News from Buffalo Trace - Second Year of Corn – A New Variety – Planted

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (June 23, 2016) A little over a year ago, Buffalo Trace Distillery quietly purchased an additional 293 acres of farm land adjacent to the Distillery, with the intention of building more barrel warehouses to meet the growing demands of bourbon. In the meantime while permits were being secured for the new construction, Buffalo Trace decided it would be “fun” to plant its own corn, with an idea of creating its own farm to table “single estate” bourbon experience. 

But it couldn’t be just any corn that was planted, the Distillery wanted to plant something that had historical meaning to this 243-year-old National Historic Landmark. Research began, and soon a strain was identified that dated back to 1876, around the same time E. H. Taylor, Jr. was making his mark on Buffalo Trace. The strain originated from a White Mastodon variety and through selection techniques in isolation it became “Boone County White,” after a farmer named James Riley coined the name. Coincidentally, Harlen Wheatley, Master Distiller at Buffalo Trace, was born in Boone County, Ky., making that strain even more fitting. 

After planting 18 acres of the non-GMO white corn in the summer of 2015, Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley and his team eagerly watched the corn sprout up and begin to grow, and grow, and grow!  And harvest time, the stalks were well over 12 feet tall! The corn was harvested in August of last year and the grain was processed to be dried. After drying all winter, the corn was fermented and distilled at Buffalo Trace on May 31, 2016. All told, 117 barrels of the Boone County White Corn variety were distilled and are now aging in Buffalo Trace’s warehouses, to be taste tested periodically over the next few years to check on progress, and then eventually released, provided the taste profile is up to Buffalo Trace’s rigorous standards.

Now, in 2016, the cycle is beginning again, with Buffalo Trace planting its second year of non-GMO corn, this time Japonica Striped Corn, a strain originally from Japan and dating back to the 1890s. This variety will have variegated leaves of green, white, yellow and pink stripes with dark purple tassels and burgundy kernels. Typically used as an ornamental corn, this variety will be a true experiment to see how it tastes once fermented and distilled next year!  In addition to both the Boone County and Japonica Striped corn being from E. H. Taylor, Jr.’s era, both are dent corn varieties, which have a high starch content and are ideal for distilling, unlike traditional sweet corn one might see in the grocery store.  Buffalo Trace uses a different variety of dent corn in the distillation of the rest of the bourbons in its portfolio.

            Buffalo Trace Distillery intends to plant a different variety of corn each year at its farm so each year in the future there will be a unique release.  Name, age or price of this future bourbon has not yet been determined.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery's rich tradition dates back to 1786 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won seven distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named Whisky Magazine 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 200 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com

Jefferson's Reserve Chef Collaboration Review: A Boubron Created with Food and Friends in Mind

Pairing drinks with different types of food has become very popular in today's dinning experiences and private parities.  Wine pairing has best been known to be the leading example of this trend.  But for those who enjoy bourbon, where do you start.  What food, chocolate, or cheese do you decide to share in an evening of sipping and nibbling?  Thanks to the most recent addition and creation from Jefferson's Reserve, we now have a bourbon that was specifically made for that reason.  Please welcome, Jefferson's Chef Collaboration.

Trey Zoeller, the founder and Master Blender of Jefferson's Bourbon started asking this question of pairing with his good friend Chef Edward Lee.  Chef Edward Lee is the main chef of 610 Magnolia, located in Louisville, KY.  To truly understand the complexity of this bourbon, you must get to know one of it's creators.  Chef Edward is a Korean-American who grew up in Brooklyn, trained in NYC kitchens and now resides in Kentucky.  Lee's culinary style and refined palate draws from his Asian background, New York training, and his love for American Southern cuisine.  Lee's statement from his website states, "I never met a bourbon I didn't like".  For the most part, that's a pretty good statement. 

The collaboration of these two good friends that share a passion for bourbon and food took around nine plus months to perfect.  Like the food that Chef Lee creates at 610 and noted in his cook book, both Tray and Lee wanted their bourbon to complement spicier foods and heat-heavy dishes.  What they came up with was a combination of a 5 year old, an 8 year old an a 14 year old rye bourbon at 92 proof.  The rye addition was key or "epiphany" of what made the bourbon pair so well and their goal to complement those Southern, Asian, dishes.

The final product was a smoother rye mix with an array of flavors.    

My review on the first sip:

The Collaboration is a very smooth and enriched flavored bourbon that releases many different flavors throughout your taste buds.  The sweetness starts from the oak and cherry and then the sour mash gently awakes the middle of your taste buds.  The finish is a smooth, not too spiced, ending before you you complete your sip.

I prefer drinking this bourbon "neat", so that one can enjoy the work behind the combination of flavors and smoothness that I believe was intended during it's creation.    

I give this four and half out of five barrels.

Product Description from the horses mouth:

 Ridiculously small batch limited offering is a marriage of very rare barrels of bourbon and rye. We wanted a blend with harmonious flavors, with smoke and spice. It is just as pretty alone in a glass as it is alongside the supper table. This is a singular, custom blend, the result of our collaboration and friendship. Here now, but gone soon. Drink up. - Jefferson's
 

Price point Nation Wide:  $39.99 to $49.99
Size 750ML
46% ABV  92 Proof


Links:

610 Magnolia

Chef Edward Lee

 Jefferson's Bourbon

Sake and Bourbon Sit Down to Talk Business

In my professional career I deal with many different Japanese companies in the state of Kentucky.  Because of Toyota and that their National Headquarters being located just south of Cincinnati OH, many Japanese based companies have established residency or sister locations to support this giant auto-maker.  To support the ever growing relationship between Americans and Japanese culture, there was is a Japan/America Society that was established in Kentucky in 1987.  To read more about them, see the following link: JASK Their goal is to organize a variety of business, cultural, educational and social programs throughout the Bluegrass.  Their most recent business meeting was called, Bourbon Meets Sake - Perspectives on working with Japanese, working in Japanese, and working in Japan.  Essentially the meeting was a round table format with local businesses that were wanting to learn more about the Japanese work culture.  Also in attendance was Four Roses and Blanton's.  For those who do not know, both companies are Japanese owned.  What you say?  But isn't Blanton's a Buffalo Trace Product?  Well first thing, that's Sazerac and second, no they are not.  Buffalo Trace bottles their product but Blanton's is owned by a Japanese company bought in the early 80's from the Ancient Ancient Age Distillery.  Both bourbons are a single barrel and Blanton's claims they were the first single barrel, but that will be addressed in a later post.
Overall, the meeting was went very well.  I was thrilled to speak with the Blanton's representative and of course have free samples of two of the best bourbons made.  If I only could have made some suggestions, I would have told them to leave info on the bourbons and the sake they brought to sample but because they didn't I can not tell you which sake I tried.  I understand that is not good form, and I will will learn from that experience as I move on, but I hope that what you take from this post is one, don't turn down good bourbon, two grow your network out of your culture, three, doesn't matter who owns the company, and four look for every opportunity to meet and greet anyone that you can.

Four Roses Bourbon

Blanton's Bourbon

Gone But Lives On

One of my top bourbons that I have always kept in my cabinet is a good single barrel of Elmer T. Lee.  For those who are not familiar with this brand, Elmer T. Lee was the Master Distiller of  Buffalo Trace.  He was a WWII vet, an engineer and an amazing man.  I had the prvillege to meet him myself once and recently spoke with an individual from the Blanton's line of how great a man he was. 
In the early 80's he was honored by the company and given his own single-barrel namesake.  In 2001 he was inducted in the Kentucky Hall of Fame, his receipt of the "Lifetime Achievement Aware" from both Whiskey Advocate in 2002 and Whiskey Magazine in 2012.  Recently this past year, Elmer T. Lee passed away, just weeks before his 94th birthday.  Up till his passing, he was known to still be at the distillery a few times a week, checking in on his batch and the Blanton's batch.  He also greeted those who came to visit.   Many people in the bourbon community has wondered what Buffalo Trace will do to honor this man, and just like like rumors that go with the bourbon industry, I've heard everything from multiple companies putting a batch together, to special bottles, and even not making the batch anymore. But with my recent find, they will be producing a new label and this batch will be at 93 proof.  So, bourbon lovers keep an eye out and have a glass for Elmer T. Lee when it arrives on the shelves.