American Whiskey Magazine March 2021

It will be no shock to hear that as a writer I am partial to a good quote. But not just any quote, I’m talking about the particularly cringe-worthy strings of words that you often find thrust upon a background image of a cloudy sky on Instagram. You know, the ones that would (rightfully so) make Shakespeare turn in his grave. However, before you begin to pass judgement on the credibility and sanity (probably fair on the latter) of this editor, sometimes I do stumble upon a real diamond of a ‘dope quote’ that is filled with meaning and timeliness. When you consider that not only are we living in the ‘unprecedented times’ of a pandemic, while also coping with the regularly unscheduled moments of ‘WTF has the world come to’…

With restrictions still making it challenging to hold live events, some of our Whisky Live organisers have begun to look at alternative options and Whisky Live London is leading the way with its new offering for the UK: Whisky Live At Home. This new experience saw ‘Full Dram Experience’ ticket holders receiving 29 x 30ml samples; copies of Whisky Magazine, Gin Magazine, American Whiskey Magazine, and Whisky Magazine’s Scotch Whisky annual review; a Glencairn copita tasting glass; a can larkfire, wild water for whiskey; and a pack of Stockan’s oatcakes to cleanse the palate between drams. All of this was conveniently delivered to ticket holders’ doors in time for the festive season. Not content to only provide the drams, the team also launched season one of Whisky Live TV, a…

Over the last year, we have brought you stories about how the industry has been coping with the global pandemic, mass unemployment, and the needs of the community. In last year’s issues we explored distilleries making hand sanitizer for the Covid-19 effort, brand ambassadors and bars doing video cocktail classes, how to make cocktails at home, and even whiskey podcasts to listen to while you’re sipping them. But as I write this, the first doses of the Covid vaccine are being administered to healthcare workers in Kentucky and beyond. By the time you read this, you may have been vaccinated, yourself. There’s a great deal to be hopeful about, and it is our most sincere wish that with this issue you will begin to think once again about attending whiskey…

I am writing this while sitting in a self-imposed quarantine. On December 19, my NYC Covid-19 Alert app informed me that I had come into close contact with someone who tested positive for the virus. There was a part of me that wanted to ignore it and go about my life. Fortunately, my mother raised me to be better than my demons. Whatever plans my partner and I had for Christmas and NYE were put on amber, suspended until we received two negative tests. We got tested (PCR) immediately, ordered provisions, and went into lockdown. Ahead of us, two weeks with no human contact, plenty of food (and yes, whiskey) but no running out to the store, no going into the office, and no social distance drinking on our roof deck. You…

This year, more than ever, it is important to take note of the individuals, bars, producers, and retailers that are making their mark on the industry. Although we cannot celebrate in person, the results will be announced via the Whisky Magazine Youtube and Instagram pages on February 1, 2021 and we hope that you will join us in applauding these exceptional winners. We are very pleased to announce the winners and highly commended results in American Whiskey Magazine. DISTILLER OF THE YEAR Brown-Forman HIGHLY COMMENDED Westland Distillery CRAFT PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Ironroot Republic Distilling HIGHLY COMMENDED Cathead Distillery SUSTAINABLE DISTILLERY OF THE YEAR FEW Spirits HIGHLY COMMENDED Old Forester BRAND INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR Old Charter Oak HIGHLY COMMENDED Westward Whiskey VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR Sazerac House HIGHLY COMMENDED Breckenridge Distillery MASTER DISTILLER/MASTER BLENDER OF THE YEAR Victoria Eady Butler, Uncle Nearest HIGHLY COMMENDED Jared Himstedt, Balcones Distilling DISTILLERY MANAGER OF THE YEAR Nicole Austin,…

Fred Noe Master distiller, Jim Beam This year’s inductee to the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame has whiskey running through his veins. There is no need to be alarmed, I’m not speaking literally here. As a seventh-generation master distiller, the great-grandson of Jim Beam and the son of Frederick “Booker” Noe Jr., Fred Noe III has curated a level of expertise within the industry that is top-class. With that he has rightfully earned his place in whiskey history and alongside that, his position as the 69th inductee to the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame. Fred’s early years were steeped in whiskey culture and upon his graduation from Bellarmine College in 1983, he began working on the bottling line at the Jim Beam Clermont Distillery. From this point, under the watchful eye of his…