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.

• A Blend of 7, 8, and 9-Year Old Kentucky
• Straight Bourbon Whiskeys Finished in Australian
• Mariposa Sherry Casks and Añejo Dark
• Rum Casks
• Distilled in Kentucky
• 7 and 8-Year Mash Bills: 75% Corn, 20% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
• 9 Year Mash Bill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
• 117 Proof
• 4,802 Bottles
• Available in All States where Four Gate Whiskey Company is Distributed and Select Online Retailers

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

• Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in French Oak Split Stave™ Casks by Kelvin Cooperage
• Mash Bill:  95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
• Aged at least 7 Years
• MSRP: $199
• 115.3 Proof
• Distilled in Indiana
• 2,628 Bottles
• Available in KY, GA, FL, TX, IN, LA, IL, TN, CO, CA, AZ, and select online retailers

TASTING NOTES:

• Nose: Vanilla bean and spicy pepper with light mint.
• Taste: Sweet spearmint with sugar notes and simple syrup
• Finish: Medium; mint notes fade to the rear palate and finish with a crisp touch of oak

PHOTOS:

Batch 25

Andalusia Key II

STATS

• Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Spanish Oloroso Sherry-Dark Rum Casks
• Mash Bill:  75% Corn, 20% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
• Aged at least 7 Years, 6 Months
• MSRP: $199
• 116.4 Proof
• Distilled in Kentucky
• 4,014 Bottles
• Available in KY, GA, FL, TX, IN, LA, IL, TN, and select online retailers

TASTING NOTES

• Nose: Sweet fruits, molasses, floral notes, black pepper
• Taste: hints of nuts and sweet fruits with baking spice on the mid palate and sweet caramelized brown sugar on the rear palate
• Finish: Medium; vanilla, pepper spice,

Press

COMING SOON!

PRESS RELEASE

FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCHES 25-26

PHOTOS

Batch 25

Andalusia Key Rye

STATS

• Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Spanish Oloroso Sherry-Dark Rum Casks
• Mash Bill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
• Aged at least 7 Years
• MSRP: $199
• 115.3 Proof
• Distilled in Indiana
• 3,735 Bottles
• Available in KV, GA, lL, TX, IN, LA, IL, TN, and select online retailers

TASTING NOTES

• Nose: Spicy black pepper, citrus, dark molasses, cashews, faint red fruits
• Taste: Candied citrus, spicy black pepper, baking spices, raisins, maple syrup
• Finish: Medium; black pepper, maple syrup, molasses, dark rum, light citrus

Press

COMING SOON!

PRESS RELEASE

FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCHES 25-26

PHOTOS

Batch 24

BRBN DOWNUNDER

STATS

• High Rye Bourbon Whiskey finished in Australian Apera Sherry Casks
• Bourbon Mash Bill:  60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
• Aged at least 6.5 Years
• MSRP: $199
• 2,178 Bottles
• 116.6 Proof
• Distilled in Indiana
• Available in KY, FL, TX, IN, LA, IL, TN, and select online retailers

TASTING NOTES

• Nose: Citrus zest, cashews, light red fruits, black pepper
• Taste: Oak, vanilla, sweet berries, almonds, black pepper
• Finish: Medium-long, vanilla ,and light barrel tannins intermingle with nuts and fruit

Batch 24 Press

COMING SOON!

BATCH 24 PRESS RELEASE

BATCH 24 PHOTOS

Batch 23

Barossa Creek

STATS

• A Blend of 6 & 7-Year Straight Bourbon and 8-Year Straight Rye Whiskeys finished in Australian Tawny Port Casks
• Bourbon Mash Bills:  75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
• Rye Mash Bill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
• MSRP: $199
• 1,280 Bottles
• 121.3 Proof
• Distilled in Kentucky and Indiana
• Available in KY, GA, TN, FL, TX, LA, and select online retailers

TASTING NOTES

• Nose: Plums, dates, raisins, spices, citrus
• Taste: Oak, black pepper, dark grapes, sweet red fruit, and mild citrus
• Finish: Medium, prunes, oak tannins, sweet baking spices, black pepper

Batch 23 Press

COMING SOON!

BATCH 23 PRESS RELEASE

BATCH 23 PHOTOS

Batch 22

Indiana Foundation

STATS:

• 10-Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Mash Bill:  75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
• MSRP: $199
• 1,130 Bottles
• 108.8 Proof
• Distilled in Dearborn County, Indiana
• Available in KY, IN, LA, IL, and select online retailers

TASTING NOTES:

• Nose: Sweet vanilla, cloves, cinnamon
• Taste: Vanilla, light butterscotch, oak, candied lemon drops, orange zest
• Finish: Medium, sweet brown sugar, citrus, and barrel tannins linger

Batch 22 Press

COMING SOON!

BATCH 22 PRESS RELEASE

BATCH 22 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

• 9-Year Straight Bourbon distilled in Dearborn County, IN
• Finished in Barbadian Dark Rum Casks
• Bourbon Mash Bill:  75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
  
• Non-Chill Filtered
• 103.2 Proof
• 636 Bottles
• MSRP: $199
• Available: April 2022 in Kentucky, Texas, Illinois,  Seelbachs.com, Boubonoutfitter.com, and caskers.com

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER

• Nose: Pepper, spice, vanilla, molasses, maple syrup, butter
• Taste: Citrus zest, oranges, light caramel, sweet simple syrup and dark rum
• Finish: Long, the rye spices fade out to be replaced by low, sweet dark rum notes

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

• Blend of 6 and 7-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon, 9-Year Indiana Straight Bourbon, and 8-Year Indiana Straight Rye Whiskey
• Finished in Australian Tawny Port and Barbadian Dark Rum Casks
• Bourbon Mash Bills:  75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
  
• Rye Mash Bill: 95%Rye, 5% Malted Barley
• Non-Chill Filtered
• 111.2 Proof
• 3,158 Bottles
• MSRP: $199
• Available: April 2022 in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Texas, Illinois,  Seelbachs.com, Boubonoutfitter.com, and caskers.com

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER

• Appearance: Deep Amber
• Nose: Peppery rye spice, dark fruits, oak, and vanilla
• Taste: Black pepper, lemon zest, and sweet corn followed by plums, dark cherries and raisins
• Finish: Long and lingering with rye spice and sweet rum-molasses

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

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

• Bourbon Mash Bills (All three): 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
  
• Rye Mash Bill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
• Non-Chill Filtered
• 112.7 Proof
• 3,005 Bottles
• MSRP: $199
• Available: December 2021 in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Texas, Seelbachs.com, Boubonoutfitter.com, and caskers.com

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER

• Appearance: Deep amber
• Nose: Toasted marshmallow, cinnamon, baking spices, nutmeg, and cloves.
• Taste: Sweet buttered cinnamon buns, cloves, vanilla extract, black pepper, and hints of mint
• Finish: long and satisfying with peppery spices and notes of citrus

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

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

• 7 Year Old Indiana Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Apera Sherry Casks
• 7-year Mash Bill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
• Non-Chill Filtered
• 110.2 Proof
• 2,168 Bottles
• MSRP: $185
• Available: October 2021 in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Texas, Seelbachs.com, Boubonoutfitter.com, and caskers.com

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER

• Appearance:   Mohagany
• Nose: Nutty and fruity with citrus and black pepper
• Taste: Cashews and almonds are followed by lemon zest, black pepper, and baking spices
• Finish: Medium with traditional rye flavors intermingling with sweet red fruits

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

• Blend of 6-year and 12-year Kentucky Straight bourbon Whiskeys
• 6-year Mash Bill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
• 12-year Mash Bill: 74% Corn, 18% Rye, 8% Malted Barley
• Non-Chill Filtered
• 118.9 Proof
• 1,757 Bottles
• MSRP: $199.00
• Available: August 2021 in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Seelbachs.com, Boubonoutfitter.com, and caskers.com

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER

• Appearance:   Dark and Rich
• Nose: After it breathes, there are nutty characteristics with spice and vanilla.
• Taste: Nutty, fruity and plenty of black pepper spice, the palate gets plenty of traditional bourbon flavors paired with sweet sherry notes.
• Finish: Long, with almonds and faint red grapes interplaying throughout.

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 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!

The Kelvin Collaboration III Stats:

• Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in PX Sherry-Rum Casks
• Blend of 9 and 12-year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskeys
  • 9-Year Mashbill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% malted Barley
  • 12-Year Mashbill: 74% Corn, 18% Rye, 8% malted Barley
• 123.7 Proof
• 1,647 Bottles
• MSRP: $199

Tasting Notes:

 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.

Batch 12 Press:

My Bourbon Journey Youtube Review

Scotch Test Dummies YouTube Review

I Whiskey She Wines YouTube Review

Batch 12 Press Release:

FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCH 12 The Kelvin Colalboration III

Batch 12 Photos:

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:

• Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Ruby Port-Run Casks
• Mash Bill : 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
• 113.4 Proof
• 1,444 Bottles
• MSRP: $185

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER:

• Nose: Fruit cake, tart gum drops, lemon and orange zest, and spicy rye.
• Taste: A sweet tart red berry note greets the tip of the tongue with a spicy black pepper flowing down the center palate. Raspberries and blueberries surround the periphery with a hint of citrus rounding out the taste.
• Finish: Medium-to-long, the black pepper and sweet red fruits dominate the start, with sweet molasses rounding out the viscous mouthfeel.

Batch 11 Press:

My Bourbon Journey YouTube Review

Scotch Test Dummies on YouTube

Bourbon Bytes YouTube Review

Batch 11 Press Release:

FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCH 11 Ruby Rye Springs

Batch 11 Photos:

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

• Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in New American White Oak Toasted and Charred Casks
• Mash Bill : 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
• 112.5 Proof
• 2,439 Bottles
• MSRP: $185

TASTING NOTES:

• 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.

Batch 10 Press

My Bourbon Journey Video Review

Bart from Scotch Test Dummies review

T8KE, Whiskey Raiders Review

Bourbon Bytes Video Review

BATCH 10 PRESS RELEASE

FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCH 10 SPLIT STAVE BY KELVIN RYE

BATCH 10 PHOTOS

OUR WHISKEY

Release 9, Batch 9

Andalusia Key

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.

Andalusia Key (Batch 9) Stats

• Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Oloroso Sherry and Dark Rum Casks
• Mash Bills finished in Dark Rum: 
  • 6 Year Kentucky Straight bourbon: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
  • 9 Year Kentucky Straight bourbon: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
  • 12 Year Kentucky Straight bourbon: 74% Corn, 18% rye, 8% Malted Barley
• Mash Bills Finished in Oloroso Sherry:
  • 9 Year Kentucky Straight bourbon: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
  • 12 Year Kentucky Straight bourbon: 74% Corn, 18% rye, 8% Malted Barley
• Non-Chill Filtered
• 121.2 Proof
• 1,309 Bottles
• MSRP: $199
• Available: October 2020 in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Seelbachs.com

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CHIEF BLENDING OFFICER

• Appearance:   Dark Reddish-Amber
• Nose: Sweet fruits, fortified wine, molasses, and Vanilla
• Taste: Where the sherry plays a big role on the nose, the underlying bourbon and rum finish take the forefront on the palate with traditional rye-bourbon spice and dark burnt brown sugars on the periphery.
• Finish: Medium-short in length, the finish is dry and sherry-forward with a pepper spice that lingers a bit on the rear palate.

Batch 9 Press

My Bourbon Journey Video Review (via YouTube)

BATCH 9 PRESS RELEASE

FGWC PRESS RELEASE BATCH 9 Andalusia Key

BATCH 9 PHOTOS

OUR WHISKEY

Release 4, Batch 4

SPLIT STAVE™ BY KELVIN

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

• Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• 5.5 Year Mash Bill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
• 12 Year Mash Bill: 74% Corn, 18% Rye, 8% Malted Barley
• Non-Chill Filtered
• 115.6 Proof
• 2,700 Bottles
• MSRP: $174.99
• Available: December 2019, Kentucky and Tennessee Only

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: 

Scotch Test Dummies (YouTube)

My Bourbon Journey (YouTube)

The Oak and Smoke Whiskey Reviews (YouTube)

Dads Drinking Bourbon (Podcast,via YouTube)

Whiskey Consensus Review

Batch 4 Press Release: 

FGWC SPLIT STAVE PRESS RELEASE

Batch 4 Photos:

OUR WHISKEY

Release 3, Batch 3

FOUNDATION

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

• 9 Year, 9 Month Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Mash Bill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
• Non-Chill Filtered
• 119.4 Proof
• 748 Bottles
• MSRP: $199.99
• Available: November 2019, Kentucky and Tennessee Only

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:

My Bourbon Journey (YouTube)

Batch 3 Press Release:  coming soon!

FGWC FOUNDATION BATCH 3 PRESS RELEASE

Batch 3 Photos:

Batch 3 Media: coming soon!

OUR WHISKEY

Release 2, Batch 2

OUTER LOOP ORBIT

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

• Blend of 5.5 Year and 12 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbons
• Finished in Orange Curaçao-Gin Casks from Kelvin Cooperage
• 5.5 Yr Mash Bill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
• 12 Yr Mash Bill: 74% Corn, 18% Rye, 8% Malted Barley
• Non-Chill Filtered
• 120.3 Proof
• 2,402 Bottles
• MSRP: $199.99
• Available: September 2019, Kentucky and Tennessee Only

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

My Bourbon Journey Podcast

BourbonInsane (Youtube)

My Bourbon Journey (YouTube)

Batch 2 Press Release:

Four Gate Whiskey Company OLO Press Release

Batch 2 Photos:

Batch 2 Media:

OUR WHISKEY

Release 1, Batch 1

THE KELVIN COLLABORATION

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:

• Rated 93 by Whisky Advocate, Fall 2019 Issue.
• Bottle #9 of Batch 1 sold at auction for $2,500 in the Speed Art Museum’s “The Art of Bourbon” on September 19th, 2019.

The Kelvin Collaboration Batch 1 Stats

• Mash Bill: 74% corn, 18% rye, 8% malted barley
• ABV%/Proof: 61.7%/123.4º
• Bottles: 1,732
• Distillation State: Kentucky
• Distilled in: 2007
• Age at re-barreling: 11 years
• Finish Barrels: Ex-sherry rum barrels selected by Kelvin Cooperage
• Blend Selection Collaborators: Brian Haara (Bourbon author, aka “Sipp’nCorn,”) Owen Powell & Craig Rupprecht (Louisville Bourbon Hounds), William Hornaday (Kelvin Cooperage)
• Available: April 2019, Kentucky and Tennessee Only
• MSRP: $199.99

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:

FGWC_Press Release_Final

Batch 1 Press:

Brian Haara/Sipp’n Corn Review and Tasting Notes

Distillery Trail

Bourbon & Banter Review

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

Whiskey Crusaders (YouTube)

2019 Whiskey of the Year, My Bourbon Journey, YouTube