Calumet Farms Bourbon? ... Lexington Bourbon?

[Richnimrod]

Here's a shout 'into the ether' about a couple of new Bourbons that have just shown up on my local whisky monger's shelf:

Calumet Farms Bourbon

Lexington Bourbon

Has anyone had any experience with either of these? CFB is asking $50 here in the Mitten State for a 750.

Lex'tn is asking about $28. Both are 86-proof, I believe, so not especially deep in the barrel there. ...And, being unknown I wonder if they're both NDP brands? Anybody know? Please help a wanderer of the liquor store not get lost among the posers, or pass up a worthwhile dram. :cool:

[MyOldKyDram]

Seen em both but no clue what's inside. Racehorses that didn't pan out? Calumet is a most beautiful farm, however.

[theglobalguy]

The Calumet popped up at three or four places at once around Louisville. It shows up as being from Western Spirits Distillery in Bowling Green, KY. If i read the data right, has to be NDP product since they've not been around long enough to have aged product. That being said...DAMN! they're out of they're mind on the price.

[squire]

Standard sourced Bourbon in a fancy bottle with a tourist price. Nothing to see here folks, move along.

[Old Dusty]

Check the list SKU posted on his blog (and linked on Chuck Cowdrey's). It will get you the bottler and "producer" of the Lexington but the juice is mystery. I checked on it for a buddy who got "packaging fever" and picked it up. Young low proof mystery juice=no fly zone for this consumer. As for the Calumet, ran into some at Toddy's in B-town. The owner seemed to think it had some merit and was a very limited production. I passed.

[MyOldKyDram]

Yeah, prob best just to forget about it. But do check out the actual farm!

http://www.google.com/search?q=calumet+farm&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=3ykMUuGIF4bSyAGxwYEo&biw=1024&bih=672&sei=DSoMUtDAIITWyQH1yIEY

[callmeox]

I believe that the Lexington bourbon was sourced from Barton. The folks behind it were at Liquor World last fall and I chatted with them about the product.

[P&MLiquorsEric]

We passed on this one. Same place that offers a cognac infused vodka called twenty grand.

Plus birddog flavored whiskeys.

Lexington bourbon has sold for us but I can't call it anything special. Horses, Lexington, bottle that looks like woodford.

Carry on.

[higgins]

If I remember reading the label correctly, Lexington makes no claim to be a straight bourbon. It tasted pretty young, and certainly not worth anywhere near $28.

[squire]

I'm still working on birddog flavored whiskeys, that's a vivid image.

[HighInTheMtns]

cognac infused vodka

I like this. The TTB should change their rules and make blended whiskey be called whiskey infused vodka.

[oke&coke]

Sorry to hijack a bit but I did try the cognac infused vodka and its ok. I guess it would be along the same lines as applejack.

[Tucker]

I made the mistake of showing my wife, who lived across the street from Calumet Farm, the Calumet Bourbon website and picture of the bottle.

Now I've got to find one.

[squire]

Well, arguably the whisky ain't worth it but the wife is priceless.

[wadewood]

We passed on this one. Same place that offers a cognac infused vodka called twenty grand.

Plus birddog flavored whiskeys.

Lexington bourbon has sold for us but I can't call it anything special. Horses, Lexington, bottle that looks like woodford.

Carry on.

Good for you on passing! It shows you are looking out for your customers. How pissed does the local rep get when you say no? Do they escalate up and bring in big guns to put on more pressure?

[Richnimrod]

Thanx to all.

I kinda expected these opinions and facts. Just wondered if anybody might surprise with a glowing review.

Nobody did... no surprise. I'm passing, too.

[P&MLiquorsEric]

Good for you on passing! It shows you are looking out for your customers. How pissed does the local rep get when you say no? Do they escalate up and bring in big guns to put on more pressure?

Not on small brands like this. We pass up 20-30 new products each week.

Many we can tell will be huge flops.

The companies that are more aggressive are your big brands. Beam, Bacardi, brown foreman etc. As long as a new product is accompanied by lots of marketing, it will sell in the short term.

[TunnelTiger]

The owner seemed to think it had some merit and was a very limited production. I passed.

Some owners are dumber than consumers. They'll believe anything a rep tells them.

[squire]

The companies that are more aggressive are your big brands. Beam, Bacardi, brown foreman etc. As long as a new product is accompanied by lots of marketing, it will sell in the short term.

I can't help but think short term is good enough because when demands declines they have something else new waiting. Why build a brand when you can crank out new ones like disposable razors.

[P&MLiquorsEric]

I can't help but think short term is good enough because when demands declines they have something else new waiting. Why build a brand when you can crank out new ones like disposable razors.

The more alarming thing is "sister" products that come out after a successful product launch.

Bud Light lime-a-Rita spawned straw-beer-ita. Redds apple ale and now Redds strawberry ale.

Kinky pink liqueur and now kinky blue.

With bourbon/whiskey it doesn't happen as much. I guess the honey/cinnamon flavor trend is part of it.

[brettckeen]

Check the list SKU posted on his blog (and linked on Chuck Cowdrey's). It will get you the bottler and "producer" of the Lexington but the juice is mystery. I checked on it for a buddy who got "packaging fever" and picked it up. Young low proof mystery juice=no fly zone for this consumer. As for the Calumet, ran into some at Toddy's in B-town. The owner seemed to think it had some merit and was a very limited production. I passed.

[brettckeen]

I'm still working on birddog flavored whiskeys, that's a vivid image.

[squire]

I saw that, yesterday in fact, while buying gas a guy walks us next to me and sets a cold one on the counter. I was surprised to see the Bud label and strawberry flavor. Then I realized the guy was buying it at 8:15 in the morning while talking to his job on the cell. Guess the berry stuff is not as heavy on your breath when you arrive at work.

[jaycamm]

The sales man for Lexington told me it was Barton juice purchased off the still years back and paid rent on somewhere. They also released Sam Houston American Straight Whiskey which is the same lot of juice but with Caramel coloring added.

I'm pretty sure straight whiskey cannot have caramel added.

[squire]

That's true, no caramel topping in Straight Bourbon.