Never Say Die Bourbon Barrel Strength (RRP £79) is is believed to be the first time that a Bourbon – distilled and matured in Kentucky – has been ocean aged on a six-week trip across the Atlantic, and then matured in barrels in Derbyshire to give it a unique, British finish.
The exposure to the ocean air during Never Say Die’s six-week maritime voyage combined with the two contrasting climates between Kentucky and the UK results in a wholly unique flavour profile with lively spice and citrus notes that melt into vanilla, leather and caramel, concluding with a lasting smooth finish.
Never Say Die is the brainchild of a transatlantic team of founders, led by world-class Bourbon distillers Pat Heist and Shane Baker. It is a traditional Kentucky Bourbon made with a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley and limestone filtered water rich in minerals from the deepest aquifer in Kentucky.
With production beginning in 2017, its long-awaited launch was only made possible when crippling 25% whiskey tariffs on US imports were reversed as a result of the campaigning efforts of the team and the Bourbon Alliance which was co-founded by Never Say Die director, Martha Dalton
Founded in 2017, Never Say Die was inspired by the infamous racehorse of the same name, which following a traumatic birth was revived with a shot of whiskey. Three years later and at odds of 33-1, Never Say Die became the first American-born horse in 70-years to win the Epsom Derby in front of 250k spectators, which included Queen Elizabeth II and Sir Winston Churchill. At the same time, on a daring leap of faith, a Liverpudlian woman named Mona Best had fallen in love with the story of Never Say Die and pawned all of her jewellery to literally “bet it all” on the victorious Epsom Derby Race. With her new fortune, she founded a new music venue, Casbah Coffee Club, which was where The Beatles played their very first gigs, shaping rock and roll history forever.
The unique bottle was designed by Stranger & Stranger and draws on the colours of the jersey Lester Piggott wore when he rode Never Say Die to victory in 1954.
Martha Dalton, co-founder of the Bourbon Alliance and Never Say Die, Martha Dalton said:
“We are delighted to introduce England’s Bourbon to UK whiskey fans. Never Say Die is our interpretation of the American dream and a celebration of the namesake racehorse’s trailblazing journey across the Atlantic; by following in his ‘hoofsteps’ we are creating a Bourbon that is unique in both flavour and narrative.
“The process of bringing Kentucky straight Bourbon in original barrels across the ocean to further mature in England has never been done before and we are incredibly proud of what we have achieved, creating a world-class whiskey that is rooted in Kentucky provenance but with an undeniably English character.
“Considered a “High Rye” Bourbon, our launch product blends subtle spice, caramel undertones and an amazingly smooth finish which can be enjoyed neat, on ice or in your favourite cocktail”.
Pat Heist, Never Say Die’s Master Distiller, says:
“Our philosophy is to only produce the best and most interesting whiskey possible for drinkers around the world. As such, Never Say Die is made using only the finest ingredients. Our custom mash bill has been designed to highlight the essence of the small grains with consistency, using carefully selected local grains. It is a pioneering sweet mash which results in a smoother, more flavourful whiskey. We also use high quality, mineral rich limestone filtered water sourced from the deepest aquifer in Kentucky.
“We add our Bourbon whiskey to well seasoned, charred American Oak barrels and tuck them away to mature to perfection for up to four years in Kentucky, before it embarks on the final leg of its journey across the ocean to the White Peaks Distillery in Derbyshire to finish”.
Never Say Die is available to order now for the on and off-trade via N10 Bourbons
For More Information:
https://neversaydiebourbon.com/