Whiskey & Bourbon

Question 1

Isles O’ Rye

What was the former name of this drink and why did it change?

Answer 1

Formerly knows as the Islay Rye

A Scottish Law Firm sent a very tersely worded letter telling us we were implying we had a Scottish-made product and needed to “Cease and Desist” the marketing of such.

Question 2

Isles O’ Rye

What happened after the cease and desist letter from Scotland?

Answer 2

We sold out the remaining Islay Rye stock, renamed the product and came out with the Isles O’Rye

Question 3

Isles O’ Rye

What is the grain bill like?

Answer 3

20% peated malted barley from Scotland

80% Michigan Rye in the grain bill

Question 4

Isles O’ Rye

What part of this grain bill is imported and does GTD import other grains?

Answer 4

The peated malted barley is imported from Scotland.

ALL other grains for GTD come from Michigan

Question 5

Isles O’ Rye

What is the flavor profile like?

Answer 5

Complex on the palate

Vanilla mid-palate

Baking spices down the sides of your tongue

Black pepper and smoke at the finish

Question 6

Straight Bourbon

What does it mean by “Straight”?

Answer 6

There are three things in the bottle

1. Water
2. Grain
3. Yeast

No artificial flavors or colors

Question 7

Straight Bourbon

What is the grain bill like?

Answer 7

60% corn

30% rye

10% malted barley

Question 8

Straight Bourbon

What barrel is it aged in and for how long?

Answer 8

Aged in American White Oak for 4 years

Question 9

Straight Bourbon

Is this made in large or small batches?

Answer 9

This is stave aged in SMALL batches

Question 10

Straight Bourbon

What awards did this product receive, in what year, and from where?

Answer 10

Heartland Tasting Competition - Chicago, 2019

1. Best in Class
2. Gold Medal for a four-year-old bourbon

Question 11

Straight Bourbon

How is a Bourbon flavor profile different from Whiskey?

Answer 11

The caramel or toffee flavor comes from the corn ethanol when aged.

This makes the bourbon a sweeter whiskey than others of differing grain bills.

Question 12

Solera Bourbon

What type of barrels is it aged in and for how long?

Answer 12

1. Aged in American White Oak for Four years.
2. Then transferred to high vanillin toasted oak barrel for a year.
3. Finally transferred to a cognac cask for another year of aging.

Question 13

Solera Bourbon

What is special about the bottling process for Solera?

Answer 13

When transferring to bottles, only 1/2 the cognac cask is bottled. The remaining whiskey is left in the barrel to jump-start the new whiskey coming from the high vanillin toasted oak casks which are refilled from the American White Oak.

Question 14

Solera Bourbon

What makes the Solera method of aging special?

Answer 14

This allows the whiskey to touch many pieces of oak and it provides for consistently rich wine and fruit finishes on the whiskey.

Question 15

Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon

What is the “Single Barrel Cask Strength Program”?

Answer 15

These come from stand-alone remarkable barrels of whiskey found during tasting.

These are offered to Bourbon Clubs, Party Stores, the MLCC, and a few are kept to ourselves.

Question 16

Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon

Describe the SBCS Bourbon

Answer 16

This is a whiskey drinkers whiskey

Also known as my “leave daddy alone for a moment” whiskeys

These are a couple fingers in a glass and watch the sunset whiskeys, or put four fingers in a glass and watch the sun come up.

Question 17

Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon

What is the proof of the bourbon?

Answer 17

The strength of the whiskey depends whatever is in the barrel when it goes into the bottle.

The current strength is at 129 proof.

Question 18

Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon

What effect does water have on this?

Answer 18

Traditionally you can add water to proof down a whiskey.

By not adding water to proof down the whiskey, we preserve the lipid profile that buffers the palate from the advanced proof.

These do not drink as hot as the ABV would indicate.

Question 19

Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon

What is the flavor profile like?

Answer 19

Creaminess on the palate is noticeable.

Vivid bourbon flavors stand out.

Question 20

Cherry Flavored Whiskey

What is this made of and why?

Answer 20

60% our bourbon & 40% a sourced bourbon.

This is done to keep the price point at $36, if we used all of our own the price point would increase to $50 a bottle and no-one would pay that much.

Question 21

Cherry Flavored Whiskey

Where does the cherry flavor come from?

Answer 21

We use a cherry extract (concentrated cherry juice) from the Shoreline Fruit Company in Elk Rapids, MI

Question 22

Cherry Flavored Whiskey

What is the flavor profile like?

Answer 22

Bourbon forward with a tart cherry finish.

Question 23

Cherry Flavored Whiskey

What types of drinks would you recommend with it?

Answer 23

A Manhattan, Old Fashioned, or Mule

Question 24

Cherry Flavored Whiskey

How do you make a cordial out of this?

Answer 24

Ingredients: 
- 750 mL Cherry Whiskey
- Pint of 1/2 n 1/2
- 14.5 oz can of Sweetened Condensed Milk 
- 1/3 cup of Hershey's Syrup
- 1 tsp instant coffee
= 1 tbs Vanilla

Blend and Serve