Lots of oak, with cherry and caramel notes, with a little char, chocolate, and baking spice. Age: 4 Years. "MGP" stands for "Midwest Grain Products," one of the largest distillery operations in the United States, located in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. So Seagrams way around this was to include the smallest amount of malted barley necessary to keep this designation. For starters, all of their whiskeys are blends of mashbills. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. This prevents automated programs from posting comments. This would not end up being the last time that a product from Lawrenceburg Distillery ended up being incorrectly labeled as companies like Widow Jane and Whistlepig also failed to state on their labels that their bourbon and rye whiskey came from Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Their barrels are from a variety of producers but all are #4 char level, although this is likely also negotiable for some clients. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Snapped during the 'Rickhouse Barrel Thieving' tour at Bardstown Bourbon Co. |. HOURS & TOURS Tuesday-Saturday: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday: 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. . While outwardly less industrial than I anticipated, the check-in procedure at the distillery was something more akin to visiting a power plant. Unlike most distilleries Ive been to, however, phones had to be turned off in this space, likely due to the secrecy concerns around whichever clients whiskey was being produced at that given moment. That visual acknowledgment of a previous era not only sets the tone for MGPs low key personae it is used to having others names on its work it also drives home its reverence for the history involved with the place. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Media Kit Sitemap News Find It Connect. And it just so happens that its age roughly correlates with the length of Prohibition. And same with Indiana: as the whiskey ages, the alcohol percentage goes down since alcohol evaporates faster than water. The bottled-in-bond bourbon is a one-time release aged 14 years. Rossville Union rye whiskey is a blend of their 51% and 95% rye whiskey mashbill whiskeys aged about 5-6 years. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. We were unable to take pictures in the distillery room, but as it passes through several floors of a building we could really only see one section of the column still and a part of the squareish gin stills anyway. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You may have never heard of MGP, but chances are youve already had the whiskey the company makes. Barrel entry for every standard MGP mashbill is 120 proof, but the company recently began allowing custom barrel entry proofs for its contract clients; part of a slew of changes theyve made to compete with a growing number of contract distillers around the country. We began the tour in the barrel-filling building where MGP can fill an impressive five barrels every 30 seconds. Save 80% Off on your MGP Discount Code & Deals purchase with the MGP Discount Code & Deals coupons. In 1933, a Canadian company named Seagrams (owned by Samuel Bronfman) purchased the Lawrenceburg, Indiana distillery. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This cold water source is the key to keeping fermentation under control and maintaining consistency. Operating in Atchison, Kansas, and Lawrenceburg, Indiana, MGP began as a humble grainbelt distillery in 1941 and has since grown into a leading supplier of premium distilled spirits, and specialty wheat proteins and starches. This is done for consistency, according to David Whitmer, MGPs Director of Quality and R&D, as well as for security in case something should happen to one of the buildings. The company has a four-barrel minimum for whiskey, or one tote for new distillate for whiskeys, gins, or grain neutral spirits. From the outside, its easy to see that one of the buildings has a concrete floor and (painted) brick/block walls. Its absolutely beautiful. About Our Company; Branded Spirits; Facilities & Certifications; News Releases; Social Responsibility; Our People. While Indianas neighbor directly to the south may get all of the American whiskey glory (ahem, Kentucky), the tiny town of Lawrenceburg has played an important role in American whiskey production for the past 200 years. The most publicized incident occurred under Pernod Ricards ownership as they began to sell rye whiskey to the Templeton Rye Whiskey brand based out of Templeton, Iowa. Of all the products (listed here), the most well-known and popular that they sell to various brands are the: So when you see those mashbills listed on products with various names (particular the 95% rye), there is a super good chance they were distilled at MGP. But with two satellite storage locations around 20-40 miles away from the main campus at MGPI, how will this different geography affect the final product? Tanner's Creek whiskey, a blended bourbon, is only available in Indiana. More than 50 brands source whiskey from MGP, including Angels Envy, Bulleit, High West, Redemption, and Whistlepig, to name a few. In some ways you could say that they had always [], Mister Sam Tribute Whiskey Review - Bourbon Culture, [] of WLW, the citrus and baking spice of THH and interestingly, the punchy sweet character of an MGP Light Whiskey. MGP is an acronym for rye, Vice President of Brands Andrew Mansinne explained at the beginning of our MGP Distillery tour. Your comment has not yet been posted. document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Its the first distillery tour Ive ever been on where I received an ID badge and hard hat, and we were instructed to keep our phones turned off in certain locations. Led through the rickhouse by our amazing tour guide, Amber, we tasted from 3 . This was one of the largest fermentation rooms Id ever encountered at a distillery, and apparently there was another, even bigger fermentation building adjoining it. For almost 7 decades, workers at the Lawrenceburg, Indiana facility could go to their local liquor store and find a bottle sold by the same company that they worked for: Seagrams. . When comparing it with one of the countrys most popular vodkas, it was smoother, had a pleasant nose (versus a rubbing alcohol one), and a light taste. NDPs like Smooth Ambler, Mayor Pingree, Traverse City and others had purchased large amounts of MGP barrels only to return to MGP as they began to run out and were informed that there were no more left. In early October, I received an exclusive invitation to peek behind the curtain of one of the most important distilleries in Americaand one of the most secretive. The rebranding efforts were announced with much fanfare to employees, suppliers, partners and the public. Three generations of the Cray family later, weve certainly grown, but we still have those same family values. The percentage of each vintage is listed on the bottle. It gets immediate feedback from client brands about what is selling across the country. We were hosted by CEO Gus Griffin and VP of brands Andrew Mansinne along with MGP Ingredients talented production team, including Lawrenceburg plant manager Mike Templin and corporate director of quality David Whitmer. So although nobody from the 1930s is still around to say for sure, it is a very real possibility that the same bourbon and rye whiskey recipes were invented in the 1930s. "We make a lot," came the definitive reply. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. It is currently only in nine markets, mostly in the Midwest, making it clear that MGP is taking its time and is deliberate with the roll out of its own line of products. Will you still recognize youre drinking a whiskey that came from Indiana? In the meantime, MGPI will likely continue to expand its distribution of their own brand until all 50 states sell their products (and then proceed to examine markets overseas). Bardstown Bourbon Company has acquired Owensboro, Kentucky-based Green River Distilling Co., the purchasing company announced Thursday. E. Seagram Distillery- A Tale of Two Lawrenceburgs, The Lawrenceburg Distillery under Pernod Ricard ownership, CL Financial and the Financial Collapse of 2008, MGPI expands outside of Lawrenceburg to obtain more storage facilities, E Low Rye: 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley, B High Rye: 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley, E Low Rye: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley, B High Rye: 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley, Q Rye Whiskey: 95% rye, 5% malted barley, C Corn Whiskey: 80% corn, 15% rye, 5% malted barley, D High Corn Bourbon: 99% corn, 1% malted barley, Rye whiskey: 51% rye, 45% corn, 4% malted barley, Wheat Whiskey: 95% wheat, 5% malted barley, Alt. MGP itself is a company founded in 1941 to make high-test alcohol for torpedos to support the war effort. Its not open to the public and MGP is notoriously secretive about what it makes or for who. Request a Sample or Technical Information. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. MEMPHIS, Tenn., Jan. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ducks Unlimited (DU . La Casa del Caminos Comedor & the Rooftop Lounge Offer California-Inspired Citrus City Grille Reveals 2022 Christmas Eve Menu. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. But with the large capacity of the bottling plant on site at the Indiana facility, Pernod Ricard switched bottling operations there until 2006 when they switched operations to Arkansas. They're moving systematically rather than hitting the whole country at once. The Lawrenceburg, Indiana facility is somewhat landlocked in the fact that the town grew around it, leaving no space for new warehouses to be built near their campus. Small batches of 10+ year aged bourbon and rye still pop up from time to time, but the truth of the matter was that every 10+ year old MGP bourbon that is released today has already been purchased years ago. Often those labeled as from a craft distillery are actually sourced from MGP. Pernod Ricard purchased the distilling plant in Indiana and promptly changed the name to Lawrenceburg Distillers Indiana (LDI). Here youll find travelogues, food guides, travel tips, and more all with a side of whisk(e)y. We specialize in everything from old world to new world, organic & natural wines, whiskeys & scotches and everything else. The palate is heavy with caramel, vanilla, and toffee notes with a bold rye spice and a hint of smoke. So George Remus Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a mix of the 21 and 36 percent high rye bourbons, and Rossville Union is a blend of the 95 and 51 percent rye mashbills. Barrels are stacked six-high on wooden ricks, and each floor holds a mix of all the mashbills MGP produces, which includes both their products as well as their customers. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. This release is a blend of 159 barrels, all aged five to seven years and bottled at 94 proof (47% ABV). The Pepper family brand of whiskey is an iconic Kentucky whiskey brand initially produced during the American Revolution and continued through 1967. And the Eight & Sand story? Head on over to Local Kitchens in Huntington Beach for a Lunar New Year Celebration and a FREE FOOD GIVEAWAY from the restaurant concept Great Taste Magazine | Orange County Restaurants and Pros, Condiments-Salsas, Jams, Preserves & Pickles, Orange County Restaurants Events Calendar, Best Orange County Restaurants for Happy Hour, Best Orange County Restaurants for Brunch, Great Taste Magazine 2016 May | June Issue. The next letter indicates the mashbill that was used. The palate is a tad sweet, but theres enough cinnamon spice and barrel notes to keep things more or less balanced. Lets take a look at their similarities and differences in a broad scope: With all of this talk of rye, it is important to note that the most commonly used rye for whiskey products made at the Lawrenceburg, Indiana Distillery come from Germany while Polish, Swedish and Canadian rye are also used if it matches the profile that theyre looking for. Upping the ante on bourbon is the Remus Repeal Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey. In Kentucky, youre likely to hear about the importance of a barrels location in the rickhouse because it affects maturation. Sweet and well-rounded, it was incredibly smooth especially considering its 100 proof. These companies typically have one thing in common; they have a large umbrella corporation that theyre under that increases their buying power. The history of MGPs Lawrenceburg distillery officially dates to 1847 but some records indicate the distillery started as early as 1809. This prompted Pernod Ricard to begin looking for a buyer for the LDI facility. Minor Case is a 2 year old MGP rye that is finished for 8-12 months in #44 sherry cream casks sourced from Meiers [], Our Top 10 Most Memorable Whiskies of 2022 is now, These Experimental Rye Whiskey's from @smokewagonw, Like this song? Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. The other warehouse appears to be metal clad. URLs automatically linked. Nowadays, Light Whiskey produced in Indiana that isnt used in blended whiskies can be found bottled in products such as High Wests 14 Year Old Light Whiskey, Obtaniums Single Barrel Light Whiskey releases, Joseph Magnuss Murray Hill Club batches and even Backbone Bourbon Companys Triple Down Light Whiskey. Eight & Sand blended whiskey is the newest product. Details: Heaven Hill's wheated mash bill (68% corn, 20% Wheat, and 12% malted barley). These mass-produced bourbons are then bottled and sold as the brands' own. But thats not to say all those brands are the same whiskey. More about his life here. For everyone else, they had to settle for the young distillate that MGP had only recently started to produce. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. E. Seagram Distillery is one of the more fascinating pieces of history in modern-day bourbon lore. MGP is the countrys largest producer of rye whiskey and is known for producing some of the best. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Who was working these barrels and whose whiskey is this? Schedule a Tour; FAQ; . Referred to as a campus because of the sheer spread of it, there are upwards of 40 buildings that make up MGP. With the luxury of time, capital, and experience gained over the years, MGP can think long term instead of being under pressure to knock it out of the park right away; It can craft products based on a ton of research from brands, consumers and the bartending community. Since Seagrams has never marketed their GNS as a type of whiskey, the makeup of a typical batch of GNS would forgo any malted grain and instead use 100% corn. The 1% barley is typically viewed as a necessity to aid the enzymes during the mashing process, but another reason it was designed this way was because European laws that stated that all whiskey must contain a percentage of malted grain in order to be called a whiskey. That is, until recently. In the same podcast, he also elaborated on the fact that the V yeast strain (internally known as Strain 133) is shared between Four Roses and MGPI to this day. They make a range of different kinds of spirits, with a focus on a variety of types of whiskey . Again, theres hints of smoke with baking spices, plus a lingering spice finish. All Coupons ( 18) Coupon Codes ( 4) Coupon Sales ( 14) Coupons You May Like. With a giant plant capacity, Pernod Ricard began to explore the market for all of the product they had in their warehouses. Simply put, every barrel thats over 6 years old has been spoken for inside of their warehouses. Every distiller in Kentucky has been dumping millions of dollars into pristine landscaping, educational tours and new facilities to give each distillery its own unique appeal and lure to the tourists and whiskey enthusiasts alike. Operating in Atchison, Kansas, and Lawrenceburg, Indiana, MGP began as a humble grainbelt distillery in 1941 and has since grown into a leading supplier of premium distilled spirits, and specialty wheat proteins and starches. Our tour of MGPs massive operation included a bit of a history lesson on the town of Lawrenceburg, Indiana. MGP is the country's largest producer of rye whiskey and is known for producing some of the best. George picked the Indiana spot for the underground aquifer that produces limestone-filtered water, giving his rye whiskey a pure, unique taste. MGP Ingredients is a leading supplier of premium distilled spirits and specialty wheat proteins and starches has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Luxco, Inc., and its affiliated companies. Till Vodka This vodka is produced at the Atchison, Kansas distillery and made with locally sourced wheat. They are currently available in 14 states with hopes to eventually reach the entire United States. Eight & Sand Blended Bourbon The newest whiskey in the MGP portfolio, Eight & Sand is a blended bourbon that includes every whiskey MGP produces (including both bourbon mashbills, corn whiskey, and light whiskey). After distillation, Seagrams aged it in previously used barrels for as long as was necessary. In a podcast from a couple years ago, Jim Rutledge, the former master distiller of Four Roses, elaborated on the fact that quality control teams between both Seagrams and Four Roses would test each others yeast strains to verify that no genetic drift was occurring. And while touring MGP Distillery I discovered some fascinating facts. Drinkhacker was invited to one of these media days recently, so I got a chance to experience this proverbial Chocolate Factory first hand. For those who like a higher proof, Rossville Union Barrel Proof adds to the high ABV group of MGP Distillerys whiskey collection. But geography played the most important role in why this area was picked for distilling. 2021 Null Media LLC All Rights Reserved. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. However, with contract distilling for new whiskey customers reaching new highs, it was imperative that MGPI expand their facilities. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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La Casa del Caminos Comedor & the Rooftop Lounge Offer California-Inspired Citrus City Reveals... Del Caminos Comedor & the Rooftop Lounge Offer California-Inspired Citrus City Grille Reveals 2022 Christmas Eve.. Often those labeled as from a craft distillery are actually sourced from.... Roughly correlates with the MGP Discount Code & amp ; Certifications ; News Releases ; Social ;. Blended bourbon, is only available in Indiana newest product currently available in Indiana and promptly changed the name Lawrenceburg... 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday: 12 mgp distillery tour to 5 p.m.:... News Releases ; Social Responsibility ; our People, Indiana distillery Codes ( 4 ) Coupon Codes ( 4 Coupon! An impressive five barrels every 30 seconds necessary to keep this designation,. Our tour of MGPs Lawrenceburg distillery officially dates to 1847 but some records indicate the distillery started as as... 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Is notoriously secretive about what is selling across the country brands Andrew Mansinne explained at the beginning our... Grown, but you can opt-out if you wish plant capacity, Pernod Ricard began explore. Explained at the distillery was something more akin to visiting a power.! Vintage is listed on the bottle Lawrenceburg, Indiana we 'll assume you 're ok with this but..., Kentucky-based Green River distilling Co., the check-in procedure at the,! These companies typically have one thing in common ; they have a large umbrella corporation that under...
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