Limestone Branch Distillery is bringing two American small batch whiskeys to the UK.
The Kentucky brand’s Yellowstone Select Bourbon (46.5% abv) and Minor Case Rye Whisky (45% abv) launch at The Whisky Show next week, after which they will be available through Master of Malt and The Whisky Exchange (rsp £49/70cl).
Both whiskies are made according to historical recipes - Yellowstone was first produced by Limestone Branch head distiller Steve Beam’s family in the 19th century, while Minor Case is based on a recipe from his great-grandfather, whose name was Minor Case Beam.
They are distilled using yeast dating back to 1850, American heartland grains, and finished in sherry casks, before being hand-labelled and bottled. Only one barrel is produced per day.
Distribution is being handled by Woolf Sung in the UK, and it is understood talks are underway to secure listings with bricks and mortar retailers.
There was “huge demand for authentic bourbon and rye whiskies from both the on-trade and specialist whisky retailers”, said Beam, adding they offered “an ideal entry to the category”.
The growing popularity of US whisky-based cocktails such as the Old Fashioned, Whisky Sour and the Manhattan were further fuelling that demand, he added.
Indeed, take-home sales of imported whisky (including American and Irish) have surged over the last year, growing £22.1m (13.1%) to £190.1m [Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 17 June 2018].
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