This month we’ve got Bourbon on the Brain.

In honor of the release of the new Maker’s 46, we’ll be tasting a range of Bourbons at the September gathering of the BUMS.

Our featured whiskies will be Parker’s Heritage Collection Golden Anniversary Kentucky Straight Bourbon, 50% ABV; Jefferson’s Presidential Select (Batch 2), bottle 490, 1991 Vintage, 17-yr old, 47% ABV and Maker’s 46, 47% ABV with a bonus taste of Black Hill Maple 21, cask 5, 47.5% ABV.

How it All Began

The history of Bourbon has many of its roots in Scotland and Ireland.  When Gaelic immigrants settled in America they began distilling rye. Settlers from over 200 years ago in the Western Pennsylvania area became some of the first distillers in the US. George Washington was one of the noted whiskey producers of that time. But it was the Whiskey Rebellion of 1791-1794 that brought Bourbon-making, as we know it today into existence.

To quell this uprising, Washington and Jefferson made a settlement with those who would move to Kentucky, at that time part of Virginia, giving them 60 acres of land if they would raise “native corn.” Since corn is perishable and no family could eat 60 acres of corn, it was turned into corn whiskey plus the whiskey tax law did not apply to this part of the country. Although the new whiskey that was made was primarily corn, some rye and barley were also added to mash-bills in various quantities and today that is still the case.

Today the definition of Bourbon is that it must be a minimum of two years old, distilled at under 160 proof

(80 ABV), have at least 51% corn as its base grain, have no added colorings or flavorings, be bottled at no less than 80 proof and be aged in new charred oak barrels. It is this last rule of making Bourbon that provides Scotch makers the majority of their barrels for aging after being used to age Bourbon. Most Bourbon is made in Kentucky, although no law requires this. Many consider the limestone spring water found there to be ideal for making whiskey. Most Bourbon is 70% corn. As of 2005, straight Bourbons use a sour mash process whereby some of the yeast of the previous batch is mixed into each new batch as it ferments.

The name Bourbon is from the French Royal Family and was the name of a large county, west of the Allegheny Mountains, established in 1785. There no longer are any Bourbon producers in Bourbon County, as it now exists.

made in Scotland, which is the main ingredient in Blended Whisky.

Bourbon ages differently from Scotch. The warmer climate here means whiskies mature faster and unlike Scottish whisky, Bourbon gains proof as it ages rather than losing it as in Scotland. Those are two reasons you don’t often see old whiskies bottled in America. Whiskey makers here think it gets too woody too fast for extended barreling because of our climate. Most Bourbons are bottled at 3-6 years of age. However, we

will taste some older whiskies tonight.

Important Dates in Bourbon-Making

In 1783 Evan Williams opened the first Kentucky distillery. In 1789 Elijah Craig was the first to age whiskey in charred oak casks, which give Bourbon its reddish color and unique taste. In 1795 Jacob Beam sold his first barrel of “Old Jake Beam Sour.” His family legacy would end up being distillery giant Jim Beam, named after Jake Beam’s great grandson

The Samuels Family and Maker’s Mark

Bill Samuels, Jr. continues on as President although Maker’s is now owned by Fortune Brands, which also own Laphroaig and Jim Beam, among other properties. Recent news has the Master Distiller, Kevin Smith, who created Maker’s 46, moving to Jim Beam for an unspecified “very big job.” Greg Davis, who comes from the former Barton’s, now Tom Moore Distillery, where he was master distiller for 10 years, is replacing him. The Barton/Tom Moore Distillery has been in operation since 1879.

Maker’s Mark, in its current form has been made since 1954 and after aging about 6 years was first available for sale in 1959, when 4/5 of a quart sold for $6.79 a bottle. In 1980 a feature story on Maker’s Mark in The Wall Street Journal awakened the world to this small distiller and sales went through the roof. And so it went for the next 30 years until, giving in to pressure from its loyal consumers, an effort to expand the product line was seriously mounted.

Why had this cousin to Maker’s Mark been attempted at all? Well, according to Victoria MacRae-Samuels, VP of Operations and distant cousin to Bill Samuels, Jr., President, a lot of it had to do with the near fanatic fan base of Maker’s as epitomized by their Ambassador’s Club. For years they have been begging and pleading for more wonderfulness from their favorite distiller. Finally, Bill Samuels, Jr. challenged Kevin Smith to come up with a whisky that had all that was loved by Maker’s loyal drinkers but with a personality that was distinctive from the original. A daunting task no doubt but one met with a determination not to deviate from the values that make the original a classic while still giving the devotees of Maker’s a new way to enjoy their favorite tipple.

Maker’s 46, at 94 proof, is the same Maker’s that goes into the classic expression but after maturing

(5 yrs, 9 mos-6 yrs) it is vatted in an 150 barrel dump, to be stored briefly, while the two end barrel hoops are popped off along with the head of each barrel and 10 specially toasted staves are installed on two rods which

hold them in place, on opposite sides, within the barrel. The whisky is returned to the barrels for an additional

The folks at Maker’s, especially Kevin Smith, master distiller, worked with Brad Boswell at Kentucky Cooperage to come up with the new barreling process. They ended up with the 46th version of a searing/toasting of French oak staves as their perfect choice for the extra aging after much experimentation, thus the name.

Maker’s 46 has already won a Silver medal at the 2010 International Whisky Competition that was just held this past April, in Chicago, in a “North America” category. Surely more accolades will follow.

Already demand has been so high for Maker’s 46 that supplies shipping in September have been pre-sold.

Locally you can get Maker’s 46 at The Wine Merchant from Spirits Specialist Dave Davis.

$35-45

Jefferson’s Presidential Select 17–yr old is, like Maker’s, a wheated bourbon.

Jefferson’s is a brand owned by Castle Brands, who also own Knappogue Castle and Clontarf Irish Whiskeys,

as well as some rum, vodka, tequila, wine, liquer and rum brands.

The origin of the Jefferson’s brand is with McLain and Kyne Bourbon Distillery, which harkens back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Today they produce small batch bourbons comprising only 12-15 barrels per batch to produce, Jefferson’s, Jefferson Reserve, Jefferson’s Presidential Select and Sam Houston but source their whiskies from other producers (no distilling on their own).

Their mash bill was another heavily wheated bourbon recipe.

On the Chuck Bowdery Blog he states, “Both Heaven Hill and Buffalo Trace got some Stitzel-Weller barrels when they bought Old Fitzgerald and W. L. Weller respectively. No one has ever been quite sure how much Diageo retained. Did they really mean to age it 17 years or more? How did McLain & Kyne get it?”

I wonder too, but in any case we can be glad it hit the market.

John Hansel rates this a 96 with these notes, “ A gentle, richly-textured whiskey, loaded with fruit and spice. Black raspberry jam, caramel apple, and papaya, along with warming cinnamon and subtle teaberry, on nutty toffee, nougat, and creamy vanilla. Spicy, polished oak finish. Superbly balanced, sophisticated, and very drinkable. An outstanding whiskey!”

**** Superb. Highly Recommended. F. Paul Pacult, Spirit Journal

Price $80-$105

The Story Behind Parker’s Heritage Collection Golden Anniversary Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Joseph Beam was Jim Beam’s first cousin.

Parker’s was Malt Advocate’s “American Whiskey of the Year” for 2010. Parker Beam, one of the

(50 years) of working in the whiskey industry. This bottling contains whisky from each of the past five decades, with the oldest from 1968.

John Hansell, editor of Malt Advocate rates this whiskey a 97, with these notes, “This is a fabulous whiskey: seamless and incredibly complex, with an impeccable marriage of youth and maturity. It’s also very even-keeled throughout -- quite different than last year’s equally impressive PHC, a 27 year old, whose personality was more like an exhilarating old wooden rollercoaster ride (and also brandished more oak). Look for candied citrus, nectarine, blueberry, and sultana anchored by a nougat center, laced with honeyed vanilla and orange creamsicle. There’s a dusting of cocoa powder, brittle mint, and cinnamon, too. Tobacco leaves, polished leather, and teasing bourbon barrel char round out the palate, emerging more prominently towards a warming finish. A classic!”

Jim Murray, in his 2010 Whisky Bible rates this whiskey a 96.5.

Price $135-$150

Finally, we come to a curious, but delicious bottling.

Black Hill Maple 21, like Jefferson’s Select is a whisky that is sourced from a distillery other than its bottler. 

Evan Kulsveen, who married Thompson Willett’s daughter, Martha, has been choosing the whiskey they currently bottle. He has been with the company since 1984. The Willett family, were distillers in England before coming to the American Colonies in the 1600’s. From the mid 1930s to the early 1980’s the Willett Family Distilling Company was in operation on the outskirts of Bardstown, Kentucky. Today in the renovation of the old plant new distilling equipment is being installed along with the refurbishing of the old column still, which had not been removed from the plant.

Adam of the LA Whisk(e)y Society rates Cask 7 an A with these notes, “Nose of overwhelming sweet maple.  Not like, gee I detect maple, but this is overwhelmingly maple.  Some pecans.  Palate so sweet, so smooth, great wood influence.  Finish leaves chewy oaky goodness, vanilla on the tail end.  Rich and bourbony all the way through.  Nearly deserves an A+, but just falls a hair short.”

Notes on Wine Globe website state, “Black Maple Hill bourbons are incredibly smooth, with complex flavors that range from baked apple pie, to smoky and rich butterscotch. The 21 year old is incredible. Very, very smooth with a tremendous length. Treat yourself to this wonderful bourbon.”

$80-$110, not widely available