Last Drop Turns Its Hand To American Whiskey
The Last Drop Distillers, the negotiant of London specializing in rare and discontinued whiskies, continues its quest for curating and creating the world’s rarest and most remarkable spirits with the release of its second Signature Blend: Release No 28: The Last Drop Signature Blend of Kentucky Straight Whiskeys. Created by Sazerac Master Blender Drew Mayville, a founding member of The Last Drop Assembly’s panel of spirits industry experts, this bespoke spirit comprises a blend of vintage straight bourbon and rye whiskeys. Impossible to replicate, 1,458 bottles will be released worldwide and available in the U.S. as of October 2022 at a suggested retail price of $3,999 (750ml/121.4 proof).
Since becoming Sazerac’s Master Blender in 2004, Drew has cultivated a dream of creating an ultra-rare whiskey for the most discerning of connoisseurs. To achieve this, he began preserving extremely small quantities of his favorite whiskeys at Buffalo Trace Distillery to fulfil this vision. He was confident that using his lifetime of expertise, knowledge and his masterful palate, combined with the incredible liquids available to him, he could make a unique and unparalleled blend.
To bring his vision for The Last Drop to life Drew blended vintage whiskeys that he had been saving since he joined the Buffalo Trace Distillery team. He tasted more than 40 different vintage bourbon and rye whiskeys, creating multiple combinations of these spirits before arriving at the final masterpiece that bears his signature. Bottled at 121.4 proof, Drew left this high-proof blend uncut and unfiltered to maximize its flavor and complexity. The resulting liquid is a celebration of the art of blending, allowing the individual components to shine while creating a majestic whole that is truly remarkable and impossible to replicate. Drew uses the analogy of an orchestra to explain his intention:
“As a master blender, I wholeheartedly believe that one can take individual components that are already exceptional to create an extraordinarily-beautiful end product,” says Drew. “As with music, a clarinet can be beautiful in its own right. However, when you combine it with other instruments in an orchestra you create a symphony – a masterpiece. This blend fully epitomizes this notion, andit’s been a dream come true to create this truly one-of-a-kind spirit for my friends at The Last Drop.”
Drew’s Blend follows The Last Drop Distillers first Signature Blend: a 50 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky created by Master Blender Colin J.P. Scott. Released in July 2021, this was the brand’s first foray into the creation, as well as curation, of extraordinary spirits by the talented members of The Last Drop Assembly.
“It has been a wonderfully exciting experience to work with my friend, colleague and inspiration, Drew Mayville, to create this phenomenal blend,” says Rebecca Jago, managing director, The Last Drop Distillers. “The creation of The Assembly in 2020 was one of The Last Drop’s proudest achievements: to see the visions of such stellar icons of the industry come to life in a Last Drop bottle is, for me, a dream come true.”
About Drew Mayville, Sazerac Master Blender
Drew Mayville has more 40 years of experience with some of the largest companies in the beverage alcohol industry. Drew joined Sazerac (at its Buffalo Trace Distillery location) in 2004 as the Master Blender and Director of Quality. The vast breadth of his experience comes from almost 23 years of experience with Seagram’s, where Drew was the last Master Blender to serve under the Seagram dynasty.
At Sazerac, Drew has worked hands on with all the award-winning products produced at Buffalo Trace in addition to the other highly acclaimed spirit categories of the company. Drew is active in overseeing a number of award-winning products produced at various locations for Sazerac, and promoting and educating the public on some of the world’s finest spirits. His passion is not only to make the finest quality products but also to delight and excite the consumer with his work.
