The Best Bourbons Over $100
Bookers Bourbon 2021-04 Noe Strangers Batch
The fourth and final 2021 release from Bookers, this iteration was aged for 6 years, 6 months, and 12 days, and arrives at a dizzying 62.2 percent ABV. As with all cask-strength bourbons, it proves to be a heady, in-your-face experience, though not one that lacks nuance or complexity. Fruity, floral notes take charge on the intense nose, while the palate leans into baked desserts and rich caramel. Dont be afraid to add a splash of water. Average price: $113. Rating: 93.
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Bourbon Whiskey
Launched in 2020, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel quickly won over bourbon aficionados, and bottles now fetch much more than its $50 MSRP at retail. Made by finishing standard Elijah Craig in new, custom-toasted oak barrels, the bourbon has multiple layers of aromas and flavors that go well beyond wood. Expect sweet caramel tones on the nose, and enticing coffee and dark chocolate on the palate. If you come across this bottle, dont leave it sitting on the shelf. Average price: $132. Rating: 93.
Knob Creek 15 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey
Larceny Barrel Proof A122
I.W. Harper 15-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskey
Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Spring 2022
Whiskey To The People: Chattanooga Whiskey Company Co
Nestled in the heart of Chattanooga, Tennessee rests a unique craft distillery, one that succeeded in rallying the people in order to overturn decades-old laws prohibiting them from producing great whiskey right in Chattanooga. The distillerys opening in 2015 marked the first legal whiskey made in Chattanooga made in over 100 years. Chattanooga Whiskey Co. values heritage and tradition but knows when to break the status quo to make exceptional spirits.
Chattanooga Whiskey Co.s 1816 Reserve, their flagship whiskey, is a local favorite and staple on the shelves at bars and restaurants across the city. 1816 Reserve lives at a comfortable 90 proof, just slightly stronger than your average whiskey in order to command attention at first sip. Oak and rye waft on the nose with hints of caramel and baking spices in the background. Light vanilla and balanced sweetness greet the palate, followed by light notes of butterscotch candy and light rye spice.
At a bold 113 proof, 1816 Cask touts tremendous intensity and rich flavors. More oak and rye greet you on the nose, this time followed with wafts of toffee, brown sugar, and vanilla bean. Sipping reveals flavors of cinnamon and faint black tea, and a full bodies finish.
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Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery
Located at the original site on Market Street, this location was first named Tennessee Stillhouse after the Chattanooga Whiskey parent company of the same name. The distillery opened in March, 2015, at which point all the blending and bottling for 1816 began. This location makes approximately one barrel of whiskey per week on a 100-gallon system with one cooker, three fermenters, and a Vendome hybrid pot/column still.
As the home of the Experimental Single Batch Series and the birthplace of Tennessee High Malt, the distillery has released eight batches of experimental whiskey since August 2017, most highlighting a high malt style.
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Cask : Tennessee High Malt
Cask 111 is the unfiltered, cask-forward expression of our signature Tennessee High Malt recipe. Distilled from a single fermentation, each 6-10 barrel lot has been hand-selected by our distilling team to highlight the subtle nuances between each batch of this distinctly full-bodied and robust whiskey. By omitting the filtration process, our whiskey retains every bit of character captured from its long maturation.*
*Each bottle occasionally captures a small amount of barrel sediment.Mash Bill: Yellow Corn, Malted Rye, Caramel Malted Barley & Honey Malted Barley
Age: Greater than 2 years
Proof: 111
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Chattanooga Whiskey Co Located In The Heart Of Downtown Chattanooga Across From The Historic Chattanooga Choo Choo
The micro-distillery and tasting room, known as the Tennessee Stillhouse is the first home for the Chattanooga Whiskey Company. The 100-year old building tells its own story and is adjacent to the former site of one of Chattanoogas first distilleries.
Haskel Sears mastery of reclaimed wood, offset by exposed brick walls is at the heart of this extraordinary renovation. Accomplished carpenter, Matt Sears, used repurposed materials throughout the interior to create an unusual connection to the art and science of whiskey works.
A former whiskey still was flattened to become the retail desk at the front door. Farther down the main hall are rough hewn wood beams from an ancient barn flanking a wall of texture and pattern created with barrel staves that were originally used to age whiskey from their 2008 production run.
At the bar, 100-year old pine flooring from a local factory was refinished to become the bar top, barrel staves span the space under the bar and the bar stools are refurbished wood. In fact, all the wood is reclaimed, even the shelves behind the bar and glass-fronted display cabinet with copper-plating.
But nothing whispers the history of whiskey as much as the handcrafted chandeliers over the bar created from the barrel hoops and snake condenser coils of former stills.
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With No Money For Lobbyists Piersant And Ledbetter Began A Campaign To Persuade Chattanoogans To Fight The Law And Get Whiskey Made In Their Town Once Again
At least, not yet.
Internationally known whiskey writer Chuck Cowdery explains this phenomenon.
People who sell a product they did not distill are called non-distiller producers, or NDPs, Cowdery says. Most small or brand-new NDPs, such as Chattanooga Whiskey, buy bulk from the distiller. They find out what the distiller has in inventory and negotiate a purchase. Bulk is always a standard recipe since the NDP wasnt in the picture when the whiskey was made. The NDP can choose a bottling proof , but otherwise has very little opportunity to customize the product. Then they put it in a bottle, label it and sell it.
The Chattanooga Whiskey became faces of change. Piersant and Ledbetter used social media, town hall meetings and old-fashioned phone calling to keep the topic of changing Hamilton Countys distilling law in the public eye. They were bringing power to the people.
Gov. Bill Haslam signed the bill into law in the spring of 2013.
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Bonus: Best Single Barrel Bourbons
In addition to VinePairs annual bourbon roundup, each year we conduct a separate tasting for our ranking of the best single barrel bourbons. Beyond those that also made this list, here are three of our favorite bottles from 2022. Learn more by reading the full single barrel bourbon list here.
Evan Williams Single Barrel
The annual Evan Williams single-barrel vintage release marks one of the best bargains in bourbon. Aged for almost a decade, this whiskey is approachable and balanced. The most recent 2014 vintage delivers a delightful mix of winter baking spices, sweet vanilla, and subtle hints of toasted oak. Average price: $30. Rating: 92.
Milam & Greene Whiskey Single Barrel Bourbon
This is a sourced release from the Texas-based, independently owned whiskey company, Milam & Greene. The Cask No. 195 bottling tasted for this roundup exudes vibrant fruit notes and maple sweetness. The palate serves rich helpings of banana, and has a craft profile that brims with personality. Average price: $57. Rating: 93.
Barrell Craft Spirits Bourbon Single Barrel Bottled
Barrel Craft Spirits typically deals in blended releases but this single-barrel bourbon is equally impressive as the brands other expressions. Distilled in Kentucky, this whiskey serves complex oak aromas on the nose. Pleasing baking spices jump out on the palate, followed by toasted oak and bright fruit. Average price: $115. Rating: 95.
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Chattanooga Whiskey : Tennessee High Malt
Tennessee High Malt is our rich, malt-forward approach to bourbon. Made from the finest malted grains, each step of our process has been crafted to highlight the complexity of these ingredients. Our signature Tennessee High Malt recipe known to our distillers as Barrel 91 was selected from the first 100 barrels produced at our Experimental Distillery.
Made from 4 grains, including 3 select specialty malts, Tennessee High Malt starts with an attemperated 7-day fermentation. This extended process highlights both the rich, high-malt character while also adding a nuanced, fruity complexity to the spirit. After fermentation, each batch is distilled in our custom 30ft. column still before being laid to age in two types of charred & toasted oak barrels. This combination of cooperage imparts a balanced, confection-rich character to the aged whiskey, while also harmonizing with its malty-rich character.
After aging more than 2 years, Chattanooga Whiskey 91 utilizes our version of the solera finishing process bringing together nearly 100 barrels into a 4000-gallon, charred, white oak Solera finishing barrel, which rarely goes empty.*Mash Bill: Yellow Corn, Malted Rye, Caramel Malted Barley & Honey Malted Barley
Age: Greater than 2 years
Proof: 91
In 1866 Not Long After The Civil War Ended A Man Named Elijah Roach Betterton Was Released From A Union Prison Camp And Moved Back Down South He Took Over His Familys Gristmill And A Few Years Later He Opened A Small Bar In Chattanooga Selling Whiskey By The Late 1800s The Town Had More Than 30 Distilleries It Was The Largest Distilling Center In The State
In the early 1900s, a nationwide movement was growing against drinking, making and selling alcohol. The Prohibition Party, the Anti-Saloon League and the Womens Christian Temperance Union condemned liquor, declaring it was of the devil.
Prohibition was repealed in 1933, but Tennessee didnt repeal its ban on manufacturing alcoholic drinks until 1937. Prohibition, strangely enough, only halted production of Jack Daniels and George Dickels whiskey for a short time due to a loophole that allowed liquor distillation in three counties in Tennessee Lincoln, Moore and Coffee. It wasnt until 2009 that the Tennessee Legislature voted to change the distillation laws in the state, making it legal to produce whiskey and other distilled spirits in 41 counties.
But Hamilton County, of which Chattanooga is the seat, was excluded. And it remained that way for almost 100 years.
That is, until Piersant and Ledbetter started the Vote Whiskey campaign, a tool to educate Chattanooga citizens about whiskey and the political process. Their goal was simple: to reverse the law and open a distillery, and eventually move the production of Chattanooga Whiskey to its namesake city.
Chattanooga Whiskey founder Tim Piersant inspects his product.
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Joe Ledbetter: We cant wait to have whiskey in our hometown!
Cecily Storey: Fun tour and nice varied tasting. Loved getting to taste the whiskey in a cocktail beverage as well.
Kaitlin: Best whiskey Ive ever had. Seriously. The oaky flavor is perfect.
Stuart Everett: Try the gourmet bacon cheeseburger, Gouda creamed corn, and the CBC Urban Bourbon Bock! Youll be glad you did. )
Bearded Dragon: Great food, awesome whiskey!
RootsRated: Ninety bourbons and whiskeys, fourteen rotating draughts, and three pages of delicious, original burger creations will keep you coming back, even if you live around the corner like we do. Read more.
Indigo: Stock up for fathers day with our special edition commando shaving bar or our tennesee bourbon and honey!
Carolyn Chastain: Great way to spend a Sunday. Lots of good looking produce. Vendors are eager to answer questions and give out samples.
Chattanooga Property Shop/ Keller Williams: Go any Sunday and find seasonal produce and artisan created items. My Sweet Swirls, Marsha, Marsha, Marsha and Gladys Fudge are the best vendors along with kettle corn.
Lauren: My favorite bar in Chattanooga. House whiskey is good and cheap.
Airborne Geek: The best Scotch Eggs Ive ever had.
Joe Ledbetter: This place has my heart!
May Williams: 191 Bourbon drink is delicious. Also they have the best music playing!
Christopher Fason: Best drinks in town mixed by the friendliest bartenders in town.
Hope Evans: Very friendly staff
for you
Meet Our Solera Barrel
Utilizing our own version of the classic solera process, we bring together 100 fully aged barrels of Chattanooga Whiskey 91 into one large, charred oak barrel that never goes empty. After each small batch bottling, we then top the solera with 10-15 mature barrels. This continued process allows the whiskies to marry together, imparting a gradual complexity over time.
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Whiskey Review: Chattanooga Whiskey 91
As I mentioned in my review of Chattanooga Whiskeys 111 proof edition, I was originally tipped off to this brand from a friend who shared his beloved bottle with me. When that same friend also procured a bottle of Chattanoogas 91 Proof, he was again kind enough to share and we were again curious to investigate this brand. How will this slightly-lower-proof version stack up against its higher-proof sibling?
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Despite Ledbetters Resignation And The Difficulties In Finding A Permanent Home For Their Distillery The Company Has Done Some Growing
Chattanooga Whiskey has assembled a young and dynamic team with seven full-time employees including an operations manager, marketing strategist, creative director and sales ambassador. The company also employs six part-timers.
We were very real with ourselves when establishing the brand and making plans to build a distillery and raising capital, Piersant says. We have smart investors and when they ask you, Surely you guys arent going to run this company long term? Joe and I said, No, no, were not.
Until Chattanooga Whiskey finds another location for its full-scale distillery, Piersant has found another way to get Chattanooga Whiskey into production in Chattanooga, instead of Indiana.
This spring, the company finished construction on a micro-distillery, Tennessee Stillhouse, in Chattanoogas newly revitalized Southside, and on March 24, it opened to the public. The 3,000-square-foot retail space sits across Market Street from the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel, formerly called Terminal Station, built more than a century ago as the citys main train station. Tennessee Stillhouse has a small bottling line, a tasting bar, a patio for events and merchandise for sale. There is also a 100-gallon copper pot still for experimental purposes.
The building, which is more than 100 years old, is adjacent to the lot where one of Chattanoogas first distilleries stood: E.B. Gibson, which was in business from 1903 to 1915.
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Chattanooga Whiskey Releases Its Bottled In Bond Vintage Series
Chattanooga Whiskey out of Tennessee recently announced the first release of its Bottled in Bond Vintage Series: Spring 2017. The release marks a new permanent addition to the Chattanooga Whiskey family of brands.
We continue to push the boundaries of what Tennessee High Malt can be, and this might be one of our most complex expressions yet, both in product and package, said Chattanooga Whiskeys Tim Piersant, CEO and Founder, in a prepared statement. This release is an original work of art that I dont believe you can compare to any other bottle of bourbon in the market.
A true bottled in bond whiskey, for those that dont know, must be the product of one distillation season, one distiller, and from one distillery. Legally, it must be aged in federally bonded warehouse for at least four years and bottled at 100 proof. The Chattanooga Whiskeys Spring 2017 meets all requirements, the distillers said.
Chattanooga Whiskey Bottled in Bond Vintage Series: Spring 2017
The Bottled in Bond release is the single-season, vintage-dated expression of Chattanooga Whiskeys Tennessee High Malt Style and crafted from a selection of four unique high malt bourbons mash bills. Each of those bills are composed of at least 25% specialty malted grains.
This 100 proof Tennessee High Malt expression is medium-bodied and bottled January through June 2017. It has official tasting notes of spiced fruit, plums, wildflower honey, and butterscotch with a structured, wine-like finish.
In 1866 Not Long After The Civil War Ended A Man Named Elijah Roach Betterton Was Released From A Union Prison Camp And Moved Back Down South He Took Over His Familys Gristmill And A Few Years Later He Opened A Small Bar In Chattanooga Selling Whiskey By The Late 1800s The Town Had More Than 30 Distilleries It Was The Largest Distilling Center In The State
In the early 1900s, a nationwide movement was growing against drinking, making and selling alcohol. The Prohibition Party, the Anti-Saloon League and the Womens Christian Temperance Union condemned liquor, declaring it was of the devil.
Prohibition was repealed in 1933, but Tennessee didnt repeal its ban on manufacturing alcoholic drinks until 1937. Prohibition, strangely enough, only halted production of Jack Daniels and George Dickels whiskey for a short time due to a loophole that allowed liquor distillation in three counties in Tennessee Lincoln, Moore and Coffee. It wasnt until 2009 that the Tennessee Legislature voted to change the distillation laws in the state, making it legal to produce whiskey and other distilled spirits in 41 counties.
But Hamilton County, of which Chattanooga is the seat, was excluded. And it remained that way for almost 100 years.
That is, until Piersant and Ledbetter started the Vote Whiskey campaign, a tool to educate Chattanooga citizens about whiskey and the political process. Their goal was simple: to reverse the law and open a distillery, and eventually move the production of Chattanooga Whiskey to its namesake city.
Chattanooga Whiskey founder Tim Piersant inspects his product.
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To Celebrate Their Victory The Chattanooga Whiskey Founders Threw A Free Block Party At The Site Of What They Planned To Call Tennessee Stillhouse Where The Company Said It Would Build Chattanoogas First Whiskey Distillery In Almost 100 Years More Than 5000 People Swarmed Downtown Chattanoogas Southside District To Mark The Next Step In The Story Of Chattanooga Whiskey
Then their plans for the location fell through.
We started going down one path with one building and we had a victory party where 5,000 people showed up, Piersant says. But we couldnt get it done timely with the owner of the building.
Piersant and Ledbetter, together with their investors, then found another location in the heart of the downtown tourist district, an historic building that originally housed a used car dealership. It was to be one of the largest urban craft distilleries in America, with a retail shop, a tasting room and a production area for guests to see how whiskey is made. The third floor was where the more than 1,000 barrels of whiskey would have been aged. The company purchased a 30-foot-tall copper column still with the ability to fill four 2,700 gallon fermenters. But after seven months of planning, the costs to convert the old building into a modern whiskey distillery proved to be too much. And so the second location was also abandoned.
Then, as if this wasnt enough, news broke that Ledbetter was out. The co-founder resigned from his position at Chattanooga Whiskey. In his words, according to a news article in Nooga.com, Im resigning because, well, Im really tough to work with. The trials and tribulations of the whiskey business had taken a toll on him, his family and his relationship with Piersant.