THE BOURBON RESOURCE: JUNE 2026

The KNICKS, Willet 4-yr review, 5 questions with Alan Kennedy, white oak problems

Source: Wild Turkey

See spelling errors? Let me know so I can fix.

THE BOURBON RESOURCE NEWS

• Wild Turkey will release its Austin Nichols Archives Collection, the first limited collection led by third-generation Associate Master Blender Bruce Russell, this month. The series debuts with the Gold Foil Edition, a 16-year-old, non-chill-filtered, 120 proof Kentucky straight bourbon. The flavor profile, according to a press release, is big, sweet, and punchy, with complex flavors of cherry-cola, clove, and dark caramel that gradually fade to tobacco, cocoa, and leather. Wild Turkey Austin Nichols Archives Gold Foil Edition will be available in limited quantities in select markets at a $400 MSRP. I hope to have a review next month.

• As a follow-up to the popular Babe Ruth Reserve bourbons, Remus will release a whiskey that honors Lou Gehrig. The bourbon is a medley of four distinctive mash bills honoring and is bottled at 109 proof. Only 9.665 bottles are available at an MSRP of $130. I’m a member of the Remus Bottle Club, so I’ll have a chance to buy a bottle and can tell you about it later.

• I meant to write this last month, but Old Grand Dad has released a 114-proof single barrel for $50, and I wonder why? The standard batch bourbon is still available for $32 at the same proof. There are some differences; the SB has a 7-year age statement and a fancier label, but is that worth the extra money? We’ll see as the bottles become more widely available.

• Did you know there’s something called a “bourbon virus,” and it has nothing to do with whiskey? Turns out a tick bite can give humans the virus, which WebMD says was named after Bourbon County, KS, where it was first spotted. Who knew? Sounds nasty, too. A guy in New York got it and said it was a miserable experience.

• I always plug the Bourbon Zine when it’s out because it’s such an interesting quarterly publication. This edition examines the Bluegrass Conspiracy and a Kentucky legacy of crime. Author Steve Gentry always does an excellent job.
  

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A white oak problem and bourbon

A researcher at the University of Kentucky is trying to understand why some white oak trees aren’t reaching maturity, and the potential problems the bourbon industry may face.

Sybil Gotsch of the university’s Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, studies why some white oak seedlings keep disappearing. Without getting too much in the weeds (!), healthy seedlings develop into the plants that decades later sprout trees. Increasingly, mature white oak acres don’t have any seedlings present.

Now that I’ve bored you with that piece of forest ecophysiology, here’s why it’s important to the bourbon industry.

Bourbon, by law, must be aged in new, charred white oak barrels. Distillers use an estimated three million barrels a year, and each tree makes just a few barrels because only some of the best wood can be used.

With as many as 5 billion mature trees in the United States, we’re a long way from a crisis . But if seedlings continue their maturity issue, the alarm bells will ring far beyond researchers. More than the current oversupply problem, fewer white oak barrels would either threaten an entire industry or force a change in bourbon production.

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FIVE QUESTIONS WITH … ALAN KENNEDY

Source: LaForce Communications

Alan Kennedy is the master distiller at Redemption Whiskey. He’s a rye aficionado who trained in another industry before moving to the world of whiskey. Alan was mentored by industry legends, including a stretch working alongside whiskey icon Dave Pickerell, who helped guide him in the art of blending and his love of rye

1. Redemption now offers a wide range of sourced MGP products, from the high-rye ($30) to the limited-release portfolio priced at hundreds of dollars each. Is that a strategy to appeal to a wide market, or did it just work out that way? Our portfolio is built to offer something for everyone. I craft each whiskey with intention, focusing on balance and structure so it evokes a memory that resonates with those enjoying it.

2. The ancient 36-year-old bourbon produced only 18 bottles at an SRP of $1,200. How did you discover the barrels? What went through your mind as you were tasting a bourbon bottled before the turn of the century? Redemption 36-Year-Old Bourbon was released before I joined the team; however, I can tell you that the aging process is a delicate dance, no matter how long it’s been aged. Over time, barrels become fragile, and the longer they sit, the risk is that more oaky flavors will overpower the liquid inside. When done with precision and patience, aging a bourbon for a long time can result in something extraordinary, and I saw that immediately when I worked on Redemption 18-Year-Old Bourbon last fall. Redemption 18-Year-Old showed what time, patience, and selection can do. What stands out to me is how it holds onto its character. You still get those deep notes of ripe cherry, corn, and vanilla flavors that are balanced with every sip.

3. You gravitate more toward rye whiskey. Why? Since day one, rye has always been threaded within Redemption’s DNA and brand identity. This year, we’ve relaunched with a new packaging design and elevated bourbon now bottled at 92 proof. The updated packaging and enhanced bourbon are not a departure from our rye foundation, but a confident amplification of it, underscoring the brand’s commitment to quality and its growing stature within the whiskey category.

4. You’re a classically trained pastry chef. What’s your favorite pastry-whiskey pairing? You can’t go wrong with pairing any pastry with whiskey, as a lot of recipes utilize ingredients that are in whiskey. Personally, I am a huge pie fan and find that it pairs perfectly with whiskeys. A Derby pie is a Kentucky classic and my top choice. Depending on the type of chocolate or level of roasted pecan you make it with, it can be paired with the spiciness of a rye whiskey or a sweet bourbon. The slight nuances of the ingredients will bring out different flavors of the pies and make the pairing the perfect way to end a long day.

5. You’re originally from Nashville, a city with a terrific music scene. What kind of music do you like to listen to, and what are you drinking while you unwind? I listen to different genres of music depending on what I am doing. When I am blending, punk or hip-hop is usually playing. When I’m winding down, I like to listen to deep blues rock. Songs like Howling at Nothing or Papa Was a Rolling Stone have a real depth to them, the kind that reveals itself the more you sit with it. That’s how I think about whiskey, too.

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THE BOURBON RESOURCE REVIEW

Photo via Google Gemini

Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year Bourbon

Proof: 125

MSRP: $70

Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year Bourbon (2026 version)

Short take: It’s not worthy of the vaunted purple top

History: Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year Bourbon

In 2006, Willett Distillery released its first purple top single barrel bourbons that immediately became hard to find because of their age, proof, and smoothness. In November 2025, the distillery announced its small batch 4-year in a bid to expand the line and bring more customers into the fold.

Mash bill: 70% of the mash bill is 52% corn/38% rye/10% barley; 30% is 72% corn/13% rye/15% barley

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass

👉🏻Nose: Corn, ethanol, pepper, cinnamon

👉🏻Taste: Cinnamon hot candies, vanilla, pepper, grain alcohol, oak

👉🏻Finish: Pepper, grain, butterscotch, cinnamon

Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year Bourbon

Summary: Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year Bourbon

This is a tough pour to get through. There’s a lot, and I mean a lot, of ethanol on the nose. I let this sit for 30 minutes, and it didn’t help. Without ice, it’s so young that it borders on unapproachable. Adding ice improves it a bit, and pops some minimal vanilla and butterscotch, especially on the back. The palate is the most enjoyable part of the pour, assuming you can get past the nose. The medium-long finish is punctuated by the kind of heat that sits in your chest.

Conclusion – Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year Bourbon

These bottles aren’t on the shelf in Ohio, so when I had a chance to buy one for $100 ($30 over MSRP), I jumped at it. I have the Willet Family Reserve 12, 13, and 14 years, and I figured if the 4-year was half as good, this would be a steal. It was a steal because I was the victim of theft. The 4-year-old is a hot, spicy mess with little that stands out. I added a bit of water to see if that would make the flavors pop, but there weren’t any flavors TO pop. So this next sentence might seem strange, but Willett deserves props for bringing an affordable product to the market. It shouldn’t give it the purple top because that signifies greatness. The 4-year signifies something far less.

Have you tried Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year Bourbon? What do you think?

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AND FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

This is an unusual way for me to end the newsletter, but please indulge me. The New York Knicks (!) are in the NBA finals for the first time since 1999! They were a clear underdog then, so when they lost to San Antonio (4-1), I was just happy they got there. They kick off the finals on June 3 against —- San Antonio and an alien masquerading as a human (Victor Wembanyama). They’re again underdogs, but this time, they have a chance.

I wrote this piece summarizing the great era of Knicks Basketball at Knicks Film School, which provides the pre-eminent coverage of all things Knicks. Even if you’re a casual fan, check out the KFS. Jonathan Macri, the co-founder, is an artist with words, and the team’s analytical videos are second to none. They’re the best in the business.

BTW, Wemby’s full name is Victor Nonga Wembanyama-de Fautereau-Vassel. Try saying that after a couple of bourbons.

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That’s it for this month! Our friends at Bourbon Obsessed have a tremendous catalog of bourbon and distillery reviews. They’re also kind enough to print many of my reviews. You can see more from them here:

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Ray Marcano writes and publishes the Bourbon Resource monthly, and he’s president of the 32 Staves Society. He’s a bourbon lover and long-time journalist who freelances for some of the country’s largest media brands. He’s the former national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, a two-time Pulitzer juror, a Fulbright fellow, and was recently named best columnist in the state of Ohio. He covers fine wine and dining in Ohio and writes opinion columns for the USA Today network.