In creating this single barrel line extension, Campari USA has followed what Beam did with Knob Creek Single Barrel earlier this year. Knob Single is 20° higher proof than standard Knob, and Russell's Reserve Single Barrel is 25° higher proof than standard Russell's Reserve Bourbon.
Although the new single barrel is NAS, Campari USA Senior Brand Manager Robin Coupar says the barrels are all eight to nine years old. Russell's Reserve Single Barrel should begin to appear in stores next month at a suggested retail price of $49.99.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Flavored Whiskey Leads Spirits Growth.
Shanken is reporting today that flavored whiskeys were the fastest-growing spirits type in the U.S. market in
the first quarter of 2012—rising 154.8% to 94,000 cases.
The category is defined as flavored whiskeys and whiskey-based liqueurs. They were already doing pretty well. For 2011, its introductory year, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey sold 320,000 cases. In its second year, Jim Beam Red Stag sold 300,000 cases. Veteran Wild Turkey American Honey sold 230,000 cases.
The original two Evan Williams-based liqueurs, Honey Reserve and Cherry Reserve, sold about 100,000 cases combined. The honey and cherry expressions of Seagrams 7 Crown sold about 80,000 cases combined.
If you're reading this, these products are not intended for you, but they may be intended for someone close to you. They're for people who want to belong to a particular brand family but who don't like straight whiskey.
The guys are drinking Jack and Coke, and the girls are drinking Jack Honey and Coke.
We're told these products are good because they introduce new consumers to the whiskey category, though it's more likely that most of these consumers have already rejected whiskey and this is their alternative.
Another rationale is that anything which causes more whiskey to be produced and consumed is good. That's better. It's a testament to how popular whiskey has become that so many people want to launch new, arguably non-whiskey products using a whiskey platform.
Honey is the most popular flavor, with cherry second. Several brands are launching hot cinnamon versions. Can whipped cream be far behind?
It's hard to experiment with whiskey when the aging cycle is involved. Flavored products avoid that problem so they are relatively low risk. It remains to be seen if flavored whiskey will have any real staying power.
The category is defined as flavored whiskeys and whiskey-based liqueurs. They were already doing pretty well. For 2011, its introductory year, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey sold 320,000 cases. In its second year, Jim Beam Red Stag sold 300,000 cases. Veteran Wild Turkey American Honey sold 230,000 cases.
The original two Evan Williams-based liqueurs, Honey Reserve and Cherry Reserve, sold about 100,000 cases combined. The honey and cherry expressions of Seagrams 7 Crown sold about 80,000 cases combined.
If you're reading this, these products are not intended for you, but they may be intended for someone close to you. They're for people who want to belong to a particular brand family but who don't like straight whiskey.
The guys are drinking Jack and Coke, and the girls are drinking Jack Honey and Coke.
We're told these products are good because they introduce new consumers to the whiskey category, though it's more likely that most of these consumers have already rejected whiskey and this is their alternative.
Another rationale is that anything which causes more whiskey to be produced and consumed is good. That's better. It's a testament to how popular whiskey has become that so many people want to launch new, arguably non-whiskey products using a whiskey platform.
Honey is the most popular flavor, with cherry second. Several brands are launching hot cinnamon versions. Can whipped cream be far behind?
It's hard to experiment with whiskey when the aging cycle is involved. Flavored products avoid that problem so they are relatively low risk. It remains to be seen if flavored whiskey will have any real staying power.
Friday, April 6, 2012
What To Buy Now.
For everyone who wishes they had bunkered more Stitzel-Weller wheated bourbon before it was all gone, here are a few ideas about what to buy now.
If you like Canadian Whisky, Crown Royal XR will soon be gone, Diageo has announced. Crown XR was created from the last remaining batches of whiskey distilled at Ontario’s Waterloo distillery. It burned down in 1993 and XR contains the whiskey that was saved from the fire.
If you miss out, don't panic. Crown promises it has products in the pipeline that will include other rare whiskeys. They're calling it the Crown Royal Extra Rare Whisky Series.
If your whiskey monger still has any 101° proof Wild Turkey Rye left, buy it. Campari America promises it will come back next year but what they don't say is that it will probably have a new label and a new, higher price when it does. In the meantime, try the new 81° proof Wild Turkey Rye, conveniently priced the same as 101° in most places.
For the last year or so, all Wild Turkey and Russell's Reserve products have been made in a brand spanking new distillery. Whiskey made in the old distillery will be around for several more years, but they aren't making any more of it, so stock up now.
If you are in or anywhere near Virginia, get yourself a bottle of Abraham Bowman Virginia Limited Edition Whiskey. The one you want is the 18-year-old bourbon. It's a limited edition, so you know it won't be around for long, and it is marrrrvelous.
By the way, the A. Smith Bowman Distillery in Fredericksburg, Virginia, is officially reopening on Thursday, April 19. It never actually closed, but hasn't been open to the public for several years. Tours are now offered Monday through Friday at 10 AM and 2 PM, or by appointment. Groups larger than ten should call first. The gift shop is open weekdays from 9 AM to 3:30 PM. They do sell whiskey there.
When producers drop age statements from their labels, they always swear the product is still as old as it used to be but that inevitably changes. So if you see a bottle of Weller Special Reserve that says '7 years in wood,' buy it, because the new ones don't say that.
The current vintage of Evan Williams Single Barrel is the 2002, so if you see anything older than that, buy it. The 2002 is perfectly good too, but you'll be able to get all you want of that for at least the rest of this year.
If you like Canadian Whisky, Crown Royal XR will soon be gone, Diageo has announced. Crown XR was created from the last remaining batches of whiskey distilled at Ontario’s Waterloo distillery. It burned down in 1993 and XR contains the whiskey that was saved from the fire.
If you miss out, don't panic. Crown promises it has products in the pipeline that will include other rare whiskeys. They're calling it the Crown Royal Extra Rare Whisky Series.
If your whiskey monger still has any 101° proof Wild Turkey Rye left, buy it. Campari America promises it will come back next year but what they don't say is that it will probably have a new label and a new, higher price when it does. In the meantime, try the new 81° proof Wild Turkey Rye, conveniently priced the same as 101° in most places.
For the last year or so, all Wild Turkey and Russell's Reserve products have been made in a brand spanking new distillery. Whiskey made in the old distillery will be around for several more years, but they aren't making any more of it, so stock up now.
If you are in or anywhere near Virginia, get yourself a bottle of Abraham Bowman Virginia Limited Edition Whiskey. The one you want is the 18-year-old bourbon. It's a limited edition, so you know it won't be around for long, and it is marrrrvelous.
By the way, the A. Smith Bowman Distillery in Fredericksburg, Virginia, is officially reopening on Thursday, April 19. It never actually closed, but hasn't been open to the public for several years. Tours are now offered Monday through Friday at 10 AM and 2 PM, or by appointment. Groups larger than ten should call first. The gift shop is open weekdays from 9 AM to 3:30 PM. They do sell whiskey there.
When producers drop age statements from their labels, they always swear the product is still as old as it used to be but that inevitably changes. So if you see a bottle of Weller Special Reserve that says '7 years in wood,' buy it, because the new ones don't say that.
The current vintage of Evan Williams Single Barrel is the 2002, so if you see anything older than that, buy it. The 2002 is perfectly good too, but you'll be able to get all you want of that for at least the rest of this year.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Wild Turkey Is Introducing A New Rye.
There hasn't been any kind of official announcement, but Wild Turkey is in the process of rolling out a new, 81° proof (40.5% ABV) version of Wild Turkey Rye, leading to some confusion about the status of the 101° proof (50.5% ABV) original.
Rye whiskey enthusiasts got wind of the 81 from Control State product listings, which are public information. Many states post them on their web sites. It showed up as a replacement for 101. This led to something resembling panic, as fans of the 101 began to plan their hoarding strategies. (Tip: start by establishing a budget.)
But as veteran spirits enthusiasts know, changes to Control States lists don't always mean what you think.
There are 18 Control States in the United States. Each is a little different but, essentially, when you buy liquor in a control state you are buying it directly from the state government. One typical characteristic of Control States is that they limit how many different products a producer can sell and make adding new products, or changing products, very difficult and expensive. If it's easier to make a change than an addition, you may swap an old (typically minor) product for the new one, to get the new one into the market faster.
Not only do Control States typically publish their lists, they often require long lead times, so information about new products or product changes often shows up first on Control State lists.
After several states swapped the 101 rye for the new 81, questions were asked. Initial information coming back from industry sources was conflicting. That has been sorted out. Here's what is happening, according to official sources at Wild Turkey and its parent, Campari America.
Yes, an 81° proof version of Wild Turkey Rye is being introduced as a companion to the 81° proof version of Wild Turkey Bourbon that was introduced last year. However, the 101° proof version of Wild Turkey Rye is not being discontinued. It will, however, be in short supply for probably the rest of 2012 due to the recent surge in rye whiskey popularity, but it is not being discontinued and it will be back. Due to its temporary unavailability, it was expedient for the company to list 81 by replacing 101 in some states.
Unsaid but obvious is the fact that, when stocks are limited, how ever much whiskey you have will go further if you dilute it to 40.5% ABV rather than 50.5% ABV.
This does not necessarily mean there are or even will be shortages of the 101 at retail. It just means the producer has shipped all of the 101 it will likely ship for this year. That doesn't tell you anything about how much there is in distributor warehouses or on retailer shelves.
The introduction of an 81 shows how mainstream rye whiskey is becoming. The 81° proof bourbon replaced an 80° proof bourbon that had a deservedly poor reputation. The 81 is a significant improvement. Wild Turkey has long been an anomaly with its high standard proof, which recalls the old days when most premium brands were bottled-in-bond and, hence, 100° proof. Wild Turkey never met the other requirements for bottled-in-bond but wanted to play in that space, so they created a point-of-difference with an extra proof point.
In time, most of the industry abandoned the high proof to cut costs and meet public demand for a lighter product, going to the legal minimum of 80° proof. (Any whiskey that's less than 80° proof has to be labeled 'diluted.') Wild Turkey alone kept its flagship bourbon at 101 but acknowledged the trend many years ago with the recently-departed 80. There was never enough interest in rye to justify creating an 80° proof version of it
Use of 81 in both cases with the new products shows that Wild Turkey parent Campari America gets that aspect of the brand's personality.
As the Wild Turkey folks pointed out to me, the original 101° proof Wild Turkey Rye has been growing by about 20 percent year here recently, which is both why they ran out and why they'd be crazy to drop it. Some people will adopt the 81, but the 101 will still be there for those who want it.
The straight rye whiskey produced at Wild Turkey is also sold as Russell's Reserve Rye.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
The Rye Renaissance Is Finally Real.
The 'rye renaissance' has been a popular topic in the media for several years, but even though it was getting a lot of ink, producers weren't inking a lot of additional sales. (See, "The Rye Revival Is A Mirage," here.)
That's starting to change. Many brands, such as Sazerac Rye (i.e., 'Baby Saz') and Rittenhouse Rye Bottled in Bond are on allocation and shoppers sometimes find empty shelves. Templeton Rye has struggled to get enough whiskey from its distiller in Indiana to meet demand. Now add Wild Turkey to the list.
As Wild Turkey introduces a new Wild Turkey Rye at 40.5% ABV (81° proof), it is letting people know that the 50.5% ABV (101° proof) version will be in short supply for the forseeable future. Wild Turkey also makes Russell's Reserve Rye.
Jim Beam, which produces more rye than anyone else, doesn't seem too stressed. It's even bringing out a new one, under the Knob Creek name.
Another brand that seems to have plenty is Bulleit Rye, which just launched a few months ago. It's the same Lawrenceburg, Indiana-made rye as Templeton and several other brands. You have to believe drinks giant Diageo, which owns Bulleit, has a priority claim on any whiskey Lawrenceburg has ready, but even mighty Diageo can't make fully-aged rye whiskey out of thin air.
You can bet the new owner of Lawrenceburg Distillers Indiana, MGPI, is turning the dial on the rye machine there up to 10. This is why the aging cyle makes whiskey production planners prematurely gray. A few years ago, producers were wondering if the rye boom was real. Now they're wondering if it's here to stay.
That's starting to change. Many brands, such as Sazerac Rye (i.e., 'Baby Saz') and Rittenhouse Rye Bottled in Bond are on allocation and shoppers sometimes find empty shelves. Templeton Rye has struggled to get enough whiskey from its distiller in Indiana to meet demand. Now add Wild Turkey to the list.
As Wild Turkey introduces a new Wild Turkey Rye at 40.5% ABV (81° proof), it is letting people know that the 50.5% ABV (101° proof) version will be in short supply for the forseeable future. Wild Turkey also makes Russell's Reserve Rye.
Jim Beam, which produces more rye than anyone else, doesn't seem too stressed. It's even bringing out a new one, under the Knob Creek name.
Another brand that seems to have plenty is Bulleit Rye, which just launched a few months ago. It's the same Lawrenceburg, Indiana-made rye as Templeton and several other brands. You have to believe drinks giant Diageo, which owns Bulleit, has a priority claim on any whiskey Lawrenceburg has ready, but even mighty Diageo can't make fully-aged rye whiskey out of thin air.
You can bet the new owner of Lawrenceburg Distillers Indiana, MGPI, is turning the dial on the rye machine there up to 10. This is why the aging cyle makes whiskey production planners prematurely gray. A few years ago, producers were wondering if the rye boom was real. Now they're wondering if it's here to stay.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Wild Turkey Bottling Returns Home.
They could have saved a lot of money if they had just stayed put.
Wild Turkey owner Gruppo Campari announced yesterday that it will build a massive new bottling plant at the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The facility will cost more than $40 million, of which Kentucky taxpayers will kick in about $2.35 million in incentives. It will open in late 2013.
With whiskey, bottling is usually done where the aging warehouses are. There are so many practical reasons for this that it never made sense for previous-owner Pernod to close Wild Turkey's bottling operation in 2006, moving that responsibility first to LDI in Lawrenceburg, Indiana (about 100 miles away), then to its Hiram Walker cordials plant in Fort Smith, Arkansas (about 700 miles away).
Jimmy Russell, Wild Turkey Master Distiller and one of the deans of Kentucky whiskey-making, just hated it. He felt that trucking aged whiskey 700 miles in a tanker was not good for it. "I couldn't be more delighted," says Russell about the move.
In announcing the Commonwealth's contribution, Governor Steve Beshear pointed out that distilling directly contributes about $2 billion to Kentucky's economy.
Campari will also bottle its biggest U.S. brand, Skyy Vodka, at Turkey. Skyy has never had its own bottling facility, being contract bottled wherever the company could get a good deal at any given time. Its distinctive blue bottle has been spotted on the line at Brown-Forman's bottling facility at its Louisville headquarters.
How long will it be before Campari USA (formally Skyy Spirits) moves its headquarters from San Francisco to Louisville? Louisville may be 55 miles from the distillery, but moving people from cosmopolitan San Francisco to tiny Lawrenceburg would surely kill many of them.
Now Kentucky needs a major bottle maker, maybe somewhere between Louisville and Lexington, like Waddy Peytona. (Two places, actually, but what a great exit name.) There's probably not enough sand there.
A bottling plant means a finished goods warehouse, from which everything will be distributed. Bottling and finished goods distribution are the most labor-intensive parts of booze-making, so this will mean many new jobs for the Lawrenceburg area.
The only drawback to building a large bottling and finished goods facility on Wild Turkey's 800 acre campus is the road between there and US-127. While the governor is spending taxpayer money, he really should improve that part of Versailles Road before the trucks start to roll. This will significantly increase traffic on a seven-mile stretch of not-very-good two-lane road. For those who don't know, that road (aka Woodford Street) goes right through downtown Lawrenceburg, such as it is. A direct by-pass from the distillery to US-127 would be even better but seems unlikely due to cost.
US-127 is four-lanes and limited access, so it's good, and from there it's a quick shot to either I-64 or the Martha Layne Collins Expressway, which will get you anywhere. Rail isn't an option. Neither is the Kentucky River, on which Turkey Hill borders.
But why not? Imagine it, fork lifts loading pallets stacked with Wild Turkey Bourbon and Skyy Vodka onto riverboats at the distillery's own wharf. They could have an on-board bar and let Wild Turkey enthusiasts ride along. The cargo could either be transferred to rail at Louisville or continue down the Ohio and Mississippi to New Orleans, making stops at Memphis and other ports along the way.
Why not indeed?
Wild Turkey owner Gruppo Campari announced yesterday that it will build a massive new bottling plant at the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The facility will cost more than $40 million, of which Kentucky taxpayers will kick in about $2.35 million in incentives. It will open in late 2013.
With whiskey, bottling is usually done where the aging warehouses are. There are so many practical reasons for this that it never made sense for previous-owner Pernod to close Wild Turkey's bottling operation in 2006, moving that responsibility first to LDI in Lawrenceburg, Indiana (about 100 miles away), then to its Hiram Walker cordials plant in Fort Smith, Arkansas (about 700 miles away).
Jimmy Russell, Wild Turkey Master Distiller and one of the deans of Kentucky whiskey-making, just hated it. He felt that trucking aged whiskey 700 miles in a tanker was not good for it. "I couldn't be more delighted," says Russell about the move.
In announcing the Commonwealth's contribution, Governor Steve Beshear pointed out that distilling directly contributes about $2 billion to Kentucky's economy.
Campari will also bottle its biggest U.S. brand, Skyy Vodka, at Turkey. Skyy has never had its own bottling facility, being contract bottled wherever the company could get a good deal at any given time. Its distinctive blue bottle has been spotted on the line at Brown-Forman's bottling facility at its Louisville headquarters.
How long will it be before Campari USA (formally Skyy Spirits) moves its headquarters from San Francisco to Louisville? Louisville may be 55 miles from the distillery, but moving people from cosmopolitan San Francisco to tiny Lawrenceburg would surely kill many of them.
Now Kentucky needs a major bottle maker, maybe somewhere between Louisville and Lexington, like Waddy Peytona. (Two places, actually, but what a great exit name.) There's probably not enough sand there.
A bottling plant means a finished goods warehouse, from which everything will be distributed. Bottling and finished goods distribution are the most labor-intensive parts of booze-making, so this will mean many new jobs for the Lawrenceburg area.
The only drawback to building a large bottling and finished goods facility on Wild Turkey's 800 acre campus is the road between there and US-127. While the governor is spending taxpayer money, he really should improve that part of Versailles Road before the trucks start to roll. This will significantly increase traffic on a seven-mile stretch of not-very-good two-lane road. For those who don't know, that road (aka Woodford Street) goes right through downtown Lawrenceburg, such as it is. A direct by-pass from the distillery to US-127 would be even better but seems unlikely due to cost.
US-127 is four-lanes and limited access, so it's good, and from there it's a quick shot to either I-64 or the Martha Layne Collins Expressway, which will get you anywhere. Rail isn't an option. Neither is the Kentucky River, on which Turkey Hill borders.
But why not? Imagine it, fork lifts loading pallets stacked with Wild Turkey Bourbon and Skyy Vodka onto riverboats at the distillery's own wharf. They could have an on-board bar and let Wild Turkey enthusiasts ride along. The cargo could either be transferred to rail at Louisville or continue down the Ohio and Mississippi to New Orleans, making stops at Memphis and other ports along the way.
Why not indeed?
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Keep Vulgarity In Its Place.
I like vulgarity as much as the next guy, but I'm glad it's not everywhere and I would prefer that it stay out of advertising. Vulgarity has power because it's transgressive, anti-establishment, risky. Nothing sucks the juice out of expression or imagery faster than advertising. Plus advertising is plenty vulgar enough already.
I say this as someone who has worked in advertising for 40 years.
Put the middle finger salute in advertising and pretty soon it will be on the Disney channel.
So that's why I would just as soon that neither Wild Turkey nor Old Crow give me the bird.
For one thing, it's not that funny.
Sort of like Effen Vodka.
I say this as someone who has worked in advertising for 40 years.
Put the middle finger salute in advertising and pretty soon it will be on the Disney channel.
So that's why I would just as soon that neither Wild Turkey nor Old Crow give me the bird.
For one thing, it's not that funny.
Sort of like Effen Vodka.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Bird Fight! Wild Turkey Sues Old Crow.
On June 21, I told you about the new Wild Turkey distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. I also told you about the brand's questionable new advertising campaign, built around the theme "Give 'Em The Bird."
So impressed by their own creative genius are the folks behind this campaign at Gruppo Campari (Wild Turkey's parent company) that they are suing Beam Global for using the line to promote Old Crow Bourbon. Campari claims Wild Turkey has used the slogan since 2006, when the brand was owned by Pernod. Campari bought Wild Turkey in 2009.
Old Crow was, of course, named after Dr. James C. Crow, a pioneering bourbon maker who died in 1856. The name "Old Crow" was used during his lifetime and Old Crow formally became recognized as a brand name not long after his death. The Wild Turkey brand was launched in 1940. That has nothing to do with the trademark case, but it's good to know.
As for which of them gave us the bird first, whichever one it is, I wouldn't brag about it. There is still such a thing as bad taste.
Isn't there?
In other bird-related trademark litigation, Beam Global has sued Diageo for failure to use its Jose Cuervo crow symbol in accordance with a 1997 agreement regarding Old Crow and other crow-related marks owned by Beam.
So impressed by their own creative genius are the folks behind this campaign at Gruppo Campari (Wild Turkey's parent company) that they are suing Beam Global for using the line to promote Old Crow Bourbon. Campari claims Wild Turkey has used the slogan since 2006, when the brand was owned by Pernod. Campari bought Wild Turkey in 2009.
Old Crow was, of course, named after Dr. James C. Crow, a pioneering bourbon maker who died in 1856. The name "Old Crow" was used during his lifetime and Old Crow formally became recognized as a brand name not long after his death. The Wild Turkey brand was launched in 1940. That has nothing to do with the trademark case, but it's good to know.
As for which of them gave us the bird first, whichever one it is, I wouldn't brag about it. There is still such a thing as bad taste.
Isn't there?
In other bird-related trademark litigation, Beam Global has sued Diageo for failure to use its Jose Cuervo crow symbol in accordance with a 1997 agreement regarding Old Crow and other crow-related marks owned by Beam.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Wild Turkey Unveils New Distillery.
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The capacity of the new distillery, 11 million gallons a year, is more than twice the old one. This expansion was actually planned several years ago but delayed about two years due to the ownership change. The new beer still and doubler are the exact same capacity as the old ones. The increase in overall capacity comes from more and bigger mash cookers and fermenters. The stills may be the same size but they're going to be a lot busier.
The price tag for the expansion is $50 million.
The capacity expansion on Wild Turkey Hill is a good thing, as is the new Wild Turkey 81 (81 proof, that is, parallel to the 101 proof flagship). I've always disdained the 80 proof, brown label expression. This one is a lot better. Unofficial distillery sources report it's the same whiskey as 101, just diluted, whereas the old 80 proof was a much younger whiskey.
Especially if you like the milder proof, 81 is a fine addition to the line.
Less edifying is a new TV commercial they've just released, which encourages people to use a well known rude hand gesture to order 'the bird.' After this triggers a few bar brawls they may reconsider.
The commercial also features a model whose hairstyle is right out of the 70s. What's that about? You can see it for yourself on Facebook.
The picture at top shows Master Distiller Jimmy Russell (left) and Associate Distiller Eddie Russell (Jimmy's son) christening an oversized bourbon barrel at today's official ceremony. The picture below shows a tour group from Cincinnati visiting the new facility.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
What's New In The Bourbon Country Reader.
The new issue of The Bourbon Country Reader, Volume 12 Number 4, went into the mail just before Christmas. No doubt its arrival warmed hearts much like a holiday toddy.
Sometimes people ask if the articles in the newsletter also appear here, on the blog. Usually, no, and in this particular case, 100 percent no.
Here's the line-up.
The headline for the lead story probably speaks for itself; "Decoding The Bottom Shelf; The Quest For Good, Cheap Bourbon."
We also mine a document filed in the Wild Turkey acquisition last spring for tidbits about the brand's future under new owner Campari.
Is the rye renaissance real? We have data.
And we review two of the 2009 Buffalo Trace Antiques, the Weller and the Handy.
You may wonder why we still publish a paper newsletter sent through the U.S. mail. The real reason is because it's still hard to sell information on the web for what it's worth. The romantic reason is that we're writing about an industry that values tradition, so we do too. Take your pick.
You may also wonder why I'm affecting the imperial "we." We don't know, it just sounds right.
Click here to subscribe, with a credit card or PayPal. We publish every other month, or thereabouts, and you get six issues for $20.
Sometimes people ask if the articles in the newsletter also appear here, on the blog. Usually, no, and in this particular case, 100 percent no.
Here's the line-up.
The headline for the lead story probably speaks for itself; "Decoding The Bottom Shelf; The Quest For Good, Cheap Bourbon."
We also mine a document filed in the Wild Turkey acquisition last spring for tidbits about the brand's future under new owner Campari.
Is the rye renaissance real? We have data.
And we review two of the 2009 Buffalo Trace Antiques, the Weller and the Handy.
You may wonder why we still publish a paper newsletter sent through the U.S. mail. The real reason is because it's still hard to sell information on the web for what it's worth. The romantic reason is that we're writing about an industry that values tradition, so we do too. Take your pick.
You may also wonder why I'm affecting the imperial "we." We don't know, it just sounds right.
Click here to subscribe, with a credit card or PayPal. We publish every other month, or thereabouts, and you get six issues for $20.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Source Says Wild Turkey Expansion Will Resume.
The doubling of production capacity at the Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, Wild Turkey Distillery should have been finished by now.
Announced in 2007, the expansion never got beyond site preparation as owner Pernod Ricard put it on hold after deciding to sell Wild Turkey to defray some of the cost of buying Absolut Vodka.
Earlier this month, Gruppo Campari announced that it is Wild Turkey's new owner. The first question asked by many American whiskey fans was, "will the expansion resume?"
While nothing has been said officially, a source at Louisville still maker Vendome Copper and Brass Works says they're still making the equipment.
Even before the distillery expansion was announced, Wild Turkey was building new aging warehouses to stay ahead of increased production at the existing plant.
Announced in 2007, the expansion never got beyond site preparation as owner Pernod Ricard put it on hold after deciding to sell Wild Turkey to defray some of the cost of buying Absolut Vodka.
Earlier this month, Gruppo Campari announced that it is Wild Turkey's new owner. The first question asked by many American whiskey fans was, "will the expansion resume?"
While nothing has been said officially, a source at Louisville still maker Vendome Copper and Brass Works says they're still making the equipment.
Even before the distillery expansion was announced, Wild Turkey was building new aging warehouses to stay ahead of increased production at the existing plant.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Campari Buys Wild Turkey for $575 MM.
Back in December, we announced that Wild Turkey was on the block. Its parent, Pernod Ricard, desperately needed cash to lower the debt it assumed when it bought Absolut Vodka.
The buyer, announced today, is Davide Campari-Milano, better known as Gruppo Campari. The company's namesake product, essential for making the Negroni cocktail, is an alcoholic bitters that is very popular in its home country of Italy.
Gruppo Campari has, slowly but surely, been trying to penetrate the United States spirits market. To that end it acquired Skyy Vodka in 2002 and Cabo Wabo Tequila in 2007. When this deal closes at the end of June, nearly two-thirds of Campari's sales will come from outside of Italy.
The press release is here.
Gruppo Campari CEO Bob Kunze-Concewitz called Wild Turkey, "a brand of strategic relevance" and "a unique opportunity to enter the attractive bourbon whiskey category and exploit its growth potential through a global and leading brand."
The press release further says that Wild Turkey has, "all the attributes - authenticity, premiumness, heritage - to successfully exploit its category and market growth potential."
Exploitation is good if it means investment and a commitment to the premium and super-premium segments, which are of particular interest to American whiskey enthusiasts. Kentucky Spirit, the top of the Wild Turkey line, is highly regarded, as have been most of the brand's limited edition releases.
We hope Campari has another $30 MM or so handy, so they can revive the stalled expansion at the distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The plan has been to double production capacity and upgrade the visitors center, but it has been on hold for months.
From a sales standpoint, Wild Turkey is not as big as you might think. It sells less than 10 percent of what either Jack Daniel's or Jim Beam does, about 800,000 cases a year. It's more comparable to Maker's Mark in terms of both sales volume and profitability.
Campari says it is also excited about getting Wild Turkey American Honey Liqueur in the deal, which it believes has great growth potential.
Some are already complaining that another American icon has a foreign owner, but Pernod is French and it has owned Wild Turkey for 30 years.
The brand and distillery have only had the same owner since 1971. Before that, the distillery was owned by the Ripy family, which supplied New York grocer Austin Nichols with whiskey for its Wild Turkey brand. The brand was created in 1940, but both Austin Nichols (1855) and the Ripy family distillery (1869) have deep 19th century roots.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Possible Wild Turkey Buyers Stopping By To Kick Tires.
Last month, I reported that Pernod Ricard might be shopping Wild Turkey. Pernod never announced that Wild Turkey, Tia Maria, or any other specific asset was on the block. What it said was that only its core brands are sacred as it looks to raise cash to reduce the debt it assumed to buy Absolut Vodka.
Pernod does not consider Wild Turkey to be one of its core brands.
Then and again yesterday, I checked with Pernod's PR shop in New York to see if they had any information. They have none. (They also aren't denying any of what follows.)
What nobody in New York seems to know, everybody at the distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, is talking about. According to sources there, the brand and its distillery are for sale, the expansion plans have been put on hold, and representatives of at least two potential buyers are coming by for visits in the next couple of weeks.
The first, expected next week according to distillery sources, is Diageo. The world's largest drinks company is light in its American whiskey portfolio and could probably acquire Wild Turkey without having to divest itself of anything else, an attractive fact for Diageo because the industry is now so consolidated, and Diageo is so huge, that anytime it buys something it usually has to sell something else to allay the monopoly concerns of regulators, either in Europe, the U.S., or both.
The other candidate is Proximo Spirits. Never heard of them? You're not alone. If you are way into spirits you may have heard of a couple of their brands: 1800 Tequila, Three Olives Vodka and Matusalem Rum.
Not a lot is known about Proximo because they are new (less than two years old) and privately held. The president is Mark Teasdale, former managing director of William Grant & Sons North America. As near as can be told, they don't have any production facilities but are strictly a marketing company. They own some of their brands and, in other cases, merely own the North American marketing rights. They haven't actually built any of these brands, all of which they acquired.
The head-scratcher here is how can a company like Proximo come up with enough money to buy Wild Turkey? Sources at Sazerac say they looked at Wild Turkey and found the Constellation Spirits deal a better fit and more in their price range. Constellation reported that sale was worth $334MM, so that gives you some idea of what Turkey might bring.
What is more, the situation suggests that Pernod will insist on an all-cash deal, or something close. The purpose of the sale is to reduce Pernod's debt, so Pernod will not be inclined to finance the deal, as sometimes happens with corporate acquisitions. On the other hand, Proximo must be a serious contender or else Pernod would not have invited them to drop by and examine the merchandise.
It should be added that none of this is official and, in fact, the official sources are claiming ignorance.
Another aspect of this is that Wild Turkey is not a distressed property, which is precisely why Pernod is willing to sell it. Think about trades in sports. It's the best players who get traded, because they are worth something, not the worst ones. Pernod could perfectly well just keep Turkey and won't sell unless it can get top dollar.
This uncertainty about ownership appears to have put the expansion at Wild Turkey on hold. The original plan, announced about 18 months ago, was to double the distillery's capacity, from 11MM gallons a year up to 22MM. They had a ground-breaking and have done some site preparation, but that's about it. The people at the distillery, at least, assume nothing more will happen until a new owner is in place.
The same thing happened when Beam bought Maker's. An expansion plan at Maker's was delayed for several years and is still far from completed.
Unfortunately for American whiskey enthusiasts, American whiskey is small beer for most of the big, international beverage companies, so the products we care about get swept up in deals that are being made for other reasons. One simply hopes that whoever buys Wild Turkey will value it more than the seller did.
Pernod does not consider Wild Turkey to be one of its core brands.
Then and again yesterday, I checked with Pernod's PR shop in New York to see if they had any information. They have none. (They also aren't denying any of what follows.)
What nobody in New York seems to know, everybody at the distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, is talking about. According to sources there, the brand and its distillery are for sale, the expansion plans have been put on hold, and representatives of at least two potential buyers are coming by for visits in the next couple of weeks.
The first, expected next week according to distillery sources, is Diageo. The world's largest drinks company is light in its American whiskey portfolio and could probably acquire Wild Turkey without having to divest itself of anything else, an attractive fact for Diageo because the industry is now so consolidated, and Diageo is so huge, that anytime it buys something it usually has to sell something else to allay the monopoly concerns of regulators, either in Europe, the U.S., or both.
The other candidate is Proximo Spirits. Never heard of them? You're not alone. If you are way into spirits you may have heard of a couple of their brands: 1800 Tequila, Three Olives Vodka and Matusalem Rum.
Not a lot is known about Proximo because they are new (less than two years old) and privately held. The president is Mark Teasdale, former managing director of William Grant & Sons North America. As near as can be told, they don't have any production facilities but are strictly a marketing company. They own some of their brands and, in other cases, merely own the North American marketing rights. They haven't actually built any of these brands, all of which they acquired.
The head-scratcher here is how can a company like Proximo come up with enough money to buy Wild Turkey? Sources at Sazerac say they looked at Wild Turkey and found the Constellation Spirits deal a better fit and more in their price range. Constellation reported that sale was worth $334MM, so that gives you some idea of what Turkey might bring.
What is more, the situation suggests that Pernod will insist on an all-cash deal, or something close. The purpose of the sale is to reduce Pernod's debt, so Pernod will not be inclined to finance the deal, as sometimes happens with corporate acquisitions. On the other hand, Proximo must be a serious contender or else Pernod would not have invited them to drop by and examine the merchandise.
It should be added that none of this is official and, in fact, the official sources are claiming ignorance.
Another aspect of this is that Wild Turkey is not a distressed property, which is precisely why Pernod is willing to sell it. Think about trades in sports. It's the best players who get traded, because they are worth something, not the worst ones. Pernod could perfectly well just keep Turkey and won't sell unless it can get top dollar.
This uncertainty about ownership appears to have put the expansion at Wild Turkey on hold. The original plan, announced about 18 months ago, was to double the distillery's capacity, from 11MM gallons a year up to 22MM. They had a ground-breaking and have done some site preparation, but that's about it. The people at the distillery, at least, assume nothing more will happen until a new owner is in place.
The same thing happened when Beam bought Maker's. An expansion plan at Maker's was delayed for several years and is still far from completed.
Unfortunately for American whiskey enthusiasts, American whiskey is small beer for most of the big, international beverage companies, so the products we care about get swept up in deals that are being made for other reasons. One simply hopes that whoever buys Wild Turkey will value it more than the seller did.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
What Is This Stuff, Really?
It may sound sometimes like I'm on a crusade against micro-distilleries. I'm really not. Quite the opposite. I have great hopes that small distilleries will revitalize the American distilled spirits industry. Problem is, most micro-distillery operations seem to be pushing out bullshit faster than any other product, which is perhaps not surprising since it is the easiest thing to make.
(Followed by their next-most-popular product, vodka.)
Now comes an outfit in Park City, Utah, called High West Distillery. Their premier product is a rye whiskey called Rendezvous Rye. It is 92 proof and selling for $40 per 750 ml bottle. The back label specifies a blend of 6-year-old 95% rye and 17-year-old 80% rye.
It also uses the category designation "a blend of straight rye whiskeys." This, by itself, raises some alarms. That classification is for a mixture of straight rye whiskeys which, for some reason, does not conform to the standards for being called straight rye whiskey. Since any mixture of straight rye whiskeys made in the same state should qualify for the better classification of "straight rye whiskey," one wonders why this mixture was non-conforming. The frustration, of course, is that the makers aren't talking because they want to preserve the illusion that they made the product, which is impossible since they've only just gotten both their license and still.
But let's look at the rest of their claim: "a blend of 6-year-old 95% rye and 17-year-old 80% rye." Although not crystal clear, the reference to a percentage would seem to refer to a mash bill. The problem is, nobody makes rye whiskey that way.
So here is a reality check and I encourage Scott Bush (Templeton) and David Perkins (High West) to address this issue. Get around these facts if you can:
Over the last 20 years, only five American distilleries have made rye whiskey. One of them, Anchor, can be set aside because they make very small quantities of a very idiosyncratic spirit that has very little to do with the tradition of American straight rye whiskey. The other four are Heaven Hill (using, at the moment, Brown-Forman's distillery), Wild Turkey, Buffalo Trace (Sazerac) and Jim Beam.
That's it. Those are the usual suspects. The Templeton Rye had to have been made by one of those four. Most likely the High West was too.
All of them make a mash bill that is about 51 percent rye, the balance being corn and barley malt.
Some of the very old ryes on the market today were made more than 20 years ago at the Medley Distillery in Owensboro and at the old Bernheim Distillery in Louisville, so there are two more suspects, but that's it. We can't be sure what their mash bills were, but they probably weren't more than about 60 percent rye.
What is left of that whiskey resides at Kentucky Bourbon Distillers LTD (KBD) in Bardstown, Kentucky, which has bottled it under a number of different labels, and sold it to others wishing to do the same. Setting aside the mash bill claims, KBD may have acquired some 6-year-old rye from, most likely, Heaven Hill and mixed in a little of its elderly whiskey (maybe, in fact, a 17-year-old) to make the High West product. That, based on the known facts, is the most likely scenario.
Personally, I hope it is that, because that would be an interesting product that might actually justify the price. I find most of KBD's very, very old bourbons and ryes too old, too woody, but take a little of that and add it to some good 6-year-old rye? That could be just the thing. I would be interested to try that product.
But back to the original issue. The bottom line is that any fully-aged rye whiskey on the market today has to come from one of the sources named above. That unavoidable fact is the reason why people like High West and Templeton aren't saying who made their whiskey. It's not only because they want you to think they made it. It's also because then it becomes easy to say, "Oh, that's Heaven Hill's rye? Well, you can pay $35 for it in a bottle that says 'Templeton,' or $40 in a bottle that says 'Rendezvous Rye,' or $12 in a bottle that says 'Rittenhouse,' which would you prefer?"
More than a decade ago, when Brown-Forman reopened what is now the Woodford Reserve Distillery, they wanted a Woodford Reserve product on the market right away, so they used whiskey made at their other Kentucky distillery. While they didn't print banner headlines about the whiskey's real source, the information was always there, and if you asked they always told you the truth.
I'm all for this micro-distiller thing, but when it seems like all of these characters are coming out of the box lying to the consumer, I'm already less than enthusiastic about their next act.
But that's just me, the grumpy old man. You kids, knock yourselves out.
(Followed by their next-most-popular product, vodka.)
Now comes an outfit in Park City, Utah, called High West Distillery. Their premier product is a rye whiskey called Rendezvous Rye. It is 92 proof and selling for $40 per 750 ml bottle. The back label specifies a blend of 6-year-old 95% rye and 17-year-old 80% rye.
It also uses the category designation "a blend of straight rye whiskeys." This, by itself, raises some alarms. That classification is for a mixture of straight rye whiskeys which, for some reason, does not conform to the standards for being called straight rye whiskey. Since any mixture of straight rye whiskeys made in the same state should qualify for the better classification of "straight rye whiskey," one wonders why this mixture was non-conforming. The frustration, of course, is that the makers aren't talking because they want to preserve the illusion that they made the product, which is impossible since they've only just gotten both their license and still.
But let's look at the rest of their claim: "a blend of 6-year-old 95% rye and 17-year-old 80% rye." Although not crystal clear, the reference to a percentage would seem to refer to a mash bill. The problem is, nobody makes rye whiskey that way.
So here is a reality check and I encourage Scott Bush (Templeton) and David Perkins (High West) to address this issue. Get around these facts if you can:
Over the last 20 years, only five American distilleries have made rye whiskey. One of them, Anchor, can be set aside because they make very small quantities of a very idiosyncratic spirit that has very little to do with the tradition of American straight rye whiskey. The other four are Heaven Hill (using, at the moment, Brown-Forman's distillery), Wild Turkey, Buffalo Trace (Sazerac) and Jim Beam.
That's it. Those are the usual suspects. The Templeton Rye had to have been made by one of those four. Most likely the High West was too.
All of them make a mash bill that is about 51 percent rye, the balance being corn and barley malt.
Some of the very old ryes on the market today were made more than 20 years ago at the Medley Distillery in Owensboro and at the old Bernheim Distillery in Louisville, so there are two more suspects, but that's it. We can't be sure what their mash bills were, but they probably weren't more than about 60 percent rye.
What is left of that whiskey resides at Kentucky Bourbon Distillers LTD (KBD) in Bardstown, Kentucky, which has bottled it under a number of different labels, and sold it to others wishing to do the same. Setting aside the mash bill claims, KBD may have acquired some 6-year-old rye from, most likely, Heaven Hill and mixed in a little of its elderly whiskey (maybe, in fact, a 17-year-old) to make the High West product. That, based on the known facts, is the most likely scenario.
Personally, I hope it is that, because that would be an interesting product that might actually justify the price. I find most of KBD's very, very old bourbons and ryes too old, too woody, but take a little of that and add it to some good 6-year-old rye? That could be just the thing. I would be interested to try that product.
But back to the original issue. The bottom line is that any fully-aged rye whiskey on the market today has to come from one of the sources named above. That unavoidable fact is the reason why people like High West and Templeton aren't saying who made their whiskey. It's not only because they want you to think they made it. It's also because then it becomes easy to say, "Oh, that's Heaven Hill's rye? Well, you can pay $35 for it in a bottle that says 'Templeton,' or $40 in a bottle that says 'Rendezvous Rye,' or $12 in a bottle that says 'Rittenhouse,' which would you prefer?"
More than a decade ago, when Brown-Forman reopened what is now the Woodford Reserve Distillery, they wanted a Woodford Reserve product on the market right away, so they used whiskey made at their other Kentucky distillery. While they didn't print banner headlines about the whiskey's real source, the information was always there, and if you asked they always told you the truth.
I'm all for this micro-distiller thing, but when it seems like all of these characters are coming out of the box lying to the consumer, I'm already less than enthusiastic about their next act.
But that's just me, the grumpy old man. You kids, knock yourselves out.
Monday, August 27, 2007
New Russell's Reserve Rye
Wild Turkey (Pernod Ricard USA) is about to release a new straight rye, under the Russell's Reserve banner. It will be a six-year-old straight rye whiskey. Retail price will be about $24. I don't know the proof yet, but I suspect it will be 90 proof, same as the Russell's Reserve bourbon. I'll know more for sure in a couple of days. It's being bottled now.
Russell's Reserve Rye is scheduled for late September release. Whether or not it will be around during the Kentucky Bourbon Festival (9/10-16) I don't know, but I suspect the Turkey folks will have some, even if it's not in the stores yet.
This product will be positioned slightly above the Wild Turkey rye and is a new expression, not a replacement for WT rye. Presumably, WT rye will continue at 4+ years old and RR Rye will be 6+ years old.
I think this is a great development and I'm looking forward to it.
Russell's Reserve Rye is scheduled for late September release. Whether or not it will be around during the Kentucky Bourbon Festival (9/10-16) I don't know, but I suspect the Turkey folks will have some, even if it's not in the stores yet.
This product will be positioned slightly above the Wild Turkey rye and is a new expression, not a replacement for WT rye. Presumably, WT rye will continue at 4+ years old and RR Rye will be 6+ years old.
I think this is a great development and I'm looking forward to it.
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