Hillrock Sauternes Cask Finished Solera Aged Bourbon Whiskey

In the early 1800s, the State of New York was responsible for the production of more than half of the barley and rye harvested in the United States. The Hudson Valley, which extends from New York City northward through Albany, was the countrys original breadbasket and was home to thousands of farms, hundreds of which distilled the excess grains they harvested into whiskey. In the 1930s, the onset of Prohibition forced these farmers to abandon their stills.Today, in a 19th century Georgian mansion situated in the heart of the Hudson Valley, Master Distiller Dave Pickerell pays homage to the New York farmers who produced their whiskey from grains to glass. Pickerell, who graduated from West Point with a Bachelors degree in Chemistry, served in the military for 11 years as a cavalry officer before receiving his Masters degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Louisville. Then, Pickerell served as Master Distiller as Makers Mark in Loretto, Kentucky for 13 years. There, he was responsible for ensuring the quality and consistency of Makers Mark Bourbon. A former chairman of the Kentucky Distillers Association and a member of the Distilled Spirits Council, Pickerell is an expert nonpareil in the production of whiskey.Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon was the worlds first solera aged bourbon. Solera aging is a process that has generally been reserved for aging cognacs, ports and sherries. It involves filling a series of casks at different intervals over a long period of time. As whiskey from the oldest cask is emptied and bottled, the cask is re-filled with an equivalent amount of whiskey from the second-oldest cask in the solera. This cascading effect continues until the youngest cask in the solera is filled with new whiskey. As a result, no cask in the solera is ever fully emptied. In addition, as the younger whiskey ages and cascades through the solera, its average age and complexity gradually increases over time.This solera-aged Hillrock expression is aged partially in rare Premier Cru Sauternes wine casks. Sauternes wine, also known as the nectar of the gods, has a signature balance of sweetness and acidity, with nutty flavors and notes of apricots, honey and peaches. Crafted in the Graves section of Bordeaux, the grapes are influenced by Botrytis fungus also known as noble rot, which causes the grapes to become slightly raisined, yielding a concentrated, unique flavor profile that is imparted onto this special bourbon.Get your bottle today!