“We were in possession of some old barrels that were on-site upon our acquisition of Stitzel-Weller, and we didn’t have an intended use for them,” Andrew McKay, Whiskey Blender Manager at Diageo, tells Maxim of the genesis of the latest, and most pedigreed, Blade and Bow expression. “The bourbons found therein were rich, flavorful and complex, so when the idea of an exclusive version of Blade and Bow arose, it was just a question of carefully selecting each of these barrels for the final blend.”
The whiskey McKay speaks of holds almost religious importance for #bourbonheads everywhere, as the juice produced there before the Shively, Kentucky distillery’s shuttering in 1992 is akin to liquid gold. The master blender is referring to Blade and Bow 22 Year Old Whiskey. It was not produced at Stitzel-Weller, however, it is a blending of two whiskeys from a duo of other historic distilleries in Kentucky which cannot be disclosed.
Both had been aging in the rick houses of Stitzel-Weller, perhaps absorbing some of the legendary distillery’s magic via osmosis, much like similar releases from I.W. Harper and Orphan Barrel which aged there as well. McKay points out that the warehouses feature the same air flow-focused design Frederick Stitzel created and patented, so there is an actual uniqueness to the aging rooms.
Blade and Bow 22 Year Old is a standout whiskey, boasting the sort of smoothness, lavish flavor notes—think raisin bread, dried figs, boysenberry and vanilla—and super complexity that only two-decades plus of mellowing can achieve. When first discovered, the deliberation began as to use them as ingredients in a larger luxury blend or to isolate them into a smaller, ultra-lux apex bottle of “bespoke liquid.” Lucky for us the Blade and Bow team elected the latter.
“The high quality and complexity of these barrels, along with their connection to Stitzel-Weller Distillery, made them perfect for Blade and Bow,” adds McKay. “Older bourbons tend toward a rich and complex flavor, and with that as a base, it was just a question of how to get the top notes—targeting a fruity character—to express themselves within that matrix… These were selected based on their matured richness and then combined so that the total was more than the sum of its parts.”
Of course older isn’t always better, especially in Kentucky bourbon where whiskey ages much more quickly than in cooler climates like Scotland for its single malts. Many consider the bourbon sweet spot to be around a dozen years in wood. Did the Blade and Bow team worry about working with such an aged bourbon, fearing an over-oaked profile for their bespoke juice?
“It is true that the ‘rule of thumb’ for bourbon whiskey aged in the Kentucky region is that the whiskey is at its optimal balance in the 7-12 year old range. But the thing about something as organic and variable as whiskey is that there are always exceptions to the rules,” McKay explains. “This is where blending becomes critically important: to sort through the maturing whiskey, find those gems, and blend them in a way that highlights the unique complexity and depth of flavor that comes with age,” he continues. “Without that intervention, the tannic oak character does tend to overwhelm the palate.”
“Blade and Bow 22 Year Old is a standout whiskey, boasting the sort of smoothness, lavish flavor notes and super complexity that only two-decades plus of mellowing can achieve.”
We can confirm that is not the case with Blade and Bow 22 Year Old, among the top-tier whiskies we tested this year. Bottled at 46 percent ABV (92-proof), the ticket on this aged whiskey isn’t light, with a price tag of $550.
Follow Deputy Editor Nicolas Stecher on Instagram at @nickstecher and @boozeoftheday.
