Jim Rutledge Cream of Kentucky

[kevinbrink]

Posted this in the TTB thread courtesy of SKU, but Jim Rutledge Distillery seems to have it's first sourced release

https://www.ttbonline.gov/colasonline/viewColaDetails.do?action=publicFormDisplay&ttbid=18325001000092

[LCWoody]

Should be some good juice. 

[ChainWhip]

Looking forward to this

[Mako254]

I’m game. Be curious tabout aee MSRP. 

 

[JCwhammie]

Is there any word where he got the barrels? 

[smokinjoe]

19 minutes ago, JCwhammie said:

Is there any word where he got the barrels? 

Dunno, but it’s not MGP, as it’s labeled as KSBW.  

[flahute]

1 hour ago, ChainWhip said:

Looking forward to this

He's alive!

[JCwhammie]

33 minutes ago, smokinjoe said:

Dunno, but it’s not MGP, as it’s labeled as KSBW.  

I noticed that too. I started thinking how nice it would be if he got his hands on some of the 4R barrels that he filled when he was there. 

[Harry in WashDC]

28 minutes ago, JCwhammie said:

I noticed that too. I started thinking how nice it would be if he got his hands on some of the 4R barrels that he filled when he was there. 

If he and 4R agreed to let him have some when he left, I hope it was more than one barrel and that he got to pick them.

[smokinjoe]

My guess is that they are not 4R barrels.  From what I’ve heard, the blood is so bad he’d rather do shots of Fireball than even sniff a 4R bourbon.  

[fishnbowljoe]

Maybe Castle And Key?  

 

Biba!  Joe

[flahute]

8 minutes ago, fishnbowljoe said:

Maybe Castle And Key?  

 

Biba!  Joe

Castle & Key doesn't have anything 11.5 years old.

[Vosgar]

I'm surprised anyone is selling their 11.5yr old bourbon to an upstart distillery these days, even if it is JR. There's too much money to be made with older whiskey, so I'm guessing he paid a bundle for those barrels. However, with his name recognition they're probably thinking they can sell every bottle at whatever price point they choose. Unless it's crap whiskey, they'll be right.

[LCWoody]

I'm just guessing, but it wouldn't surprise me if its Buffalo Trace. I know that he's had contact with BT after he retired. Just speculation.

[GaryT]

I wonder when they'll start marketing this.  Just checked out their website from the label and was like "Explore the distillery" . . . wait, they built it and we missed it?  Takes you to some artists renderings, with a template and placeholder text.  But it also shows a mockup of a new label (High Plains Whiskey).

 

If the price is in the same ballpark or league of being reasonable, I'll be a buyer of whatever he's doing.  In an industry that still astounds me for the familial nature found at many of the distilleries, Jim always stood out to me as being a class act amongst them.  But if the marketing folks try getting $200 a bottle for 11.5 yr, 102 proof bourbon . . . I'll have to pass and wish them well.

[flahute]

1 hour ago, GaryT said:

I wonder when they'll start marketing this.  Just checked out their website from the label and was like "Explore the distillery" . . . wait, they built it and we missed it?  Takes you to some artists renderings, with a template and placeholder text.  But it also shows a mockup of a new label (High Plains Whiskey).

 

If the price is in the same ballpark or league of being reasonable, I'll be a buyer of whatever he's doing.  In an industry that still astounds me for the familial nature found at many of the distilleries, Jim always stood out to me as being a class act amongst them.  But if the marketing folks try getting $200 a bottle for 11.5 yr, 102 proof bourbon . . . I'll have to pass and wish them well.

They are hoping to have this out in three weeks or so. It sounds like they have enough for close to 9,000 bottles.

 

Edit to add: High Plains is another one of the old historic brands they own the rights to. 

Edited December 2, 2018 by flahute
thought of something else

[flahute]

1 hour ago, LCWoody said:

I'm just guessing, but it wouldn't surprise me if its Buffalo Trace. I know that he's had contact with BT after he retired. Just speculation.

Jim's business partner is a former executive at Sazerac so this is possible.

[EarthQuake]

11 hours ago, smokinjoe said:

My guess is that they are not 4R barrels.  From what I’ve heard, the blood is so bad he’d rather do shots of Fireball than even sniff a 4R bourbon.  

Aww that's a shame. I was really hoping this would be some awesome Four Roses sourced thing. Anyway at 9000 bottles I won't get chance at one so oh well.

[Wedelstaedt]

4 hours ago, flahute said:

They are hoping to have this out in three weeks or so. It sounds like they have enough for close to 9,000 bottles.

 

Do you know, if it will be widely distributed?

 

[flahute]

12 minutes ago, Wedelstaedt said:

Do you know, if it will be widely distributed?

 

I don't right now but will ask because I'm curious about that myself!

[Wedelstaedt]

12 minutes ago, flahute said:

I don't right now but will ask because I'm curious about that myself!

Thanks.

 

Maybe they will drop a few bottles in Oklahoma on the way out to Washington  LOL 

 

Cheers

Edited December 2, 2018 by Wedelstaedt
Emoji Ghost

[CUfan99]

On 12/1/2018 at 1:31 PM, smokinjoe said:

My guess is that they are not 4R barrels.  From what I’ve heard, the blood is so bad he’d rather do shots of Fireball than even sniff a 4R bourbon.  

What do you make of this? He says there is no bad blood, but focuses on there not being animosity from 4R toward him and not so much him toward them. Intentional or am I being too picky?

https://www.bourbonbanter.com/banter/rutledge-returns-why-he-left-four-roses-what-hes-been-doing-where-hes-heading-next/?ml_subscriber=1011516159675077730&ml_subscriber_hash=a6d3&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bourbon_banter_weekly_updates&utm_term=2018-11-01#.W9snCNdKiUk

 

sidebar: I was curious why he didn’t mention Barnes too...see the comments after the article. 

[Charlutz]

On 12/1/2018 at 8:48 PM, flahute said:

Jim's business partner is a former executive at Sazerac so this is possible.

For those of you who have met the man, is BT sourced likely given the low rye content? I’d figure he’d try to do something closer to his experience. Who know though? Maybe he wants to distance himself from 4R. 

[flahute]

1 hour ago, Charlutz said:

For those of you who have met the man, is BT sourced likely given the low rye content? I’d figure he’d try to do something closer to his experience. Who know though? Maybe he wants to distance himself from 4R. 

He still believes in high rye and that's what he'll do with his own distillate.

For Cream of Kentucky, I know they had to get something out there or risk losing rights to the brand name and they had a hard time finding Kentucky bourbon for sale at a reasonable price. What we can count on is that no matter the source, it will be good because Jim won't put his name on it if it isn't.

[smokinjoe]

On 12/3/2018 at 8:55 AM, CUfan99 said:

What do you make of this? He says there is no bad blood, but focuses on there not being animosity from 4R toward him and not so much him toward them. Intentional or am I being too picky?

https://www.bourbonbanter.com/banter/rutledge-returns-why-he-left-four-roses-what-hes-been-doing-where-hes-heading-next/?ml_subscriber=1011516159675077730&ml_subscriber_hash=a6d3&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bourbon_banter_weekly_updates&utm_term=2018-11-01#.W9snCNdKiUk

 

sidebar: I was curious why he didn’t mention Barnes too...see the comments after the article. 

Although the sources for my info are knowledgeable and not sensationalistic, I think you would have to go with what Jim said, rather than what I said.