• How does Elijah Craig 21 year sound? How about Elijah Craig Cask Strength? We expect both in about month. Oh yeah.
  
  

• For the proper eau de vie drinker comes proper eaux de vie. Introducing Golles: delicious, rewarding, old-world eaux de vie. Select Binny's stores.
  
  

• Finally, Canada's most highly regarded whiskey is available in the U.S. You've been requesting Gibson's for years, and for 25 bucks it's a steal.
  
  

• Few Grappa? Yep, we got a few cases. We aren't being cute, it's a super limited release and it won't last. Okay, we're being kinda cute.
  
  

• The newest oldest Balblair.
  
  

• 

  Interesting flavored vodka? How about black chai tea? Seraphine comes from Wisconsin's Yahara Bay, and brings chai spice to your cocktails. The art bottle is cool too.
  
  

• There's this new unaged rye from Jack Daniel's. It is popular and it is limited. It smells like white dog, tastes like white dog, and costs as much as properly aged whiskey.
  
  

• Is Doublewood too much wood for your delicate palate? Check out Balvenie's new Single Barrel. Also twelve years old, from a first fill bourbon barrel. Affectionately referred to as "Singlewood."
  
  

• Captive Spirits Big Gin. What? A $30 microdistilled gin? Alert the media!
  
  

Binny's World of Whiskies is the best whiskey tasting around. This is your chance to rub elbows with the who's who of the whiskey world. We'll have exclusive producers showcasing the best in the industry, all in one night.
Now accepting reservations.
BINNY'S WORLD OF WHISKIES
Thursday, April 25th 5-8 pm
at Binny's Lincoln Park
RSVP (312) 664-4394
$60 w/ Binny's Card, $75 without

• Five from Bruichladdich
  It seems like there's always something new from those whacky Hebridean distillers.
  
  

  • First, MCMLXXXV 26 year old is the newest in Bruichladdich's DNA series. This bottling is a lot like their recent 1985, only a little older, a little lower in alcohol and a little more expensive.
    
    

  • Second, The Laddie 22. Sure, it's more questionable math in the Laddie series, but more importantly, it means more great whiskey.
    
    

  • Third, the new Port Charlotte 10. This is NOT the new PC10, which is coming. This is a new ongoing release of heavily peated, ten year old Laddie. It's a delicious combination of peat and that classic Bruichladdich cream, and it's here to stay.
    
    

  • Fourth, Octomore 5.1 Seventh US release is coming soon. We got a taste, and it's our favorite Octomore so far. As with all Octomore releases, it's the peatiest release yet. Along with loads of peat, there's also plenty of malt to round things out for a fully satisfying Octomore.
    
    

  • Fifth, 2006 Bere Barley. Bere ("bear" out loud) is an ancient strain of barley that has been grown on Orkney for something like a thousand years. Think of this whiskey as the self-described progressive Hebridean distillers twisting the dial back into whisky history.
    
    

• New Dimensions from Duncan Taylor
       Independent bottler Duncan Taylor is bringing new dimensions to Binny's. Their excellent Dimensions Collection, that is. Never chill filtered, never colored, and decidedly top-notch spirits. Interesting standouts include two 34 year old single grain whiskies (!), one from Cameronbridge and the other from North British. Both are reasonably priced at $170 - a steal considering their age. Be sure to check out the rest of the list.
  
  

• More Art from anCnoc
       Gracefully fresh and light, beautifully sweet and spicy. But most people will remember the newest limited edition from anCnoc as the second artist label featuring noted illustrator Peter Arkle. If you haven't seen what's behind this series, check out more here. By the way, we still have a few bottles of the first Arkle edition, so it still isn't too late to get that Arkle collection started.
  
  

• Whipped for the Holidays
       Just in time for St Paddy's Day: Liquor Whipped Irish Mint. The perfect whipped topping for your Irish Coffee, any time of the year. Just in time for Valentine's Day: Liquor Whipped White Chocolate Peppermint. We're going to take the high road and not make the obvious joke.
  
  

• "Skilled and Ingenious"
       The newest limited release from Glenmorangie is here, and we love it. What Ealanta is: Glenmorangie aged for 19 years in virgin oak barrels that have been toasted but not charred. And that's about it. Why Ealanta is exciting: Glenmorangie is gaining recognition for an adventurous wood program: Port, Sauternes, super-Tuscan, even ex-bourbon casks of their own making. But Glenmorangie is first known for their stills - the tallest in Scotland - and tall stills mean graceful whisky. With this simplified, dialed back wood treatment, they're letting that gorgeous spirit shine through. Glenmorangie laid bare? Don't miss it.
  
  

       What's up with the Binny's Handpicked Selections Program? Everything. Seriously.

• Just In
  
  

  • Our new handpicked Ridgemont Reserve 1792 arrived last week. We love this one for its...... balanced and inviting flavor, and for also for its balanced and inviting price of $34. A properly aged bourbon we're proud to put our name on.
    
    

  • The latest Binny's Handpicked Buffalo Trace batch is here. This is the "Brett's Back" batch. Pontoni handpicked it with industry buddies Monique Huston from Stoller Wholesale and Chris Kafkas from Chicago's Fountainhead restaurant. You might be able to get a taste of the Binny's Buffalo Trace Batch at the Fountainhead soon. That is, if you know the secret handshake.
    
    

  • Also, our latest Four Roses Single Barrel picks just arrived this week. We have 8 different casks showcasing 8 distinct mash bill/yeast combinations. These are all slightly over 10 years old, bottled at natural barrel strength and priced at $55.
    
    

• Coming Soon
  
  

  • The Hotline desk is cluttered with samples right now. It's time to pick our next Buffalo Trace batch (yes, that's how fast we sell through the stuff). Keeping those BT samples company are samples of Eagle Rare, Elmer T Lee and Blanton's.
    
    

  • 

    We're too excited to keep it a secret. Heaven Hill found a bunch of long lost barrels, and they're giving their best accounts first dibs. That means that we're stocking up on exclusive and rare HH bottlings. More soon.
    
    

  • The Whiskey Hotline is hitting the road again. We're packing up for another pilgrimage to Kentucky and Tennessee, and we promise to come back with the best barrel samples they have. Keep an eye on the Binny's Blog for reports from the road.
    
    

       What could be more tempting than sneaking a peek at somebody's mail? Here's your chance to see the kinds of letters we get every day. Have a question of your own? Email us at spirits@binnys.com.

Yes and no. The Federal Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits (pdf) covers what needs to happen to whiskey before it can be called bourbon:

It has to be made from at least 51% corn. It has to be aged in NEW, charred oak barrels. It can't be distilled higher than 160 proof and can't be put into a barrel for aging at higher than 125 proof. It has to be bottled at 80 proof or higher.

Bourbon that you see with sherry or port cask aging is FINISHED in those casks. These bourbons generally spend several years in the legally required new charred oak barrels, and then are finished in refilled port, sherry or whatever barrels for a short time, usually 3-9 months. Angel's Envy is a great example of this - a bourbon that saw years in charred oak barrels that then sees extra time finishing in port casks, giving it its characteristic gobs of round fruit.

Right? What's up with that?

Yes, Beam Global changed the Wolfschmidt formula last year. Right now, they don't have any plans for producing "Wolfschmidt Classic." Maybe time for an online petition? We did mention it here on the Whiskey Hotline at some point. Also... a Wolfschmidt martini? We can't imagine that either.

       To see more of Binny's Mailbag, check out the Binny's Blog.

Spring Cleaning Comes Early
...but not quite yet.
The treasure hunt is about to begin. We're gearing up for a huge sale to find good homes for great bottles. Check back soon.

The Old Fashioned has the distinction of being the first cocktail on record. Story is, spirits in the early 1800's were a lot rougher than they are today, and mixing them down with some sugar and fruit was the only way to choke 'em down. We've come a long way. As bartenders got more experimental with their drinks and added new ingredients, they fell into calling this earlier, simpler drink "old fashioned."

People always ask why there's no vermouth. That's a Manhattan, folks. The Old Fashioned has a similar flavor, but the sweetness comes from sugar instead of vermouth. That's a more transparent sweetness that allows the whiskey or brandy character to show.

You can make an Old Fashioned with any full-character spirit. We like ours with whiskey because, hey, we love whiskey. Brandy or aged tequila also work fine. Try either of these fun Old Fashioned variations at home, or drop by the South Loop Tasting Room and we'll mix one up for you.

Mezcal Old Fashioned Ingredients 2 ounces Real Matlatl Reposado Mezcal 3 dashes Fee Brothers Rhubarb Bitters 1 Demerara Sugar Cube Club Soda Luxardo Maraschino Cherries Orange Slice and Rind   Directions In a building glass, muddle mezcal, 3 dashes bitters and sugar cube. In a second glass, muddle an orange slice. Add a capful of soda to the fruit, then add mezcal mixture. Stir over ice, then strain into old fashioned glass over fresh ice. Garnish with horseneck. Do you like it hot or not? Try with a dash or two of Bittermens Hellfire Habanero Shrub Bitters.

Kula Old Fashioned Ingredients 2oz Rittenhouse Rye 2 dashes Bittercube Orange Bitters 2 dashes Fee Brothers Cherry Bitters 3/4 oz Sprecher Root Beer   Directions In a building glass, muddle sugar in root beer and bitters, add rye. Stir over ice, then strain into old fashioned glass over fresh ice. Garnish with horseneck. This variation is a favorite of a South Loop Tasting Room regular, and one of our favorites too.