The Bourbon Future is in Far West Kentucky

On a very warm late September day I made the journey to far Western Kentucky to the Jackson Purchase Distillery. I had been invited by an owner and Chair of the Board, Van Carlisle, to see the investments that were being made and to taste their product.

Along with Van, the Jackson Purchase team includes industry veterans, Terry Ballard, Dave Salmon, Craig Beam, and Lloyd Jones the CEO who is from Fulton, KY and brought this project to the team. They have been in the process of expanding the original distillery to more than double their existing production capabilities. The distillery has been contract distilling for undisclosed brands for a few years now. And they have their own distillate that is in the 2- to 3-year-old range. There is no brand name yet for this distillate and based upon my tasting notes, when they do come to market, this will be whiskey well worth the wait.

Their production team, affectionately known as the Bardstown Mafia, consists of Craig Beam, Terry Ballard, and Robbie Kelty. Craig, of course, has the history of working alongside his Hall of Fame father, Parker Beam, at Heaven Hill. Terry & Robbie, helped to resurrect the still and ultimately oversee production for several years at Willett. Needless to say, they know how to make fine bourbon.

Working on a 24-inch column, currently, they are adding a 36-inch one, along with tripling their fermenters on site. Their current mash bill of 70 C, 20 R & 10 MB, with the corn and rye being sourced locally, while the malted barley comes from farther north. And the distillate, white dog, they are producing is quite lovely. It has the classic sweet corn aroma, with hints of chocolate, with some hints of green herbal elements from the rye. The taste is sweet corn and dark rich finish. The viscosity is lovely and mouth coating. All pointing to great bourbon yet to come.

Their Barrel Entry Proof is 120 and they are using a Char #4 on their barrels, sourced from several coopers, and currently aged in a palletized warehouse, currently off site. New barrel warehouses will be added both at the distillery and adjacent to their current warehousing facility.

So, along with Van, his wife Joyce, Craig Beam & Robbie Kelty, we sat down to taste three aged samples. Here are my tasting notes.

Barrel #10, 21-H-5 (August 5, 2021) This first sample was legally a straight bourbon, having met the 2-year minimum by a couple of months. The aroma was complex, reminding me of a fine corn pudding as well as tart cherry, with a nice complement of young oak and some baking spice. The taste was equally complex and compelling. The sweet corn mash was there and nicely balanced with spice and toasted oak. The weight in the mouth was one of my favorite elements. It coated the palate, delivering more flavor the longer it sat. It is a whiskey to be savored and at 2 years old, much better than many 3- and 4-year products already on the market. The finish was long and savory.

Barrel #12, 21-H-5 (August 5, 2021) Again a barrel from the same day’s production as the first one we tasted. However, this whiskey was very fruit forward. The cherry like notes dominated the sweet corn mash aroma, and I knew that this one was going to be my favorite. The more I nosed it the more it delivered. Vanilla, cinnamon, and toast layered in. And it did not disappoint in the mouth. This was a big, mouth-filling sample. Sweet, warm, fruity, spicy, toasty, Yummy! The finish showed a bit of barrel tannin, not surprising for 2-year-old, however, it was not astringent, nor off-putting which so many young whiskeys may show. The finish here was warm, long and inviting. I wanted a bottle of this one.

The final sample of the day was from a much younger barrel, #2000, 22-A-2 (January 2, 2022). So, while I was expecting a much grainier aroma, I was pleasantly surprised to get a big hit of cinnamon right up front. Then other baking spices layered in over the grainy note. Think of a bowl or warm oatmeal with a nice dollop of cinnamon. The flavors were just as spicy as the aroma. Not quite a Cinnabon roll, but it was temptingly close. There was a remarkably interesting flavor that surfaced the longer I tasted, think of a piece or toasted pumpernickel rye. This showed the complexity and the balance of sweet and dark distillate.

Overall, I was quite impressed with the whiskey they shared with me. At some point in the not-too-distant future, the bourbon from Jackson Purchase will be something to look forward to.