Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2024 i American Whiskey Magazine

Ah, the first issue of 2024 feels like experiencing a new whiskey, catching up with an old friend, and indulging in the glass-half-fullness of the future. We have a year’s worth of delightful magazine themes to quench everyone’s curiosity and palate. Thus, I face the future excitedly, anticipating what this year will put on my whiskey world radar. Ready, set, pour (and read)! This issue of American Whiskey focuses on the theme of evolution. Over the last decade, the whiskey industry has gone through a metamorphosis. This slow but steady progress can be witnessed through recently adopted production techniques and many brands’ forward-thinking approach to reaching and connecting with an influx of new whiskey fans. So, in the spirit of embracing transformation – and in true Gabby fashion – this…

There is never a dull moment when it comes to a conversation with Owen Martin, master distiller at Angel’s Envy. Firstly, he’s a smart chap and inherently interesting with that; secondly, he is generous with his knowledge which, even after years of interviewing people, is never underappreciated by myself; and thirdly, it feels like talking to an old friend. Clichéd I know, but true nonetheless. Early on in 2023, around five months after Martin had stepped into his new role at Angel’s Envy, the Louisville-based brand beloved for its whiskey finishing, I was on a tour of the distillery that wrapped up in its bright and open bar. It was there that I first met Martin and sat down for an informal chat that we would then finally follow up…

Pairing whiskey and cigars can be tricky. For starters, whiskeys have a broad range of flavor profiles, from peaty or smoky, to sweet, to spicy, which can make finding the right cigar complicated. The next challenge is that both whiskey and cigars tend to be big and bold in flavor, which can easily become overpowering. Finally, there’s not a lot of reliable information out there about what constitutes a successful pairing – simply smoking a cigar with a glass of whiskey does not, contrary to popular belief, constitute a ‘pairing’. Over the last decade, I’ve visited cigar shops and lounges across the country and in Nicaragua. Whenever I travel to visit a distillery, I always look into the local cigar shops. On occasion I’ll find shops that are well known…

Inductee 90 Joseph J. Magliocco Michter’s Distllery Joseph J. Magliocco is president of Louisville-based Michter’s Distillery, as well as its parent company Chatham Imports, a supplier of imported wines and niche spirits. Upon completing his studies, he immediately began his full-time work in the spirits industry, with one of his first bosses being R.C. Wells, who had previously served as president of Four Roses. In the 1990s, working with his consultant and mentor Dick Newman, former president of Wild Turkey maker Austin Nichols, he restarted the Michter’s brand which had been abandoned after the Pennsylvania company’s 1989 bankruptcy. Magliocco has served as vice chairman and is one of the 15 founding members of the Order of the Writ, “the fraternal and charitable organization that embraces the spirit of Kentucky Bourbon…

Whisky Live’s flagship London tasting experience is returning to the city in 2024 with exciting improvements and a new venue. The 2024 Whisky Live London show will be taking place on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 March at the Woolwich Works, a larger space than the show’s previous home at the Honourable Artillery Company. With their own Whisky Live Glencairn glass in hand, guests will be able to sample a huge array of whiskies from producers around the world, from rare drams to fan favorites. All guests will also have access to Whisky Live London’s sister show, Gin Live London, which will be taking place at the same venue. There are three ticket types available: the Whisky Live Taster Experience, which gives three hours’ access to Whisky Live and Gin…

When whiskey enthusiasts hear the word peat, making the connection with whiskey is not a stretch. However, peated whiskey can still be a polarizing subject for American whiskey drinkers. Peat (decomposed plant matter), mostly known for adding smoky, phenolic, medicinal flavors to whiskey, has been used for centuries in Scotland in the whiskey-making process by burning peat bricks during malt kilning. The use of peat in this process imbues flavor into the grain. These flavors are a vast array of experiences for the palate, ranging from soft heather and baking spices to distinctive medicinal, sometimes even band-aid-like notes. Yet not all peated whiskeys are the same, and not all peat is the same. Brother Justus Whiskey Company, out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is proving this fact and making big waves in…

The heart of Downtown Louisville just got a whole lot sweeter as Whiskey Row has recently welcomed the opening of a new tasting experience from Bardstown Bourbon Company. Founded in 2014 by Peter Loftin in the heart of Bourbon Country on 100 acres of active farmland, Bardstown Bourbon Company is one of the country’s most modern and technically advanced whiskey distilleries. Celebrating the art of making high-quality authentic bourbons, the innovative distillery produces custom rye, whiskey, and bourbon for prominent brands including Jefferson’s, Blue Run, Belle Meade and many others through its one-of-a-kind collaborative distilling program. Bardstown Bourbon Company honors tradition and drives innovation with its exceptional destination experience for visitors, including The Kitchen and Bar at Bardstown Bourbon Company and an interactive tasting room experience in Louisville. In addition…

We’ve reached the awards season once more, and somehow this year’s class roster is even more exciting than ever! Throughout the following pages, American Whiskey is thrilled to be able to share the the winners of the 2024 World Whiskies Awards, Icons of Whisky, and the two new inductees into the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame. It’s been yet another outstanding year of whiskey creation in the United States, from craft to conglomerate. We are privileged to announce the World Whiskies Awards 2024 results, including the World’s Best and Best winners from the US. Then it’s onto the Icons of Whisky, where we celebrate the people and places that have thrived in the industry this year. Last but by no means least, you’ll be introduced to our two new inductees…

Regardless of our backgrounds, there’s one thing in life we can all agree on: change is constant. Seasons come and go. Trends fade and later reincarnate. So, there’s nothing any of us can do to stop time. Yet the beauty of the inevitableness of change is we don’t have to compromise on timeless thrills, such as seeing an awe-inspiring sunrise, experiencing true love, or enjoying an incredible whiskey with friends. WhistlePig Whiskey’s successful journey proves there’s a connection between embracing evolution and maintaining high quality – showcasing the brilliance of boundlessness while welcoming progress. Founded in 2008 by Raj Peter Bhakta, WhistlePig released its first label, 10 Years Old, a 100-proof high-rye whiskey, in 2015. Within this short span, the Vermont-based brand has garnered praise from whiskey lovers around the…

In 1898, the IRS initiated a survey of 33 distilleries examining the whiskey production processes from mash bills to equipment to barrel management, shocking the American populous by actually being useful for a change. (Needless to say, the IRS was a bit different back then.) The document was the catalyst for Todd Leopold and Leopold Bros. Distillery to resurrect a lost relic of American whiskey history: the three-chamber still. The three-chamber still is thought to have originated in Scotland in the early 1850s and was originally made from wood. The still became an integral part of the rye whiskey industry that was burgeoning in Maryland and Pennsylvania in the late 1800s. In fact, that survey revealed that 81 per cent of rye distilleries were using three-chamber stills at the time.…

Peggy Noe Stevens is a master taster, whiskey reviewer, and competition judge. She is known for her super palate in the industry, as well as her founding innovations connecting whiskey and food pairing styles and methods. In this issue we feature the following brands and the inspiration for creating unique profiles and food pairings. The following is a guideline to discovering the ultimate food pairings for your guests. Featured products that received the highest flavor tasting profile ratings: 15 Stars First West Rye – 105 proof From Rick and Ricky Johnson, co-founders of 15 Stars “Our belief in blending and our general curiosity inspired us to experiment with the combination of straight rye whiskeys from three different states with the goal of adding extra depth and complexity to what were already…