Monthly News & Updates

December 2024 | Issue 7

This Month's Newsletter

Well as the old-timers like to say "Better late than never". The Mississippi Sippers have been spending time with family, finishing projects, and overall getting through this short but sweet holiday season. Christmas came and went New Year's Eve was loud with fireworks. Now we get back to the regularly scheduled program. We have finalized some things for 2025 and are planning out some future projects for the year and beyond. We hope everyone stayed safe and healthy over the holidays and we are looking forward to sharing the the enjoyment of all of the things that bring us together.

Cocktail Corner

Hosted by Janice Weaver

The Sunny Side up

The Sunny Side up is made with Creme' De Pamplemousse but I'm using regular Pamplemousse which is a grapefruit liqueur.

Infuse 6oz of espresso with a chai teabag. The flavors of chai are fantastic with bourbon. Can you use regular coffee? Yes, but only use 3oz of coffee with your teabag.

1oz Coffee liqueur

1.5oz Dirty Chai Tea

2oz Bourbon

1.5 cream/creamer of your choice

Over ice combine your Dirty Chai Tea, bourbon and coffee liqueur. I’m using Dettling Bourbon but you can use whatever your man is drinking. Give that a good stir with a cinnamon stick if you have one.

I’m going to float my creamer on the top, but you don’t have to. Get creative with whatever creamer (or flavored creamer) you like.

Garnish with a cinnamon stick or Star anise if you like. This drink screams autumn 🍂. Cheers!

Courtesy of Janice Weaver

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LOVE of the LEAF

Pairing by Bobby McClellan

The Reflection After the hustle and Bustle.

A cigar is as good as memories that you have when you smoked it.

The holiday season has come and gone and hopefully family memories were made. We sit back and relax after all of the craziness and reflect on it all. It is always nice to pour a nice dram and pick a cigar that you have been keeping tucked away in your humidor.

For this month I have the pulled out the Barrel Craft Spirits Bourbon 6 year Gold Label and paired it with the AVO Classic Robusto that has been aging in the humidor for roughly 5 years now. is seems like an odd pairing given the 113.54 proof of the whiskey against such a light aged cigar but its a holiday season closer so have something nice.

To start off the whiskey has and initial bite. There for me seems to be more of a spice flavor profile that I cannot put a name to almost a cross of cinnamon, nutmeg salt and pepper. the more I go back to it the oak from the barrel aging comes out which is giving those notes. there is some vanilla there but is it soft through the palate. It has a short finish but here is where it pairs with cigar so well.

The Avo is a very mellow Connecticut wrapper cigar. it is somewhat one dimensional. It is one that i tend to reserve for Sunday morning coffee on the porch. The cigar is nutty and earthy. It does have a nice flavor and is very welcoming smoke and the Robusto size is my favorite in the line and is is just enough flavor for a mellow cigar but does not drag out so that you feel compelled to finish it if it was a Churchill size.

So why doe this work with they being really flavor polar opposites? it is for that reason. You take a small sip of the whiskey et that puch of spice and heat you sit a relax and then you go back to your cigar and it calms down the heat of the whiskey and allows the sweetness of the cigar to come out. The made the perfect give and take. The flavors contradict each other at first but after the second take on each you keep going back and fourth scratching your head and thinking I should not like this but man I do.

Have you had either the whiskey or the cigar? What was your take. If I was was to score the pair on a scale of 1-10, I belive it would hover around the 8 range paired.

Blind Flight Results for December

The bottles we chose were the following:

Evan Williams 12 Year 101 Proof
Weller 12 Year
Van Winkle 12 Year
The Yamazaki 12 Year
Parker's Heritage Orange Curacao Cask

The end result was:

The Yamazaki 12 Year
Van Winkle 12 Year
Evan Williams 12 Year
Parker's Heritage
Weller 12 Year

From the Dusty to the Obscure

From the collections of the Sippers

We thought it would be nice for our readers to see some of the rare bottles that we have around our collections. We will share a bottle monthly for fun.

This month we are sharing the Blade and Bow 22-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

Much of the below information was found on the web from various sites. The award-winning Blade and Bow 22-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a

limited and rare release whiskey that pays homage to the artful passion and renowned craftsmanship of the legendary Stitzel-Weller Distillery. A small amount of this whiskey is released each year from Stitzel-Weller, the historic distillery that now serves as the home to a

number of high-quality whiskeys. 22-Year-Old Blade and Bow is not Stitzel-Weller in the traditional sense. According to Diageo and the distillery itself, there is some original Stitzel-Weller juice in the bottle via the five-barrel solera system used, but the OG distillery closed its doors in 1992, having ceased distillation

the year before. Over the years, the property was used as an aging site for United Distillers (the forerunner to Diageo) for brands including Bulleit, and today it hosts the Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Experience.

The Stitzel-Weller’s legacy, arguably best known for two things - a wheated bourbon mashbill

and the Van Winkle line - the old Stitzel-Weller had a lasting impact on multiple fronts in the bourbon world. Stories include Pappy himself giving Bill Samuels, Sr. the Stitzel-Weller wheated mashbill, meaning the newly created Maker’s Mark would have the same basic

recipe even if used to their own design. The Van Winkle line is now owned by Pappy’s descendants in a shared deal with Buffalo Trace, and Maker’s Mark has kept the same recipe for its entire history. Distilling ceased at Stitzel-Weller in 1992. So where is this bourbon coming from?

The best source is a GoBourbon article from 2015 when the “Blade and Bow Project” was three years old. In it, author Justin Sloan got three key pieces of information from Diageo, and I’ll directly quote from the article:

“Diageo has implemented a five-barrel solera system at Stitzel-Weller, where the bottom or #5 barrel contains some of the original Bourbon that was distilled in the early 90’s. The trick is to never dumb more than half of the barrel. So, when barrel #5 is dumped for bottling, barrel #4 is used to refill barrel #5. Then barrel #3 fills up #4 and so on until barrel #1 is used to fill barrel #2. That’s when a new whiskey is intruded that is not currently in the system to fill barrel #1. Diageo would not go on record as to who is making the bourbon that is used to fill barrel #1, (or the rest of the bourbon outside of the original Stitzel-Weller juice). “Although Diageo wouldn’t officially say there are four ingredients (corn, rye, wheat and malted barley) in the mashbill for Blade and Bow, they wouldn’t deny it either. This leads us to believe there is a good chance it’s a four-grain recipe since Bourbon made at Stitzel-Weller was wheated.”

“[Diageo] did share the juice is from two distilleries, one located on 17th and Breckinridge in Louisville (current address of the Bernheim Distillery) and the other one residing at 1001 Wilkinson Boulevard in Frankfort (current address of the Buffalo Trace Distillery).” Think about each of these in turn, going backwards from point 3. This is incredibly transparent for an otherwise opaque corporation - to be that specific about where the “juice” comes from is simply ridiculous and implies they can say everything but the names. At this point, they could paint you a picture and program it into Google Maps, but as long as the names aren’t used, they’re clear.

Bernheim Distillery was opened in 1992 under United Distillers (now Diageo) and was sold to Heaven Hill in 1999. Incidentally, Heaven Hill uses the Bernheim name for their wheat whiskey line, but that’s not directly relevant here. Buffalo Trace, as previously mentioned, bought the Van Winkle line in 1992 (as Sazerac) and co-produces it with the eponymous family to this day. So, you have the two reputed sources for the “juice” being former Stitzel-Weller-related properties. Point 2: Stitz was known for its wheated mashbill. Every product - Cabin Still, all the Weller products, Early Times, Old Fitzgerald, and Rebel Yell all used the supposed 70% corn, 20% wheat, 10% malted barley mashbill. And yet, in the product calling back to this heritage, it’s not a wheated mashbill at all, but rather (likely) a four-grain bourbon recipe.

If you can find a bottle of the Blade and Bow 22-Year-Old rest assured, it does have Stitzel-Weller juice in it – just not much. Nevertheless, launched as a nod to the Stitzel-Weller distillery, this bourbon carries with it the spirit and essence of its historic roots. While the origins of the bourbon remain a closely guarded secret, its known that the aging process takes place within the hallowed walls of Stitzel-Weller – good luck hunting.

Coming Soon

We just heard that the folks over at The Country Squire have a special release pipe tobacco coming on January 3, 2025. Dark Holler is a blend from the mind and artistry of Mr. Quinn Crawford. is will be limited quantity and limited purchase so be sure to get it when you can.

We have finalized the blend and finishing for Stogie Batch 2. Look for it to be released April 2025! We are doing a larger run of batch 2 and everyone involved in the creation of this batch is excited.

SPIRITS of the MONTH

World Whisky

Gold Spot 13

Midleton Distillery

Irish Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

92 Proof 46%ABV 100% Irish Barley Matured in casks sourced from the Secondo Marco winery of Italy

Midleton Distillery, Midleton CO Cork, Ireland

Distillery tasting Notes:

CHARACTER - Matured in casks sourced from the Secondo Marco winery of Italy, which infuses this Gold Spot expression with distinctive floral and wine-driven notes.

NOSE - Red apples and dark fleshy fruits at first, accompanied by fragrant blossom notes with sweet and woody undertones. Spices of clove and light dustings of nutmeg along with subtle hints of almond slowly come to the fore, complementing the fruits.

PALATE -Luscious and sweet with generous servings of red berry compote, toffee apple and raisin. The wine seasoned casks and oak continue to impart delicate tannins, working in tandem with the pot still spices and fruits, while the sweetness adds further intricate flavours, balancing this wonderfully intriguing whiskey.

FINISH - Lingering finish which sees the oak slowly fading, allowing the sweet wine and pot still spices to have the last word.

Sippers Take:

The Gold Spot 13 Year is different that some of the other spots. Most notably is the finishing on this release. We have not been that impressed with the finishing that they have done on other releases (Green Spots). This one we feel did it right. There is the perfect marriage of the wine influence but not at the expense of the beautiful Irish whiskey notes that you really have to have from the Spot Whiskey line. We know this is not easy to locate and the price is somewhat hard to swallow. but if you have the change to have a pour of this excellent example of well balanced finished Irish whiskey we think you should.

Single Malt Scotch

Aberlour 18 Year

Single Malt

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

86 Proof 43%ABV / 100% Natural Color

Distillery tasting Notes:

CHARACTER - The mature, deep, spicy one: a deeper Sherry influence adds more spiciness and a liquorice tang. Greater age adds body and develops the distinctive fruitiness to a rich raisin character

NOSE - Rich and complex notes of toffee and butterscotch combine with ripe peach and bitter orange

PALATE - Perfect structure. Initial notes of soft apricot and cream are offset by developing flavours of blackcurrant jam and sweet oak with a touch of honey

FINISH - Very long and balanced, progresses from crème brûlée to a gentle oak flourish

Sippers Take:

The bottle that we are tasing from is from 2018 and is the double cask sherry finish. The color is a rich dark mahogany reddish- brown. The nose is less traditional sherry but more of a plum note on the nose. onthe front the malt is soft from the age but slowly comes out with a soft spice and desert like flavor. The sherry comes through though in a long finish starting in the mid palate.

Bourbon / Rye Whiskey

Old Soul

Limited Edition Tin Type 7 year 3rd release

Cathead Distillery Distillery

Bourbon

120.6 Proof 60.3%ABV Barrel Strength Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey

Distilled in Indiana, Bottled and aged in Jackson, Mississippi

Distillery tasting Notes:

NOSE - Deliciously sweet nose with notes of butterscotch, and vanilla hints of dark fruity notes.

PALATE - Sweet, buttery caramel with a slight hint of dark chocolate on the front end. Pleasant black pepper and baking spices.

FINISH - Long viscous finish with lots of spicy rye.

Sippers Take:

First off we want to be clear we were not impressed with the original Tin Type 1 release. We felt it was harsh and unrefined it was a you loved it or hated it. Well we took a tip to Cathead and got to try the 3rd release and we have to honestly admit this is one of the best bottles of the Sourced juice that they have released. nose if traditional sweet caramel vanilla notes. Drink softer than you would think at 120 proof. There is some bitter dryness in the palate but it is actually welcoming coming off the sweet nose. We wish the finish was just a touch longer but is is nice and woody with some earthy notes from the age. What this does for us is has up really excited to try the 4th release that we hear is coming is a couple weeks to store. we did not get to try that yet but man o man are we eager to see if the progression in the positive continues.

Tequila

Tears of Ilorna

Tequila

86 Proof 43%ABV

Distilled in Jalisco Mexico

Tequila is aged for over five years in Cognac casks, Sherry casks, and Scotch barrels.

Distillery tasting Notes:

NOSE - Caramel custard, dried fruit, and dark chocolate

PALATE - Agave with a heady spiciness and complexity for experienced palates

FINISH - Described best as "a warm scarf on a cold day."

Sippers Take:

Knowing the finishing / aging process of the No. 3 your would think that the traditional tequila nose note would be masked. We are happy to say that they are right there with a smokey white pepper on the nose with a touch of sweet. The pepper is throughout the palate but with a nice sweetness off fruit reminiscent of candied fig. the finish for us if not real long but keeps the spice in the gums and keeps you wanting another sip.

ATTENTION!!!!!

Crittenden's Distillery Now Available online!

Great news if you are a fan of Crittenden's Cut Above. It is now offered through BourbonOutfitters.com.

If you have followed us you know we do a lot of work with Matt and are over the moon that many of the Custom blends and finished will be available in limited quantities online.

The Origins of Dry January: A Pause with Purpose for the Bourbon Lover

Pairing by Gerad Hardy

As January rolls around, many bourbon enthusiasts find themselves contemplating a challenge that has grown into a global phenomenon: Dry January. For some, the idea of taking a break from sipping that perfectly aged bourbon may seem daunting. But the roots of this movement offer an intriguing perspective for even the most devoted connoisseur. Understanding where Dry January came from and its purpose might just inspire a fresh approach to enjoying the finer things responsibly.

From Half-Marathons to a Global Movement

Dry January didn’t start as a global trend but as a simple personal experiment. Back in 2011, Emily Robinson, training for a half-marathon in the UK, decided to give up alcohol for the month of January. The experience left her feeling energized and mentally clear, sparking the idea that such a break could benefit others too. By 2012, Robinson joined the charity Alcohol Concern, where she helped formalize the concept of Dry January into a nationwide campaign. The first official Dry January was launched in 2013, encouraging people across the UK to take a month-long pause from drinking after the excesses of the holiday season.

Why Dry January Took Off

At first glance, Dry January might seem counterintuitive for bourbon lovers who savor their spirits for the craftsmanship and tradition. But the movement isn’t about demonizing alcohol. Instead, it’s an opportunity to recalibrate. Participants often discover health benefits like better sleep, improved focus, and increased energy. More importantly, it offers a chance to reflect on their relationship with alcohol—an exercise that enhances appreciation for quality over quantity. This growing focus on mindful drinking aligns well with the bourbon community’s ethos: savoring a pour, understanding its story, and embracing the artistry behind it. Dry January isn’t about giving up good bourbon forever—it’s about creating space to enjoy it more thoughtfully.

How the Movement Has Grown

Dry January quickly became more than just a New Year’s resolution. Today, it’s a global movement that millions of people participate in annually. The rise of non-alcoholic options, including zero-proof spirits and craft mocktails, has made it easier to embrace the challenge without sacrificing flavor. Even bourbon distilleries have started experimenting with alcohol-free options, offering enthusiasts a way to stay connected to their favorite brands while taking a break.

For those who revere bourbon, Dry January can be reframed not as a withdrawal but as an act of intention. Think of it as a palate cleanser—a month to explore the nuances of non-alcoholic pairings, dive deeper into bourbon history, or finally crack open that book on the art of distilling. Plus, stepping away from the bottle for a month makes the first sip of February all the sweeter. After all, absence does make the heart grow fonder—and that’s as true for bourbon as it is for anything else.

Making Dry January Work for You

If you’re considering joining the movement, here are a few tips tailored for bourbon enthusiasts:

1. Dive Into the Culture: Spend January learning more about the distilleries and traditions that make bourbon special. A deeper understanding of the craft will only heighten your appreciation.

2. Explore Alternatives: Try non-alcoholic bitters or craft zero-proof spirits in your favorite cocktail recipes. You might be surprised at how creative and satisfying these can be.

3. Focus on Flavor: Use the month to refine your palate by exploring bourbon-adjacent flavors—maple, caramel, vanilla, and oak—through teas, desserts, or food pairings.

4. Plan Your February Comeback: Select a bottle you’ve been saving and make that your reward for completing the month. That first pour will feel like a celebration.

Dry January isn’t about giving up what you love. For bourbon enthusiasts, it’s an invitation to engage more deeply with the culture, craftsmanship, and flavors you cherish. Whether you choose to partake or simply admire the dedication it inspires, Dry January reminds us all of the importance of drinking with intention and savoring every moment.

So here’s to a mindful month—and to the smooth, satisfying pours that await you after.

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