Mt. Vernon Adds Peach Brandy To Rye. Sells Rye for $25K at Auction

George Washington was not only the first President, "Father of our Country" and hero of the American Revolution, he was also a passionate distiller of rye whiskey and brandy.

At a reconstructed distillery [pictured] at Washington's estate, Mt. Vernon, now a National Park Service museum in Northern Va., there has been an effort to recreate both the rye and peach brandy that Washington made, sold, consumed, served and gifted to common folk as well as luminaries of his day.

Last summer, Mt. Vernon sold a limited edition of 470 bottles of the recreated rye whiskey. The bottles sold out in two hours at $85 each. And earlier this month, bottles #1 and #2 sold as a pair at auction for $25,000 to, ironically, an anonymous U.K. buyer.

But this month saw industry craftsman and leaders gather at Mt. Vernon to see if they could recreate a peach brandy that was as close to Washington's own recipe as they think possible. There is no written recipe for Washington's brandy, but the hope is that by distilling it in a still that is a close replica of the first President's and from juice from the local peaches Washington would have used, the "spirit" of the brandy will be close to what it was 240 years ago.
The crew at Mt. Vernon used the same process that would have been used in Washington's day: keeping fires going to heat the liquid and transferring it by buckets instead of modern pumps. They began with 300 gallons of peach juice on Tuesday Oct. 5 and finished the next day with about 60 gallons of peach brandy that they will age in oak barrels. Selling the relatively small amount of brandy is still uncertain, but some of it will likely hit the auction block to benefit the museum.

The year Washington died, in 1799, his estate produced some 11,000 gallons of Rye. The plantation account book also shows that, earlier the same year, he had 60 gallons of peach brandy and 67 gallons of apple brandy sent to his main house from the distillery.

Woodford Reserve Master's Collection - Maple Wood Finish

Woodford Reserve has announced the release of Maple Wood Finish, the latest entry in its exclusive Masters Collection put together by Master Distiller Chris Morris. The new expression (as previewed on Luxist) is one of the most unique Master's Collection offerings to date as it is the industry's first bourbon to be finish aged in barrels made from sugar maple wood.

Though it was thought that whiskey barrels could not be crafted from sugar maple wood, the Brown-Forman Cooperage accomplished the feat, creating a toasted instead of charred barrel. The result is a smooth, elegant whiskey enhanced with hints of maple, honey and cinnamon.

Maple Wood Finish is the fifth in the Woodford Reserve Master's Collection series following the Four Grain, Sonoma-Cutrer Finish, Sweet Mash and Seasoned Oak offerings. Released periodically at the master distiller's discretion, the Master's Collection whiskeys are extremely limited in quantity and bottled only once in a proprietary package inspired by the copper pot stills of The Woodford Reserve Distillery.

The inspiration for the Master's Collection is rooted in the distillery's rich history and tradition. In the mid-1800s distillery owner Oscar Pepper and Master Distiller James Crow studied and recommended use of key processes like sour mashing and charred barrel maturation at Kentucky's historic Woodford County distillery.

These practices are still maintained in the bourbon industry and, today, the distillery receives more than 100,000 visitors annually and is the only one in America to triple-distill bourbon in copper pot stills. The Maple Wood Finish will go on sale throughout the United States on Nov. 1 in limited quantities with a suggested retail price of $89.99.

Knob Creek Warms Up for the Holidays

Knob Creek, the super premium small batch bourbon that's aged for nine years in charred American white oak barrels and bottled at a robust 100 proof, is gearing up for the cooler weather with some recipes for giving both food and drink a Kentucky-style kick in the pants this holiday season. Knob Creek, with its smooth, sweet and rich flavor and signature maple sugar aroma, makes a great accompaniment to many festivities on its own but also works well as an ingredient in everything from hors d'oeuvres to Thanksgiving turkey. Read on for some key recipes:

Knob Creek Bourbon Egg Nog

½ cup Knob Creek Bourbon
6 large egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
2 ½ cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Beat egg yolks and sugar in medium saucepan. Slowly beat in 2 cups of milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring
frequently, until thermometer registers 150°F or mixture coats the back of the metal spoon. Remove from heat.
Strain into pitcher. Stir in remaining milk, Knob Creek Bourbon, vanilla and nutmeg. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
Sprinkle with additional nutmeg.
Makes 6-8 servings.

Knob Creek Holiday Punch

3 parts Knob Creek Bourbon
3 parts cranberry juice
4 parts lemon-lime soda
1 part fresh lemon or lime juice
dash bitters
6 parts champagne
ice block
orange and lemon slices

Pre-chill ingredients. Pour into a punch bowl over a large piece of ice, adding champagne last.
Decorate with slices of lemon and orange. [continued]

Knob Creek Bourbon Egg Nog

½ cup Knob Creek Bourbon
6 large egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
2 ½ cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Beat egg yolks and sugar in medium saucepan. Slowly beat in 2 cups of milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring
frequently, until thermometer registers 150°F or mixture coats the back of the metal spoon. Remove from heat.
Strain into pitcher. Stir in remaining milk, Knob Creek Bourbon, vanilla and nutmeg. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
Sprinkle with additional nutmeg.
Makes 6-8 servings.

Knob Creek Holiday Punch

3 parts Knob Creek Bourbon
3 parts cranberry juice
4 parts lemon-lime soda
1 part fresh lemon or lime juice
dash bitters
6 parts champagne
ice block
orange and lemon slices

Pre-chill ingredients. Pour into a punch bowl over a large piece of ice, adding champagne last.
Decorate with slices of lemon and orange.

Knob Creek Cocktail Sausage

2 ½ ounces Knob Creek Bourbon
3 pounds cocktail sausages
2 pounds sliced bacon
2 ½ pounds brown sugar
Toothpicks
Wrap cocktail sausages with a small piece of bacon and skewer with a toothpick. Place them in a slow cooker and
cover with brown sugar. Cook on low setting for four hours until sugar melts. Add bourbon and continue to simmer
for one or two more hours.
Serve warm from the slow cooker or from a casserole dish on a warming tray.

Knob Creek Bourbon Brine

1 ½ cups Knob Creek Bourbon
14 ounces salt
2 pounds brown sugar
1 gallon ice water
¼ cup cloves
¼ cup black peppercorns
Mix together brine ingredients and marinate turkey or chicken overnight in a covered container.
Marinate in the refrigerator.