Four Roses 2020 Limited Edition, Blanton's Straight From the Barrel & More New Whisky
August 28, 2020 –––––– Susannah Skiver Barton
Four Roses 2020 Limited Edition Small Batch
Style: Straight bourbonOrigin: KentuckyAge: Not statedProof: 55.7% ABVPrice: $150Release: September 2020Availability: 14,040 bottles for the U.S.
Need to know:
This year's limited-edition Four Roses combines four of the distillery's 10 recipes in these rough proportions:
- 30% 12 year old OBSV
- 25% 12 year old OESV
- 25% 16 year old OESK
- 20% 19 year old OBSK
Whisky Advocate says:
Four Roses uses two mashbills and five strains of yeast to create its 10 recipes. B or E indicates the mashbill, while the fourth letter—F, K, V, O, or Q—refers to the specific yeast strain. The V strain creates delicate fruit flavors while K adds light spice. Four Roses' website has more information on the recipes, as does this video with the late, great Al Young, the distillery's longtime manager and brand ambassador.
Blanton's Straight From The Barrel
Style: Straight bourbonOrigin: KentuckyAge: Not statedProof: Varies (barrel proof)Price: $150Release: Fall 2020Availability: Limited edition
Need to know:
This is Blanton's straight bourbon with no added water, meaning each single barrel is at barrel proof.
Whisky Advocate says:
Though this expression has been available overseas for years, this is the first time it will be sold in the U.S. It follows the stateside release of Blanton's Gold, which was announced earlier this year.
Ardbeg 19 year old Traigh Bhan (Batch 2)
Style: Single maltOrigin: Scotland (Islay)Age: 19 years oldProof: 46.2% ABVPrice: $300Release: September 2020Availability: Limited
Need to know:
The second batch of Traigh Bhan, this heavily peated single malt whisky matured in bourbon and oloroso sherry casks.
Whisky Advocate says:
Each year's edition of Traigh Bhan will have subtle flavor differences depending on what casks were available for blending. This year there's a higher proportion of first-fill bourbon casks, alongside refill bourbon and sherry casks. The inaugural release scored a whopping 95 points, so even if Batch 2 doesn't hit quite such a high mark—it's still going to be good.
GlenDronach 1989 Kingsman Edition
Style: Single maltOrigin: Scotland (Highlands)Age: 29 years oldProof: 51% ABVPrice: $1,299Release: September 2020Availability: 3,052 bottles
Need to know:
Modeled after the oldest whisky GlenDronach has on-site—a 29 year old bottled in 1913—this single malt matured in oloroso sherry casks before a finish in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks.
Whisky Advocate says:
GlenDronach is the partner whisky for the Kingsman movie franchise, and released a 26 year old, which scored 90 points, when Kingsman: The Golden Circle came out back in 2017. This whisky, coinciding with the release of the third film, The King's Man, should be equally well-received, as the distillery's releases—created by master blender Rachel Barrie—are of consistently high quality.
Bardstown Bourbon Co. Destillaré Orange Curaçao Barrel-Finished
Style: Finished bourbonOrigin: TennesseeAge: Not statedProof: 50% ABVPrice: $125Release: August 2020Availability: 3,000 bottles
Need to know:
Bardstown Bourbon Co. partnered with Copper & Kings American Brandy Co. on this Tennessee-made bourbon, which aged for 9 years in new charred oak before an 18-month finish in the brandy company's Destillaré orange curaçao barrels.
Whisky Advocate says:
Bardstown Bourbon and Copper & Kings have been frequent partners in the past, with the whiskey maker using a variety of the brandy distillery's barrels, from mistelle to oloroso sherry.
Pinhook Bohemian Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Style: Straight bourbonOrigin: KentuckyAge: Not statedProof: 47.5% ABVPrice: $38Release: August 2020Availability: For sale in 25 states and online
Need to know:
Made at Castle & Key Distillery from a mashbill of 75% corn, 15% rye, and 10% malted barley, this is Pinhook's new flagship bourbon.
Whisky Advocate says:
It joins the flagship rye, also made at Castle & Key, that debuted earlier this year, and is meant as an everyday companion bourbon to the Bohemian High Proof that came out a few months ago.
Three Chord 15 year old Whiskey Drummer
Style: Straight bourbonOrigin: KentuckyAge: 15 years oldProof: 58.95% ABVPrice: $190Release: September 2020Availability: Under 2,500 bottles
Need to know:
This Kentucky straight bourbon is 15 years old and bottled by Three Chord, a whiskey company backed by musician Neil Giraldo.
Whisky Advocate says:
While Three Chord has released blends up to now, this is an unblended straight bourbon. Look for a review in the Fall Buying Guide!
Waterford Rathclogh Edition 1.1
Style: Single maltOrigin: IrelandAge: Not statedProof: 50% ABVPrice: $95Release: October 2020Availability: 13,000 bottles for the U.S. only
Need to know:
This whiskey was distilled from barley grown by Richard Raftice in Kilkenny, Ireland.
Waterford Dunmore Edition 1.1
Style: Single maltOrigin: IrelandAge: Not statedProof: 50% ABVPrice: $95Release: October 2020Availability: 13,000 bottles for the U.S. only
Need to know:
The barley used for this whiskey came from the farm of John Tynan in County Laois.
Waterford Dunbell Edition 1.1
Style: Single maltOrigin: IrelandAge: Not statedProof: 50% ABVPrice: $95Release: October 2020Availability: 6,000 bottles for the U.S. only
Need to know:
The malted barley in this whiskey was grown by Ned Murphy in County Kilkenny.
Waterford Organic Gaia 1.1
Style: Single maltOrigin: IrelandAge: Not statedProof: 50% ABVPrice: $110Release: September 2020Availability: 6,000 bottles
Need to know:
Certified by the Organic Trust, this whisky was distilled in 2016 from barley grown by several Irish farmers. It matured in 42% first-fill bourbon barrels, 17% virgin American oak, 23% premium French oak, and 18% sweet fortified wine casks.
Whisky Advocate says:
Waterford Distillery's goal is to showcase the terroir of whiskey by separately distilling and maturing barley grown in individual Irish farms, though the organic expression combines the harvests of multiple contributors to make a larger batch. All the whiskeys are natural color with no chill-filtration.Each bottle of the whiskey has a “téireoir” (a portmanteau of terroir and Éire, the Gaelic name for Ireland) code, which can be entered on Waterford's website to reveal in-depth information about its production.
Barrell Batch 025
Style: Blend of straight bourbonsOrigin: KY, IN, and TNAge: Not statedProof: 56.7% ABVPrice: $90Release: August 2020Availability: Limited edition
Need to know:
This whiskey blends 5 and 9 year old wheated bourbons with 13 and 15 year old corn-forward bourbons, along with some 9 year old high-rye bourbon.
Whisky Advocate says:
Barrell's bourbon blends are typically excellent quality, though occasionally vary; we reviewed Batch 023 in the Spring 2020 Buying Guide, giving it 92 points, but Batch 022 scored 86 points. Both of those scores indicate good whiskey, of course—but our blind tasting panel clearly found them different. That's part of what makes Barrell such an exciting producer, though—every batch is different, and there are always new flavors to discover.
Michter's US*1 Toasted Barrel-Finished Rye (2020 Release)
Style: Finished ryeOrigin: KentuckyAge: Not statedProof: Barrel proof (average 54.6% ABV)Price: $85Release: September 2020Availability: Limited edition
Need to know:
This whiskey initially matured in new charred oak barrels, then was finished in barrels made of 24-month air-dried oak toasted to custom specifications.
Whisky Advocate says:
If you're going to drink toasted barrel whiskey, first you must know the differences between toasting and charring. And if you're going to drink this toasted barrel whiskey, you're in for a treat; the 2017 release scored 90 points in the Buying Guide.
Rossville Union Single Barrel Bottled in Bond Straight Rye
Style: Bottled in bond ryeOrigin: IndianaAge: Not statedProof: 50% ABVPrice: $50Release: September 2020Availability: Limited edition
Need to know:
This is a single-barrel version of MGP's Rossville Union straight rye that also happens to meet all the criteria for bottling in bond.
Whisky Advocate says:
The single-barrel rye is only available at select retailers. See if there's one near you on this list.
Blade & Bow 22 year old
Style: Straight bourbonOrigin: KentuckyAge: 22 years oldProof: 46% ABVPrice: $450Release: September 2020Availability: Limited edition
Need to know:
This is the yearly release of Blade & Bow 22 year old. The straight bourbon is the same as in previous years, but the price continues to creep up, from $300 last year to $450 this year.
Whisky Advocate says:
How much more of this 22 year old bourbon does Diageo, Blade & Bow's parent company, have? Presumably it's going to run out at some point, as Diageo doesn't have a distillery for Blade & Bow (yet) and super-aged bourbon isn't exactly coming out of the tap. That 50% price jump to $450 indicates either extreme optimism on Diageo's part, or fairly dwindled stock.
West Fork Whiskey Co. Bicentennial Bourbon
Style: BourbonOrigin: IndianaAge: Not statedProof: 50% ABVPrice: $50Release: August 2020Availability: 650 bottles; for sale at the distillery's tasting room
Need to know:
Made by West Fork Whiskey Co., this bourbon commemorates the bicentennial of Indianapolis.
Whisky Advocate says:
Though MGP is Indiana's best-known whiskey distillery, the state has several energetic craft producers as well, including West Fork. If you're a Hoosier—or just planning a visit to Indianapolis, a great city for whisky lovers—raise a glass to even more whiskey flowing from the state.
Spirit Hound Barrel No. 1
Style: Single maltOrigin: ColoradoAge: 7 years oldProof: 45% ABVPrice: $300Release: August 2020Availability: Around 250 bottles; for sale at the distillery
Need to know:
Distilled in 2012, this whiskey survived historic flooding that damaged Spirit Hound's distillery the following year. As the name indicates, it was the first barrel Spirit Hound ever filled.
Whisky Advocate says:
Though it's only for sale at the distillery—and it's pretty spendy—this whiskey comes packaged in a nifty custom box that opens up like a clamshell when the top is removed and the bottle is lifted. Even after you finish this whiskey, you can reuse the box for other Spirit Hound bottles.
