Our local Spirits Guide likes to alert you to cool and new whiskies whenever they arrive. Especially when, you know, there’s still snow on the ground in April (with more on the way). We recently received a brand-new single barrel of cask strength Four Roses (OESK!), your brand-new favorite rye, and limited edition Woodford Reserve bottles right in time for the Kentucky Derby. Boom.
Four Roses Cask Strength Single Barrel OESK $79.99
Four Roses Cask Strength selections are like unicorns. You usually need to travel down to Cox’s Creek in Kentucky and sample barrels yourself to pick out your own. We were lucky enough to get a barrel picked by Four Roses’ tasting committee, the first-ever to come to Minnesota. The Four Roses tasting committee consists of a combination of Four Roses employees, seasoned Kentucky bourbon drinkers, Master Distiller Brent Elliot and the historic Al Young. Four Roses makes 10 different bourbons between their mash bill and yeast strain. The E stands for 20% “low” rye content and the K stands for a yeast strain that evokes slight spice. This single barrel is bursting with juicy cherry, caramel, and cinnamon spice. We couldn’t be happier with it!
Pinhook “Bourbon-N-Rye” Rye Whiskey $36.99
Pinhook is a brand new company based out of Kentucky that purchases and blends American whiskies, much like High West and many others. According their website, “pinhooking” is an old southern term for the very shrewd purchasing of a young thoroughbred. In other words, they know how to pick a winner. Each of their releases are named after a different winning horse from the Bourbon Lane Stables in Versailles, Kentucky. Their first release to Minnesota is also their first ever rye whiskey picked from honeyed barrels of MGP rye from Indiana. The whiskey tastes like vanilla bean, dried apricot, warm cinnamon, brown sugar, and mint. Perfect for the rye sipper and cocktail maker!
Woodford Reserve Bourbon Derby Edition #144 $44.99
Woodford Reserve is the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, and of course, the mint juleps that come with them! Every year Woodford comes out with a brand-new limited edition bottle with a different artist’s rendition of the derby. This year is a fantastic shot of all the horses being released out of the gate. Inside, it is the same old standard Woodford Reserve, just in a bigger liter bottle. Tailor-made for Kentucky Derby parties–get it while it’s hot!
Our bourbon and rye shelf is always growing and changing, so come on in and ask us what’s new and interesting whenever you can!
