As the global palate for whiskey continued to grow in 2022, Luxco® remained at the forefront of the industry with a host of award-winning brands, new variants and special editions aiming to please the most discriminating tastes …

• In April, Lux Row Master Distiller John Rempe continued his annual pact with bourbon drinkers with the release of Blood Oath® Pact 8 Kentucky Straight
  Bourbon Whiskey finished in Calvados casks. Blood Oath Pact 8 features a combination of the finest bourbons Rempe could find, including a 14-year ryed bourbon and an 11-year ryed bourbon, as well as an 8-year ryed bourbon finished in Calvados casks. Calvados is an apple or pear brandy from the Normandy region in northwestern France that is distilled from cider and aged for a minimum of two years in oak casks. These casks bring additional tasting notes of slight apple on the nose, with hints of vanilla and cinnamon, as well as flavor notes of ripe apples, juicy pears, butterscotch and even subtle hints of chocolate. The unique aroma and flavor make Blood Oath Pact 8 a one-of-a-kind pour.
• Also in April, Ross & Squibb Distillery™ announced the launch of Rossville Union® 2022 Barrel Proof, its annual, limited-release straight-rye whiskey. Featuring a medley of straight-rye mash bills bottled at 117.2 proof (58.6% ABV), Rossville Union 2022 Barrel Proof has a flavor profile that includes an aroma of rye spice, vanilla, caramel, oak, and slight chocolate; forward flavors of sweet caramel and vanilla, moving to baking spices and chocolate; and a lingering finish of rye and a hint of sweet mint. There were 82 barrels selected for this year’s release, which is displayed on each bottle, and for the first time, every bottle prominently features a 7-year age statement.
• This year, Ross & Squibb launched Alias™ Straight Rye Whiskey and Alias Straight Wheat Whiskey. The flagship iteration, Alias Straight Rye Whiskey, is bottled at 90 proof (45% ABV). It features a mash bill that is 51% rye, 45% corn and 4% barley malt. The whiskey delivers tasting notes that include a balanced aroma of sweet fruit and rye spice complemented with slight hints of mint; a palate that offers forward notes of caramel, vanilla and fruit with a bold rye finish; and flavors of fruit, rye, spice, mint, caramel and vanilla throughout. Alias Straight Wheat Whiskey contains a mash bill of 95% wheat and 5% malted barley. Tasting notes include a balanced aroma of creamy vanilla, fruit, and oak; a palate with notes of cream and vanilla, forward hints of oak with a sweet finish; and flavors of rich cinnamon, vanilla, pear and stone fruit. The Alias brand pays tribute to the country’s early female distilling pioneers, many of whom used their initials to hide their gender in order to own and operate distilleries. The Alias slogan reads: “Forgotten Names. Unforgettable Flavors.”
• In August, Lux Row Distillers™ announced the newest member of the Daviess County® Bourbon brand family: Daviess County Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Lightly Toasted American Oak Barrels. Daviess County Lightly Toasted features its namesake brand family’s signature combination of ryed and wheated bourbon mash bills, which is aged four-plus years in charred-oak barrels. The lightly toasted barrel finish gives this limited-edition release its own unique flavor profile, which includes aromas of caramel, vanilla and hints of oak on the nose, while delivering flavors of sweet caramel with notes of vanilla and coconut on the palate.
• In honor of National Bourbon Heritage Month in September, Ross & Squibb released its Remus® Repeal Reserve Series VI Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The limited-edition bourbon is the sixth-annual offering of the distillery’s award-winning Remus Repeal Reserve Bourbon collection. Created by Master Distiller Ian Stirsman and his team of Master Distillers and Master Blenders, Series VI comprises five bourbons, aged between 8-14 years, from the 175-year-old Lawrenceburg, Indiana, distillery. Made in a signature high-rye style, the medley changes each year, allowing Stirsman and his team to experiment with various mash bills and aged reserves. Series VI leads with aromas of rich candied fruit with a hint of nutmeg and saddle leather. The initial taste includes candied fruit and fig jam, followed by oak and barrel char, mint and slight caramel, nutmeg, toffee and honey. The finish offers a balance of sweet candied fruit and leather, with lingering sweetness and rye spice.
• Also in September, Limestone Branch Distillery’s Master Distiller Stephen Beam released the 2022 Yellowstone® Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Since 2015, Beam has produced a unique, limited-edition bourbon annually under the Yellowstone brand. It celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2022, along with its namesake national park. Featuring a delicately balanced blend of 7-year, 15-year and 16-year aged bourbons hand-selected by Beam and aged in Marsala Superiore casks, the latest expression of Yellowstone Limited Edition is a show stopper. Each sip delivers an aroma of dried apricots and honey with hints of tobacco; a body that contains dark-brown sugar notes, mixed with dried fruit, walnut and dates, with a hint of vanilla; followed by a  lingering finish with hints of palm sugar and tamarind.
• In October, Ross & Squibb’s newest member of the Remus Bourbon family hit the shelves: Remus Gatsby Reserve. Released to celebrate the centennial anniversary of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s legendary novel, “The Great Gatsby,” Remus Gatsby Reserve is made with the distillery’s finest 15-year-old reserve of straight bourbon whiskey and is offered at cask strength. Remus Gatsby Reserve leads with rich aromas of dried candied fruit, caramelized pecans, charred oak and tobacco, and the taste profile is characterized by flavors of candied fruit, syrup, leather, and cherry, while the finish lingers with notes of cinnamon, char, and oak.
• In November, Lux Row Distillers announced the newest variant in the Ezra Brooks® brand family: Old Ezra 7-Year Straight Rye Whiskey. Like other members of the Ezra Brooks brand family, Old Ezra 7-Year Straight Rye Whiskey is distilled using the highest-quality ingredients and charcoal filtered for mellow flavor and a smooth finish. Old Ezra 7-Year Straight Rye features two rye mash bills, is aged seven years and is bottled at full proof to deliver a complex flavor. This 7 year-old straight rye offers slightly sweet and oaky tones with hints of vanilla and honey, and it finishes with a warm touch of spice and tobacco. It’s certain to become a favorite among both rye fans and fans of the Ezra Brooks family.

As Luxco looks ahead to 2023, one thing is for certain: more award-winning variants and special editions are sure to come, as there’s no slowing the momentum of the whiskey wave.