In 1870, George Garvin Brown was the first to seal his whisky, Old Forester, in a glass bottle. To commemorate his birthday, the First Bottled BourbonTM annually releases a limited edition, vintage-dated expression: Birthday Bourbon. The September 2nd release markets the 23rd limited edition expression. Hand selected by Master Distiller- Emeritus Chris Morris and Master Taster Melissa Rift, this small batch bourbon offers a unique character and flavor profile that will never be replicated.

The 2023 Birthday Bourbon is presented at 96 proof. After showing exceptionally unique character during a tasting panel, the 12-year old barrels were chosen specifically for Birthday Bourbon. The full allotment of product represents barrels that come from the same day of production.

Tasting Notes

AROMA: Bright candied citrus and floral overtones give way to rich turbinado sugar and roasted coffee beans as slight cedar and charred oak round out the nose.

TASTE: Subtle citrus with heavy notes of dark honey, molasses and charred oak.

FINISH: A dry toasty oaked caramel with lingering bittersweet tannins.

In 1876, John D. Willett one of Kentucky's original bourbon aristocrats transferred his interest in the Willett & Frenke Distillery to his sons-in-law, Benjamin Mattingly, and Thomas Moore. Mattingly and Moore continued to operate the Willett & Frenke Distillery together until 1881 when Mattingly finally sold his stake in the company to a group of investors. Within a few years, Thomas Moore acquired complete control over the distillery and eponymously renamed it. Moore would continue to operate the distillery for another five decades until he was ultimately forced to close his doors at the onset of Prohibition. Today, the Barton 1792 Distillery operates on the same site as the historic Tom Moore Distillery and continues to use the same methods that Moore used over a century ago when distilling his own bourbon. 1792 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is made from a mash of corn, rye, and malted barley. While the use of corn in the bourbon's recipe adds classic notes of buttered bread, biscuits and roasted nuts, the heavy use of rye in the bourbon's mashbill yields a more complex and full-bodied whiskey. After the grains are harvested, they are mashed and fermented before being distilled through a copper-pot still. In 1897, the Bottled-in-Bond Act revolutionized the quality of American whiskey. Carrying on that tradition, this well-aged bourbon from barrels all filled during the same season was bottled at exactly 100 proof for a bold taste and lingering finish - a testament to the Bottled-in-Bond Act established over a century ago.

Freeland Bourbon pays homage to the South, and to Grandma Freeland, the namesake of Freeland Spirits. Soft caramel, vanilla and spice dance into the whiskey from charred American oak barrels. A final rest in Oregon’s Elk Cove Pinot Noir barrels adds an element of Pacific Northwest terroir. Blended with precision by our Master Distiller, Molly Troupe, to achieve balanced texture and harmony of flavors.

ABV: 46%

Finish: long and velvety

Mash Bill: 70% corn, 20% rye, 10% malted barley

Taste: Rounded and smooth, soft caramel and baked berries layered with vanilla bean, cocoa and spice

Aroma: Toffee, marmalade, smoked pecan and clove

Color: Rich mahogany

Crafted from select corn, barley, and a hint of rye, each small batch of Alamo Black Label Bourbon is aged to perfection in brand new American Oak Barrels.

Our recipe was designed to produce a bold bourbon, rich with sweet notes, and a smooth finish for a unique bourbon to enjoy on it’s own, or fashioned into a great cocktail.

Dovetail is blended to highlight some of our favorite flavors. Woody bourbon; terroir driven Dunn Cabernet; toasted French oak; Late Bottled Vintage Port pipes; black strap molasses casks; all working in tandem to create a buttery and deep whiskey as unique as it is delicious. 

TASTING NOTES

Appearance: Rose gold with highlights of worn copper.

Nose: Opens with mature aromas both sweet (canelé, panna cotta, crème de noyaux) and savory (walnut oil, leather). This is followed quickly by a vast array of fruit derived both from the spirit (smoked apricot, grapefruit peel) as well as the cask treatment (sloe gin, damson jam). The aroma is high toned, pungently floral and herbaceous, with subtle, balancing pops of minerality.

Palate: Darker (cocoa, molasses, burnt marshmallow) and spicier (cola, nutmeg, Tellicherry peppercorn) than the nose, an effect well-complemented by the cask treatment and rendered more complex by the savory and herbaceous themes running throughout.

Finish: A sweet and elegant signature of rose jelly, chestnut honey, and Pineau des Charentes that also features hazelnut, eucalyptus, and Corsican mint.

AWARDS​​

BEST SPECIAL BARREL-FINISHED WHISKEY at the Ascot Awards - 2021

DOUBLE PLATINUM at the ASCOT Awards - 2021

BEST AMERICAN WHISKEY at the John Barleycorn Awards - 2021

DOUBLE GOLD at the John Barleycorn Awards - 2021

CHAIRMAN'S TROPHY at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge - 2020

TOP 100 SPIRITS (97 POINTS) at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge - 2020

Double Gold (96 POINTS) at the New York International Spirits Competition - 2020

Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition - 2019

Gold (Whiskey: Barrel Finished category) at Whiskies of the World - 2019

Whisky Advocate rating of 90

Traverse City Whiskey Co. was founded by Chris Fredrickson, Jared Rapp, and Moti Goldring. Fredrickson discovered his great-grandfather's whiskey distilling patents in the 1920s. This was the catalyst behind the passion project. The brand now has an extensive lineup. Distilled from a mash of corn, rye, and malted barley, this bourbon is amber and elegant. Traverse City Whiskey Co. Straight Bourbon is aged for 4 years in new American oak. This dram delivers warm vanilla and a little heat. Perfect for sipping neat, and shines in any signature craft cocktail.

Lovingly handcrafted and aged in Kentucky, Pinhook Bourbon was established in 2014 and has produced several small batch bottlings in their newly restored Castle & Key distillery in Frankfort, KY, to much critical acclaim. What makes their line unique is the brand's three distinctive characteristics: its limited availability, mass appeal and strong ties to Kentucky's legacy of horse racing. Each release of Pinhook Bourbon is named after a thoroughbred owned by Bourbon Lane Stable. The label also features the horses racing records on their brand's website. This first Cask Strength Pinhook release was bottled at 115.3 proof and has a deep and bright nose of Creme Brle, orange zest, and toasted coconut, which sets the stage for a rich and harmonious palate of pralines, brioche, cocoa, and candied cinnamon. Pinhook Bourbon Country Cask Strength won Gold at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Kentucky Owl was founded by Charles Mortimer Dedman, a local pharmacist, in 1879. After marrying his wife, Dedman was given a large parcel of land on the banks of the Kentucky River, as a wedding gift from his adopted father who was a local town judge. C.M. Dedman Distillery was established here on the banks of the Kentucky River, producing "The Wise Man's Bourbon" under Distilled Spirits Plant Designation "No. 16," one of Kentucky's original distilleries and part of a booming industry. Kentucky Owl achieved much success and production continued until Prohibition halted distillation. The family-run facility was no match for the "forces of teetotalism, temperance and eventually, the Feds" (producer). In 1916, Prohibition left several local distilleries with ample reserves of bourbon. As for Kentucky Owl, approximately 250,000 gallons of bourbon were left over in various stages of aging. Today these reserves would be worth about $40 million in inventory. After Federal agents descended on the Dedman's distillery, the bourbon was seized and shipped up the river by barge to the state capital in Frankfort for "safekeeping" in a warehouse. Currently Kentucky Owl is in the midst of designing a stunning state-of-the-art distillery park with rickhouses for aging, a bottling center, as well as a vintage dinner train to stop on the property. Kentucky Owl Park will be built at Cedar Creek Quarry in Bardstown. The 420-acre site will boast beautiful lakes with crystal clear, limestone-filtered water that will be used in our whiskey production. The Stoli Group has turned to the world-renownedShigeru Ban Architects to oversee the project. Bottled at 96.4 proof, Confiscated delivers notes of floral gardenia and honeysuckle, along with grape, red apple, orange cuties, wet banana bread and toasty sourdough bread crust on the nose. The palate is reminiscent of graham crackers, toffee, muted sweet cinnamon spice, and fresh-squeezed orange juice balanced with white grapes and finishing with a hint of cayenne.

Heritage Distilling Co. (HDC) is a craft distillery based in Gig Harbor, Washington. HDC is the most awarded craft distillery in North America by the American Distilling Institute6 years 2014 - 2019). Each Heritage Distilling Co.product has a unique story. This family-owned Craft Distillery makes their spirits by hand. From working directly with the farmers to grow their grains, to ensuring the purity of their water source, to milling the grain, making their own mash and wort and running their own custom made stills. Heritage Distilling embodies a wholehearted Field to Flask ethos. Distilled to the most meticulous standards this Brown Sugar Bourbon is distilled from a corn, rye, and malted barley mash before being barreled at less than 125 proof for at least two years in new American Oak Charred Barrels. The whiskey is then cut to 60 proof with their private crystal clear water source and infused with natural brown sugar and cinnamon flavors.This Brown Sugar Bourbon earned World's Best Flavored Whiskey from World Whiskies Awards in 2018 and 2019.

Following the end of the American Revolutionary War, Johannes Reginald Beam emigrated from Germany to the United States, and eventually settled in Kentucky County. At the time, Kentucky County was still considered part of Virginia, and was overseen by a military governor named John J. Bowman. In order to encourage westward expansion, Virginia issued pioneers who agreed to settle in Kentucky County corn writs, which granted the pioneers 60 acres of land if they agreed to settle in Kentucky and start farming corn. After settling in Kentucky, Beam began harvesting corn and set forth a family tradition by distilling the excess grains he harvested into whiskey. Since then, seven generations of the Beam family have been involved in whiskey production for the eponymous company (the company is actually named after James Beam, who rescued it following Prohibition). Today, Fred Noe a seventh generation master distiller and the great-grandson of Colonel James B. Beam shepherds his family legacy forward. Jim Beam Peach is the epitome of ripe and fresh peaches, combined with the world's finest Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey to create a perfect blend of sweet and woody notes of bourbon. This Jim Beam Peach is a go-to refreshment for summer occasions, perfect for bourbon cocktails underneath the summer sun.

Traverse City Whiskey Co. was founded by Chris Fredrickson, Jared Rapp, and Moti Goldring. Fredrickson discovered his great-grandfather's whiskey distilling patents in the 1920s. This was the catalyst behind the passion project. The brand now has an extensive lineup. This flavorful Traverse City Whiskey is pure and uncut, bottled at full barrel proof. Distilled from a mash of corn, rye, and malted barley, this bourbon's proof varies from 115-120. Surprisingly smooth and complex, Traverse City Barrel Proof Bourbon earned 91 points from Wine Enthusiast in 2018. 

Calumet Farm 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is Non-Chill Filtered to help capture the bold essence of this premium Kentucky spirit. Crafted in 50 barrel batches, this robust bourbon showcases the development of our traditional ‘high rye’ mash bill over time. This bourbon is planted firmly in the center of our Legacy Series expressions and possesses traditional flavors, as well as offering added depth in both nose and finish. This 10 Year Old Calumet Farm Bourbon is offered in honor of the famous thoroughbred sire, Bull Lea.  

Bourbon Details

Distilled/Aging Location  |  Kentucky

Batch Size  |  50 Barrels (ea.)

Filtration  |  Non-Chill Filtered

Potency  |  100 Proof (50% Alc/Vol)

Mash Bill  |  74% Corn, 18% Rye, 8% Malted Barley

Bottled By  |  Three Springs Bottling Company, Bowling Green, KY

Tasting Notes

Color  |  Deep reds and amber with golden highlights

Nose  |  After Breathing: Softer notes of caramel and vanilla appear after bold oak and tannic notes

Taste  |  Bold, traditional flavors of caramel, leather, wood char and toasted honey present on the palate

Finish  |  Robust flavors are punctuated by a captivating finish of oak and soft baking spices

(Neat / Glencairn Glass / Room Temperature / Breathe: 15min.)

Local Choice Spirits was founded in 2010 by Paula Pixie Dezzutti Hewlette. They currently have a diverse range of quality spirits including The Legendary Hatfield & McCoy Family Brand Whiskey, Dwight Eubanks and his Eubanks Gin Collection, and Boosie Badazz's Boosie Juice Vodka. Tyler Boone is a singer, songwriter and multi-dimensional business entrepreneur from South Carolina. Boone teamed up with Paula Dezzutti Hewlette to create this homegrown Boone's Bourbon. This spirit is distilled from a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% barley at Striped Pig Distillery in Charleston. Aged in new, charred, white oak it is bottled at a high octane 58.5% ABV. Striped Pig Distillery's bespoke machinery was designed by distillers and owners, Johnny Pieper, Jim Craig and Todd Weiss who created state of the art, custom-made copper plate condensers and stainless steel boilers. Boone's Bourbon has pleasant aromas of sweet corn, vanilla and baking spice followed by a rich caramel flavored palate, kissed by a touch of smoke.

American Freedom Distillery was founded by four ex-Green Berets. Currently, they're building the distillery in St. Petersburg, Florida. For now, Horse Soldier Bourbon is distilled in Columbus, Ohio. Days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the USA deployed a small team of Green Berets mounted on horseback. These brave men are honored today by theAmerica's Response Monumentat Ground Zero. This bourbon honors the small unit, nicknamed the Horse Soldiers. Their story was depicted in the 2018 movie 12 Strong, as well as the CNN documentaryLegion of Brothersand the American Response Monument located at Ground Zero in New York City. Made in the heart of America with pride and patience, Horse SoldierBourbon is distilled from a mash of 70% yellow dent corn, 20% red winter wheat, and 10% malted barley, using water from limestone aquifers carefully filtered for purity. The spirit is matured for 8 years in new, charred American oak casks before being bottled at a staggering 113 proof.

EXTRAORDINARILY COMPLEX WITH NOTES OF VANILLA, GINGER, AND CHERRIES. THIS BARREL STRENGTH “WHEATED” BOURBON IS MADE FROM SMALL BATCHES OF METICULOUSLY BLENDED MATURE WHISKEY. HORSE SOLDIER BOURBON IS NON-CHILL FILTERED TO PROVIDE A FULL-BODIED AND DECADENT FINISH.

AROMA: BUTTERSCOTCH, GINGER, CHERRIES

TASTING: BUTTERSCOTCH, OAK, STONE FRUITS, COLA, GINGER AND FLORAL NOTES.

COLOR: DEEP AMBER

Available in different proofs of 123, 122, 123.9, and 124.6 if you are looking for specific proof, please email our customer support at [email protected] with your request, otherwise the available proof will be shipped to you.   

Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. traces their roots back to the 1880's, to the heart of Henderson Kentucky. Peerless Whiskey was founded by a businessman with a bold personality Henry Kraver, who revived the brand from the brink of ruin in the late 1880s. Under Kraver's guidance, rose from the ashes, increasing production 25-fold. But the growth of the brand was subsequently stunted by the very unforgiving era of Prohibition. Now, a century later, Peerless Whiskey is in the hands of Kraver's great-grandson Corky Taylor and great-great-grandson Carson Taylor. Keeping Kraver's legacy alive, the duo has resurrected the brand, even distilling under the original Distilled Spirits Plant number, DSP-KY-50 in a centuries-old warehouse in downtown Louisville, near the Ohio River. Two years after releasing its flagship 2-year-old inaugural straight rye Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. has launched its first bourbon. Crafted onsite from grain to bottle, Master Distiller Caleb Kilburn used a sweet mash process and non-chill filtration to craft this landmark release for the brand. Most bourbon on the market today is "sour mash" cooked with a bit of already fermented grains (and the consistent yeast and bacteria included) from a previous distillation cycle. In contrast, "sweet mash" bourbon uses a freshly cultured batch of yeast each time. "The launch of our bourbon marks the realization of so many dreams from the team at Kentucky Peerless" says Caleb Kilburn. Aged four years this new release is bottled at a low barrel proof 108.9, a factor of both a low distillation proof and a low barrel entry proof, setting this bourbon apart from the crowd.

Maker Notes

It gives us great pleasure to introduce the beautiful Balmorhea. This magnificent Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey is bold but majestically-crafted, having been aged four years in new American white oak barrels, then transferred to a second new American white oak barrel, and aged for one year. Simply put, this 2-time US Micro Whisky of the Year and San Francisco Double Gold winner is bourbon candy in a bottle.

In 2013, our Master Distiller Donnis Todd filled 22 new American white oak barrels from The Barrel Mill – a Minnesota cooperage – with freshly-distilled 114 proof white dog. The barrels were then aged in the relentless West Texas heat for two years. All the while, the liquid inside cycled through the wood’s pores and crevices, extracting every bit of flavor possible.

In 2015, Donnis lugged the barrels in from the barns and dumped the liquid into stainless steel tanks. He then rolled a few 27-gallon Kelvin Cooperage barrels from Louisville, Kentucky below the tank spigot and filled the barrels with the already two-year-old straight bourbon. This second round of barrels had far different lignin and chemical compositions than the original barrels because they had been scorched and toasted differently, caramelizing the sugars in a wonderful new way.

In 2017, the bourbon was dumped into a long, thin stainless steel trough we call The Whiskey Girl, and we all began nosing and tasting the results. After rounds of tear-filled high fives and brotherly hugs, we started talking about names – the easiest part of getting this sensational liquid to market.

TASTING NOTES

Bourbon candy: frozen fudgesicle bars, amaretto coffee, sticky buns, and pecan brittle. Thick, white chocolate syrup.

WHAT IS BALMORHEA?
About 40 miles south of Pecos, Texas, there’s a little swimming hole called Balmorhea where I took my kids when they were young. The park’s name comes from four men’s surnames: E.D. Balcom, H.R. Morrow, John, and Joe Rhea. These men formed an irrigation company in the area in the early 20th century.

It’s rumored that big game hunters may have gathered at the springs in the Balmorhea area 11,000 years ago. Native Americans also swam the springs before the sadistic Spanish explorers came to the area. In 1849, the springs were known as Mescalero Springs, after the Mescalero Apache who watered their horses here.

To see the water flowing up from the underground spring into the canals is mesmerizing, undeniable evidence that God exists. Today, many are concerned that fracking could hurt the water quality or otherwise damage this beautiful child of Mother Nature.

Cleveland Black Reserve is a 100 proof, full-bodied bourbon. Cleveland Whiskey uses a proprietary process called Pressure-Aging, a process that opens and closes the pores of charred oak to significantly speed the aging. However, you’ll find the technique also makes for a richer, more flavorful bourbon that’s easy to drink.

Tasting Notes
Black Reserve delivers sweet vanilla oak, butterscotch, and caramel greet the nose, almost like an ice cream sundae. Upon first taste, classic bourbon notes hit your palette: Crushed clove, cinnamon, vanilla. This gives way to a finish reminiscent of pecan pie, raisins, and caramelized sugar. No added sugar, artificial flavor or preservatives.
Gluten free.

Mash Bill
75% Corn 21% Rye 4% Malted Barley

The Original Wheated Bourbon Whiskey features an exceptionally smooth taste, substituting wheat for rye grain. Bottled at 90 proof, this bourbon stands out with its burnt orange color. Its softer flavor notes make this bourbon great for sipping or making cocktails.

TASTING NOTES

A sweet nose with a presence of caramel. Tasting notes of honey, butterscotch, and a soft woodiness. It's smooth, delicate and calm. Features a smooth finish with a sweet honeysuckle flair.

Most Recent Awards

2023 Gold New York World Wine & Spirits Competition
2023 Silver San Francisco World Spirits Competition
2023 Gold ASCOT Awards
2023 Silver International Spirits Challenge

Situated along the banks of the East River, Kings County Distillery is New York City's oldest operating whiskey distillery and the first distillery in New York City since Prohibition. Wedged between Williamsburg and Vinegar Hill, Colin Spoelman and David Haskell, the master distillers at Kings County, make hand-crafted bourbon and moonshine out of the 113-year old Paymaster Building at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. A typewriter the two distillers found on the sidewalk in Williamsburg is used to make the labels that adorn their clear, flask-like bottles, while a hairdryer (made by Revlon) is used to affix each bottle seal. Handwritten scrawls on a chalkboard keep track of different batches, and mesh laundry bags are used as strainers. Haskell and Spoelman use the first alcohol produced from each batch the "head" as a disinfectant and sell the used mash to a pig farmer who uses it as feed. "I still don't understand why it doesn't make the pigs drunk," Haskell says. Kings County Bourbon is made from a mash bill of New York State-grown corn and malted English barley. Twice distilled on Scottish copper pot stills it's then aged for at least two years in new oak barrels. Smooth, spicy, and complex, this bourbon is a precocious whiskey, surprisingly robust for its age with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, and vanilla. Awarded three stars by the New York Times, and a double gold medal from the SF World Spirits Competition in 2019. Kings County currently produces about 150 gallons of bourbon a month. "We make enough to supply some of Brooklyn, some of Manhattan and that's about it," Spoelman says. After visiting their distillery, we bamboozled them into sharing some of their juice with the rest of the country. The bottles are filled, labeled and sealed by hand.

Situated along the banks of the East River, Kings County Distillery is New York City's oldest operating whiskey distillery and the first distillery in New York City since Prohibition. Wedged between Williamsburg and Vinegar Hill, Colin Spoelman and David Haskell, the master distillers at Kings County, make hand-crafted bourbon and moonshine out of the 113-year old Paymaster Building at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. A typewriter the two distillers found on the sidewalk in Williamsburg is used to make the labels that adorn their clear, flask-like bottles, while a hairdryer (made by Revlon) is used to affix each bottle seal. Handwritten scrawls on a chalkboard keep track of different batches, and mesh laundry bags are used as strainers. After milling and mashing the grains, the wash is slowly fermented at their distillery in blue tanks that resemble oil drums and then double-pot distilled. Haskell and Spoelman use the first alcohol produced from each batch the "head" as a disinfectant and sell the used mash to a pig farmer who uses it as feed. "I still don't understand why it doesn't make the pigs drunk," Haskell says. What is Peated Bourbon It's bourbon whiskey that conforms to the American requirements for bourbon but it incorporates malted barley that has been smoked with peat, a tradition common to some Scotch whiskeys. Made from 75% organic New York State corn, and 25% Scottish peated malt. Peated bourbon will definitely appeal to the adventurous whiskey traveler who has had a whiskey or two in their life. Aged for two summers (14 to 24 months) in a five-gallon charred, new oak barrels, Kings County Peated Bourbon Whiskey has an aroma of bonfire and juicy corn, which leads to notes of buttered toast, raisins and caramel on the palate. The finish is slightly smoky with hints of biscuits and more sweet corn. Now available in full 750 ml bottles.