Fall is prime whiskey and bourbon season, so it is essential that menus and shelves have just the right pours that customers will be craving.
Dropping temperatures naturally drives whiskey enthusiasts towards richer, warming spirits. From smooth and approachable to complex and adventurous, these top picks are exactly what patrons will be asking for this season.
Jeptha Creed Red, White & Blue Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Jeptha Creed in Shelby County, Kentucky, is a proud to be a women-owned distillery focused on crafting premium bourbons with authentically-grown heirloom grains. The Red, White & Blue Kentucky Straight Bourbon, created as a tribute to America’s storied heritage, is a 100-proof. 4-year bourbon with a unique mash bill of 25% Bloody Butcher Heirloom Corn, 25% Heirloom White Corn, 25% Bruce’s Blue Heirloom Corn (hence the Red, White, and Blue name), 20% Malted Rye, and 5% Malted Barley.
The resulting spirit is a shimmering orange-brown. On the nose, this bourbon opens with an array of dark cherry, orange peel, vanilla, apple, and pear notes mingled with sweet oaks and autumn leaves undertones. The palate is layered with flavors of apple, cinnamon, vanilla, buttery caramel, toasted pecan, and tobacco. Each sip of this bourbon wraps up nicely with a long, full finish.
Blue Note Honey Rye Whiskey
This perfect-for-fall rye whiskey from the award-winning Blue Note distillery “embraces the art of fusion.” The Blue Note Honey Rye Whiskey is a limited-release expression that begins with a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley. The whiskey is aged in American oak barrels that were previously used to produce locally-sourced wildflower honey.
The introduction of honey during the aging process resonates throughout the whole drinking experience of this rye whiskey. On the nose, honey notes mingle with those of apricot, vanilla, allspice, oak, caramel, pepper, and biscuit. These are followed by a blend of caramel, apricot, oak, honey, brown butter, and gingerbread flavors. The finish is soft with a slight hint of citrus and wildflowers.
Savage + Cooke American Whiskey
This is a distinctive cask-strength spirit from Dave Phinney’s Savage + Cooke Distillery. Its rich and complex profile comes from aging for at least four years in EX-Bourbon barrels and finishing for two months in Zinfandel wine barrels. The American Whiskey has a mash bill of 66% corn, 30% rye, and 4% malted barley.
Savage + Cooke American Whiskey opens with rich, inviting aromas of maple wood, caramel, black cherry, vanilla, roasted grain, pumpernickel bread, and red apple. The palate is defined by intense honey, caramel, strawberry jam, cinnamon, black pepper, and cherry notes, followed by a complex finish that leaves lingering warmth.
Starlight Distillery 10-Year Bourbon
This release from Starlight Distillery is a true testament to the art of patience and craftsmanship. As the oldest expression released yet it’s a significant milestone for the family distillery. It is crafted from 100% estate-grown grains and is aged in Seguin Moreau Icone barrels sourced from Napa Valley, showcasing the depth that extended maturation can achieva.
The Starlight 10-Year Bourbon is rich and complex with layers of salted toffee, sweet red fruit, spiced caramel, worn leather, cola, tart cherry, and cinnamon aromas. The flavor is definitely bold, offering bursts of ginger, salted caramel, raspberry, blackberry, cherry, and tobacco. The finish is long and balanced, combining sweet caramel and cream soda notes with mature oak.
Kings County Distillery Straight Bourbon
Kings County Distillery Straight Bourbon is a handcrafted whiskey from Brooklyn, New York, made in a style very reminiscent of Scotch. The whiskey focuses heavily on malted grains and an artisanal aging process. It is crafted from a mash bill of 80% locally-sourced organic New York corn and 20% English Golden Promise Barley. It is then aged for three years in New York oak barrels to add a slightly smoky character to the whiskey.
This whiskey offers sweet aromas of brown sugar, caramel, vanilla, cherry, and bread. The flavor is satisfying, featuring notes of cinnamon, caramel, vanilla, nutmeg, black pepper, malt, honey, custard, and grain. The finish is smooth and clean with just a touch of sweetness that leaves a lasting impression.
