WT Kentucky Spirit Q

[Old Lamplighter]

This may be a difficult question to answer. Does anyone have an opinion in terms of the best or preferred warehouse in which KS is aged and selected by Jimmy Russell? I realize since we are talking about a single barrel bourbon, every barrel is slightly different. However, like other things in life, location is everything. Just been wondering if some warehouses are historically known to produce a more desireable barrel than others there at WT.

[ACDetroit]

Hey Jake I read here somewhere Jimmy really liked Warehouse "G" for picking the WTKS! Did not say why but I did read it in a post some time ago!

Must have something to do with the G-Spot cause they are good!!

Cheers!

Tony

[Old Lamplighter]

Sounds like a good choice to me! For whatever the reason, probably because the bottles are so neat to me, I have kept all the KS bottles which I have gone thru over the years. Now, that ain't as many as you might think but there are a few on the shelf in the storage room - my wife is not as endeared to them as yours truly. Anyhow, got to looking over them the other day and noticed that most had come from Warehouse F. So, the pinwheels starting turning and the question came to my depreciating mind. Of the ones I've seen of late in the lighter colored wood top, I think they may be from Warehouse G.....can't recall. Getting ready to go out and get my wife some wine, so I will look.

[OscarV]

Yes there are rickhouses that are known to produce better bourbon than others, also different floors of these houses.

I don't remember specific ones, I do remember reading that the Master Distillers know these from their experience.

I recall a forum where several Master Distillers were in attendance, sponsored by a whiskey publication and one mentioned a rickhouse and another one knew it and replied about how the wind direction brought in good temperatures.

I thought that was interesting that one man knew about anothers house.

As far as WTKS goes, last fall I got one I was not happy with.

It was the new light colored wood top. In the past I have been pleased with the dark wood top.

And of course the old pewter top is the best I ever had.

[nor02lei]

When I did visit the WT distillery 2006 I did ask Jimmy Russell how different the whiskey developed in different warehouses. Very surprisingly he said that there were no differences between different warehouses. Only the location inside the houses did matter according to Jimmy. He also told me the reason for the big spread of the houses was only for the fire risk.

Leif

[Special Reserve]

Oscar,

I agree, the Pewter Top is great, I liked the dark brown top WTKS, never had the tan top.

Will

[Special Reserve]

Leif,

For what it's worth, I was told the same thing at a different distillery.

The part about fire is easy to understand. However, I do wonder why they feel there is no difference in taste as the warehouses are often oriented differently and the sun could produce a different temperature inside and thus a different flavor profile. Perhaps it's empirical knowledge.

Will

[nor02lei]

Leif,

For what it's worth, I was told the same thing at a different distillery.

The part about fire is easy to understand. However, I do wonder why they feel there is no difference in taste as the warehouses are often oriented differently and the sun could produce a different temperature inside and thus a different flavor profile. Perhaps it's empirical knowledge.

Will

As I said Will, the answer did surprise me. I did ask the same question at my visit at Barton’s in Bardstown and the answer there were that the whiskey did develop differently in different warehouses.

Leif

[kbuzbee]

As I said Will, the answer did surprise me. I did ask the same question at my visit at Barton’s in Bardstown and the answer there were that the whiskey did develop differently in different warehouses.

Leif

I too would expect different warehouses to produce different flavor notes. As much as where a barrel sites within a warehouse. But I'm not one to dispute Jimmy! He knew more about Bourbon the day he was born than I ever will.

That said, I do prefer the Pewter Top bottles. Could be mental. Dunno.

Ken

[Sijan]

Whenever I see a thread on a topic like this, it reminds me of how they store barrels at Virginia Gentleman. The barrels are all stacked vertically and palletized in a regular warehouse-type room that is connected to the production facilities. The barrel pallets take up less than half of the space, maybe only a quarter of the space. Reminds me of a very small Costco...with bourbon barrels.

[Old Lamplighter]

I too would expect different warehouses to produce different flavor notes. As much as where a barrel sites within a warehouse. But I'm not one to dispute Jimmy! He knew more about Bourbon the day he was born than I ever will.

That said, I do prefer the Pewter Top bottles. Could be mental. Dunno.

Ken

I agree....especially as to where a barrel is situated within a warehouse. I definitely would never dispute Jimmy either. I would not be surprised if he is able to control the weather & elements around his warehouses to make certain they all produce like notes!