Bourbon News April 19, 2024 Edition

Welcome to this week’s Bourbon News for April 19, 2024! We’ll do a short recap of notable Distillery, Whiskey & Bourbon News from the past two weeks. If you want to learn more about any entry, then simply follow the links to read the full press release or other sources. Cheers!

Weekly Whiskey & Bourbon News – April 19, 2024

But First, Here’s What’s New on BourbonObsessed.com

• We took a deep dive into Heaven Hill Distillery’s three flagship bourbons – Elijah Craig Small Batch, Larceny and Heaven Hill Bottled-In-Bond. Read the full article here.
• Ray Marcano reviewed the new Yellowstone Rum Cask Finished Bourbon. His review is here.
• We’ve refreshed and updated many of our Kentucky Distillery write-ups. Check them out here.

Now, on to the news!

Weekly Whiskey & Bourbon News – April 19, 2024

There’s a new bottle series on the way from Maker’s Mark and Keenland Race Course:

Keeneland and Maker’s Mark® Announce New Series: “Greats of the Gate” Bottle Series Will Honor the Greatest Thoroughbreds of All Time Beginning with Man o’ War

Keeneland Race Course and Maker’s Mark® Kentucky Bourbon announced a new chapter in their longstanding partnership with the launch of “Greats of the Gate,” a 10-year commemorative bottle series celebrating Thoroughbred racing’s most iconic horses – featuring a different horse each year. The first bottle in the series arrives this Fall, and honors Man o’ War, who competed from 1919 to 1920, winning 20 of 21 races, including the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. The limited-editon bottle features an illustration by Kentucky artist Tyler Robertson with artwork wrapping around the bottle in yellow and black – the racing colors for Man o’ War.

Proceeds from each year’s “Greats of the Gate” bottle will benefit nonprofits that support Kentucky culture, including the horseracing industry, hospitality and the arts. For the first three years of the 10-year series, the “Greats of the Gate” bottle will support Kentucky Harvest, Art Center of the Bluegrass and Blue Grass Farms Charities. Future charities, as well as the cost of the bottle are yet to be announced. The bottles will be available exclusively at select Kentucky retailers that sell Maker’s Mark. Read the full press release here.

Weekly Whiskey & Bourbon News – April 19, 2024

Beam Suntory along with Supercritical Solutions succeed in using hydrogen for direct fire distillation:

Beam Suntory and Supercritical Solutions Celebrate a World-First in Journey to Net Zero Hydrogen Distilling for Whisky Production

Beam Suntory and Supercritical Solutions Ltd (Supercritical) are celebrating a milestone moment for the WhiskHy project as trials prove that hydrogen is a viable fuel source for direct-fired distillation. The successful trial is a world-first achievement in hydrogen distilling for whisky production. In 2021, the WhiskHy project received green innovation project funding from the UK government to carry out feasibility studies for green hydrogen-based decarbonisation technology at Beam Suntory-owned distilleries. As part of Project WhiskHy, Supercritical has advanced its proprietary technology, the first ever ultra-efficient, high pressure electrolyser, which would enable a distillery to produce and store hydrogen on site, powered by local renewable power sources. The trial was performed at Suntory’s Yamazaki distillery’s pilot distillery in Japan.

Link to full press release.

Weekly Whiskey & Bourbon News – April 19, 2024

Yellowstone Bourbon Launches Once-in-a-Lifetime Getaway Contest

Yellowstone Bourbon announced a contest for consumers to win an all-inclusive trip to Yellowstone National Park in 2024. Consumers can enter the Yellowstone National Park Getaway Contest now through July 15 by submitting a photo and a writeup about their love for the great outdoors — a hiking story, poem or another kind of written expression.

The three lucky winners and their plus-one will experience the ultimate national park adventure September 5-8, 2024, including hiking, horseback riding, sightseeing, curated meals, private accommodations and round-trip airfare.

Weekly Whiskey & Bourbon News – April 19, 2024

Rabbit Hole is doubling down on Mizunara Cask Finished bourbon. This time it’s 15 years old and at an even higher price:

Rabbit Hole Releases Second Mizunara Cask Finished Bourbon

Rabbit Hole Distillery released their second bottling of Mizunara, a 15-year-old Kentucky bourbon finished in rare Japanese Mizunara oak barrels. This limited-edition bourbon is part of their Founder’s Collection. It boasts complex flavors and a hefty price tag of $1500. Only 2200 bottles are available for purchase. Read the full press release here.

Weekly Whiskey & Bourbon News – April 19, 2024

Balcones has a new take on their Mirador Single Malt, in honor of the eclipse:

Balcones Distilling Announces Mirador Eclipse American Single Malt

To celebrate the eclipse, Balcones Distilling announces the latest Mirador release, Balcones Mirador Eclipse American Single Malt. Balcones Distilling was in the path of totality, so this release seems very appropriate. Making this whiskey unique is the use of two new strains of yeast – a red wine and a rosé yeast – alongside the house malt whisky yeast. The whisky was matured in a selection of first, second, and third-fill used Kentucky bourbon casks for four to five years. Mirador Eclipse will be available in May 2024 at an MSRP of $100. Read the full press release here.

Weekly Whiskey & Bourbon News – April 19, 2024

I tried this new A. Overholt Rye the other day, and it was quite enjoyable. My full review is coming soon!

Beam Launches A. Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey

The James B. Beam Distilling Co. announced the latest release in the Overholt Rye line: A. Overholt Monongahela Mash Straight Rye Whiskey! A. Overholt uses the same mashbill Overholt™ founder, Abraham Overholt used in 1810 – 80% rye grain and 20% soft malted barley – creating what is said to be a fully warm yet deep spice, similar to rye whiskey from the 1800’s. (On my first taste of this, I actually found it to be sweeter and with more fruit than I expected) A. Overholt will be available nationwide for an MSRP of $39.99. 95 proof. Read the full press release here.

Weekly Whiskey & Bourbon News – April 19, 2024

Lux Row adds a new finished bourbon to its line. This actually surprised me a bit since they already have finished bourbons in their Daviess County and Blood Oath families:

Lux Row Announces Ezra Brooks 99 Port Cask Finish

Lux Row Distillers announced the latest addition to the Ezra Brooks brand family: Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish. Finished in port casks from Portugal for six months, Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish delivers the great spicy rye bourbon taste and smooth finish Ezra Brooks is known for in its already bold 99 proof bourbon, with additional flavor notes. The new variant will start shipping to retailers later this month at a suggested retail price of $34.99 per 750 ml bottle. Read the full press release here.

Weekly Whiskey & Bourbon News – April 19, 2024

Bulleit 12 Year Rye, first released in 2019, is back again!

Bulleit Frontier Whiskey 12-Year-Old Rye returns after five years

Bulleit’s 12-year aged rye whiskey is coming back after a five-year hiatus, due to popular demand. It is a limited-availability extension of Bulleit Rye Whiskey, America’s #1 selling rye whiskey (according to Nielsen Data – Rye Segment Analysis 3.23.24). This rye whiskey (distilled in Indiana) uses a 95/5 mash bill and is aged for at least 12 years, with some barrels up to 17 years old. It will be available nationwide (except Maine) for an MSRP of $54.99. 92 proof. Read the full press release here.

Weekly Whiskey & Bourbon News – April 19, 2024

Thanks For Reading!

Well, that’s it! I hope you have enjoyed this week’s Bourbon News! If you would like our bourbon and distillery news delivered directly to your inbox, please sign up for our mailing list here. You can also follow us on Instagram and Facebook. I hope you have a great rest of the weekend and we’ll see you again in two weeks! Cheers!🥃

Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us? If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!