When Hannah and I launched our website, WhiskeyfortheAges.com just two short years ago, we didn’t realize how much fun we would have. During the past year we have been fortunate to meet some awesome people and enjoy some really fine whiskey. We look forward to 2022 so we can nurture those friendships and discover more fantastic product.
On this second anniversary, the site offers over 245 whiskey reviews! The library includes profiles of 130 whiskeys (most of them bourbons) and the number grows nearly every week. While our noses, taste buds, and preferences continue to conflict from time to time, we are enjoying this adventure together.
We’ve added many new features to the website as well. One of the most useful can be found in the Menu bar at the top right of every page — Latest Whiskey Posts. By clicking the redirect, one can access our last five whiskey reviews, read our last two articles and be kept up to date with what we’re doing. This tool is so useful, we use it to navigate our site ourselves!
Other new navigation features can be found the site sidebar widgets located at the top, right or bottom of each page depending on the device being used.
▪︎A “Search” function redirects readers to specific reviews and articles related to the entry of a few key words. ▪︎The expanded “Whiskey Sorted” widget provides quick access to Brian’s or Hannah’s ratings as well as listings by Price or Proof. ▪︎And at the bottom of the sidebar we have provided links to products we reference in our reviews and articles.
Social Media
This month we’re having a dram a night as we enjoy different Whiskey Advent Calendar pours leading up to Christmas day. Members of a local whiskey enthusiast group (to which we belong) donated 24 bottles and we are sharing the unique one ounce pours. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Twitter to see what we’re drinking, where we are and what we are doing next. Or use our Contact Page to email review and content requests and connect by clicking the ..LEAVE A REPLY.. button in the field below.
And lastly, be sure to “subscribe” so you can be notified when Hannah and I publish new content. Find the SUBSCRIBE widget in the site sidebar below or to the right, then enter your name and email address so you’ll never miss new content. WhiskeyfortheAges subscribers are notified by email whenever we post … and don’t worry … we hold contact information in the strictest confidence. Click to read our Privacy Policy.
Make 2022 your best year ever! And as always, we look forward to sharing our pours and thoughts in the year ahead.
Cheers! – Brian
WhiskeyfortheAges.com, Editor Brian Dawson, LinkedIn
Some time ago, Hannah and I were discussing distillers and the various whiskies they produce. We each have our favorites and not so favorite labels made by the big conglomerates:
Beam/Suntory
Brown-Forman
Buffalo Trace/Sazarac
Four Roses
Heaven Hill
Wild Turkey
As Hannah and I were talking and listing the product line ups, she called me out. She said I had a bias against non-distilling producers of whiskey (NDPs).
Her comment got me to thinking … Am I a bourbon snob? Do I really have a bias for or against a label just because I may or may not know the distiller? I didn’t want to think so.
Well, as often happens, the discussion went by the wayside. Then a chance purchase caught my attention: Rebel Yell 10 Year Single Barrel. This was a decent bourbon. Soon after came Old Ezra 07 Year Barrel Strength (a bottle which is now always on my shelf along with a backup in the bunker). Prior to the Lux Row distillery in Bardstown, KY opening in 2018, Luxco did source both Rebel and Old Ezra distillate.
Then came the catalyst for this article: a Smooth Ambler Old Scout BWE Private Pick. The barrel purchase had been arranged by members of a local whiskey enthusiast group of which I am a member. MGP Ingredients, Inc. (MGP) had distilled our barrel.
With the discovery, another whiskey article quest had begun. After an extensive internet search, I sent an email referencing our potential post about contract distillers to MGP via their website. Several email exchanges later, I connected with Jenell Loschke, Public Relations and Content Manager at MGP.
MGP INGREDIENTS, INC. BACKGROUND
MGP Ingredients, Inc. (Nasdaq: MGPI) is a leading producer of premium distilled spirits, branded spirits, and food ingredient solutions. Since 1941, MGP has combined their expertise and energy aimed at formulating excellence, bringing product ideas to life collaboratively with their customers. MGP Ingredients was once known as Midwest Grain Products and to the layperson, the name has stuck with the acronym.
Lawrenceburg Distillery night hero, photo courtesy of MGP
MGP’s branded spirits portfolio covers a wide spectrum of brands in every segment, including iconic brands from Luxco, which was founded in 1958 by the Lux Family. (MGP purchased Luxco in April, 2021.) Luxco is a leading producer, supplier, importer and bottler of beverage alcohol products. Their branded spirits mission is to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of consumers, associates and business partners.
You may be aware of Luxco and their diverse line of products, from whiskeys (e.g. Ezra Broof, Rebel, George Remus, etc.) to tequilas and even gins (El Mayor, Burch Gin, etc.) Distilleries for all of these products are equally diverse, from Kentucky, to Washington D.C., as well as Ireland and Mexico.
Ms. Loschke was unable to confirm or deny for which bottlers her company distills …
While there’s a lot of discussion and speculation about which whiskeys are sourced from MGP, we don’t disclose our customers due to strict NDAs.
… but did indicate an interest in learning more about the direction and parameters we intended to take in our story. We exchanged a few ideas and decided the best way to prepare for the article would be via a question and answer exchange.
After choosing my topics and writing down my questions, I transmitted the list. A week or so later I received a reply from David Dykstra, Vice President of Alcohol Sales and Marketing at MGP. Following is our dialog …
WhiskeyfortheAges: Thank you for working with me on this project. Let’s jump right in.
WftA: Why would a distiller/bottler choose to partner with MGP?
David Dykstra, MGP: Distillers choose to partner with MGP because we are collaborative, flexible and deliver consistent quality at any scale. We work with—and champion – customers of all sizes, from startups to multinationals, with products and services that best meet their unique needs. With a new brand, for example, we can provide aged product to generate income while their operations are ramping up. Our work with established brands can range from ensuring a reliable supply to creating a customized mash bill or a unique medley of our time-tested products.
Finally, our spirits are proven. MGP is one of the largest U.S. distillers and one of America’s top multi-line producers (meaning non-brand affiliated) of premium distilled spirits. We are the largest U.S. producer of rye whiskey and distilled gin.
WftA: What benefit does a distiller/bottler get by partnering with MGP?
MGP:The benefit of partnering with MGP is our commitment to best addressing each customer’s individual needs. Our approach is not cookie-cutter.
WftA:What kind of guidance does MGP provide to its clients?
MGP:We are attuned to consumer trends. MGP can help a customer identify and quickly leverage opportunities. Our experienced sales and R&D teams are always available to provide one-on-one consultation.
WftA: What does MGP do for its clients?
MGP:MGP offers one-on-one consultation, product development, custom mash bills and tailored formulations via the expertise and collaboration of our master distillers and master blenders, barrel finishes/wood inserts, whiskey maturation and storage, and a variety of shipping options including via totes, tanker, or rail car.
WftA: How many recipes/mash bills/yeast strains does MGP offer potential clients?
We offer more than a dozen standard mash bills. Each can stand alone or be mingled to create the precise flavor a customer wants. MGP also collaborates with customers to create proprietary, customized whiskey and bourbon formulations, as well as custom gin formulations. We work with five yeast strains identified as best used for five types of spirits: rye whiskey, wheat whiskey, light whiskey, gin and vodka.
WftA: How much leeway does MGP give its clients in the development of mash bills/recipes and the like?
MGP:We support customers’ dreams and their desire to create stand-out spirits. That’s why we offer infinite customization options, including work with less-common grains.
WftA: Does MGP offer bottling and labeling services for their clients?
MGP:No.
WftA: How does MGP help new non-distilling producers of whiskey with product until their own distillate is ready to be bottled? When do typical partnerships end?
MGP:It is difficult to define a “typical” partnership and when it might end, given the individualized approach we bring to our work.
photo courtesy MGP
We help get new distillers up and running with aged product, offering a minimum order of four barrels for standard mash bills. In addition, MGP serves as an on-going supplementary source for a brands’ needs throughout their lifecycle.Once a spirit is produced, we can ship it to the customer for maturation and customization at their distillery. Or we can mature and customize the product in our warehouse on their behalf.We help address variations in demand and production the brand may have.
WftA: How does a brand contact MGP?
MGP:They can reach us through our website, via email (sales@mgpingredients.com), or by calling 888-897-3836.
WftA: In behalf of our readers, I would like to thank you for your time and for assisting with my questions. I am sure they will enjoy our exchanges.
MGP:Thank you for thinking of us!
WRAP-UP
So what did I learn??? MGP can help any size bottler or distiller (including start-up crafts) by providing them with aged product until their distillate is ready. They can also help seasoned companies who may need an assist with recipes and inventory. In addition to warehousing, MGP offers the ability to ship product to their customers via totes, tanker, or rail car for maturation and customization at the bottler’s or distiller’s own facilities.
Finally as I was proofing this post, I decided maybe I have been a bit of a snob when considering product from an NDP. With my new-found knowledge I will now be much less reluctant to try offerings with “Bottled by …” labeling. What do you think? Can you too relax your standards?
Click the .. LEAVE A REPLY .. button in the field below to share your thoughts on Non-distilling Producers of Whiskey and the products they offer.
Non-distilling Producers of Whiskey written October 2021 by Brian Dawson Editor, WhiskeyfortheAges.com
Hello, sippers! It has been some time since I posted an installment to this series, where we just sit with a glass of a favorite and chat about anything and everything. Go get yourself a healthy pour, because we are getting thoughtful with today’s Slow Pour, “Time Capsules!” And let me know what you’re sipping in the comments! I’ve got some Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch C919, myself.
For the past several weeks, I have had a whiskey thought dancing around in my head: the impact of atmosphere on whiskey and how we think about that impact. Hopefully, most of the time, you’re left with a good impression of your first pour of something. And hopefully that carries to the next pour of that same bottle. But that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes that good impression gets tarnished the next time we have a dram. It’s how we think about those moments and how they come to be “tarnished” that I’m interested in. And is that word “tarnished” truly appropriate?
“How-Did-We-Miss-You” Bottles
I think we can all agree on how the story usually starts. I know sometimes, Dad and I come home with a bottle to review, and we immediately love it. Or there are times when we crack open a bottle for the first time with company. Maybe it’s around a campfire, or it’s with family we haven’t seen for a while. Maybe it’s a brand new experience.
The point is, we open a bottle, and we love it. It’s everything we could ever dream of a whiskey being. It’s warm. Complex. Affordable. Available. It’s a “How did we miss you?” kind of bottle. We rush to the liquor store the next day or next weekend, and we find the Holy Grail bottle (and let’s be honest – we grab two).
We crack open the bottle and pour whatever it is, prepared to be wowed again.
And then we’re not.
And actually, we’re really not. Suddenly, this bottle that was so perfect before, is mediocre, if not downright terrible and unpalatable.
So, what happened?
The People Influence
I’m sure many of our fellow sippers here already know the answer. It’s the company. And many of you, again, likely know this is always one our biggest talking points. Dad and I are fortunate to be in a position where, not only can we enjoy each other’s company during reviews, there are other people in our circle who drink whiskey as well. (In fact, I daresay, we’ve introduced the spirit to many of our friends and family just for others to talk to!)
As whiskey drinkers, and editors of this blog, we love sharing our knowledge on it. But truly, we love enjoying pours with people the most. And as such, we find it relatively easy to get caught up in the laughs and the moment. New whiskey tastes a bit brighter and better than perhaps it does when we find and bring it home.
Now, believe it or not, but I actually have mixed feelings on this cold reality. If you had asked me at the beginning of the summer about this, I likely would have had a few disappointed choice words. However, this summer, I had a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And it’s amazing what those can do to soften hard “no’s” and edges.
The Memory Influence
This summer, our family laid my grandfather to rest in his hometown in Wisconsin, where he lived all of his life. It was an emotional time, and to be quite frank, the pandemic had not made any of the process easy on anyone. Regardless, we made our goodbyes, and the people who could be there, were.
As my dad discusses in We May Never Pass This Way Again, we found ourselves talking whiskey at the family cabin with relatives and friends everywhere. It was truly an incredible moment.
And the whole week we were there, we’d find ourselves sitting around the bonfire every night with whiskey in one hand, and maybe classic Wisconsin cheese or homemade bread or even s’mores in the other. We had a whole variety of bottles to choose from, and at the time, every bottle was stellar. Everything was creamy, warm, complex… and we’d stay up until after midnight enjoying ourselves and laughing with great music.
Facing Cold Reality
Fast forward to us coming back home to Idaho and picking up our reviewing schedule again. Dad and I (and my sister on several occasions) would end up referencing back to that bonfire and the family with almost every review or casual pour we did. Three months later, and we still do.
Eventually we got around to reviewing a bottle we had back in Wisconsin, the Old Scout Smooth Ambler Boise Whiskey Enthusiasts Private Pick. We had brought a bottle out with us for the trip because it was unique (both in vitals and the fact that it was a private pick). Not to mention, it was new to our collection too.
And I had loved that bourbon while in Wisconsin. While I hadn’t poured it every night that we were there, I did partake in several glasses over the course of the week.
But now, coming to the long-awaited review, I sit down… and I find I don’t like it. The shock and initial disappointment I had over this fact had me confused and even frustrated with myself. This bourbon had memories! It was with me and my family for an important event! An event I can’t ever truly go back to, even! And it was one of the most unique bourbons in our collection! I was supposed to love this, not feel that it had been tarnished! (The fact that Dad still did love it, only made matters worse and left me more lost.)
So… I did the review how I saw the bourbon in that moment. And even revisiting this review for the sake of this Slow Pour, I can even see my confusion in my words. And I intend to leave it that way.
Contented Acceptance
The longer I sat with my inner frustrations, however, (aka weeks), the more I realized that it was exactly for those aforementioned reasons that it was alright that I didn’t like the bottle now. The bottle did have memories, and it was a bourbon that I had enjoyed with my family. And now, because I don’t care for the bourbon much, it’s unlikely to get new memories tacked onto it, and my experience with it will be confined to that singular week with my family. And it shouldn’t be a surprise that my setting for it is very reminiscent of the birdhouses surrounding the cabin either.
In essence Smooth Ambler has become a time capsule. It’s a week’s worth of memories in a bottle, and its label I will always get to associate solely with that time. Nothing else can change the magnitude of what that bottle carried.
And I actually find that incredibly special. Do I wish I still enjoyed it? Of course I do. I’d love to be taken back to the bonfire on every pour. But surprisingly, when I open up our bunker to grab a casual pour of the day, and I see Smooth Ambler there… I am taken back. Every time. It looks the same as it did on top of the plates/bowls cabinet at the family cabin. It looks how it did on the tiny kitchen island counter during our massive tasting party Dad references in his article. I can see the birdhouses outside the cabin that I’d look at while sipping this. It’s a time capsule bourbon that I’ve never experienced the likes of before. And I’ll likely even keep the empty bottle once Dad finishes it.
So long story short (I suppose this is one of my slowest pours of this series), maybe we need to rethink how we revisit bottles that end up being not so great. Is it only a loss? Are they only “tarnished”? – to return to my question at the start of this slow pour. Or, can we call it a learning experience? Can we call it a time capsule of a different time when everything was great? Can we call those bottles the true pause buttons we look for and enjoy when we drink whiskey?
In any case, I think that’s how I am going to choose to look at them from now on.
So I won’t ask if you have any whiskeys that got “tarnished” from one pour to the next. Instead, I think I’ll ask, do you have any Time Capsule Whiskeys? What are they? Click the ..LEAVE A REPLY.. button in the field below if you’d care to share.
