Key facts
- A special bourbon blend called "United States of Bourbon" has been created by a Vermont couple.
- This blend incorporates bourbons from all 50 U.S. states to commemorate America's 250th anniversary.
- 15 STARS Fine-Aged Bourbon has launched a "Kentucke County" collection, featuring a 12-year-old American Whiskey and a 6-year-old Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
- The "Kentucke County" releases are designed to honor both the birthplace of bourbon and early American history.
- Paul Sutton Bourbon boasts a family tradition in whiskey-making dating back to 1916.
To commemorate America's 250th anniversary, a unique bourbon blend named "United States of Bourbon" has been created by a Vermont couple, incorporating whiskeys from all 50 states. This initiative is part of a broader trend of special releases marking the significant birthday.
Among these commemorative offerings is 15 STARS Fine-Aged Bourbon's "Kentucke County" collection. This line features two expressions: a 12-year-old American Whiskey and a 6-year-old Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The "Kentucke" spelling is a deliberate nod to the historical region that was once Virginia's western frontier, predating modern-day Kentucky and the naming of Bourbon County. The 12-year-old expression is a blend aged for seven years in second-use oak and five years in new charred oak barrels, offering notes of oak, dark chocolate, vanilla, nutmeg, pear, cherry, and apple, with a long finish of caramel, wood, and tobacco. It is priced at $57.99. The 6-year-old expression, priced at $37.99, presents floral honeysuckle, banana, caramel, and seasoned oak on the nose, with vanilla, apricot, golden raisin, cinnamon, and leather on the palate, finishing with maple syrup, honey, caramel, and tobacco.
Ricky Johnson, co-founder of 15 STARS, stated the brand aimed to reflect the craftsmanship and spirit of early Kentucky while offering quality and age typically found in more expensive bottles.
Additionally, Paul Sutton Bourbon carries a legacy rooted in a century-old family mash recipe dating back to 1916, revived by seventh-generation family member Myra Barginear MD. The brand emphasizes its use of locally sourced grains, a sweet mash process, and traditional barreling and storage methods.