Bourbon Year End 2020 - State of the State

[flahute]

A little late but better than never!

 

This is my third installment of this feature. As usual, warning, it's a long one!

 

There is no understating that this has been a tough year for bourbon. The pandemic has been a gut punch to all of us and the bourbon industry is no exception. The craft industry has taken it especially hard. They make a large part of their income from tasting room sales and bartender recommendations. With both of those venues closed for most or large chunks of the year, a lot of the craft places are barely hanging on. Don't forget that the pandemic came on the heels of the large tariffs so craft sales have also suffered overseas which is also a big part of their market. On the surface, it appears that the big distilleries are doing just fine but a peek under the hood shows that while they are doing much better than the craft industry they are still taking some hits. I've read that in the US, the ratio of off-premise consumption to on-premise is about 80/20. The partial loss of that 20% is somewhat being made up for by increased consumption at home. Overseas however, the split is closer to 50/50. Combine that with the aforementioned tariffs and you can see that sales are not as good internationally.

 

In reflecting on the overall state of Bourbonia, it does seem like not as much happened this year. This might be because this past year felt like a decade. I'm sure that the covid restrictions and protective measures did slow down or delay a number of new rollouts. I know that private barrel selections were affected with some programs shutting down completely for parts of the year while others went to mailed samples only. It seems that in general, despite the pandemic, the distilleries are still betting on future demand as expansions continue. New distilleries remain in the pipeline. Confidence remains. One thing that didn't change is that the lust for LE's continues unabated. Gougers are gouging even more. Secondary prices go ever higher. Products that you never thought would be a big deal on secondary are now commanding head scratching prices. NDP products continue to enter the market and newbies continue to chase them hard in hope of getting in on the ground floor of whatever the next big thing is.

 

As usual, these are my personal observations and ruminations and do not reflect an official position of this site. Also as usual, I'm not trying to be exhaustive and I have not spent a great deal of time researching. Therefore, I can get some things wrong or my memory may fail me. Please correct me if this happens. As in previous years I will do a distillery by distillery breakdown. And so, despite the problems mentioned above and the very strange year, the state of Bourbonia remains strong.

 

Buffalo Trace: I always start with BT because it feels like we just need to get them out of the way. Nothing has really changed with them which includes it being another year in which availability was even worse. It varies from market to market of course but the flagship namesake bourbon is generally the only BT product that is regularly available. This continues to be the result of new blood coming into bourbon and idolizing all BT products as a default. BT is starting to realize more product coming online but it still can't keep up with increased demand. We now live in a world where EHT products, even the small batch, are lottery items in some markets. My local store gets multiple phone calls every day asking for Blanton's. Every day. Elmer, Rock Hill, Hancock's - forget bout it. In some markets Stagg Jr. is a unicorn. Eagle Rare 10 can still be found but you have to look for it. If it's a store pick it will sell out in 20 minutes and there will be a line. 

 

Not much has happened from a new product stand point. There have been some line extensions in the Weller brand which is a head scratcher for most since they can't keep up with demand on what they already had. That said, it is nice to have the option for Weller at 114 proof or as a single barrel even if your shot at finding one is slim. One day, when they catch up, we'll be able to enjoy those. There are also obscure releases such as the Charter Oak series but they are so limited that they end up as collector's items only.

 

What is everyone's opinion on how well BT is doing maintaining quality? I recently sat in on a BT barrel pick. None of the samples were great. It's the second time in a row that has happened. We picked one that is passable and that people will like just fine but it was just 'OK'. Same thing with the Blanton's pick we did a while back. The Weller 114's I've tried have all been meh. A recent EHTBP purchase was also disappointing. On the other hand, Stagg Jr. continues to impress. Eagle Rare is still good. PVW15 and GTS were both very good this year.

 

Like last year we will continue to cross our fingers and hope that the expansion ramp up will start to roll out on a steeper ramp.

 

Barton 1792: It's been a quiet year for Barton. They did release a new product with their 12yr old bourbon which I think is fantastic. It's limited but if you were lucky enough to find one you may be considering it as one of the best new releases of the year. Last year I praised them for their High Rye as one of the best products of the previous year but I found it to be less available this year. Same with Sweet Wheat. I'm not sure if they don't have as much or if it's getting snapped up all the quicker this year. They do seem to have made a big push to get their Full Proof, Single Barrel, and BIB product out there especially as store picks. My local did a Full Proof pick early in 2019 that was one of the best bourbons in recent memory. We did another one along with a BIB later in that year that wasn't at the same level but that was still very good. Good things are happening at Barton and the arrow is pointing up. Luckily for us, the tater community has not realized this yet (apart from Sweet Wheat). Pay attention to those store picks because you might uncover a gem.

 

Jim Beam: Last year I started off this section by saying "Unchanged from last year is that Jim Beam still simultaneously delights me and frustrates me." Well I'm happy to say that this year Beam is primarily delighting me. The 9 year age statement came back to Knob Creek. The revamped Baker's line finally reached my market and while I avoided it for a while because I was skeptical of the new pricing, I finally caved and bought a Baker's Single Barrel and boy was I glad I did. Everything I remember loving about this brand was mostly there. Being a single barrel some notes were amplified and others muted compared to the old small batch but the parts that were amplified were even better. A downer of course was seeing the deep stock of 12-15 year old barrels in the single barrel program get diverted but it was expected at some point and I can't blame them. It was a cheat code that we got to exploit for a few years so we have to be thankful for that. Those diverted barrels are now in the KC12 and KC15 line extensions. I resisted these at first because of my recent ability to buy those KCSiB's but after realizing that those days were over I tried a KC12. Wow. This is my candidate for best new release of the year. Well done Beam. (As of this writing I haven't seen a KC15 since I changed my mind on trying them so I don't yet have an opinion on this.) As for the younger line up, someone else will need to add a response below because Beam younger than Baker's just doesn't work for me. I know that many of you love Distiller's Cut so we still have to give them credit for a non chill filtered product at a great price.

 

Booker's is still a pass for me. I haven't bought one since the universal price hikes. I keep seeing the younger ages on them and hear from some of you that they are hit or miss. When they hit they can still be great but I'm done taking chances at the current price. I also still wish they'd do something more consistent with their LE's and give us something to look for every fall (that doesn't cost $300) but the new regular availability of 12yr Knob Creek cures most of those ills for me.

 

Maker's Mark: This was my gateway brand but for years they have done nothing to excite me. You have all heard me complain about how young this bourbon tastes and how the stave finishing program just tastes strange to me. That all changed for me this year. It started when a friend who works for MM dropped off a couple samples this summer and had me taste them blind. The first one I really liked. It didn't have that "youth" quality to it. Turns out it was MM101. There is no age or warehouse difference with this so it appears that 101 proof is just the sweet spot for MM. MMCS proofed down doesn't taste like this. My friend at MM agrees with me. The only thing I can guess is that the time it takes for the water and bourbon to bond after proofing down makes the difference. The other sample was a wild one. At first I thought I was finally tasting extra aged Makers. Then I detected a faint hint of that flavor I get from the stave finishing. I'm not sure how to describe it but I only taste it in stave finish bourbons. This bourbon was fantastic. Unfortunately it was only an experiment and they didn't have enough to do anything meaningful with it. That said, I am encouraged by what is possible with these staves and boy do I ever want some extra aged Maker's.

 

My usual gripe for MM is that they don't have a special LE to get us excited about something special. Extra age (see above) would suite the bill nicely! Until then I'll settle for the MM101. The gold lettering on the bottle gives off a distinct holiday vibe that looks quite festive next to the tree.

 

 

Heaven Hill: I was pretty hard on HH last year for the continuing sting of EC losing its age statement and for the money grab of discontinuing HH6BIB and then turning around with a HH7BIB in a fancy package for four times the price. That sting still remains. I did fail however to give them credit for what they are doing right with the Evan Williams brand and that credit remains true this year. EWBIB acts as a suitable substitute for a lot of you and the price can't be beat. I should also point out the non EW BIBs that many of you enjoy that are also an exceedingly hard to beat value. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the EW23yr is a beautiful bourbon offered at the same price as many other special release bourbons at 2/3 the age or less. ECBP continues to be available at 12yrs old with consistently great quality. Pikesville and Ritt are mainstays. Larceny is putrid to me but many of you love it and the addition of the BP version was welcomed by most of you. 

 

The Parker's Heritage LE also returned to form this year after a few years of disappointments. Though the specs didn't blow us away I hear that the quality this year returned to the high levels we expect from this brand. Still, it would be nice to see this brand return to something befitting of the legacy of Parker Beam.

 

Overall, it was a quiet year for HH. As far as I know, the private barrel program was shut down. While none of us were looking though they did build a shiny new rickhouse with a glass corner that shows off the aging barrels. I assume this is now where the tours are going to go and that private barrel selections will happen here as well. We can all look forward to seeing that this coming year.

 

Brown Forman (Old Forester, Woodford Reserve, Jack Daniels): I've criticized these guys in the past for poorly handling their LE's and special releases and while that is still partially true I see shades of change on the horizon. The Master's Collection has been a series of mostly failures with the occasional 'OK' release. There is one the horizon that is an extra aged release. I have not tried it but am hearing good things and at the least they are giving us a plausibly premium product to go with the premium price. From the Old Fo brand we got the 150th Anniv. batches and wow did they deliver. Batch 1 to me is some of the best bourbon I've tasted from OF and it shows what is possible with this brand.

 

Last year I mentioned that BP Single Barrels were on the horizon and they delivered on that promise. Wow, is this good. This is also up there with some of the best bourbon I've tasted from Old Fo. I will be seeking as many of these as I can find. OF100 is in my opinion now one of the best quality to price ratio bourbons on the market. Quality is up on this blend and it has become a staple on my bar. OF1920 - what can we say that hasn't already been said? It's one of the best values in its price tier and the quality continues to deliver at a high rate.

 

One thing we have to talk about with Old Fo is the positive influence of Jackie Zykan on this brand. BF recruited her from the bartending community and she has risen to Master Taster at OF and she is also instrumental in their blending. When OF decided to release the recently new rye they were going to put it in a premium package with a price to match. Jackie put her foot down and insisted that it be more accessible to the consumer and bartender. They relented which resulted in the value rye that many on this forum love. BF recognizes that she has street cred from her bartending days and she appears to act as the bridge between the interests of the consumer/bartender and the corporate culture at BF HQ. Overall OF as a brand is pointing up sharply and they have closed the gap between themselves and the more celebrated brands. 

 

Wild Turkey: Not much change from the past two years so this will read almost verbatim again which isn't a bad thing because the world of Turkey remains strong. The core expressions remain solid. 101 tasted great still and remains one of the great values. Rare Breed consistently is a favorite. RR10yr, though not loved by all, remains one of my sleeper values still. I haven't had a bad RRSiB yet. Kentucky Spirit still eludes me because of the price point. It's great bourbon, I'm just not going to put it in my cart when I can get SiB at 110 proof for just a couple more dollars. RRSiB Rye can be one of the best ryes out there. Just need supply to catch up. WTRB Rye was added to the lineup this year and boy was I looking forward to it. Quite a few of you love it. To me it tastes like corn. I don't get it. Clearly something is wrong with me.

 

The only place WT could do better would again be with the LE's and this is a consistent theme brought up by many. Now I have to say that they delivered in spades this year with the 17yr BIB. This is easily the best modern Turkey I've tasted. If this could be the yearly LE I'd be a happy guy. The thing is, we don't know what it will be next year. As I always say, something yearly you can count on and look forward to such as a 12yr 101 or something at true barrel strength would get us all very excited. I've spent enough time with Eddie to know that he knows what the customer wants. It's a matter of convincing the suits at Campari. The one-offs like Decades are great. You just can't build yearly momentum with them. Come on Campari - listen to Eddie and Bruce. They know what we want.

 

Four Roses: Last year I mentioned that it appeared that Brent Elliot was finally emerging from the long shadow of Jim Rutledge and that continued to be the case this year. I usually like to start with the core lineup and build to the LE's but I have to start with the 2020 LESmB. Quite frankly this is one of the best ones in a long time. Brent is really hitting his stride now. As I've also mentioned a few times, the standard 4RSiB is also back up to the lofty quality standards I had become accustomed to. And, despite the pandemic messing with everyone, Four Roses managed to get their private barrel program running again (with major reductions in attendance) so I got to participate in two barrel picks this year. For the first one, we had nine barrels to choose from. I haven't seen that many in years. For the second one we had eight. In both cases we had quality barrels all around and had tough choices to make. This is great news and shows that 4R is recovering well from the lean years of the Bulleit contract. And though we still miss Al, the private barrel program is in extremely capable hands with Mandy Vance. 

 

Wilderness Trail: Welcome to the big leagues WT! For those who haven't heard, WT graduated from the craft ranks to full inclusion on the KDA Kentucky Bourbon Trail. WT has grown quickly. I've had the privilege to get to know the owners via numerous barrel picks and the charity event my group puts on each year. WT is doing it right. They never used small barrels. They initially used a hybrid column/pot still but knew that they absolutely had to transition to a column still, which they did. Though they did get some good results from that hybrid still (which is very hard to do) what they have coming from the column still is so much better. They have whiskey hitting the 7 year threshold now. Their column still whiskey is now 4 yrs old. As with all start ups, they have their growing pains. These guys seem to correct and adjust at a much quicker rate. Keep an eye on these guys as I expect them to do even better things in the coming years. 

 

Willett: It was a fairly quiet year for Willett thanks to covid. The private barrel program was essentially completely shut down. It was already extremely limited because Drew was too busy to spend time on it. They have been spending a lot of time making site improvements. I think they got a new bottling line this year. They have been refurbishing their rickhouses as well. The next time you visit you will see new black siding replacing the old white siding. They had plans to start design work on a new larger visitors center because they've already outgrown the recently remodeled visitor's center but that got put on hold. As for their whiskey they hit an important milestone. All of the KBD brands are now 100% Willett distillate. As for the sourced whiskey that made them famous, it's mostly gone. They do still have some so I imagine they are very carefully watching those barrels for future special projects or releases. Their own distillate has crossed the 9yr age threshold if my memory is correct. We are all fascinated to see what their whiskey will become as it hits double digit age.

 

Castle & Key: It was a big year for C&K despite the enormous challenge of covid. They began the year navigating the vacuum of Marianne Eaves's departure. From a social media post we learned that the departure of Marianne from C&K was perhaps not all that amicable. Going forward we now know that they will avoid highlighting one person as Master Distiller and will instead refer to their distilling team. We also know that Jim Rutledge has spent a lot of time there doing some custom distilling for some side projects. On a visit this fall (private visit as they have been closed) I had it confirmed to me that they are now using some of Jim's processes in their distilling. It was very strange to be there and to be the only one there. C&K relies heavily on tours right now since their whiskey is not ready yet so it's been a very tough year for them. Regarding that whiskey though - they got to cap off the year with a limited release of the first Castle & Key branded rye whiskey so it's finally here. A friend of mine who is local bought a bottle and said that while there are shades of youth in it that it was good and he's excited for the future. Hopefully the bourbon rolls out this coming year.

 

If you've read this far, thanks for putting up with this! Let me know what you all think.

[Cornfed12]

Great write-up and agree with a lot your notes, thanks for the great read! 

[0895]

1 hour ago, flahute said:

A little late but better than never!

 

 

If you've read this far, thanks for putting up with this! Let me know what you all think.

I think you summarized things very accurately, except the 4R SmBLE part.

I just don’t think the 2020 release is up to par.  I remain disappointed.  I realize that I’m probably in the minority though.

 

Unfortunately I’ve yet to try any of the BTAC or VW from this recent release...

 

When things get back to “normal”, I’m going to make an effort to get to the gazebo party in Bardstown.  It’s time.

[AlfaLarreo]

First year to read this and it was a pleasure, well done!  To me this is pretty accurate, especially the BT stuff and how bourbon newbies are driving the shortages.  I pass on anything BT except, PVW, BTAC, or EHT, which are lottery only for me because of the way they handled things.

 

I know this takes a lot of effort, but I wouldn’t mind seeing a section for NDPs and the younger big distilleries (Willett, Lux Row, Bardstown Bourbon Company).  In my opinion,  the NDPs continue to make waves with really good releases (Barrell Batch #022 and Jefferson’s Ocean Voyage 21) to name a couple.  
 

In a few years Willett should have enough home grown aged juice to make great bourbons again (I’m looking at you Noah’s Mill and WFE).  I think Lux Row is starting to hit their stride with Blood Oath and Double Barrel, and BBC is doing great things with blending and finishing.  Not to mention how BBC is really pushing the tech side of things, including their quality control.

 

Obviously there is a lot to cover here, but any insight would be great.

[geclbxf]

9 hours ago, Cornfed12 said:

Great write-up and agree with a lot your notes, thanks for the great read! 

Agree - this is always one of my favorite threads of the year.   I am sure this is a lot of work, but great reading.   I think you are spot on my with most if not all of your observations.   I too did a barrel pick at BT for BT and we had 4 average barrels that were very much take it or leave it.   We just got the bottles in December and they are just OK.   Of course sold it instantaneously.   The craze continues.

 

 

[flahute]

9 hours ago, AlfaLarreo said:

First year to read this and it was a pleasure, well done!  To me this is pretty accurate, especially the BT stuff and how bourbon newbies are driving the shortages.  I pass on anything BT except, PVW, BTAC, or EHT, which are lottery only for me because of the way they handled things.

 

I know this takes a lot of effort, but I wouldn’t mind seeing a section for NDPs and the younger big distilleries (Willett, Lux Row, Bardstown Bourbon Company).  In my opinion,  the NDPs continue to make waves with really good releases (Barrell Batch #022 and Jefferson’s Ocean Voyage 21) to name a couple.  
 

In a few years Willett should have enough home grown aged juice to make great bourbons again (I’m looking at you Noah’s Mill and WFE).  I think Lux Row is starting to hit their stride with Blood Oath and Double Barrel, and BBC is doing great things with blending and finishing.  Not to mention how BBC is really pushing the tech side of things, including their quality control.

 

Obviously there is a lot to cover here, but any insight would be great.

I've done Willett in the past but ran out of time. I will add them later today. I can probably add Castle & Key as well.

I don't know enough about the NDPs to talk about them. Same with Lux Row and BBC, New Riff, etc. Their reach is not wide enough yet so I don't see them out here.

[robertckim]

Great read as always, thanks for the time, thought and presentation!

[Skinsfan1311]

1 hour ago, flahute said:

I've done Willett in the past but ran out of time. I will add them later today. I can probably add Castle & Key as well.

I don't know enough about the NDPs to talk about them. Same with Lux Row and BBC, New Riff, etc. Their reach is not wide enough yet so I don't see them out here.

Great write-up!

I'm looking forward to your thoughts on Castle & Key. We toured there before they released any whiskey and hope that they do well.

[AlfaLarreo]

1 hour ago, flahute said:

I've done Willett in the past but ran out of time. I will add them later today. I can probably add Castle & Key as well.

I don't know enough about the NDPs to talk about them. Same with Lux Row and BBC, New Riff, etc. Their reach is not wide enough yet so I don't see them out here.

Yeah, I didn’t think of me being in the Midwest skewing my thoughts.  I think BBC will be a big player nation wide in the near future. They hired some industry heavy hitters and have a strong bent toward technology.  Not to mention, the distillery is beautiful.  I watched this year’s virtual Kentucky Bourbon Festival session on Mingling/Blending with Brent Elliott and John Hargrove from BBC.

I’m a huge 4R fan and their blending is second to none.  But watching Brent’s face as John Hargrove talked about what BBC is doing was interesting, it’s like he was thinking “you’re doing what.”  At one point the moderator asks Brent about doing more experimental stuff and he simply replied that he’d like to, but they can barely keep up with regular demand.   I think BBC will be setting trends in the industry going forward.

[dad-proof]

Great write up. Thank you, and overall agree, especially understanding that you (Flahute) are a true collector/enthusiast and clearly dedicate a lot of time and resources to the hobby.

 

Personally, LEs have become little more than curiosities in recent years, as I don't have the time or passion needed to pursue them. And unlike past years where I may luck into something (semi) allocated like a Little Book or Weller 12, or a treat pour at a restaurant, my bourbon experiences in 2020 were mostly determined by convenience. It's been frustrating enough hunting down toilet paper, groceries, and building supplies this past year, I didn't need a hobby that involved more hunting.

 

So while I like to drink good stuff, availability made me truly appreciative for the distillers that made good stuff easy to find. There wasn't an itch that ET BIB, OF 100, OF 1920, OF Statesman, OF Rye, WT 101, WT 101 Rye, WTRB, RR10, RR SiB, Baker's, MM CS, or MM 101 couldn't scratch. So my sincere thanks to BF, WT, and BS. (Edit - I did have open an EHTBP from the bunker that hit the spot a few times .)

 

Looking back I do think I neglected FR a bit too much due to previous years' inconstancies, so will happily make them a part of my 2021 bourbon plans. I am also super interested to try post-expansion RR10 and RRSiB this year (and SBS to bunkered versions). 

 

Edited January 3, 2021 by dad-proof
so maybe there was one itch that needed BT 😉

[flahute]

Willett and Castle & Key now added to the original post.

[flahute]

30 minutes ago, dad-proof said:

Great write up. Thank you, and overall agree, especially understanding that you (Flahute) are a true collector/enthusiast and clearly dedicate a lot of time and resources to the hobby.

 

Personally, LEs have become little more than curiosities in recent years, as I don't have the time or passion needed to pursue them. And unlike past years where I may luck into something (semi) allocated like a Little Book or Weller 12, or a treat pour at a restaurant, my bourbon experiences in 2020 were mostly determined by convenience. It's been frustrating enough hunting down toilet paper, groceries, and building supplies this past year, I didn't need a hobby that involved more hunting.

 

So while I like to drink good stuff, availability made me truly appreciative for the distillers that made good stuff easy to find. There wasn't an itch that ET BIB, OF 100, OF 1920, OF Statesman, OF Rye, WT 101, WT 101 Rye, WTRB, RR10, RR SiB, Baker's, MM CS, or MM 101 couldn't scratch. So my sincere thanks to BF, WT, and BS. (Edit - I did have open an EHTBP from the bunker that hit the spot a few times .)

 

Looking back I do think I neglected FR a bit too much due to previous years' inconstancies, so will happily make them a part of my 2021 bourbon plans. I am also super interested to try post-expansion RR10 and RRSiB this year (and SBS to bunkered versions). 

 

I totally hear you. The only reason I get the LE's I do now is because of a long term relationship with a store that takes care of me. Like you, I no longer chase or hunt.

That list of bourbons you posted is pretty much my list as well! That's the majority of what I consume on a day to day basis along with Four Roses.

[JakeySnakes]

Great write up! Totally agree with your 1792 assessment. They've been hitting it outta the park for me, including a FP store pick I'm half way through. Have a 12yr in my closet whose time is coming.

[FacePlant]

Great synopsis Flahute. BT brand always enjoyable and it's dead center of my wheelhouse for what a great bourbon tastes like. Furor well deserved. And you're right on with Barton. SP of the FP are crazy good. I've been mixing DC with KC 120 SPs and that's a fast favorite, and since I love peanuts what's not to like with Beam. BF was my personal pick of the year with the late release of JD SiB BP RYE! Oh this is big!!! I drink the OF but not quite the fan you've become. WT SP RR SiB continue to be the daily BOMB. WOW so good and so consistent (assuming they're all B 4th fl)  With everything already mentioned I passed on the rest-mostly due to availability plus the one everyone loves but me. 

Pray for all 2021 proves to be a great year. Let's put this shit in the rearview and roll. 

[The Black Tot]

Absolute fave posting event of the year delivers again.

 

Covid put me on the sidelines this year, and I didn't work for 11 months as the oil industry imploded, AGAIN.

 

By extension this meant I didn't travel as much or stay current with the state of the US whiskey market. Mostly I picked at the fringes of some single barrel Scotch releases, and just recently went in on a big K+L rum release series.

 

Truly a garbage year that I will never speak well of.

 

From a bourbon year end point of view the absolute worst part of an entirely bad year was losing Gary (Vosgar, for those of you who will read this in the future, and see his posts throughout our old threads), whom we will be toasting periodically for the rest of our lives.

 

Other than that, this year I don't have much to add. Other than I am committed to 2021 being an ORDER OF MAGNITUDE BETTER. I'm typing this from work quarantine which is hopefully the start of my industry's slow recovery, and I hope that the Canada/US border opens soon and wish everyone the best of luck in getting a vaccination as soon as they can so that we can all again clink glasses in Bardstown and elsewhere.

[Phil T]

1 hour ago, flahute said:

I totally hear you. The only reason I get the LE's I do now is because of a long term relationship with a store that takes care of me. Like you, I no longer chase or hunt.

That list of bourbons you posted is pretty much my list as well! That's the majority of what I consume on a day to day basis along with Four Roses.

A long term relationship no longer means much in my area. 10-15 years ago, I was buying an incredible amount of product from 

TPS. They really don't care about past relationships.  They only care about keeping customers happy with their current lottery system. And, if it doesn't make them happy,  I'm pretty sure they could care less. 

[flahute]

3 minutes ago, Phil T said:

A long term relationship no longer means much in my area. 10-15 years ago, I was buying an incredible amount of product from 

TPS. They really don't care about past relationships.  They only care about keeping customers happy with their current lottery system. And, if it doesn't make them happy,  I'm pretty sure they could care less. 

Yeah, at a big store like that, especially one that changed hands, it's pretty impossible. My local is small and privately owned which makes it possible. I used to have a relationship with the manager at one of the local Total Wine's that would bear fruit but then they moved to their rewards points system that ended that.

[Phil T]

13 minutes ago, flahute said:

Yeah, at a big store like that, especially one that changed hands, it's pretty impossible. My local is small and privately owned which makes it possible. I used to have a relationship with the manager at one of the local Total Wine's that would bear fruit but then they moved to their rewards points system that ended that.

Not sure i agree with that. When Ken Lewis owned the business, he took care of regulars. When he sold it to the employees because of his involvement and ownership of New Riff, everything changed,  and not for the better. I'm not going to get into a long drawn out explanation,  but everything about their business profile changed. And none of those changes benefitted the customer. 

[flahute]

36 minutes ago, Phil T said:

Not sure i agree with that. When Ken Lewis owned the business, he took care of regulars. When he sold it to the employees because of his involvement and ownership of New Riff, everything changed,  and not for the better. I'm not going to get into a long drawn out explanation,  but everything about their business profile changed. And none of those changes benefitted the customer. 

If you are regular enough that the main guy knows you then it works for sure. My point about big stores is that there are so many competitors that it can be hard to stand out. Then when the store changes hands, everyone is starting from scratch.

[Jazz June]

Thanks again to Steve for this thread, which always generates good discussion. My thoughts are organized by parent company and then distillery.

Beam Suntory

 

Jim Beam

 

Product line changes/LEs: Knob Creek 15, Knob Creek 12 cask strength, 9yr age statement back on KC SmB Old Overholt upgraded, Old Overholt 114, Old Overholt 11, Little Book 4, Basil Hayden 10 rye, Old Tub BiB wider release

 

Beam is not my all time favorite, but I have to recognize that they are doing lots of things right. Returning the 9 year age statement to Knob Creek and the higher age stated Knob Creek line extensions are all good things, with some of you raving about the KC 12 (and some blogs singing its praises as well). The historic Old Overholt line was upgraded, which I really appreciate, although the new expressions got very limited releases. A Basil Hayden 10 year rye came out, although it does not seem to be selling too well for a "limited edition." I have not had the 2020 Little Book, but some friends really like it. The price seems quite high for the specs, but if the flavor is there, then that doesn't matter. Old Tub BiB was released outside of Kentucky and I thought it was a great value at $20. Beam is doing a good job of combining good proof, NCF, and reasonable price points on a number of "special" releases that are under $30 (Old Tub, Distiller's Cut, Repeal Batch). I have not heard anything about a 2020 release of the cask strength KC rye so that may have been discontinued, which is a shame. Not too surprising though because even the 2018 release is still on shelves here in Virginia. Booker's continues to ascend in price (up to $90 MSRP now I think) without any increase in age. But some of my friends love a number of the recent batches, so maybe the quality is there, I'm just not buying at those prices. An annual age stated Booker's LE continues to look like a missed opportunity. OGD 114 crept up in price this year, but it and the BiB remain good values.

 

All in all, Beam is doing a lot of good things and offering a lot of good whiskey at good prices.

 

Maker's Mark

Product line changes/LEs: Maker's Mark 101 wide release, Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2020, Maker's 46 cask strength wider release

 

No real new products from Maker's, but the 101 and 46 cask strength both got released to a much larger geographic area. Reviews of the 101 here seem mostly positive. I have not heard much about the 2020 Wood Finishing Series release, but it seems to be Maker's annual LE going forward and it is reasonably priced for such a release. Standard Maker's Mark is still a good introductory bourbon and good for cocktails. I'd say it is actually quite underrated among most burgeoning enthusiasts because it isn't cool. But a solid wheater at a good price is a plus to me.

Brown-Forman

 

Old Forester

 

Product line changes/LEs: Old Forester BP PS, Old Forester 100 PS, Old Forester 150th Anniversary

 

Two big things going on for Old Forester this year: the changes to their pick program and the 150th Anniversary batches. The barrel proof picks are getting mostly positive comments, with a few blah comments mixed in. They do seem a bit on the high side price wise for the age of the whiskey, but people seem mostly ok with them. They also now offer 100 proof picks, but I haven't seen or heard of one.

 

They also released three batches of a 150th Anniversary release and these seem to be drawing raves. Which I guess is good because Birthday bourbon continues to decline on specs and reviews. I got a bottle of the 2019 Birthday and didn't think it was worth the $130 MSRP much less the ridiculous prices it goes for on secondary. King of Kentucky continues on as a very well reviewed, but Kentucky only release.

 

On the regular release front, the Old Forester 100 has gotten a lot of positive comments here this past year and the Old Forester rye is one of the best new products from the last few years. A label was cleared for cask strength Old Forester rye picks, so hopefully those are coming soon because that sounds pretty cool.

 

The Early Times brand was sold to Sazerac, so that will be moving down to the Sazerac section from here on out.

 

Woodford Reserve

 

Product line changes: Woodford Reserve Batch Proof, Woodford Reserve Master's Collection Very Fine & Rare, Woodford Reserve Baccarat Edition

 

Not much new for Woodford. The Batch Proof continues as a good bourbon at a bad price. The Master's Collection release was a more typical LE type release (high aged bourbon) than most of the MC releases, but seems to be generating the same disappointment other MC releases brought. There were a couple distillery only releases. And apparently some finishing of Woodford Reserve bottled in a fancy bottle equates to a $2000 MSRP (Baccarat edition). If that's not a collector's only release, I don't know what is. I'll say what I said last year, Woodford is casting about for stuff to do beyond their standard bourbon, which is a decent if unexciting product. I love the history of Woodford and B-F is doing a good job with Old Forester and Jack Daniel's, so maybe all Woodford needs is a little attention.

 

Campari

 

Wild Turkey

Product line changes/LEs: Rare Breed rye, Master's Keep 17yr BiB, Russell's Reserve 2003

 

The big news this year is the addition of Rare Breed rye. I haven't tried it yet, but reviews seem mostly positive and I imagine availability will continue to improve. The 17 year BiB, WT's second ever BiB release, is good and somewhat available for a high age stated LE. Reviews of the RR 2003 seem quite good, although I'll admit being put off by such a low proof on a $250 LE release. Russell's SiB picks continue to be one of the best bets in bourbon. Rare Breed bourbon, 101 bourbon, and 101 rye continue to do their thing and provide good whiskey at good prices (and you can actually buy them without a search party). The price of Kentucky Spirit continues to be a bit of a head scratcher. If they want to keep the price high on it, I think they should move it towards an 11-13 age statement range. Or, you know, just make Kentucky Spirit 12 year 101 a regular special release. It would be cool if Russell's SiB rye picks could be a thing again, but overall, I'm happy with Turkey. A label was cleared for Russell's Reserve 13 year cask strength, which is very exciting, but price and availability will be the key questions.

 

Heaven Hill

 

Heaven Hill

 

Product line changes/LEs: Larceny BP, Elijah Craig rye, Elijah Craig Toasted bourbon, 2020 PHC, 2020 William Heaven Hill, Heaven Hill 85th Anniversary barrel

 

I was excited for the Larceny BP, but the A120 release was a big letdown. Haven't tried the other two. The growing conclusion in my group is also that the Old Fitzgerald BiB releases are not worthy of the hype/expense. The 15yr from Fall 2019 is spectacular, but other releases are a lot more mediocre. I drank a Larceny pick and was left with the same blah feeling as regular Larceny gives me. All in all, Heaven Hill's wheated bourbon is a lot more miss than hit.

 

The HH rye whiskey offering got a new addition in the Elijah Craig rye. It looks like it will make its way to Virginia soon, but not sure what need it is filling. Rittenhouse remains a good value and is cheaper and higher proof, so I will probably keep buying that after trying the EC rye. Many of you continue to love Pikesville, but the bottle I had just didn't do it for me so I'm leaving this one alone for a while. HH's rye bourbons mostly keep trucking, with Evan Williams carrying much of the load. McKenna 10 has gone up in price a lot and is just not worth hunting to me. Elijah Craig picks offer some really good value and Elijah Craig BP is one of the best products on the market, with decent availability. The EC Toasted was pretty popular locally (we may have actually gotten it before anyone somehow), but I'm not big on second cask bourbons, so did not try it. Early comments on this year's PHC seem positive, but the brand has yet to return to its early heights. The WHH and 85th anniversary barrel add to the distillery gift shop and Kentucky only products, so I can't comment on them much. In sum, Elijah Craig bourbon and Rittenhouse rye are where Heaven Hill will be getting my money in the near future.

 

Kirin

 

Four Roses

 

Product line changes/LEs: 2020 LE SmB

 

While there wasn't a flashy new release to speak of, I thought this was a good year for Four Roses. The 2020 LE SmB is quite good and builds on the excellent 2019 release. The barrel strength pick program had a bunch of great barrels this year and increases in availability for some of the harder to find recipes. At least some of you report improvements in the standard SiB's quality. I believe SmB Select is headed for wider release in the near future and the SmB remains a house favorite here. I'd say Four Roses is going strong and headed for new heights with Brent Elliot proving to be a worthy successor to Jim Rutledge's work. Obviously the losses of Jim and Al Young cannot be truly replaced, but Four Roses appears to have some great people at the helm. Participating in a pick at Four Roses remains high on my bourbon bucket list.

 

MGP

 

MGP

 

Product line changes/LEs: 2020 Remus Repeal Reserve, cask strength George Remus picks, Rossville Union BiB picks, Old Scout bourbon picks, Old Scout 4yr SiB BP rye

 

Starting with MGP's house brands, Remus and Rossville Union rye, this year saw a lot of picks for both brands coming out to decent reviews. Both products run in the 5 year age range I believe, but this may go up over time as the programs develop. The Remus Repeal now in its fourth year seems to be a reliably solid well aged MGP bourbon release and availability is reasonable. The price is maybe a touch high in the $80-90 range, but people are paying a lot more for lesser bourbons, so not too egregious. Old Scout five year old bourbon picks and a four year cask strength single barrel rye release also mark a significant return for my personal favorite MGP bottler. Again, hopefully the ages continue to come up as time goes on. I was disappointed with the mature (10 to 12 year) NDP MGP bourbons I drank this year and they weren't cheap. It sounds like prices on MGP barrels may have overshot the mark a bit now and there may be some leveling off. For now though, I'm more likely to focus on the house brands and Old Scout as they get into the 6 to 8 year sweet spot for many bourbons and ryes.

 

Sazerac

 

Barton

 

As Steve said, a quiet year for Barton. The availability of picks and the regular release BiB seemed to improve. They appear to have lots of whiskey, so there are some really good barrels floating around for those picks. They have a Thomas S. Moore finished bourbon line coming in 2021. I'm not likely to be a buyer, but it is definitely something new for them and I suppose builds on the 1792 Port Finished from a few years ago. The High Rye and Sweet Wheat are still in short supply, but Barton's prices across the board are among the best in the industry. Very Old Barton keeps going as one of the best "value" brands.

 

As mentioned above, Sazerac bought Early Times from Brown-Forman. There is already a thread discussing this and we will just have to see how this shapes up. My personal guess is that production will move to Barton when the barrels included in the purchase run out.

 

Bowman

 

Product line changes/LEs: Abraham Bowman #20 Gingerbread finish

 

Bowman continues to do its thing here in Virginia and do it well. The John J Bowman standard release is a bit of a hidden treasure and a few picks did make it out to local groups. Finished bourbons aren't my thing, but people seem to like the Isaac Bowman and the Bowman Brothers SmB is a strong competitor in its lane. This year's Abraham Bowman release is getting really good reviews from my friends, although I have yet to crack mine. Bowman also gets points for going around Virginia ABC's failures and running its own lottery to distribute the AB. I'm sorry more of you don't have access to Bowman, but if you do make it here to our Commonwealth, it's easy to find on our shelves (well, not the Abraham).

 

Buffalo Trace

 

Product line changes/LEs: Weller SiB, Buffalo Trace Kosher wheated bourbon/rye bourbon/rye whiskey, EH Taylor SiB picks, EH Taylor 18yr Marriage, Old Charter Oak Chinkapin Oak, U.S. releases of Blanton's Gold and Straight from the Barrel, Benchmark SmB/BiB/SiB/Full Proof/Top Floor

 

I like Buffalo Trace quite a bit, but it's tough to actually buy any of their products in Virginia unless you want to line up for hours before the liquor store opens. In 2020 I bought six bottles of bourbon distilled at BT and none of them were bought in Virginia. But putting aside my personal disappointment with BT availability, the BT hype train continues to pick up speed (as if it wasn't going fast enough already). I don't understand it, but it seems like every new bourbon enthusiast fixates on the BT products to the exclusion of nearly everything else. Local Facebook groups are filled with excited posts about finding Taylor Small Batch, Weller SR, or even regular Buffalo Trace. I like the Taylor and standard BT, but come on, they are fairly ordinary bourbons in the grand scheme of things. These same people probably haven't tried Russell's Reserve or Four Roses (which I guess leaves more of those for me).

 

BT introduced more new products this year, but all suffer from limited availability. Weller SiB seems like an excuse to make another Weller label color for people to collect. I'm not sure what need it fills when you already have SR, Antique, and Full Proof all available for picks. The Kosher line is a nice gesture I guess, but again the BT hype got them and they were inevitably posted online for big markups. The Taylor and Old Charter limited editions: unavailable for normal prices. U.S. releases of Blanton's Gold and Straight from the Barrel: high MSRPs which are then marked up high enough that you might as well just order from the EU instead. There were a few Taylor SiB picks, which were quickly posted online for insane prices. The Benchmark line extensions are reasonably priced and might maintain availability, but it seems they only went out to a few states so far. Private picks of Stagg Jr. are coming on 2021, although like the introduction of EH Taylor SiB picks I imagine there won't be many of these. At this point, I wish BT would consolidate their products instead of making new ones. Focus on making the expressions you do offer available. It appeared that supply did increase some this year, but who knows when things might reach any kind of equilibrium. I do put my name in for a few lotteries each year, so I might win the "privilege" of buying a bottle of a BT product here or there, but otherwise I'll just have to fetch something from the bunker if I want a bourbon or rye from Buffalo Trace.

 

Summary

 

There is no doubt that this was a tough year for everyone and the industry can be forgiven for just trying to make it through as best they could. In my opinion, most of the distilleries have good leadership and are mostly doing a good job of retaining quality as production volumes meet and surpass the previous record highs. Heaven Hill seems to be in a state of flux and B-F could probably make better use of Woodford Reserve, but overall the big players in bourbon are in good hands. The industry continues to honor its past while pushing for new innovation.

 

As for craft and NDP companies, I don't have a ton to say because I don't buy or drink too much of either. As I mentioned last year, Willett, Wilderness Trail, and New Riff are doing a good job and headed in the right direction. I think they are here to stay. Beyond those three, I only bought one bottle from another craft outfit, which was a pick, and that was to support the entity which made the pick. It was young and disappointing, which is why I'm not buying too many craft products. NDPs are all the place, as one might expect, but even the good ones seem over-hyped and over-priced to me. Take Michter's 10; it is a good bourbon but it's quite pricy for a 10 year old at $130+ and I'm definitely not going to chase it. I'll just go buy a cask strength ten year old Four Roses pick or a 110 proof NCF Russell's pick for less.

 

That's all I got... for now.

[RT Fan]

Thanks to @flahute & @Jazz June for their exhaustive research into a subject we all love and for sharing that information with the rest of the forum members. I never realized what a slacker I was. 

[smokinjoe]

12 minutes ago, RT Fan said:

Thanks to @flahute & @Jazz June for their exhaustive research into a subject we all love and for sharing that information with the rest of the forum members. I never realized what a slacker I was. 

You’re pacing yourself...  

[berto]

Great reads fellas.  I think Wilderness Trail is the next big thing.  Very excited to taste their continued growth.

[mbroo5880i]

@flahute Steve, great write up and summary on the State of Bourbon from an Enthusiast's point of view.  You are one of us so we love your sharing your detailed insight where available and general perspective on all things bourbon.  Personally, I believe my perspective on the bourbon universe is consistent with yours.  However, my in-depth knowledge of the details and trends pales by comparison.  I have nothing of substance to add other than to say thanks for sharing and I look forward to reading others comments.

Edited January 8, 2021 by mbroo5880i

[flahute]

On 1/7/2021 at 5:17 PM, mbroo5880i said:

@flahute Steve, great write up and summary on the State of Bourbon from an Enthusiast's point of view.  You are one of us so we love your sharing your detailed insight where available and general perspective on all things bourbon.  Personally, I believe my perspective on the bourbon universe is consistent with yours.  However, my in-depth knowledge of the details and trends pales by comparison.  I have nothing of substance to add other than to say thanks for sharing and I look forward to reading others comments.

Thanks for the very kind words. If my wife were present, she would say that when I decide to get into something, I go all in. It's true, I'm a super nerd.