A captain on the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and former lead American whiskey critic for Whisky Advocate, Minnick, a Wall Street Journal-bestselling author, tasted more than 600 whiskeys throughout the Pandemic. Throughout the year, Minnick tasted before live audiences amongst the various platforms. Minnick’s American Whiskey of the Year was taped live for YouTube and will later appear on Amazon Prime.

In a blind tasting, Minnick selected Pappy Van Winkle 15 year over categorical winners Sazerac 18-year-old rye whiskey (Best Rye), Barrell Bourbon Batch 26 (Best Blend of Straights), Journeyman’s Corsets, Buggy & Whips (Best Wheat Whiskey), Four Gate Batch 6 (Best Barrel Finish), MB Roland Corn Whiskey (Best Corn Whiskey), Slipknot’s No. 9 (Best Celebrity Whiskey), and St. George Spirits American Single Malt (Best American Single Malt).

However, Minnick notes a big winner was the sixth place finisher in the bourbon taste off: Spirits of French Lick’s Lee Sinclair Bottled in Bond.

“The truth is, 95% of the best American whiskey comes out of Kentucky and Tennessee,” Minnick says. “And if a small craft distiller in French Lick, Indiana, can out taste the likes of Knob Creek 15 year old, that shows the future of bourbon is bright.”

The winner Pappy Van Winkle 15 year certainly does not need another award, but Minnick notes it’s highly allocated for a reason. “When I tasted this blind, I was wowed,” he said. “The whiskey doesn’t lie, and that 15 year old bourbon is truly great and deserves this accolade.”

Best American Whiskey: Pappy Van Winkle 15 year old (Frankfort, Kentucky)

Bourbon Rankings:

1. Pappy Van Winkle 15 year old, 2020
2. William LaRue Weller, Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, 2020 (Frankfort, Kentucky)
3. Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch, 2020 (Lawrenceburg, Kentucky)
4. Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #2 (Bardstown, Kentucky)
5. Booker’s 2020-2 (Clermont, Kentucky)
6. Spirits of French Lick Lee Sinclair (French Lick, Indiana)

Best Barrel Finish: Four Gate Batch 6

Best Blend of Straights: Barrell Bourbon Batch 26 (Louisville, Kentucky)

Best Celebrity Whiskey: Slipknot No. 9 Reserve Iowa Whiskey (Swisher, Iowa)

Best Rye Whiskey: Sazerac 18 year old, Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, 2020 (Frankfort, Kentucky)

Best Corn Whiskey: MB Roland (Pembroke, Kentucky)

Best Wheat Whiskey: Journeyman Corsets, Whips & Whiskey, Batch 10 (Three Oaks, Michigan)

Best American Single Malt: St. George Spirits American Single Malt Lot 20 (Alameda, California)

Source: Minnick Media

Photo by Terricks Noah from Pexels

Distill Ventures (‘DV’), the world’s first independent drinks accelerator devoted to building and scaling the drinks brands of the future, shares highlights from its second Whisky Summit, The Women of Whisky; Perspectives on Inclusion, Representation and the Future, which was held on December 2.

The digital conference, hosted by whisky expert and journalist Becky Paskin, brought a lineup of thought-leaders together from around the globe to discuss and share their own experiences and suggestions on how to foster a more inclusive whisky industry. Featured speakers included Ashley Frey, Co-Founder, Frey Ranch Distillery (United States), Hil Ying Tse, Managing Director, Whiskies & More (Hong Kong), Julie Bramham, Global Brand Director, Johnnie Walker (Netherlands), Laura Davies, Distillery Manager, Penderyn Distillery (Wales), and Kristy Lark-Booth, Owner & Operator, Killara Distillery (Australia). Heidi Dillon Otto, Managing Director, Distill Ventures North America also provided opening and closing remarks, emphasizing DV’s ongoing dedication to fostering a more diverse, inclusive environment. The full session is available for viewing here.

During the summit, the women shared personal anecdotes and experiences, prompting a robust discussion on how to foster inclusion in the industry and support diverse leaders to shape the future of the category.

When discussing hurdles that women face in the drinks industry, labeling drink choices as “feminine” or “girly” came up as a top issue. Hil Ying Tse, Managing Director, Whiskies & More stated, “A drink should not be a gender base. It should be whatever one likes.”

The industry has a responsibility to remove any stereotypes from brand marketing and communications  according to Julie Bramham, Global Brand Director, Johnnie Walker. As Julie said, “Gender portrayal in advertising is a challenge for many industries and quite a hot topic at the moment. We all have an unconscious bias. At Diageo we have developed an open source framework which we use with all of our agencies to ensure progressive female representation at every stage of the creative development process both in front of and behind the camera.  We need the entire industry to get behind this agenda to drive change.”

Ashley Frey, Co-Founder, Frey Ranch Distillery built on this as she discussed the importance of thinking through the spokespeople used to promote and represent her brand. As she shared, “Colby (her co-founder and husband) and I are the face of the company and if Colby is in the picture, I’m right there next to him. One of the things that we’ve done is look at our messaging and activities to make sure they’re balanced – for example, our marketing program includes combined Mother’s Day and Father’s Day activations so that we’re appealing to men and women equally.”

When asked about providing opportunities for women to be in leadership roles and overall advice for women in the category, Laura Davies, Distillery Manager, Penderyn Distillery said, “You have to show that you can do the job. You have to show that you are in that position not because you are a woman, but because you can do the job.”  She added, “Know your worth. Don’t sit and wait for someone to give you the same opportunities a man would have. It’s really important as women that we don’t sell ourselves short; we take personal responsibility and we push ourselves forward.”

Kristy Lark-Booth, Owner & Operator, Killara Distillery supported Laura’s sentiment, advising, “Don’t underestimate your self-worth; really believe in yourself. With the Australian Women in Distilling Association, it’s really exciting to be able to educate women in the industry and hear their experiences and watch their self-worth grow.”

Heidi Dillon Otto, Managing Director, Distill Ventures North America concluded, “With over 200 attendees, our Women of Whisky summit was the most subscribed event we’ve ever hosted. The drinks community from all over the world has spoken loud and clear – it’s time to change. Everyone has a role to play in speaking up so that as an industry, we can expediate this change.

“Fostering a more inclusive, representative industry is the key to unlocking a more vibrant, healthy and dynamic sector, but it’s not just those in the industry that can help. As Kristy Lark-Booth pointed out, we’re all consumers too, and we should not underestimate the power of voting with our spending.”

Source: Distill Ventures

Westward American Single Malt Pinot Noir Cask is a truly elegant whiskey, influenced by Oregon’s premier grape varietal: Pinot Noir. This blend of cask-finished whiskeys is created in partnership with a handful of iconic Willamette Valley producers, including Bergstrom Wines and Suzor Wines, among others. The spirit reflects the vibrance of the winemaking region’s signature grape while allowing the bold, robust notes of the whiskey to shine. Westward’s Pinot Noir Cask begins with original Westward American Single Malt, which is made from scratch using Pacific Northwest two-row barley, brewed with American pale ale yeast for outstanding flavor, double pot distilled for exceptional character, and matured in 2-char, kiln dried 53-gallon new American oak barrels. The whiskey is then finished for up to two years in French Oak wine casks that previously held Pinot Noir. It is bottled at 90 proof (45% ABV) and priced at $89.99.

At Westward, great reverence is given to the resources found naturally in the Northwest.  The abundance of the region gives Westward both the best raw materials and the best craftspeople. Westward is proudly handmade by a collection of world class distillers, each of whom follow their ‘True Northwest,’ a rally cry now featured on the new bottle design, as they draw inspiration from the region’s majestic surroundings and pursue their ambitions as artisans and whiskey makers at the Westward Whiskey Distillery in Portland, Oregon. Westward’s new visual overhaul is a tribute to this sentiment, and the cuts and edges reflected in the bottle mirror the raw beauty and dramatic mountain ranges found in the American Northwest, Likewise, the new, angular label is designed to reflect the mountain peaks of Westward’s origin and capture the craftsmanship that goes into perfecting its whiskeys every day.

“At Westward, there are no shortcuts, and therein lies the beauty. We pursue perfection by raising a world class whiskey through our long, slow, process,” said Thomas Mooney, CEO and Co-Founder, Westward Whiskey. “Today, we celebrate the culmination of a project we have worked on for the last two years. Our new custom bottle and design expresses the uncompromising spirit of the American Northwest, and they represent Westward’s meticulous devotion to our process, culture, climate, and ingredients. We’re thrilled to introduce a new, elevated visual identity that further highlights the beauty of our award-winning whiskeys.”

Westward’s new visual identity and packaging was developed in collaboration with Pearlfisher, an award-winning design agency. The company’s enthusiastic group of creatives worked diligently to capture the essence of Westward and its commitment to quality.

As part of this redesign, Westward has also unveiled a new brand home at WestwardWhiskey.com. In addition to a robust shipping capability throughout Westward’s home state of Oregon, the company’s portfolio of award-winning whiskeys will now be able to ship nationally directly through the company’s site.

The Westward Family of American Single Malts

Westward American Single Malt

Single Malt, reimagined. Born of the unique culture, climate and abundant resources of the Northwest, this elevated American original demonstrates our craftsmanship and creativity. Our distinct, rich, and brazen American Single Malt  is the pinnacle of whiskey. Created from locally malted barley, brewed with ale yeast for exceptional flavor, and matured to perfection in new, lightly charred American Oak barrels right here in Oregon, where our hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters are the ideal environment to raise a world class whiskey.

Bottled at 45% ABV / 90 proof

MRSP: $69.99 for 750ml

Westward American Single Malt Stout Cask

A celebration of Oregon’s legendary brewing culture, this whiskey grew out of our longstanding cask-trading tradition among a select group of beer producers in the Northwest. For as long as we’ve been making whiskey, we’ve traded our freshly-emptied barrels with some of our brewing friends in and around the Northwest, who have in turn “seasoned” them with Stout before returning them again. Our Stout Cask Finish begins with our Westward American Single Malt, and is then aged for one year in Stout casks.

Bottled at 46% ABV / 92 proof

MSRP: $89.99 for 750 ml

Westward American Single Malt Pinot Noir Cask

A tribute to Oregon’s legendary Willamette Valley wine country, this elegant whiskey is influenced by the region’s premier grape varietal: Pinot Noir. This cask-finished whiskey reflects the vibrance of the Valley’s signature grape while allowing the bold, robust notes of our whiskey to shine through. Our Pinot Noir Cask begins with our original Westward American Single Malt, which is then finished for up to two years in French Oak wine casks from a handful of award-winning producers in the region.

Bottled at 45% ABV / 90 proof

MSRP: $89.99 for 750 ml

Source: Westward Whiskey

Now in its 25th year and with 1700 entries across 70 countries, the 2020 ISC competition awarded one Double Gold to Kavalan’s *Solist Vinho Barrique and a further 9 Golds earlier in the year. The gold medal winners are as follows:

• Kavalan Classic Single Malt Whisky
• Kavalan Concertmaster Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky
• Kavalan Ex-Bourbon Oak Single Malt Whisky
• Kavalan Oloroso Sherry Oak Single Malt Whisky
• Kavalan *Solist Fino Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky
• King Car Conductor Single Malt Whisky
• Kavalan Podium Single Malt Whisky
• Kavalan *Solist Port Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky
• King Car 40th Anniversary Selected Wine Cask Matured Single Malt Whisky

CEO Mr YT Lee said: “We are honoured to receive the recognition for our distillery and help place Taiwan on the world whisky stage again.”

Previously in 2015, Vinho was singled out by the World Whiskies Awards and named the World’s Best Single Malt Whisky. In 2019, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition gave it a Platinum medal, which signifies 3 consecutive Double Golds.

The whisky behind the groundbreaking Shave, Toast and Rechar (STR), a cask treatment developed by the late Dr Jim Swan at Kavalan, the Solist Vinho Barrique is aged in wine barrels specially treated to bring out all the complex, multi-dimensional flavours of ripe melon, mango, kiwi and citrus fruits on a background of mixed spice and dates.

In addition, in the first stage of the 2020 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) in London, the Kavalan *Solist Amontillado and the Kavalan *Solist Manzanilla both won Gold Outstanding in the first round, scoring 98 points each.

Judges described the Amontillado as follows:

“Opulent and expressive with layered aromas and flavours of dark chocolate, Christmas cake and sweet spice. Dense and rich with chewy mouthfeel and a wonderful, evolving finish of malt, spicy oak, a touch of smoke and a twist of orange peel. Sensational!”

Judges described the Manzanilla as follows:

“Intense and heady aromas of rich dried fruit, spice and dark chocolate. Big, sweet, and indulgent on palate, liquid tiramisu with tobacco, prunes and PX sherry. A lifted finish gives freshness and balance; an outstanding whisky.”

Source: Kavalan

With the release limited to their two tasting rooms in Oregon, anyone interested would have to be a pretty dedicated whiskey connoisseur or conveniently located in the Northwest.

Summary: Crater Lakes Barley Whiskey is an enjoyably smooth flavorful addition to the Crater Lakes line of spirits.

“The Portfunlio” is a creative campaign inviting Thai artists to design card collection and submit their artworks for the selection. More than 800 card collections submit to the campaign. SangSom happily selected these beautiful cards and distributed these selected cards or Portfunlio to the business owners and marketers of companies. The business owners and marketers could use the beautiful cards in various business industries such as fashion, cafe, restaurant, hotel, spa, beauty clinic, event advertising agencies and more.

The artists information and contact details included in the cards helps promote access to the artists during the tough time. Interested art lovers can reach and place art orders directly to the artists. The opportunities arise from the campaign allow artists to survive while SangSom retain its client base as at home alcohol consumption has increased during the lockdown.

SangSom also promotes its campaign through “THE PORTFUNLIO Matching Art Game” activity via SangSom Experience facebook fanpage. Only one day after the release, there were many card requests so SangSom delivered the creative cards to the registered facebook fanpage audiences.

The campaign success reflects that special edition cards game is a stress relief tool and its connection among art lovers during these difficult times with art preferably over a glass of SangSom.

Source: SangSom

“The reception that our Toasted Barrel Finish whiskeys have received is a result of tremendously focused work done by our production team led by Master Distiller Dan McKee and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson. Despite the continuing shortages across all our whiskey stocks, we really wanted to make some of our rye available for this special release,” said Joseph J. Magliocco, Michter’s President.

Michter’s Toasted Barrel Finish Rye is made by taking fully matured Michter’s US*1 Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye at barrel strength and then further aging it in a second custom barrel made to the specifications set by Michter’s Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson. She commented, “For this 2020 release, we selected rye barrels aged to peak quality and then dumped each barrel, with the contents of each single barrel being put in a second single barrel assembled from 24 month naturally seasoned and air dried wood. The second barrel was custom toasted to extract characters to create a rich and decadent rye whiskey experience.” The average barrel proof for the toasted rye barrels bottled for this release is 109.2. Master Distiller Dan McKee remarked, “This is a whiskey that you really can sip and savor.”

The suggested Retail Price of Michter’s US Toasted Barrel Finish Rye is $85 for a 750ml bottle in the U.S.

Beyond its main distillery in the Shively section of Louisville, Michter’s operations extend to two other sites in Kentucky. In Springfield, Michter’s is farming estate grown grain on its 145-acre property, while in downtown Louisville, Michter’s has its second distillery in the historic Fort Nelson building. Situated in a prime location on West Main Street opposite Louisville Slugger and on the same block as the Frazier Museum, Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery features the legendary pot still system from Michter’s Pennsylvania Distillery. When open, it also has educational tours with whiskey tastings as well as The Bar at Fort Nelson, which features classic cocktails curated by spirits and cocktail historian David Wondrich.

Source: Michter’s Distillery

Kavalan has announced that its second Shave, Toast, Rechar (STR) whisky will be launched in October in Taiwan as part of an exclusive 4-bottle set for Christmas.

Can there be another STR whisky as iconic as the Vinho Barrique?

In 2006, the hand-crafted rechar STR technique was developed by the late Dr Jim Swan and Kavalan in Taiwan. In their search for extraordinary flavour, they developed an exacting recipe for toasting and recharring wine barrels to remove the acidity associated with wine cask maturation and to enhance the depth of flavour possible in Taiwan’s subtropical climate.

Kavalan’s second Shave, Toast, Rechar expression is also the distillery’s very first peated whisky, whose new make is distilled from peated barley.

Kavalan CEO Mr Lee said Kavalan’s STR technique awakened the dormant flavours locked within the barrels, resulting in bigger, bolder, fruitier flavours, made possible in Yilan County’s phenomenal subtropical climate. These layers are underlaid with the alluring, smokey malt aromas from the peated spirit.

“I’ve been asked many times since the WWA win when we would release another Made-in-Taiwan STR whisky. Now after years of experimenting, we sincerely hope the second STR whisky will pass on the excellent performance of Vinho, becoming the spotlight for whisky fans around the world,” said Mr Lee.

Since 2015, Vinho Barrique has continued to impress judges with its craftsmanship, this year collecting a string of top tributes. At the World Whisky Masters 2020 contest organised by the Spirits Business, it was named “Taste Master,” the ultimate global prize in the contest. At the recent Tokyo Whisky and Spirits Competition it was also named the contest’s “Best of the Best.”

Source: Kavalan

Bold and balanced, this 11-year-old whisky was bottled in Fall 2008 and offers tantalizing notes of pecan, maple syrup and dried apple. At 100 proof (50% ABV), this release of George Dickel Bottled in Bond is best enjoyed slowly neat or on the rocks and plays well in many classic cocktails like an Old Fashioned or Perfect Manhattan.

“Bottled in Bond whiskies have always been one of my favorite categories because you know exactly what you’re getting when you pick up a bottle,” said Austin. “Our team continues to make great whisky that’s reflective of the values we feel are most important, and I’m proud to share this year’s vintage of George Dickel Bottled in Bond with everyone. Like last year’s release, this bottling is a bold, complex spirit that shares the classic nutty, fruity and waxy characteristics that are expected from mature George Dickel whiskies.”

George Dickel Bottled in Bond has a mash bill of 84% corn, 8% rye and 8% malted barley. It is chill charcoal mellowed like the rest of the George Dickel Tennessee Whisky portfolio, which helps it get that smooth and creamy mouthfeel for which the brand is best known.

Beginning this month, the new George Dickel Bottled in Bond will be available in select markets across the nation for consumers to purchase at retail or order directly to their homes for a suggested retail price of $39.99.

As with all the whiskies in the George Dickel family, your friends at Cascade Hollow encourage you to sip this new offering the same way it’s made – slowly and responsibly.

The Distillery Select Series (700ml, 40% ABV) is positioned as the first entry-level whisky range that offers a superior art of blending.

CEO Mr. YT Lee said the Distillery Select Series had been designed to satisfy both whisky beginners and connoisseurs.

“In this range, drinkers will get all the benefit of our team’s fine craftsmanship at a surprising price point. We are doing things a little differently. We’re pursuing the flavour profile first, rather than a particular cask.”

“For our first whisky, we emphasize tropical fruits and for the second whisky, floral and herbal notes. Each whisky in this range showcases different facets of Kavalan’s distinct character. Every expression delivers high quality at a friendly price.”

Aged in quality refill casks to showcase Taiwan’s subtropical climate, the range takes its name from the previously launched inaugural whisky, now known as Distillery Select No. 1.

No. 1 was winner of two gold medals at the 2019 and 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and is followed by Distillery Select No. 2, which was launched in Taiwan on April 29.

No.1 has been repackaged and serialized with a new sticker on the front of the bottle. The recipe of the original whisky has not been altered.

Taiwan’s architectural pride, Taipei 101 and one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers, symbolizes the scale of Taiwanese ambition. Kavalan’s 101-shaped bottle expresses the height of excellence pursued by the distillery.

Tasting notes

Kavalan Distillery Select Single Malt Whisky No.1

Colour: Midnight amber

Nose: Delicate and silky. Full with the scent of ripened tropical fruits, fragrant floral notes and warm vanilla.

Palate: Elegant, perfectly balanced, and easy to drink. Rich and complex layers of butterscotch, creamy toffee, and vanilla create a soft and thick multi-layered taste that is lingeringly long in the finish.

The second whisky in the range, Kavalan Distillery Select No. 2, was officially released in Taiwan on April 29, RRP NTD$1,000 at 700ml. No. 2 is deeply aromatic with an irresistible floral and herbal complexity, blending woody and spicy notes in rich layers.  No. 2 will soon be available globally.

Source: Kavalan