Batch 28 is the fifth iteration of the award-winning The Kelvin Collaboration, the company’s annual signature release. It is released each year shortly before the Kentucky Derby in early May. The company is always sure to put their best foot forward with this release. The Kelvin Collaboration V is a blend of three Kentucky Straight Bourbons. A 7-year bourbon with a mash bill of 74% corn, 20% rye, and 5% malted barley, an 8-year of the same mash bill, and a 9-year with a mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% Malted Barley. The whiskey was then finished in Australian Mariposa Sherry and Añejo Dark Rum casks. The resulting batch yielded 4,802 bottles at 117 proof and the SRP is $199.
TASTING NOTES
Nose: Chocolate and almonds with hints of dark stone fruit and cherries
Palate: Viscous and mouth coating with sweet caramel and dark chocolate with molasses and nuts rounded out by sweet plums
Finish: Long and lingering, the sweet fruits and molasses continue for days
PHOTOS
TASTING NOTES:
PHOTOS:
The Majestic Wood Series features age-stated Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in exotic wood casks from around the world. This offering of the series is a 7 year Kentucky Straight Bourbon finished in rare casks made from Brazilian Amburana Oak.
TASTING NOTES:
PHOTOS:
The Majestic Wood Series features age-stated Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in exotic wood casks from around the world. The first offering of the series is a 7 year, 6 month Kentucky Straight Bourbon finished in rare casks made from Japanese Mizunara Oak.
TASTING NOTES:
PHOTOS:
Four Gate Whiskey Company has never shied away from the fact that we source the very best barrels of whiskey available on the market. Because we source rather than distill our own, managing a consistent flavor profile of our base whiskey has been difficult. For the first time, however, we are proud to announce we have secured enough whiskey to produce a flagship bourbon for the foreseeable future. Introducing Split Stave™ by Kelvin, our Flagship product!
TASTING NOTES:
PHOTOS:
Series 2, Released 2022
Four Gate Whiskey Company’s Private Select Casks are finished at least 30 days in new toasted white oak barrels by Kelvin Cooperage.
Cask No |
Whiskey (Prior to Toasting) |
Age |
State of Distillation |
Barrel Date |
Selected By |
Proof |
Bottles |
Mash Bill |
275 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 04.23.15 | SPEC’S | 120 | 96 | 75-21-4 |
278 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 04.23.15 | Whiskey Witch Nation | 119.9 | 168 | 75-21-4 |
279 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 04.23.15 | Liquor King | 120.4 | 168 | 75-21-4 |
280 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 04.23.15 | Bourbon Outfitter | 119 | 144 | 75-21-4 |
295 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 04.23.15 | Seelbach’s | 119.7 | 144 | 75-21-4 |
285 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 04.23.15 | Happy Hour Liquor & Bar | 117.3 | 144 | 75-21-4 |
287 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 04.23.15 | Justin’s House of Bourbon | 118.1 | 150 | 75-21-4 |
284 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 04.23.15 | SPEC’S | 117.9 | 168 | 75-21-4 |
296 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 04.23.15 | SPEC’S | 118.2 | 168 | 75-21-4 |
299 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 04.23.15 | SPEC’S | 119.8 | 180 | 75-21-4 |
298 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 04.23.15 | Eddie Wardeh | 119.6 | 180 | 75-21-4 |
577 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 09.12.14 | Oak Liquor Cabinet (1-90)/South Lamar Wine & Spirits (91-7168) | 120.9 | 168 | 75-20-5 |
581 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 09.12.14 | Liquor King | 122.3 | 144 | 75-20-5 |
599 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 09.12.14 | Bourbon Outfitter | 120.2 | 156 | 75-20-5 |
601 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 09.12.14 | Bourbon Junkies | 121 | 150 | 75-20-5 |
604 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 09.12.14 | It’s Bourbon Night | 116 | 174 | 75-20-5 |
626 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 09.12.14 | Webb Wheel | 123.3 | 168 | 75-20-5 |
641 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 09.12.14 | SPEC’S | 122.4 | 168 | 75-20-5 |
648 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 09.12.14 | Roma Liquor | 121 | 168 | 75-20-5 |
571 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 09.12.14 | Total Wine & More | 119 | 180 | 75-20-5 |
603 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 09.12.14 | SPEC’S | 122 | 132 | 75-20-5 |
630 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 09.12.14 | SPEC’S | 111.9 | 180 | 75-20-5 |
660 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 09.12.14 | SPEC’S | 123.7 | 162 | 75-20-5 |
634 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 Years | Kentucky | 09.12.14 | Umami (1-90)/Tramonte’s (91-168) | 113.7 | 168 | 75-20-5 |
547 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 7 Years | Indiana | 02.10.15 | The CBOs of Four Gate | 114.4 | 174 | 95-5 |
556 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 7 Years | Indiana | 02.10.15 | Seelbach’s | 118.1 | 174 | 95-5 |
557 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 7 Years | Indiana | 02.10.15 | Roma Liquor | 115.7 | 30 | 95-5 |
546 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 7 Years | Indiana | 02.10.15 | Total Wine & More | 113.9 | 192 | 95-5 |
548 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 7 Years | Indiana | 02.10.15 | The CBOs of Four Gate | 115.6 | 180 | 95-5 |
821 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 9 Years | Indiana | 02.21.13 | Seelbach’s | 109.6 | 162 | 95-5 |
824 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 9 Years | Indiana | 02.21.13 | The CBOs of Four Gate | 109.7 | 156 | 95-5 |
826 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 9 Years | Indiana | 02.21.13 | Mash & Journey | 110 | 162 | 95-5 |
810 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 9 Years | Indiana | 02.21.13 | MRI Holdings | 111 | 144 | 95-5 |
819 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 9 Years | Indiana | 02.21.13 | SPEC’S | 111.7 | 138 | 95-5 |
814 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 9 Years | Indiana | 02.21.13 | SPEC’S | 111.2 | 144 | 95-5 |
849 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 10 Years | Indiana | 02.01.12 | Riverbend Market | 109.5 | 144 | 75-21-4 |
852 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 10 Years | Indiana | 02.01.12 | Seelbach’s | 109.5 | 138 | 75-21-4 |
853 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 10 Years | Indiana | 02.01.12 | The CBOs of Four Gate | 109.3 | 138 | 75-21-4 |
857 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 10 Years | Indiana | 02.01.12 | The Fred Minnick Show | 108.4 | 138 | 75-21-4 |
859 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 10 Years | Indiana | 02.01.12 | Mash & Journey | 109.9 | 36 | 75-21-4 |
Batch 25
STATS
TASTING NOTES
Press
COMING SOON!
PRESS RELEASE
FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCHES 25-26
PHOTOS
Batch 25
STATS
TASTING NOTES
Press
COMING SOON!
PRESS RELEASE
FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCHES 25-26
PHOTOS
Four Gate Whiskey Company located just 3 barrels of extra-aged, extra-high-proof Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The Angels’ Share was so great on the barrels that the team was only able to produce a micro-batch of 129 bottles. It is a 14-Year Indiana Straight bourbon clocking in at a HAZMAT level 144.3 Proof. SRP will be $450 per bottle and is also called Indiana Foundation, with the batch number designated “MB” and the Age Statement prominently displayed. This micro-batch was released in August of 2022.
Batch 24
BRBN DOWNUNDER
STATS
TASTING NOTES
Batch 24 Press
COMING SOON!
BATCH 24 PRESS RELEASE
BATCH 24 PHOTOS
Batch 23
Barossa Creek
STATS
TASTING NOTES
Batch 23 Press
COMING SOON!
BATCH 23 PRESS RELEASE
BATCH 23 PHOTOS
Batch 22
Indiana Foundation
STATS:
TASTING NOTES:
Batch 22 Press
COMING SOON!
BATCH 22 PRESS RELEASE
BATCH 22 PHOTOS
Batch 21
PORT PERRYPERRY
Stats
TASTING NOTES
Batch 21 Press
My Bourbon Journey Video Review
BATCH 20 PRESS RELEASE
FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCHES21-24-NewBottle-14Year
BATCH 21 PHOTOS
Batch 20
FOUR BY FOUR
One of our smallest releases to date, FOUR BY FOUR is a blend of barrels of 9-Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey from Dearborn County, Indiana finished in Barbadian Dark Rum Casks. Not only is it a small release, but the resulting barrel proof is one of the lowest Four Gate Whiskey Company has released at only 103.2.
FOUR BY FOUR Stats
TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER
Batch 20 Press
COMING SOON!
BATCH 20 PRESS RELEASE
FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCHES 19 and 20
BATCH 20 PHOTOS
Batch 19
The KElvin cOLLABORATION IIII
The fourth iteration of our award-winning The Kelvin Collaboration series sees a blend of straight bourbon and straight rye whiskey finished in Australian Tawny Port and Barbadian Dark Rum casks. Like the previous three releases in the series, the dual-finish nature of this whiskey results in complex and layered flavors with a rich mouth feel and long finish. This is the first Four Gate Whiskey Release to be available in Illinois.
THE KELVIN COLALBORATION IIII Stats
TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER
Batch 19 Press
The Bourbon Junkies YouTube tasting of Batches 18 and 19
It’s Bourbon Night – Top 25 Bourbons of 2022
BATCH 19 PRESS RELEASE
FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCHES 19 and 20
BATCH 19 PHOTOS
Batch 18
Saint Charente
Batch 18 is a 7 year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in French Cognac casks. Named for the Charente river that flows through the Cognac region of France, St. Charente is a whiskey that smells of baking spices, cooked apples and orchard fruits, and sweet cinnamon. There were 2,365 bottles released at 119.2 Proof.
SAINT CHARENTE Stats
TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER
Batch 18 Press
My Bourbon Journey Youtube Review
The Bourbon Junkies YouTube tasting of Batches 18 and 19
BATCH 18 PRESS RELEASE
FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCH 18- Saint Charente
BATCH 18 PHOTOS
Release 17, Batch 17
SPLIT STAVE BY KELVIN “BRRYE”
This is the third edition of Split Stave by Kelvin, a whiskey utilizing proprietary finish casks made exclusively for Four Gate Whiskey Company by Kelvin Cooperage in Louisville. The first two releases, a Bourbon and a Rye, respectively, were very well received by whiskey lovers. This third release is a blend of 6 and 7-year Kentucky Straight Bourbons, a 9-year Indiana Straight Bourbon, and an 8-year Indiana Straight Rye Whiskey, resulting in a sweet and spicy blend the company has dubbed BRRYE. The whiskey was then finished in their popular Split Stave casks, made by crafting a series of toasted barrels and a series of charred barrels that are broken down before use and reassembled with alternating toasted and charred staves. For this year’s release, Kelvin Cooperage utilized staves made from French Oak which produce a spicier flavor profile than traditional American White Oak.
The end result is a spirit bursting with toasted marshmallow underlying strong baking spices, black pepper, and cinnamon.
SPLIT STAVE BY KELVIN (RELEASE 17) Stats
TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER
Batch 17 Press
The Bourbon Judge Video Review
BATCH 17 PRESS RELEASE
FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCH 17- Split Stave by Kelvin BRRYE
BATCH 17 PHOTOS
Series 1, Released 2021
Four Gate Whiskey Company’s Private Select Casks are finished at least 30 days in new toasted white oak barrels by Kelvin Cooperage.
Cask No |
Whiskey (Prior to Toasting) |
Age |
State of Distillation |
Barrel Date |
Selected By |
Proof |
Bottles |
Serial # |
2 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 6 | Kentucky | 06.03.14 | Bourbon Outfitter | 126.8 | 178 | 21-b-0197 |
3 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 6 | Kentucky | 06.03.14 | The CBOs of Four Gate | 124.6 | 142 | 21-b-0199 |
7 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 8 | Indiana | 02.21.13 | Sigman Bottle Shop – Atlanta, GA | 115.4 | 174 | 21-b-0208 |
8 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 | Kentucky | 09.26.13 | The CBOs of Four Gate | 123.8 | 175 | 21-b-0191 |
8 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 8 | Indiana | 02.21.13 | The CBOs of Four Gate | 114.4 | 176 | 21-b-0210 |
9 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 6 | Kentucky | 06.03.14 | Seelbach’s | 114.5 | 199 | 21-b-0201 |
9 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 | Kentucky | 09.26.13 | Liquor Barn | 122.9 | 181 | 21-b-0193 |
10 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 | Kentucky | 09.26.13 | Midtown Cork Dorks – Nashville, TN | 123.7 | 180 | 21-b-0192 |
11 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 | Kentucky | 09.26.13 | Liquor Barn | 122.9 | 183 | 21-b-0194 |
11 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 8 | Indiana | 02.21.13 | The CBOs of Four Gate | 115.2 | 186 | 21-b-0209 |
13 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 8 | Indiana | 02.21.13 | The CBOs of Four Gate | 115.6 | 171 | 21-b-0206 |
14 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 8 | Indiana | 02.21.13 | The CBOs of Four Gate | 117 | 177 | 21-b-0202 |
16 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 6 | Kentucky | 06.03.14 | The CBOs of Four Gate | 125.9 | 182 | 21-b-0198 |
16 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 8 | Indiana | 02.21.13 | Seelbach’s | 116.2 | 189 | 21-b-0203 |
17 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 6 | Kentucky | 06.03.14 | Liquor Barn | 118.9 | 194 | 21-b-0200 |
17 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 8 | Indiana | 02.21.13 | It’s Bourbon Night | 115.6 | 174 | 21-b-0207 |
18 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 8 | Indiana | 02.21.13 | Liquor Barn | 116 | 175 | 21-b-0204 |
20 | Straight Rye Whiskey | 8 | Indiana | 02.21.13 | Mash & Journey | 115.7 | 170 | 21-b-0205 |
22 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 | Kentucky | 09.26.13 | Seelbach’s | 122.4 | 163 | 21-b-0195 |
23 | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 7 | Kentucky | 09.26.13 | Good Spirits | 122.2 | 166 | 21-b-0196 |
Release 16, Batch 16
RYE DOWNUNDER
Rye DownUnder, Batch 16, is a 7 year Indiana-distilled Rye Whiskey with a mashbill of 95% rye, 5% malted barley finished in Apera Sherry Casks imported from Australia by Kelvin Cooperage.
At a robust barrel proof of 110.2, this full bodied and full-flavored rye whiskey offers spicy rye flavors rounded out by sweet fruit and nuttiness from the sherry barrels. 2,168 bottles of this batch were produced. SRP for Batch 16 is $185.
“Sherry Finished Rye is one of my favorite barrel finished American whiskeys,” said Chief Blending Officer Bill Straub, “I just think the flavors of the sherry compliment a good citrusy, spicy rye perfectly.”
RYE DOWNUNDER (RELEASE 16) Stats
TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER
Batch 16 Press
The Bourbon Judge Video Review
BATCH 16 PRESS RELEASE
FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCH 16 – Rye DownUNDER
BATCH 16 PHOTOS
Release 15, Batch 15.1, 15.2, and 15.3
The Bluegrass Trilogy
Four Gate Whiskey prides itself on its innovative, outside-the-box approach to barrel-finishing Straight Bourbon and Straight Rye Whiskey. To celebrate that, the company is proud to announce The Bluegrass Trilogy. This release consists of three different bottles, labeled batches 15.1, 15.2, and 15.3 respectively. The release began as a blend of three different Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskeys aged 6, 9 and 12 years respectively that was then finished in Dark Rum casks from the Florida Keys. We took half the rum-finished blend and finished it in Tawny Port casks, and the other half went into Apera Sherry casks. Once both of those were ready, a portion of each resulting whiskey was then blended together, creating a third expression. Three Distillates. Three Finishes.
Three bottles, One Release.
The 6-year Kentucky Straight Bourbon was distilled with a mashbill of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley. The 9-year Kentucky Straight Bourbon was distilled with a mashbill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley. The 12-year Kentucky Straight Bourbon mashbill is 74% corn, 18% rye and 8% malted barley.
The Bluegrass Trilogy I, Batch 15.1:
Kentucky Straight bourbon Whiskey Finished in Tawny Port and Dark Rum Casks
918 Bottles, 124.6 Proof, SRP: $199
The Bluegrass Trilogy II, Batch 15.2:
Kentucky Straight bourbon Whiskey Finished in Apera Sherry and Dark Rum Casks
957 Bottles, 124.9 Proof, SRP: $199
The Bluegrass Trilogy III, Batch 15.3:
Kentucky Straight bourbon Whiskey Finished in Tawny Port, Apera Sherry, and Dark Rum Casks
937 Bottles, 124.7 Proof, SRP: $199
Special Collectors’ Set
To further celebrate this unique release, Four Gate Whiskey Company offered a very limited number of three-bottle sets to distributors for pre-sale to retailers prior to its release. The sets are packaged in a hand-crafted wood case made by Brad Raynor of Raynor Shine Designs in Everett, WA. Each set contains all three expressions with matching bottle numbers. The SRP for the 3-bottle collectors’ set is $750.‘
Batch 15 Press
It’s Bourbon Night reviews 15.1
BATCH 15 PRESS RELEASE
FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCH 15 – The Bluegrass Trilogy I, II, and III
BATCH 15 PHOTOS
Release 14, Batch 14
Old Sherry Pike
All of our previous batches that were re-aged in a used barrel utilized some sort of dual-finish cask; either a cask used to age two spirits previously, or a combination of two different finish casks. This time, bob sourced some amazing Oloroso Sherry barrels through Kelvin Cooperage and we couldn’t wait to let you try them. They were so nutty and sweet, we didn’t want to add anything else to it. So we blended a 6-year Kentucky Straight Bourbon and a 12-year Kentucky Straight Bourbon and let it rest of 88 days in those wonderful Oloroso casks.
Old Sherry Pike (RELEASE 14) Stats
TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER
Batch 14 Press
Video Review by My Bourbon Journey
Video Review by The Bourbon Judge
BATCH 14 PRESS RELEASE
FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCH 14 – OLD SHERRY PIKE
BATCH 14 PHOTOS
Release 13, Batch 13
River Kelvin Rye
What does another year aging do to an already tasty Straight Rye Whiskey? Four Gate Whiskey Company wanted to let all our fans and customers find out for themselves. Following on the heels of batch 7, a 7 Year Indiana Straight Rye Whiskey, we blended and bottled an 8 year version of the same underlying whiskey. This release of River Kelvin Rye is 8 years old, following the same 95% rye, 5 malted barley mash bill, and came out to 113 proof. We produced 2,470 bottles.
River Kelvin Rye (RELEASE 13) Stats
TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER
Batch 7 Press
Coming Soon!
BATCH 7 PRESS RELEASE
FGWC Announces Batch 13 and Private Select Casks
BATCH 7 PHOTOS
Coming Soon!
Release 12, Batch 12
The Kelvin Collaboration III
The Kelvin Collaboration Series is close to out hearts. Not only was it the very first batch we released, but both the first and second iteration were named amongst the best whiskeys of 2019 and 2020 respectively by some of the most respected writers, bloggers, and vloggers in whiskey media. So we took extra care making sure our third iteration of the series was up to snuff, but also doing our very best to make it the best we’ve done yet. We think we succeeded.
We blended 9-year and 12-year Kentucky Straight Bourbons into a delicious whiskey and, working closely with Kelvin Cooperage, went back to popular dual-use finish barrels that held both foprtified wine and dark rum- this time PX Sherry-Rum casks from Virago Spirits in Richmond, VA.
The result is true to its lineage. The Kelvin Collaboration III is a decadent, full bodied whiskey that will please the most discerning drinkers. We’re sure you will enjoy it!
Nose: Vanilla, caramel, molasses, and sweet red fruit.
Taste: Rich and decadent, the PX Sherry is evident on the front palate followed by traditional vanilla and oak bourbon notes on the mid palate. Brown sugar sweetness coats the periphery.
Finish: Long, viscous, and mouth-coating. The molasses and red fruit linger throughout.
My Bourbon Journey Youtube Review
Scotch Test Dummies YouTube Review
I Whiskey She Wines YouTube Review
FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCH 12 The Kelvin Colalboration III
Release 11, Batch 11
Ruby Rye Springs
Ruby Rye Springs is Four Gate Whiskey Company’s third presentation of the same underlying 7-year old Straight Rye Whiskey from Indiana following River Kelvin Rye (Batch 7) and Split Stave™ by Kelvin (Batch 10).
This latest release showcases the citrus and spice characteristic of the sourced base spirit while adding a fruity sweetness from 42 days extra aging in Ruby Port-Rum Casks.
The secondary casks originally were originally used to mature ruby port, a fortified wine from Portugal in which the wine is removed from barrels and stored in tanks to prevent further aging, leaving the resulting product sweeter and brighter on the palate than other styles of port wine. The barrels found a second use with Virago Spirits in Richmond, VA where the barrels were used to age a blend of rums, imparting them with a lush molasses sweetness that pairs excellently with the bright red fruit of the ruby port.
Ruby Rye Springs Stats:
TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER:
My Bourbon Journey YouTube Review
Scotch Test Dummies on YouTube
FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCH 11 Ruby Rye Springs
Four Gate Whiskey Company Honors the late Kevin McLaughlin of Kelvin Cooperage with a Special Release Benefitting West End School of Louisville
“Eagle Thief”
10+2 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
LOUISVILLE, KY, November 16th, 2020-
Four Gate Whiskey Company is paying tribute to the late Kevin McLaughlin of Kelvin Cooperage, who passed away in December of 2019 with a special tribute release funding a donation to Kevin’s charity of choice- West End School of Louisville.
Kevin McLaughlin ran Kelvin Cooperage with his brother, Paul, after their father founded the cooperage in Glasgow, Scotland in 1963. Kevin passed away December 27th, 2019, after a courageous battle with cancer.
Kelvin Cooperage has collaborated with Four Gate Whiskey Company from the start, and Kevin was a good friend of Chief Barrel Officer Bob D’Antoni. The company only thought it fitting to honor Kevin with a special release.
“Kevin was such a great guy and great friend. He was so instrumental in our success that I felt like this was something we had to do,” Said D’Antoni.
Kevin was an avid and skilled golfer, who played collegiate golf at Pepperdine University, where he captained the golf team. As such, much of the labeling of the batch are tributes to Kevin’s golf game and the cooperage he ran so successfully.
Highlights of the label include:
“The label was such a labor of love from Bobby (D’Antoni),” said Chief Blending Officer Bill Straub. “It’s really thoughtful and creative at the same time.”
The underlying whiskey is a barrel proof 12-year Kentucky Straight Bourbon with a mash bill of 74% corn, 18% rye, and 8% malted barley. Only 4 barrels were selected, resulting in 423 total bottles. Sales from this batch will fund a donation to Kevin’s charity of Choice, West End School of Louisville. West End School provides a safe and structured environment for boys in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 8th in which academic rigor, character development, and responsible action establish the foundation for a purposeful life. Their vision seeks to enable students, regardless of their circumstances, to achieve their highest potential. More info can be found at https://westendschool.org/
Special thanks and recognition must be made to all involved. To maximize the contribution to the school, Republic National Distributing Company, Sterling Cut Glass, Resource Label, and White Dog Trading and Storage all agreed to participate at lower margins to make this batch a reality, including all participating on-premise retailers and online sellers- Seelbachs.com and Bourbonoutfitter.com.
“Everyone at Kelvin Cooperage is overwhelmed by Four Gate’s Eagle Thief Release in honor of my brother, Kevin McLaughlin,” Said Paul McLaughlin. “He would also have enjoyed having his +2 handicap widely publicized! The fact that everyone involved in the project is donating profits to Kevin’s favorite cause – The West End School – is a lovely bonus.”
Straub and D’Antoni run the company as the Chief Blending Officer and Chief Barrel Officer, respectively. With their roots in Louisville, Straub has leveraged his knowledge of bourbon and the industry as founder and Editor-In-Chief of ModernThirst.com since 2014. As a successful local entrepreneur, D’Antoni has used his connections to establish relationships to get his hands on some terrific bourbon.
A local collaboration like this feeds into the Four Gate Whiskey Company philosophy: if you start with the best whiskey, and leverage some of the best-regarded experts in the field on the effects of barrels, you wind up with an amazing whiskey that both connoisseurs and collectors alike will appreciate.
There are 423 bottles of this release available in November in Kentucky and online through Seelbachs.com and BourbonOutfitter.com at a MSRP of $299.
Four Gate Whiskey Company’s products have been released since 2019 to critical acclaim, with batches 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 receiving Whisky Advocate scores of 90 points or higher, and various well-regarded writers and online reviewers naming batches 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10 amongst the top 10 whiskeys of 2019 and 2020.
Four Gate Whiskey Company started in 2018 with the goal of releasing several unique batches of whiskey products each year. With its first product launch of 11-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in sherry-rum casks in April 2019, the team is excited to unveil the other small batch products with unique finishes in years to come. Learn more at fourgatewhiskey.com, like us on Facebook.com and follow us on Twitter @four_gate.
Kelvin Cooperage, founded in Glasgow, Scotland in 1963 and now based in Louisville, KY, is a full-service family-owned cooperage supplying new and used barrels to wine, spirits, and beer producers around the world. For more information, visit Kelvincooperage.com.
Additional media images and information are available at fourgatewhiskey.com
Eagle Thief is a tribute to the late Kevin McLaughlin of Kelvin Cooperage, who passed away in December of 2019, and funds a donation to his charity of choice: West End School of Louisville.
Kevin McLaughlin ran Kelvin Cooperage with his brother, Paul, after their father founded the cooperage in Glasgow, Scotland in 1963. Kevin passed away December 27th, 2019, after a courageous battle with cancer. Kevin was an avid and skilled golfer, who played collegiate golf at Pepperdine University, where he captained the golf team. As such, much of the labeling of the batch are tributes to Kevin’s golf game and the cooperage he ran so successfully. Kevin and Kelvin Cooperage was instrumental in the founding and early success of Four Gate Whiskey, and the company hopes to unveil a new Eagle Thief batch, or “Hole,” each year in his memory.
The underlying whiskey is a barrel proof 12-year Kentucky Straight Bourbon with a mash bill of 74% corn, 18% rye, and 8% malted barley. Only 4 barrels were selected, resulting in 423 total bottles. Sales from this batch will fund a donation to Kevin’s charity of Choice, West End School of Louisville. West End School provides a safe and structured environment for boys in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 8th in which academic rigor, character development, and responsible action establish the foundation for a purposeful life. Their vision seeks to enable students, regardless of their circumstances, to achieve their highest potential. More info can be found at https://westendschool.org/
Special thanks and recognition must be made to all involved. To maximize the contribution to the school, Republic National Distributing Company, Sterling Cut Glass, Resource Label, and White Dog Trading and Storage all agreed to participate at lower margins to make this batch a reality, including all participating on-premise retailers and online sellers- Seelbachs.com and Bourbonoutfitter.com. thanks to their generous support, this batch raised $31,506 for the West End School.
Eagle Thief was released in November of 2020.
Contact: Bill Straub
Email: marketing@fourgatewhiskey.com
Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in New American White Oak Toasted and Charred Casks
LOUISVILLE, KY, November 10th, 2020- Four Gate Whiskey is releasing its 1oth batch of whiskey, and returning to their innovative Split Stave™ casks designed and produced exclusively for Four Gate Whiskey Company by Kelvin Cooperage.
These casks are built by Kelvin by constructing a series of medium-toasted casks and a series of #2 char casks. The barrels were broken down before use and reassembled into Split Stave™ casks with alternating toasted and charred staves. The result combines the marshmallow and crème brulee sweetness of toasted barrels with the smoky oak of a double-barrel. The underlying whiskey is 7 year old Straight Rye Whiskey distilled in Indiana to a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley. 2,439 Bottles were produced at full cask strength of 112.5 proof.
“The main focus was to add complexity of flavor and additional sweetness from the wood sugars. We were already very happy with the quality of the base product,” Said Kelvin Cooperage Director of Operations William Hornaday, “By focusing on more toasted oak we were getting all those amazing caramelized wood sugars to add sweetness and depth of flavor to an already beautiful and spicy rye. In concept, the two complimented each other perfectly.”
This is the second use of these innovative barrels by Four Gate Whiskey Company, with the original release, batch #4, consisting of a bourbon aged in Split Stave™ casks released last December
“We really love the creativity Kelvin Cooperage shows with these casks,” said Chief Blending Officer Bill Straub, “The fact that we can tweak them slightly, adding more toasted staves to the mix, for example, or using a lighter or heavier char, makes this finish process really versatile.”
The result with Batch 10 is a wonderfully sweet Rye Whiskey that still maintains a hint of spice and everything that makes the underlying Rye whiskey so delicious at the start.
Appearance: Amber
Nose: Mint, toasted marshmallows, oak, candied citrus.
Taste: The front palate is greeted by sweet crème brulee while toasted marshmallows line the perimeter. The rear palate gets a hint of black pepper and spices with pleasing warm oak.
Finish: Medium in length, spicy notes and marshmallows mingle on the mid palate.
Straub and D’Antoni run the company as the Chief Blending Officer and Chief Barrel Officer, respectively. With their roots in Louisville, Straub has leveraged his knowledge of bourbon and the industry as founder and Editor-In-Chief of ModernThirst.com since 2014. As a successful local entrepreneur, D’Antoni has used his connections to establish relationships to get his hands on some terrific bourbon.
A local collaboration like this feeds into the Four Gate Whiskey Company philosophy: if you start with the best whiskey, and leverage some of the best-regarded experts in the field on the effects of barrels, you wind up with an amazing whiskey that both connoisseurs and collectors alike will appreciate.
There are 2,439 bottles of this release available in November in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Indiana and online through Seelbachs.com and BourbonOutfitter.com at a MSRP of $185.
Four Gate Whiskey Company’s products have been released since 2019 to critical acclaim, with batches 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 receiving Whisky Advocate scores of 90 points or higher, and various well-regarded writers and online reviewers naming batches 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 amongst the top 10 whiskeys of 2019 and 2020.
Four Gate Whiskey Company started in 2018 with the goal of releasing several unique batches of whiskey products each year. With its first product launch of 11-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in sherry-rum casks in April 2019, the team is excited to unveil the other small batch products with unique finishes in years to come. Learn more at fourgatewhiskey.com, like us on Facebook.com and follow us on Twitter @four_gate.
Kelvin Cooperage, founded in Glasgow, Scotland in 1963 and now based in Louisville, KY, is a full-service family-owned cooperage supplying new and used barrels to wine, spirits, and beer producers around the world. For more information, visit Kelvincooperage.com
Additional media images and information are available at fourgatewhiskey.com.
Release 10, Batch 10
Split Stave™ by Kelvin
Split Stave™ by Kelvin is a new twist and a return to innovative Split Stave™ casks designed and produced exclusively for Four Gate Whiskey Company by Kelvin Cooperage.
These casks are built by Kelvin by constructing a series of medium-toasted casks and a series of #2 char casks. The barrels were broken down before use and reassembled into Split Stave™ casks with alternating toasted and charred staves. The result combines the marshmallow and crème brulee sweetness of toasted barrels with the smoky oak of a double-barrel. The underlying whiskey is 7 year old Straight Rye Whiskey distilled in Indiana to a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley. 2,439 Bottles were produced at full cask strength of 112.5 proof.
Split Stave™ by Kelvin (Batch 10) stats
TASTING NOTES:
Batch 10 Press
My Bourbon Journey Video Review
Bart from Scotch Test Dummies review
BATCH 10 PRESS RELEASE
FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCH 10 SPLIT STAVE BY KELVIN RYE
BATCH 10 PHOTOS
After releasing unfinished whiskeys for batches 7 and 8, Four Gate Whiskey Company went back to its roots, blending 3 different Kentucky Straight bourbons and aging them in dark rum casks from the Florida Keys and blending two Kentucky Straight bourbons and finishing them in Oloroso Sherry casks from the Andalusia region of Spain. The resulting whiskeys were then combined to create Andalusia Key.
TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER
Batch 9 Press
My Bourbon Journey Video Review (via YouTube)
BATCH 9 PRESS RELEASE
FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCH 9 Andalusia Key
BATCH 9 PHOTOS
For our first ever Rye, we selected the best barrels of 7 year old Indiana Straight Rye Whiskey we could find and blended them. The resulting whiskey is spicy and yet fruit-forward for a refreshing sip. Presented without barrel finishing, this whiskey is a great sip on its own, and will be bottled with at least two additional barrel finishes over the next year for a before-and-after presentation.
River Kelvin Rye (RELEASE 7) Stats
TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER
Batch 7 Press
Fred Minnick Video Review (“Really ****ing Good!”)
Scotch Test Dummies Video Review
My Bourbon Journey Video Review
BATCH 7 PRESS RELEASE
FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCH 7 River Kelvin Rye 6.3.2020
BATCH 7 PHOTOS
In late 2019 and early 2020, Four Gate Whiskey Company released two unfinished Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey batches, dubbed “Foundation.” Due to the extremely limited amount of whiskey available, only a handful of those bottles made it to our second major market in Tennessee – or outside of Kentucky at all. To make up for that, the company is releasing a micro-batch of Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey available in ALL of Four Gate’s markets. The batch is called “Tennessee Foundation.”
We selected and blended five barrels of 10-year-old Tennessee Straight Bourbon with a mash bill of 84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% malted barley.
Tennessee Foundation (RELEASE 8) Stats
TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER
Batch 8 Press
Distillery Trail Announces Batch 8
BATCH 8 PRESS RELEASE
FGWC PRESS RELEASE Batch 8 – Tennessee Foundation
BATCH 8 PHOTOS
In April of 2019, we released our very first barrel finished whiskey, dubbed THE KELVIN COLLABORATION. The reception was better than we ever could have hoped for. To follow up on that with our first release in 2020, we returned to the same mash bill that made batch 1 so popular and added a twist.
In collaboration with Kelvin Cooperage, we took our now 12 year old high rye Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and filled three massive Cognac barrels and a selection of dark rum barrels Kelvin Cooperage acquired from the same rum distillery as the barrels used to finish batch 1.
That’s right, a 12 year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey finished in Cognac and Dark Rum casks. It’s a worthy inheritor of The Kelvin Collaboration name and we’re confident you’ll love the smoky and sweet combination of flavors.
The Kelvin Collaboration II will be available in Kentucky, Tennessee and Seelbachs.com in April of 2020.
THE KELVIN COLLABORATION II (RELEASE 6) Stats
TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER
Nose: Deep brown
Taste: Sweet and spicy, the outer palate is coated with sugary molasses and dark rum notes while the rear palate is inundated with mature oak and booze-soaked red grapes.
Finish: Medium-long, the rum and barrel tannins linger in a sweet yet oak-filled experience.
BATCH 6 PRESS:
Fred Minnick “2020 Barrel-Finished Whiskey of the Year”
My Bourbon Journey Video Tasting
It’s Bourbon Night, “25 Most Notable Whiskeys of 2020”
The Oak & Smoke Whiskey Reviews Video Review
Blind Whiskey Reviews Video Review
Scotch Test Dummies Video Review
Whiskey Crusaders Video Review
The Bourbon Junkies Video Review
Bourbon Pursuit Quickie Review
Batch 6 Press Release:
FGWC PRESS RELEASE – BATCH 6 KCII 4.2.20
Batch 6 Photos:
In November of 2019, Four Gate Whiskey Company released a batch of 748 bottles of a 9 year, 9 month straight bourbon whiskey called “FOUNDATION” that sold out to distributors immediately. Lucky for us, Chief Barrel Officer Bob D’Antoni was able to locate limited additional stocks of the same whiskey.
Four Gate Whiskey Company is proud to release batch 5, our second release of FOUNDATION. This is the last of this whiskey the company will release, and only 590 total bottles were produced. It is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey distilled from a mash bill consisting of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley, and checks in at 120.2 proof, and aged 9 years, 9 months.
“This Batch came in slightly higher proof than batch 3,” said chief Blending Officer, Bill Straub. “It’s just slightly more in-your-face than the third release and a little more aggressive on the front palate.”
Foundation will be available in Kentucky and Seelbachs.com only in February of 2020.
FOUNDATION (RELEASE 5) Stats
TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER
Nose: Sweet fruits and vanilla cream are joined by graham cracker and rye pepper
Taste: A touch of heat on the front palate is followed by sweetness on the mid-palate with more custard and cream, followed by baking spices, cinnamon, oak, and pie crust
Finish: Medium-long in length, the rye notes are balanced with sweet cinnamon toast and rye spice
BATCH 5 PRESS:
Coming Soon
Batch 5 Press Release:
FGWC BATCH 5 FOUNDATION PRESS RELEASE
Batch 5 Photos:
We’ve given you whiskey finished in used cooperage. We’ve given you whiskey that isn’t finished at all. So for our 4th release, we wanted the barrel experts at Kelvin Cooperage to show off their skills with new cooperate and create something unique and innovative. They delivered.
After crafting a series of medium toast casks, then a series of #2 char casks, and finally a third series of #4 char casks, William Hornaday and his team at Kelvin broke all the barrels apart and rebuilt them, alternating between toasted staves and #2 char staves on some barrels, and toasted and #4 char staves on others, they have created the first ever “Split Stave™” barrels.
To fill them, we blended a 5.5 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon and a 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon and let them rest in our Split Stave barrels for five months. We produced 2,700 bottles from this inaugural release of Split Stave™ by Kelvin. It is uncut and unfiltered at 115.6 proof.
SPLIT STAVE™ BY KELVIN (Batch 4) Stats
TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER
Nose: Dark cocoa powder with hints of creamy crème brûlée
Taste: Oak is front and center on the tip of the tongue while sweet custard and cinnamon notes strike the mid-palate
Finish: Long and rich, the oak notes intermingle with dark chocolate and earthy tobacco for an intense finish
BATCH 4 PRESS:
The Oak and Smoke Whiskey Reviews (YouTube)
Dads Drinking Bourbon (Podcast,via YouTube)
Batch 4 Press Release:
FGWC SPLIT STAVE PRESS RELEASE
Batch 4 Photos:
All of our releases, no matter the barrel finish we choose, must start with excellent whiskey. That’s our #1 rule, and we won’t compromise. It’s the Foundation of what we do.
It just so happened that we located and purchased some Kentucky Straight Bourbon ranging from 9 years, 9 months old to over 11 years that was so good when we tasted it with Kelvin Cooperage, that we all agreed we couldn’t make it better by barrel finishing it.
So we’re presenting a very small batch of this wonderful whiskey to you in all its unfiltered, barrel proof glory. That’s right, Straight Kentucky Bourbon, no finish at all.
The only downside is that we didn’t get a whole lot of this whiskey, so this micro-batch is extremely limited in size, with only 748 bottles produced. And since great bourbon forms the foundation of our product, we named it just that: FOUNDATION.
FOUNDATION (Batch 3) Stats
Tasting Notes FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER
Appearance: Deep brown
Nose: Sweet fruits and vanilla cream are joined by graham cracker and rye pepper
Taste: Sweet on the mid-palate with more custard and cream, followed by baking spices, cinnamon, oak, and pie crust
Finish: Medium in length, the rye notes are balanced with sweet cinnamon toast and oak
BATCH 3 PRESS:
Batch 3 Press Release: coming soon!
FGWC FOUNDATION BATCH 3 PRESS RELEASE
Batch 3 Photos:
Batch 3 Media: coming soon!
We said we wanted to challenge your taste buds, so for our second release, we did just that. When we met at Kelvin Cooperage to discuss our second batch, William Hornaday told us about some very interesting barrels in his warehouse that he wanted us to check out. Originally Orange Curaçao barrels, a local distiller then used them to finish a batch of gin. That’s right, gin. We had no idea what to expect, but when we smelled these barrels, they blew us away. The sticky sweetness of Orange Curaçao was tamed somewhat by the sharpness of the botanical gin, creating an aroma that smelled straight out of the 80s and harkened to a rather popular powdered orange drink made famous on the 1962 Mercury Mission when astronaut John Glenn took it to outer space. The tangy-orange notes of the barrels were screaming out for bourbon, and we listened.
We blended a 5.5 year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon with a 12 year old High-Rye Kentucky Straight Bourbon and let nature take its course. The result after only a few weeks was astounding. In fact, the barrels influenced the whiskey so quickly that we felt it was ready in just a month.
To pay homage to Kelvin Cooperage, we chose the batch name “Outer Loop,” denoting the street in Louisville on which the Cooperage is located, and “Orbit” to reference the Mercury Mission. Outer Loop Orbit is a totally different and incredibly tasty whiskey bottled at barrel proof and non-chill filtered. It’s out of this world!
OUTER LOOP ORBIT (Batch 2) Stats
Tasting Notes FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER
Appearance: Ruddy Amber with bright orange notes.
Nose: Initial burst of citrus and pine with underlying black pepper spices.
Taste: Tangy citrus greets the front palate with heavy cinnamon and baking spices on the mid palate. The rear of the palate gets pine needles and a slight nuttiness.
Finish: Medium-Long, the citrus lingers on the periphery while black pepper and cinnamon intermingle with gin notes of pine and juniper.
BATCH 2 PRESS:
Scotch Test Dummies Youtube Review
Batch 2 Press Release:
Four Gate Whiskey Company OLO Press Release
Batch 2 Photos:
Batch 2 Media:
Release 1, Batch 1
We wanted our first release to go off with a bang, so Chief Barrel Officer, Bob D’Antoni, scoured the country contacting every source we could find in order to locate just the perfect whiskey. With Chief Blending Officer, Bill Straub, we tasted every sample we could get our hands on. Yeah, it’s a tough job.
But it paid off. We located and purchased over 100 barrels of Kentucky Straight Bourbon ranging from 5 to 11 years old. And wanting to make a splash with our first release, we chose 14 of our oldest and most flavorful barrels of 11 year old whiskey and combined them into our secondary Ex-sherry rum casks and let them age. We tasted them regularly, being careful to not let the barrel finish overwhelm the bourbon that is already excellent. When Bill was comfortable with the finish, we dumped them at barrel proof into our bottles and out the door they went. We dubbed the batch, aptly, “The Kelvin Collaboration.”
BATCH 1 News:
The Kelvin Collaboration Batch 1 Stats
Tasting Notes FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER
Nose: The finish barrels are front and center with a huge waft of maple syrup. Behind that, there is a spicy cinnamon, some vanilla and caramel, with a sweet red fruit undertone.
Taste: Oloroso Sherry hits the front palate with a burst of sweet fortified wine and simple syrup. The mid palate gets traditional high-rye bourbon notes of vanilla, black pepper, and oak, while the rear palate gets a molasses and brown sugar sweetness from the rum finish.
Finish: Medium-to-long, there are prevalent barrel tannins and rye spices that linger on the tongue while a boozy rum finish coats the inside of the mouth.
Batch 1 Press Release:
Batch 1 Press:
Brian Haara/Sipp’n Corn Review and Tasting Notes
My Bourbon Journey YouTube Review
LiveStream with My Bourbon Journey
The Bourbon Daily Podcast (May 6, 2019)
I Whiskey She Wines Youtube Review
Bobby Childs’ Adventures in Whiskey Review
2019 Whiskey of the Year, My Bourbon Journey, YouTube