April is certainly one of my favourite months as a result of it’s when certainly one of my favourite distilleries releases its annual particular anniversary mix. The thirteenth version of Chattanooga Whiskey‘s Founder’s Mix hit the cabinets on April 11 this yr, and it’s positively a worthy addition to the historical past of the enterprise. In actual fact, it was named Icons of Whisky – Craft Producer of the 12 months (each America and World) at Whisky Journal‘s 2023 World Whiskies Awards.
Yearly, distillery founder Tim Piersant creates a singular mix that represents the previous, current and way forward for the distillery, drawing from three giant charred oak casks that maintain 1000’s of gallons of whiskey in what is named a solera course of. Solera techniques are quite common in rum and sherry manufacturing — spirits that aren’t as obsessive about age statements as different classes. The place straight bourbon whiskies require labels to state the youngest whiskey within the mix to find out the age assertion, solera techniques are designed to be added to with new make again and again.
Which means that distilleries can launch new barrels from the solera casks and legitimately declare that there in all probability are some a lot older spirits included within the combine, though they may be on the molecular stage. They simply can’t make that declare on the bottle’s label.
Chattanooga Whiskey doesn’t use its three soleras that means, although. As a substitute, the smallest of their three particular casks (625 gallons) holds their unique recipe, from earlier than they had been really releasing whiskey that was made in home. Often known as 1816, this was some actually nice whiskey sourced from MGP, the Indiana-based mega-distillery that provides spirits to all kinds of firms.
Barrell Craft Spirits and Chattanooga Whiskey Co. launch experimental and thrilling bottles
For the Founder’s Mix, Piersant mixes a number of the 1816, which has been aged between 4 and 6 years, with their flagship Barrel 91 Tennessee Excessive Malt recipe, which is itself a mix of three completely different specifically roasted and toasted malted grains. Are you maintaining up to now? They preserve their provide of this foundational recipe within the largest of the soleras at 4,000 gallons, representing the “current” of the distillery.
With a watch towards the long run, Chattanooga maintains what it calls an “Infinity Barrel” — 1,645 gallons of samples of the experimental initiatives which are at all times underway inside their two distilling operations. Additions to the Infinity Barrel this yr embody 5 new creations, together with a malt whiskey made utilizing Italian Adriatic Coastal Barley malt and an alternate model of their flagship 99 Rye recipe made with a closely toasted rye malt.
For this yr’s Founder’s Mix, Piersant selected to combine 23 p.c Previous (1816) with 58 p.c Current (91) and 19 p.c Future (Infinity Barrel). The result’s certainly one of my favorites of the 13 editions of the sequence. I really feel like although it’s lower than 1 / 4 of the mix, the MGP product actually shines by way of this yr, contributing extra of the MGP’s recipe’s attribute brown sugar, vanilla and toasted s’extra character to the top product. I additionally loved the light anise and fruity contributions, which I assume got here from the experimental additions, and as at all times I recognize the excessive malt character of the flagship 91 recipe. Should you don’t discover a bottle of Chattanooga Whiskey 91 on my nightcap whiskey shelf at house, it simply means I’ve haven’t made it to the liquor retailer since I ran out final evening.
Nashville is without doubt one of the fortunate locations outdoors of the Chattanooga Whiskey tasting room and bottle retailer the place yow will discover Founder’s Mix, and at round $60 per bottle, I feel it’s value in search of out!
Cheers.
