Boozeletter Archives – August 3, 2019

Hope my fellow Ontarians are having a good start to the long weekend. The title of today’s post relates to the final point.

Here’s your weekly dose of things worth checking out in the world of good libations.

Photo via Esquire

1. Little Book 3: The Jim Beam Infinity Bottle

The third installment of Little Book has been announced, and it will be a blend of slightly older and higher proof Knob Creek, Basil Hayden’s, Booker’s, and Baker’s bourbons.

The blend is a tribute to Booker Noe, as it combines the whiskies that he created. Freddie Noe (grandson of Booker) believes the sum of these whiskies will be greater than its parts.

In order of the highest to lowest percentage of the blend, it plays out like this:

9-year-old Knob Creek (117.4 proof)

12-year-old Baker’s (126.6 proof)

9-year-old Basil Hayden’s (123 proof)

11-year-old Booker’s (129.2 proof)

The finished product will be 122.6 proof and will run you about $125 USD.

2. MGP’s Stocks Take A Bit Of A Plunge

MGP’s aged whisky sales took a bit of a dip in the last quarter, and as a result, their stock is down 25% from May.

For those who don’t know, MGP is a contract distiller based in Indiana, and there’s a chance that some of your favorite whiskies are coming from them, rather than who it says on the front label. Bulleit, Whistle Pig, Angels Envy, Pinhook, and Tin Cup are a few who have (at least in part) sourced from them.

What I learned from this article is that MGP sells their aged whisky for three times the cost – so margins are pretttty healthy. BUT, they are not selling the volumes they had hoped.

According to the article, this may the result of some customers not being able to put together the funds for larger orders, but it’s also suspected that other customers are waiting to buy as a negotiation ploy, in hopes that the prices will drop.

This could be the price MGP pays for transparency, as they’ve talked publicly about how much aged whisky inventory they have.

Photos via Whisky Magazine

3. Glenmorangie May Be Setting Up An Experimental Arm

It wasn’t too long ago that I went to a tasting led by Dr. Bill Lumsden, who has been experimenting over his many years working at Glenmorangie. From exotic casks to wild yeast, they are playing around with a lot of variables.

In a recent visit, Christopher Coates of Whisky Magazine noticed a stainless steel shell-and-tube condenser, hinting that their current capacity expansion may serve to up their experimentation game as well.

The assumption is that we may begin to see styles beyond the light and fruity Glenmorangie profile. This article gets more technical, and goes on to explain what the hell a shell-and-tube condenser is, and it’s affect on whisky flavor.

4. Does Barley Variety Affect Flavor?

Wine grape varietals have their own unique flavor profiles, but how about grain?

This article is an interesting overview of the impact that barley variety has on the final product. In the past it was widely believed that it did not change flavor much, and as a result, barley was chosen strictly on yield and its ability to withstand disease.

Now, there is a growing school of thought that it does more to the finished product than once believed. For example, distillers typically agree that the “Golden Promise” barley gives a rich, oily mouthfeel compared to others. This conversation gets into a deeper rabbit hole when taking into account the way specific yeast pairs with specific barley.

The conclusion: it’s in the early stages but there will be more findings to come on this topic.

5. In Other Whisk(e)y News

Woodford Reserve released a 90.4 proof Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey. The mash bill is 52% wheat, 20% malt, 20% corn and 8% rye. MSRP is around $35 USD.



Taipei is getting a cask strength whisky bar that serves Kavalan. Designed to mimic an aging warehouse, you’ll be able to get a glass of whisky poured straight from the barrel. The Kavalan distillery tasting room was one of my favorites I’ve visited, so I’d love to check this out. They’ll have a cocktail menu designed by Aki Wang, and food pairing menu to be rolled out in the future.



The latest Macallan Exceptional Single Cask is a 68 year old 106.8 proof single malt, and it’s lightly peated. It was distilled in 1950 and one of the 336 bottles will run you a fat $58,000.



Here’s an article about whisky production in Alberta. The thing I found interesting here is that “About 80 per cent or more of all scotch in Scotland is actually made with Alberta barley” according to David Farran of Alberta Craft Distillers Association and Eau Claire Distillery.



3960 bottles of Oban Old Teddy are being releases to celebrate the MacLean family of whom 3 generations served the distillery. They are bottled at 51.7% ABV and a 700ml bottle will retail at £150 from the Oban distillery.



A new batch of 14 Glendronach single casks are being released AND some are coming to Canada (likely just Alberta). This page gives tasting notes on the full worldwide release list. Canada will be getting 4 Oloroso, 2 PX, and 1 Port Pipe matured whisky distilled between 1990 and 2006.



Following the last success of a Cider Cask release (which is technically not permitted by the SWA), Glen Moray is dropping a whisky finished for 2 years in Rhum Agricole casks. For those who don’t know, this is a rum made from freshly-squeezed cane sugar rather than molasses – which can lead to more grassy, fruity or funky notes. 3060 bottles will be released at 46.3% ABV with a price tag of £55.

Photo via Fatherly

6. Are Performance Beer Claims To Be Believed?

The short answer is no.

This article is a counterpoint to the health claims of “performance beer”, which is a story we covered last week.

Marie Spano (the sports nutritionist for the Atlanta Braves) chimes in to discuss the actual science behind these “good-for-you” brews.

The bottom line: “If you want a beer, have a beer. But don’t pretend you’re doing it for your body”. What I like about this article is that it breaks down the claims made by some popular performance beers on the market, and tells you if they make sense or not.

7. In Other Beer News

If you can’t stop thinking about what the beer scene is like in Laos, this article will give you the scoop. Lao Brewery, the brewer of Beerlao, is leading the market. The brew based on locally grown jasmine rice is said to be the second most popular drink after water. The brand was only exporting 1% of their product a decade ago, but market awareness has been growing through not only the passionate local Beerlao drinkers, but a network of enthusiastic travelers who are dawning the beer brand’s logo on clothing.



Legislation was signed in Puerto Rico to help reduce production taxes for craft breweries. These taxes will still be higher on average than other US jurisdictions, but should help stimulate that industry on the island.



Related to the beer news we covered in mid-July, stats show White Claw sales are up 200% in the last 4 weeks. This article from Vinepair has a great summary on the recent happenings in the beer world, including the outrageous performance brought on by fizzy booze water hard seltzers.



Steamworks brewing in Burnaby, BC is getting some pretty cool one-seater electric whips. They plan to install a steam turbine in the brewery so they can recharge the cars while brewing beer. This is a great way to reduce your environmental impact while providing a flashy way to get your sales reps on the road. Below is what they look like.

Photo via CTV News

And that’s it for this week’s booze-related happenings.

But, Before You Go!

What you’re reading is part of a weekly newsletter sent every Saturday morning. If you enjoyed this light read, I made it easy – subscribe to Boozeletter by entering your email address below. (And if something caught your eye in this article, it would be pretty damn cool if you shared it with your drink-loving friends).