Bright Lights Big City
They also changed the name to Bright Lights, Big City. If that doesnt sound like a name youd give to a bourbon, Im right there with you. But Hudson explains it away by saying that they want to be different from the other guys both in attitude and the way they market their whiskey. I suppose by giving it a name like that, they have achieved their objective.
Hudson knows that they cant rely on a rebranding alone to sell new bottles, so a vast marketing team was assembled. Whatever went on during their brainstorming sessions, some of the most impressive looking media boxes that Ive ever seen came out as a result.
Opening mine up revealed a hat, t-shirt, canvas bag, enameled shaker, brass bottle opener and two bottles of their whiskey. The box felt like opening up a new pair of shoes and was very impressive to receive. If I could award their marketing team a gold star, I would.
Moving on back to the whiskey, though Bright Lights, Big City is labeled a Straight Bourbon, but it does mention that it has been aged for at least 3 years on the label, which makes sense considering the timeline of when William Grant & Sons bought them, rolled in new equipment and began aging this bourbon.
So now that we know the backstory behind this bourbon, lets get to the tasting and see if all of these changes have made it a worthwhile bottle to buy. I sampled this neat in a glencairn.
Hudson Whiskey Ny Bright Lights Big Bourbon Whiskey
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Hudson Bright Lights Big Bourbon
New York- A bold, grain-forward, no-holds-barred straight bourbon whiskey. Distilled from New York corn and aged in new charred American oak barrels. With notes of rich vanilla and lightly salted caramel on the finish, it shines brighter than the rest. Awarded Silver Medal at ISC 2020.
2 oz.
Muddle sugar and 1 orange peel in glass. Add bitters and bourbon. Stir well. Add ice cubes and stir again. Garnish with fresh orange peel.
Bourbon, Americas native spirit, traces its heritage to immigrants who brought their whiskey-making skills to the American colonies in the 18th century. Rye was the crop of choice for them, because it was easier to establish than the traditional barley. But when settlers pushed west to Kentucky, which had gained a reputation for fertile soil and pure spring waters, corn became the base material for their whiskey, and it established a style that Kentucky could call its own.
Although its historically affiliated with Kentucky, Bourbon today may be made anywhere in the United States, so long as producers follow a recipe and process that is set by law.
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Why Do You Stir A Manhattan
The Manhattan is a cocktail that should always be stirred. Shaking this cocktail could result in turning the drink cloudy, ruining the aesthetic. Shaking can also alter a cocktails texture and can reduce the lovely, weighty almost silky feeling this cocktail creates as it rolls across the tongue.
Just get yourself an elegant mixing glass or a straight-sided pitcher like this one and a cocktail spoon. Start stirring your drinks gently and discover how compelling a stirred cocktail can be.
Reviews & Tasting Notes
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Based on 28 votes, the average rating for Hudson Whiskey NY Bright Lights Big Bourbon is 7.4/10.
Top reviews for Hudson Whiskey NY Bright Lights Big Bourbon:
& horbar Wonderful smooth finish with a nice oak flavor
& horbar Definitely grain forward, great taste for the money.
& horbar Smooth taste on the rocks. great taste notes
Scroll down for all reviews.
Why people love it?
Hudson Whiskey NY Bright Lights Big Bourbon which is carefully distilled at Tuthilltown Spirits is adored for its vanilla, oak, bread and caramel flavor notes.
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A Classic Manhattan Made With Hudson River Valley Bourbon
This Manhattan recipe from Chef Annette Tomei strays slightly from the original in that it features Hudson Whiskeys Bright Lights, Big Bourbon. It is a drink Annette created with some of her spirits industry counterparts back in her days as an instructor at Manhattans French Culinary Institute.
Annette defends her choice to make her Manhattan drink with an alternative to rye whiskey for the simple reason that this aged bourbon is her favorite American-made, brown spirit. And since Hudson Whiskey distills its whiskies in New Yorks picturesque Hudson River Valley, the choice feels appropriate for this Christmas Manhattan cocktail.
The Best Bitters For This Winter Cocktail
For this Manhattan drink recipe, Annette pairs the sweetness of the bourbon with Bittermens New England Spiced Cranberry Bitters. The flavor profile of these bitters is complex, since theyre made with a blend of cranberries, vanilla and spice. The resulting bourbon cocktail creates a medley of seasonal flavors in your mouth. Just one sip and youll understand why Annette has dubbed this cocktail a White Christmas in Manhattan.
Recommended Reading: How To Make Apple Martinis With Vodka
Hudson Whiskey Bright Lights Big Bourbon
$40.99
Never one to shy away from the spotlight, Bright Lights, Big Bourbon is a bold, grain-forward, no-holds-barred straight bourbon whiskey. Distilled from New York corn and aged in new charred American oak barrels, with notes of rich vanilla and lightly salted caramel on the finish, it shines brighter than the rest.
1 in stock
Hudson Bright Lights Big City Bourbon Review
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If you read my reviews often, then you know I often speak about the explosion of craft distilleries opening up all across the United States over the past 10 years. In fact, about 3/4 of those distilleries have only recently opened in the last 5 years.
Hudson Whiskey was one of those OGs of craft distilling who began distilling back when the trend was a trickle instead of a flood. Up until that point, a majority of the public still believed that bourbon could only be produced in Kentucky. It was Hudsons pride in being a New York brand that changed that perception.
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Hudson Whiskey Ny Bright Lights Big Bourbon
Name: Hudson Whiskey NY Bright Lights, Big Bourbon
Color: Light Brown
Nose: Corn, vanilla, oak
Taste: Corn, oak, vanilla, dark fruits
Bright Lights, Big Bourbon is from Tuthilltown Spirts Distillery in Gardiner, New York. The distillery was founded in 2003 and was acquired by William Grant & Sons in 2010. The acquisition brought in an influx of cash and changes to the brand from its previous name, bottle style, price, and flavor.
The name of this whiskey sounded familiar to me when I first noticed a marketing push in the NYC area. This expression was previously titled Baby Bourbon and the Manhattan Rye is now Do the Rye Thing. The label colors are based off the NYC Subway lines and is probably designed to stand out on the store shelf. The bright colors should help with the marketing push, but not so much when it comes to the flavor profile.
The mash bill is 95% corn and 5% malted barley. It is aged 3 years in new charred American oak barrels and bottled at 46% abv. On my first taste I was not impressed. It is a very basic corn bourbon that is young and harsh. On my second taste it was less harsh, but I was even less impressed.
Priced around $50 and overpriced for the taste profile. I remember the previous version tasting better. If you want a mixer at this price I recommend FEW or Sagamore.
If you like it, drink it! Christopher
If you like it, drink it!