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Straight from the Barrel: Old Whiskey River by Jack Bettridge Senior Features Editor, Cigar Aficionado

Posted February 11, 2002, 4 p.m. e.s.t. If there was ever any question that country music and Bourbon went hand in hand, it's been put to rest with the recent release of Old Whiskey River, a spirited collaboration between Willie Nelson and Heaven Hill Distillery. [Click here to read this week's Weekly Wrapper on Willie Nelson and his Bourbon.] Released in December, the whiskey is six years old and bottled at 86 proof ($27). Heaven Hill master distiller Parker Beam describes the drink as a small-batch Bourbon, meaning select barrels are dumped in small number for marrying into the final product. While he consulted with Nelson on the Bourbon, the distillate used was made with the usual Heaven Hill mash bill of about 78 percent corn long before the aged whiskies were mixed. The whiskey age meets Beam's standard for the minimum at which small-batch Bourbon should be made (by law Bourbon can be as young as two years old; four years is an industry average). He says the alcohol content, slightly higher than the common 80 proof, meets Nelson's taste specification. A point of pride for Nelson is that his Bourbon, which is distilled in Bardstown, Nelson County, Kentucky, is made from corn grown on nearby family farms. Buying from local producers is pretty standard practice for Heaven Hill, Beam says. "It makes economic sense because you don't have to ship a long way. I'm a farmer myself and I know quite a few farmers in the area." Mention of Nelson's name in the packaging is unusually spare for a celebrity-driven product. A guitar pick embossed with his signature hangs from a wire around the bottleneck. No other clue connects him to the whiskey. Beam, nevertheless, sees Nelson's involvement, which also includes a sponsored concert tour, as a boon. "It's a good way to market your Bourbon and we're always looking for that." TASTING: Nose: The scent of this whiskey is straight ahead sweet, with honey, candy, and caramel notes and a hint of walnut. Taste: From nose to mouth, it changes abruptly. Gone is most of the sweetness, except for the hint of maple sugar. The walnut grows in comparison and is joined by an orange peel flavor. Also, apparent is the bite of old-time Bourbon, which calls to mind the bittersweet tone of Nelson's voice. Finish: Orange peel lingers long and is joined by a slight gumminess. Serving suggestion: Drink over ice or with soda.

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