Distillery Story
Pinhook brings such a new and refreshing perspective to the American whiskey scene, from their transparency as a blending house (more on that soon) to a focus on releasing whiskey with a “vintage”. And, although we are advocates for whiskey made all across this great country of ours, there IS something special about a Bourbon from the good-old Kentucky homeland, especially as we wrap up this Fred Minnick lineup! This isn’t just a standard KY whiskey, but one that comes from an incredibly innovative producer. They were founded by a group of friends 15 years ago with the idea that they could make something unique out of the whiskey they were sourcing, taking advantage of Master Blender Sean Josephs’ incredible palate as a certified sommelier. They’re up front about being an NDP (Non-Distilling-Producer), starting with their name, taken from the common practice in thoroughbred horse racing (another KY staple) of investing in a young colt based on its lineage and then training it to (hopefully) one day race for the Triple Crown. The horse racing connection is strong, with the consumer easily able to discern between each year based on a new horse and distinct jockey-style label on their bottles. Even further, they realized that no one was taking advantage of the “vintage” style of production coming from wine! As Sean says, “We know there's this variation in the barrels, so if we take this vintage approach and then we're also blending to our own perspective on what makes a great whiskey, maybe we can make something unique as a contribution to the world of American whiskey.”.
And this bottle is something incredibly unique. Our Blind Barrels team was lucky enough to travel out to put this three barrel blend together with Josephs, getting a hands-on experience with how he works to make every batch “a harmonious combination of elements”. We weren’t just trying to hit a specific taste profile, but working to make the most complex, balanced, melodious set of components from the many samples we had. Tucked away in a cool bar in New Orleans, we got to practice whiskey mindfulness in a new and exciting way, seeing how the 3 casks we chose become a journey of flavors in complex harmony across the nose, palate, and finish, a beautifully integrated whole with amazing texture and depth. Part of that complexity comes from their innovative approach to aging these barrels, with the whiskey spending 3 years each in new Char #4 casks, for the 6 year age statement. This is the first Double Barrel bottling they’ve ever done as a part of their True Small Batch program, and we know that it will be a runaway Derby winner with our community. We know you Blind Barrelers will appreciate all the thought and effort that goes into making this whiskey special, and you have to keep an eye on what Pinhook is doing with their Vertical Series, as well! After all, Sean says, “I’m just a big believer that the best bourbon hasn’t been made yet.”
