The Friskey Whiskey Podcast

EP 32: Purple Top

Join MikeD and TI as we welcome our special guest from Fox Cigar, Rob! We discuss The Davidoff Experience while enjoying a unique wheated bourbon! If you order from Fox Cigar between 10/4/23 at 4pm until 10/11/23 at 4pm and mention you came from The Friskey Whiskey they'll throw something special into your order!
 
Willett 8yr old Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon. $220 (price points $249-$600). 108 proof.Mash Bill: Undisclosed proportions of corn, wheat and malted barleyThe first release of Willett Wheated Bourbon was distilled in the early Spring of 2013 and bottled in the Summer of 2022.
History:The Willett family name goes as far back as 1684 where Edward Willet was a master pewter. From 1692 - 1792 the Willets would call George’s County, Maryland home. In 1792 William Willett Jr moved to Kentucky. This is the same year Kentucky became a state. John David Willett was born in 1841, he would become one-third owner and Master Distiller at Moore, Willett and Frenke Distillery. During his lifetime, John was the Master Distiller at 4 other distilleries in Kentucky. In 1883 Aloysius Lambert Willett was born and by the age of 15 was in the bourbon business. In 1909 Aloysius Lambert Thompson Willett  was born and would become founder and president of Willett Distillery in Bardstown around 1936. In 1937 on St. Patrick's day, The Willetts put their first barrel into storage. By the 1940’s they introduced Old Bardstown Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. In the 1960’s Willett developed Johnny Drum Bourbon. After an ownership change in 1984 to the Kulsveen family, Willett Distillery began making Small Batch Boutique Bourbons (Noah’s Mills as an example). 2008 Willett Pot Still Reserve Bourbon debuts in the signature pot still shaped bottle 
Nose: Vanilla, fudge, rye, peppermint, and burnt caramel aromas.Taste: Vanilla, oranges, chocolate,  black tea, cinnamon, and peppermint.

EP 31: Bourbon Under $20

Join MikeD and TI as they welcome back their guest Vivian to enjoy some bourbons under $20!
 
Benchmark Small Batch Bourbon $17.99   90 proof  Maybe a Mash bill of 75% corn, 10% rye, 15% barley
The Seagram company started as a Canadian distillery back in 1857 and grew to become one of the biggest spirits companies in Canada. Sometime in the late 1960s, Seagram decided to start a premium brand labeled Benchmark Bourbon. It used to be made at Four Roses back when Seagram owned them.  Seagram sold Benchmark Bourbon to Sazerac corporation in 1989. Sazerac put the label under their Buffalo Trace brand, creating the whiskey at the same Frankfort, Kentucky distillery as the name brand Buffalo Trace. The name Benchmark Bourbon was changed to McAfee’s Benchmark Old No.8 Bourbon. This was in honor of the McAfee brothers, who surveyed the site of the Buffalo Trace Distillery in 1775, long before it was built.
Nose: Vanilla, oak, spice, cinnamon, apples.Taste: caramel, leather, charred oak, spice, and honey
Ten High Sour Mash $8.99   80 proof  Mash Bill ???
Ten High was established in 1879, although production of the brand began in the 1930s. The 1879 date refers to the founding of the Tom Moore distillery. The name Ten High refers to a barrel storage location at least ten ricks high, as barrels in the upper part of the aging warehouse mature faster. First introduced in the 1930s by Hiram Walker & Sons, now produced by the Barton Brands division of the Sazerac Company since 2009.
Nose: caramel, oak, hint of vanilla,  ethanolTaste: oak, brown sugar, vanilla ,pepper 
Evan Williams Bourbon $15.99 86 proof Mash Bill 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley
Evan Williams was a natural-born leader, innovator, and entrepreneur. He worked in numerous trades as a businessman, politician, and—most notably—whiskey distiller. In 1783, he founded Kentucky's first commercial distillery on the banks of the Ohio River. Bottled in Bardstown, KY, the product is distilled at the Heaven Hill distillery in Louisville, Kentucky.
Nose: Light with deep vanilla and mintTaste: Notes of oak, brown sugar and caramel

EP 30: Elijah Magnus

Join MikeD and TI as they continue bourbon heritage month with some classic bourbons!
 
Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon finished in White oak, Sherry and Cognac Casks.  $109.99 100 proof. Rumored to be 9 years old. Mash bill, undisclosed.
History:In the midst of the Civil War in 1864, young Joseph Magnus received news that his father had been killed in battle. With three younger siblings to take care of, he matured quickly and took on the responsibility of caring for his siblings. Following in his father's steps, became a merchant.He soon discovered a niche market for wholesale liquors, and by the time he was twenty-six he had painstakingly built up a liquor empire based out of Cincinnati, Ohio.Magnus prided himself not only on the quality and age of his spirits, but on intelligent and honorable business methods. This is when he produced Murray Hill Club Whiskey.In 1918, the imminent arrival of National Prohibition caused Magnus to pause his whiskey production and sales. For the remainder of his life, Magnus enjoyed but did not produce fine spirits. His four children grew up and started families of their own, and the story of their father’s success began to fade into legend. Stories and a few dusty artifacts were all that remained.
Then, nearly a century later, a fortunate discovery was made by one of Magnus’ great-grandsons: a bottle of 122-year-old Murray Hill Club Whiskey, tucked away and seemingly forgotten. To make sense of this rare find, the family gathered industry veterans to extract a few milliliters from the famed bottle, to taste, test, and reproduce, if possible. These experts were stunned to discover it to be one of the greatest bourbons they had ever tasted. Re-established in 2015Today, using the same blending and finishing techniques Joseph Magnus employed over 100 years ago, Magnus Master Blender, Nancy Fraley, finishes 12-year-old bourbon in a triple cask finishing process using Oloroso Sherry, and Cognac casks. The result is as close as possible to the original Joseph Magnus Bourbon in that 122-year-old bottle.
*this bourbon won 4 gold medals over the last 2 years**Murray Hill bourbon - blend of 11 and 18yr old bourbon with  a 9yr light whiskey**Magnus Cigar blend bourbon - blend of 11 and 18yr old bourbon*
Nose: Orange, honey, plum, dark fruits, leather, buttercreamTaste: cherry, vanilla, brown sugar, oak, leather, pepper, tobacco
 
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Kentucky straight bourbon 94 proof. $89.97 Mash bill 78% corn, 12% Malted Barley, 10% Rye
History:Reverend Elijah Craig was a Baptist preacher, an educator, and an entrepreneur who built the first paper and wool mills in Georgetown, Kentucky. But for all his industries, it was his gift as a distiller and an innovator that brought him his greatest acclaim. 
 In the late 18th century, Craig moved to what is now known as Kentucky, then part of Virginia, and settled in a region that would later become Georgetown. He played a significant role in establishing Baptist churches and educational institutions in the area.
Elijah Craig is often associated with the early development of bourbon whiskey. According to legend, he is said to have been one of the first individuals to age corn-based whiskey in charred oak barrels. This aging process is believed to have given bourbon its distinct flavor and amber color. However, historical records are somewhat limited.
In 1789, Elijah Craig became the first distiller to age his whiskey in new charred oak barrels. Some claim that an accidental fire charred his barrels and changed the whiskey inside. Others say he stored his whiskey in former sugar barrels and was impressed with how charing improved the flavor. Elijah Craig knew he had discovered something great. He continued to refine the barrel charring process, imparting smooth, rich flavor to the spirit that would become known as Bourbon. 250 years later, he is still known as the Father of BourbonElijah Craig's name is synonymous with bourbon today. His legacy is celebrated by Heaven Hill Distilleries, which produces a well-known brand of bourbon called "Elijah Craig Bourbon" in his honor. The brand features a range of bourbon expressions, including small batch and single barrel options.Nose: toasted oak, caramelTaste: spice, pepper, milk chocolate, hint of smoke

EP 29: New Kids on the Block

Join MikeD and TI as they observe bourbon heritage month with some newer players to the bourbon industry.
 
Milam & Greene  Triple cask bourbon  $57.99  96 proof. Mash bill: 70% Texas corn, 22% malted rye from Oregon & Washington, 8% Wyoming barley
This a woman owned distillery out of Texas. Marsha Milam visited Kentucky and wanted to do her own Whiskey-making. She partnered with Whiskey expert and author Heather Greene, Whiskey veteran Marlene Holmes with 30 years of experience, and Master Brewer Jordan Osborne who brought 60 years of combined experience to the table. They have both smaller 300-gallon and a bigger 1,000-gallon copper-pot stills in the Texas Hill Country, plus classic column stills in Bardstown, Kentucky. 
3 hand picked straight bourbon whiskies go into each bottle. 3-4yr old Texas bourbon, 3-5yr old Kentucky bourbon, and a vintage Tennessee bourbon
master distiller, Marlene Holmes, and her whiskey team distill in both Blanco, Texas and Bardstown, Kentucky. The mash bill for both our Texas and Kentucky distillates is 70% corn, 22% malted rye, and 8% barley with our proprietary yeast recipe.The whiskey is aged in barrels across three states before they come to Texas for final aging, batching, proofing and bottling.
Won double gold at the 2022 San Francisco spirits competition
Nose: Vanilla, florals, and spiceTaste: Creamy, vanilla, florals, and spice
Prichard's Double Chocolate bourbon $69.99 90 proof. Mash bill: corn, rye, wheat
The whiskey brand and distillery were founded by Phil Prichard, who is now the company's master distiller. He named it after his ancestor Benjamin Prichard, who operated a distillery in Davidson County, Tennessee, in the early 1800s, who bequeathed his distilling equipment to his son after his death in 1822.Founded in 1997, Prichard's Distillery was the first "legal" Distillery in Tennessee in almost 50 years. Searching into American History,  they  set out to hand craft their spirits in traditional copper pot stills, like those of colonial America some 200 years ago.
Nose: cocoa bean, dark chocolate, corn, vanillaTaste: toffee, caramel, chocolate, corn, oak, dry

EP 28: The Island Rooster Did It

In this episode join MikeD and TI as they go through some unique ryes with our guest Steve!
 
Chicken Cock Island Rooster Rye $210.99 95 proof  Mash bill 95% rye, 5% malted barleyCask Type: New charred American oak; finished in Caribbean rum casks
History:First established in 1856 in Paris, Kentucky, Chicken Cock Whiskey rose to popularity during the 19th century. James A. Miller built a distillery and started making Chicken Cock, a type of whiskey unique to the bluegrass region. By 1886, the distillery was making  600 bushels per day.Prohibition began in 1920’s and the Distillery was forced  to sell the to Distillers Corporation Limited, of Montreal, Canada. They purchased legal rights to the Chicken Cock name and began production outside of the U.S. During the 1920’s it was a staple of prohibition-era speakeasies, like the famous Cotton Club, where it was smuggled inside in nondescript tin cans, earning it the nickname, “the Whiskey in a tin can.After prohibition Chicken Cock basically disappeared after being one of the most popular whiskeys of the era.  In 2011, Chicken Cock’s fortunes changed when spirits entrepreneur Matti Anttila discovered the brand while researching the early days of distillation in the U.S. From that point on he focused on bringing back the brand and started Grain and Barrel Spirits. The Whiskey is now being distilled by Bardstown Bourbon Company in collaboration with Grain and Barrel Spirits.
–Island Rooster is a limited edition Kentucky Straight Rye finished in rum barrels. Inspired by a trip to the Caribbean, where roosters announce the coming day, they decided to finish 25 barrels of their Signature Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey in Caribbean rum casks (up to 4 - 6 months).
Nose: spices, pepper, rye, molassesTaste: vanilla, butterscotch, pepper, sweet rum molasses
Very Olde St. Nick Harvest Rye $190 119.2 proof Mash bill: Undisclosed
Very Old St. Nick Distillery is owned and operated by Marci Palatella, who also owns Preservation Distillery. Established in 1986.Famed for sourcing amazing older whiskies the brand quickly gained popularity in bourbon and rye enthusiast circles.  However, as demand for aged stocks of bourbon and rye skyrocketed across the board supplies for VOSN dried up and so for many years the brand lay dormant. Frustrated with being unable to source the ‘magically intense barrels of yore’ in 2015, Palatella purchased a tobacco farm in Bardstown KY and transformed it into a small craft distillery with a visitors center. Named the Preservation Distillery, Palatella’s dream of bringing back brands such as VOSN and Rare Perfection had become a reality and with production beginning in October of 2017, the team at Preservation reignited their efforts to source amazing barrels for these historic brands whilst their own whisky matures. The distillery produces  100% bourbon, rye, and malt whiskey using locally-sourced grains that are distilled using a pot still in 1 – 3 barrel batches. Today the Preservation Distillery produces brands such as Wattie Boone & Sons, Cowboy Little Barrel, Rare Perfection, and Very Olde St. Nick. Nose: baking spices,  pepper, dried fruit, charred oak,Taste: caramelized nuts, baking spices, green apple, pepper spice, charred oak, dark chocolate, dried red fruits
 
Bonus Whiskey: Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye

EP 27: Don’t Forget to Eat Your Wheated Bourbon

In this episode join MikeD and TI as we try some wheated bourbons!
 
What is Wheated Bourbon:Typically, bourbon distillers use rye and malted barley in the other 49% of the mash bill. Wheated bourbon simply replaces the rye with wheat, either in whole or part. Wheated bourbons meet the requisite requirements for being a bourbon yet have their own distinct flavors.
 
Rebel Limited Edition Cask Strength Wheated Bourbon $54.99 120 proof. Mash Bill 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barleyBarrel filled 3/22/17Distilled by Lux Row in Bardstown, Kentucky History:The W.L. Weller & Sons company was founded in 1849 by William Larue Weller, who pioneered using wheat instead of rye in his mash for a lighter flavor than the older style of bourbons. The W.L. Weller company merged with the Stitzel distilling company (est. 1872) to form the Stitzel-Weller distilling company in 1910.The "Rebel Yell" brand was created at Stitzel-Weller in the 1930s with the idea of distilling it in limited batches for exclusive distribution in the Southern United States.Rebel Yell was created by Louisville mayor, Charles R. Farnsley, who teamed up with the Stitzel-Weller distillery.Rebel Yell was a real icon back in the day, and ended up featuring in a few movies and even lend itself to a song and album by Billy Idol, Rebel Yell. Idol allegedly got the idea after attending a party with The Rolling Stones. It was, so it turns out, Keith Richards' favorite brand of bourbon.In the early 1980s, after some changes of ownership following the break-up of Stitzel-Weller around 1972, the brand was purchased by the David Sherman Corporation of St. Louis, Missouri which later became LuxcoAbout 5 years ago it was renamed to just Rebel
*Nose: Clementines, fudge, black tea, vanilla, wheat bread* mint**Taste: chocolate, brown sugar, thyme, mint
Old Elk Wheated straight bourbon $79.99 117.6 proof Mash Bill: 51% corn, 45% wheat, 4% malted barleyDistillery Fort Collins, Co. Bottled in Indiana1880 - Brand is originally created1888 - Old Elk Trademark is registered by Stoll, Vanatta & CoProhibition Years - Old Elk is produced by Stitzel Distillery as a "medicinal spirit"Post Prohibition - Stitzel-Weller Distillery continues production of Old Elk, without the "medicinal" moniker1972 - Brand is sold to Norton-Simon who abandons it2013 - Entrepreneur Curt Richardson resurrects the Old Elk brand, acquiring the trademark2013 - Greg Metze creates a custom mash bill for Old Elk's signature bourbon2017 - Old Elk launches in Colorado and California
Nose: Toffee, vanilla ice cream, caramel and floral notesTaste: Cream, toffee, vanilla, toasted almonds, clove

EP 26: Bring back the Japanese

Join MikeD and TI as we bring back the Japanese for some blended whiskys.
Sensei Whiskey: $39.99 (as high as 54.99). 80 proof. Blend of ?? (maybe scotch and other world whiskeys)Very little information is out there on Sensi Whiskey. Part of Aiko imports family.Sensi Whiskey hails from Yamanahsi Prefecture, the birthplace of Japanese Whiskey. Sensei whiskey is a harmonious blend of malt and grain whiskeys. It ages to perfection in Mizunara (Japanese Oak) barrels. Mizunara barrels give Sensei its distinctive flavor.
Japanese Whiskey History:Japanese whiskey's history dates back to the early 20th century, with the opening of the country's first commercial distillery, Yamazaki, in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii. The industry was further developed by Masataka Taketsuru, who learned about whiskey production in Scotland and later founded the Yoichi distillery in Hokkaido. Japanese whiskey initially emulated Scotch whisky styles but eventually developed its own distinct character.
Taste/Nose: Oak, light caramel, honey, plum, coconut,  peat, toffee, hints of sandalwood
Shunka Shuto ‘Winter’  $59.99, 80 proof. Aged in Bourbon White Oak Barrels. A blend of Japanese whiskeys
Part of the Iconic Spirits family.  Made at the Shiki Distillery located in the Hyogo Prefecture, just northwest of Osaka. They make 3 different brands of whiskey, gin and vodka. Shunka Shuto won the 2023 Sliver World Whiskies award. Shunka Shuto makes a whisky for each season.
Nose: Caramel, woodTaste: toasted granola, toffee, oak, spices

EP 25: From the Private Collection: Volume 1

Join MikeD and TI as they dip into the private collection that TI has built up.
 
Calumet Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon $53.99  86 proof. 74% corn, 18% rye , 8% malted barley
William Monroe Wright established Calumet Farm in 1924 on a small farm in Lexington, Ky. After Wright’s death in 1933 his son Warren began to move the farm’s business toward Thoroughbred racing. Over the decades that came the farm produced 2 Triple Crown winners, 8 Kentucky Derby winners and 8 Preakness winners. In 2013 Calumet launched and released small batch bourbon for the first time. To this day they still produce champion Thoroughbreds (2019 lead in total money won) and make great Bourbons
Each small batch (50 barrels) is crafted from a blend of premium Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey:15 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey8 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Nose: Caramel and butterscotch, oak, wintergreen, cotton candyTaste: Banana bread, light brown sugar, smokey char, vanilla, cherry, baking spice
 
Booker’s Kentucky straight bourbon 2301-01 ‘Charlie’s Batch’: 97.99  7yr old. 126 proof. Rumored Mash bill: 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% barley
This is the first release of the Booker’s Bourbon 2023 Collection,-Booker’s Batch 2023-01 “Charlie’s Batch”. This batch is named in honor of Charlie Hutchens, the craftsman behind the signature wooden boxes that each bottle of Booker’s Bourbon comes in.
Frederick Booker Noe II was born in December 1929 and passed away in 2004.  He introduced "Booker’s Bourbon" in 1987 and coined the phrase “small batch” to describe his uncut unfiltered bourbon. With the creation of Booker's Bourbon, a "Super-Premium" bourbon, he helped revitalize the bourbon business, which had been battered by the rising popularity of ''white spirits,'' like gin and particularly vodka, in the 1960's and 1970's. Small-batch bourbons like Booker's did for bourbon what single malts did for Scotch, creating a new market.
Noe worked at Jim Beam for almost a half a century and was the "Master Distiller" for over 40 years. Noe started working at the Jim Beam distillery in 1952 and was named master distiller in 1965. Jim Beam was already the world's top-selling bourbon, and under his direction, production increased 1200%
Nose: oak, toasted nuts, vanilla, toffee, barrel char, caramel, espressoTaste: honey, toffee, peanut brittle, caramel, barrel char, tobacco, sweet cream