Out of their mutual shared interest in quality bourbon, Bending Branch Winery CEO Dr. Bob Young and president Alison Young is bringing some of their Kentucky Bourbon Country heritage to Comfort, Texas, with the launch of two new bourbon brands: Bending Branch 1840 and ChickenDuck.
“After successfully growing the Bending Branch reputation for quality, exceptional wines and experiences, we are excited to expand the Young family of beverage brands with the launch of outstanding bourbons from Kentucky,” said Alison Young, president and master blender of Bending Branch.
The Bending Branch 1840 brand features premium Kentucky straight bourbon and high rye bourbon whiskeys, aged for a minimum of four years in new American charred oak barrels, that Alison and Dr. Bob have sourced over the last two years for additional aging and bottling in Texas. 1840 pays homage to the year the Bending Branch Winery property was settled and to the original log cabin home on the property.
The first two 1840 Bourbons offered from Bending Branch are a premium high rye bourbon and a signature four-grain mash bill bourbon. The high rye bourbon offers aromas of vanilla, orangesicle and crème brûlée and opens to caramel and orange cordial on the palate. At 108 proof, this bourbon is exceptionally smooth. It retails for $75 and is available at Bending Branch and will soon be in Texas retail stores. The four-grain bourbon features a unique mash bill created by Dr. Bob. It is a small batch blend of three barrels, bottled at barrel strength of 109 proof. Only available at Bending Branch, this bourbon tastes of decadent vanilla buttercream. At $95, the less than 600 bottles that are available for sale have already begun to fly from the shelves.
ChickenDuck is serious bourbon that is purposefully crafted differently. It is named after two of the original chickens and ducks that roamed the vineyard managing pests and entertaining guests. Continuing Bending Branch Winery’s expertise in innovative techniques, the ChickenDuck bourbons use an advanced extraction technology that give them the qualities of bourbons that are aged for multiple years. 100% of the aging of these bourbons takes place on the property in Comfort.
The environmental impact of ChickenDuck is less than traditional bourbon whiskeys because of the extraction technology, reduction in barrel storage time and associated costs, and its almost complete reduction in evaporation loss (“Angel’s Share”) compared to bourbons aged a minimum of four years.
The first ChickenDuck bourbon releases are a high rye bourbon and a wheated bourbon. The high rye has aromas of brown sugar, baking spices and molasses and opens to sassafras and cracked pepper on the finish. The wheated bourbon entices with cedar chest and vanilla on the nose, and it follows through with caramelized sugar and buttery toffee notes. Both ChickenDuck bourbons retail for $42 and are available at Bending Branch. They will be offered in Texas retail stores soon.
Flights of four tastings are available daily at the Bending Branch tasting room. On April 1, Bending Branch is featuring a Bourbon and Bites Sensory Experience. Tickets are available at https://bit.ly/bourbonbites.
As part of the expansion into bourbon, the company is now referred to as Bending Branch, with its four brands: Bending Branch Winery, Ursa Vineyards, Bending Branch 1840 and ChickenDuck.