Slate bourbon

[Vange]

I have a friend looking for this one. Anyone has any info? I found this post back from 2006. Some of the info seems untrue to me though.

"If you are scouring the web looking for Slate bourbon you won't find much

about it... the reason for this is because Diageo (UDV)has launched it as a

brand new style of bourbon and is looking torwards Australia as its test

market globally, before launching this product in other markets. The reason

for this is because Australia has the largest bourbon market on the planet.

The bourbon itself is a great innovation, in the fact that it is blended. All

other bourbons except for Jim Beam Small Batch are 'straight' bourbons which

means that they come from only one distillery. Slate Bourbon is blended in

Chicago from various bourbons in order to create a smoother mouthfeel to the

whiskey. As such it is a very innovative product.Comparitively if you look at

the scotch whiskey market, 95% of all scotches sold are blends versus single

malts... with blends being much smoother on the palate. Not taking anything

away from the malts, it is just each has its own place. Slate will be

difficult to get for awhile because of the selected distribution as Diageo

tries to build this brand. If you can get it, try it straight, it's

fantastic... mellow, sweet vanilla / honey. Great for mixing drinks with!!!"

[OscarV]

So this is only available in Austrailia?

Hey HighTower you know anything about this stuff?

It doesn't sound appealing to me.

[mozilla]

If you are scouring the web looking for Slate bourbon you won't find much

about it... the reason for this is because Diageo (UDV)has launched it as a brand new style of bourbon and is looking torwards Australia as its test market globally, before launching this product in other markets. ...The bourbon itself is a great innovation, in the fact that it is blended. All other bourbons except for Jim Beam Small Batch are 'straight' bourbons which means that they come from only one distillery. Slate Bourbon is blended in Chicago from various bourbons in order to create a smoother mouthfeel to the whiskey. As such it is a very innovative product.

Where are you getting this information?

Unless a bourbon is bonded....there is no regulation that says you can't use other distilleries distillate. Straight, when referring to bourbon has to do with the amount of time it was in the barrel. It is a minimum of two years to obtain the Straight designation.

Blended means that it was mixed with GNS or other blending agents. I believe you are thinking of married or batched bourbons, where you use bourbons from different barrels.

Also, there is nothing innovative about blended whisky.

[Vange]

It wasn't my post. It was a cut and paste job from a post on webtender from 2006. A lot of this info is untrue, but the parts pertaining to Slate's availability is the reason I even included it in my original posting.

[mozilla]

Oh, I see, now. I missed the quotes at first.

Whoever wrote that was way off base.

I also noticed that it is only 74 proof. Good luck, Diageo.

[OscarV]

I also noticed that it is only 74 proof.

I was under the impression that no matter in what part of the world, that to be called "Bourbon" it had to 80 proof.

[StraightBoston]

Those are the US regs for "Straight Bourbon Whiskey", but search sez that there is a waiver down to 37% abv (74 proof) for export.

[cowdery]

It's not so much untrue as it is about turning lemons into lemonade. While a straight can be a combination of straights all made in the same state, but at different distilleries, it's certainly true that most bourbons on the market are the product of a single distillery. Diageo doesn't have any active distilleries in Kentucky so it's buying bulk white dog from three or four different producers and aging it at Stitzel-Weller. It's also not true that blended bourbon is a new thing. It's been around forever.

As for Chicago, Diageo does have a facility of some kind in Plainfield, a suburb. I'm not exactly sure what they do there, possibly bottling, possibly blending, possibly both.

As for the regs, keep in mind that the U.S. Standards of Identity only apply within the United States. Presumably, Australia has its own standards, but they aren't necessarily the same. They might, however, have to call it "blended" under U.S. standards because some of the "bourbon" comes from Diageo's George Dickel Distillery in Tennessee.

[mozilla]

Oscar,

Each countries regulations supersede the US regs. Just as our regs are used for other countries exports to the US.

[Vange]

My friend who is a collector/consumer "likes the bottle". Sighhh....

[OscarV]

Hey Jeff,

I am not so sure that is the case in Europe.

It seems that I just read here on SB.com, posted I think by C Cowdery that Europe recognizes our 1964 Bourbon Act.

[cowdery]

Hey Jeff,

I am not so sure that is the case in Europe.

It seems that I just read here on SB.com, posted I think by C Cowdery that Europe recognizes our 1964 Bourbon Act.

No, but we have a bilateral agreement with the EU to recognize bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey as unique products of the United States, while we accord the same consideration to Scotch, Cognac and some others, but it doesn't extend to the specifications, just protection of the name. In fact, the EU has standards of identity for whiskey that apply to American whiskey and are slightly different than the U.S. regulations.

[mozilla]

I agree.

Also, in the agreement, are things like bottle sizes and proofs. We try to comply with their regs...as they try to comply with ours. That is how labels are at different proofs here than there.

[OscarV]

Chuck, I see.

Is there anything major in those EU standards that identify American whiskey that we would have a problem with?

[camduncan]

Hey Vange, as long as your friend likes the bottle, he should be ok. The contents can leave a lot to be desired :puke: Last time I spoke to Scott, he was using it as engine degreaser.:slappin:

[BourbonJoe]

Last time I spoke to Scott, he was using it as engine degreaser.:slappin:

LOL. Good on ya mate.

Joe :usflag:

[B1bomber]

That friend of yours does have one sweet-ass liquor cabinet, doesn't he Vange. Otherwise I might have to rip on him for being too much of a collector and not enough of a consumer.

[cowdery]

I think most of us would like the EU rules. You can't call something "whiskey" unless it has been aged for at least three years. You also can't call it "whiskey" if it contains neutral spirits. Georgia Moon, for example, can't be called "whiskey" in Europe, nor can the U.S.-version of Seagram's Seven. I don't know if they have a proof "floor," but I do know 70 proof whiskey is permitted.

[Vange]

He sure does B1Bomber. Most of his bourbon is gathering dust!

I think we should go over there and raid his closets full of whisky!