By Richard Thomas
(Credit: Richard Thomas)
In the last few years, the release calendar for hot ticket, limited edition American whiskeys has become something of a predictable pattern. Mid-to-late autumn is the peak period, and has been for much of the Bourbon Boom. Some other releases can be counted upon later in December, to coincide with Christmas shopping. That is followed by the doldrums, which last until springtime. Spring and then summer have begun to see more limited editions come out, presumably to avoid being drowned in the autumnal hoopla surrounding Pappy van Winkle and Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.
The start of Spring 2020 is now just 15 days away, and this is what you should be keeping an eye out for:
New Stuff That Is Already Out There
Although it may be too late to find these items on store shelves at regular retail prices, for such is the way of things that anything describable as “limited edition” disappears in a heartbeat, there are two late winter offerings that are worth your attention (and maybe your cash, if the price is right).
Angel’s Envy Tawny Port Cask ($250): The second installment in the Angel’s Envy Cellar Collection gets back to basics, with a twist. Angel’s Envy started as the company that put Port cask finished on bourbon, but the cask in question was Ruby Port, which is a solidly dessert fortified wine. For this release, they went with the drinker’s sipping choice, Tawny, which is also relatively uncommon among whisk(e)y finishes. Our Andrew Graham gave it an A-, so it is definitely worth a look.
Barrell Rye Batch 03 ($90): The second batch of Barrell Rye raised my eyebrows for using rye whiskey imported from Poland. If that doesn’t raise your eyebrows, I doubt anything in brown spirits will. This third batch draws on the traditional rye whiskey sources of Indiana and Canada, throws in that oddball stuff from Poland, and adds Tennessee. The latter is a source for many a Barrell Bourbon, but not so much the company’s sourced and blended rye whiskeys (or anyone else’s sourced rye whiskeys for that matter). As always, Barrell’s whiskeys are bottled uncut and without chill filtration.
Forthcoming
(Credit: Diageo)
Blade & Bow 22 Year Old Bourbon ($500+): Made from the same stock of ultra-aged bourbon that was used to “charge” the creation of the Blade & Bow solera system, this is the stuff some enthusiasts wish they had bought a few years back. It’s truly lovely stuff, and in 2015 it was marked at $150 a bottle and not too difficult to acquire. The croakers scoffed at it, led many into missing their chance, and now one should count themselves lucky to pick up a bottle for $500 or more.
Blanton’s Gold Edition: This higher proof, export-only version of the original Blanton’s Single Barrel is often found on the shopping list of a bourbon enthusiast going abroad. Now it will be available on a limited basis (a single batch released per year) in the U.S. Of course, regular Blanton’s is already hard to get in the U.S., and I doubt Blanton’s Gold will be any easier to acquire. For most shoppers, their best bet for buying a bottle will probably be the same as it ever was: go to Europe.
The suggested retail price is $120, but expect the actual market value (what you would pay to get it from a retailer on demand) to be higher. Blanton’s Gold initial release in the U.S. is timed for late spring/early summer.