Watershed Barrel Strength Bourbon, a limited release bourbon expression from Watershed Distillery, is slated to release on September 19, 2020, at Watershed Distillery’s Columbus, Ohio-based bottle shop. Liquor store allocation to select stores throughout Ohio begins on September 21, with allocation to additional U.S. markets to follow in early October.
The barrel strength bourbon, an extremely limited and special release, is Watershed’s most mature and complex bourbon to date. It is aged six years, finished in spent apple brandy barrels; distilled, aged, and bottled entirely at the Chesapeake Avenue distillery. This expression, Watershed’s first-ever barrel strength bourbon offering, is releasing in honor of the brand’s 10-year anniversary as an independent Ohio distillery.
At its heart, Watershed celebrates community and collaboration. This super-premium bourbon is a result of sourcing ingredients from close to home, bringing together people and ideas, and never taking shortcuts. “We’ve been working on this bourbon for quite some time now,” stated Watershed Distillery’s CEO Greg Lehman. “But our work has paid off as this spirit exceeds all of our expectations — rich on the nose, balanced on the palate with a crisp red apple finish from the apple brandy barrel. It’s truly a unique bourbon, and I know I speak for the whole team when I say we can’t wait for our supporters and craft spirits fans to get their hands on a bottle.”
Long aging, plus finishing in barrels that previously held apple brandy, helps to create a deeply complex bourbon with both richness and balanced sweetness. The anniversary barrel strength bourbon layers aromas of baked apples and toasted almonds with flavors of warm baking spices, dark fruit and caramel and ends with a crisp red apple finish and medium mouthfeel. Best enjoyed neat or on the rocks, Watershed Barrel Strength Bourbon is 119.3 proof and available in 750 ml bottles with a shelf price of $69.99 in Ohio and similar pricing in other markets. This special release will have highly limited allocation at Ohio state liquor agencies beginning on September 21, with additional limited allocation beginning in Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, and Michigan in early October.