Town Branch Distillery, the primary distilling arm of Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co., has officially announced the release of its highly anticipated Town Branch Imperium MMXXIV Kentucky Straight Bourbon. This annual release arrives as part of the distillery’s dedication to producing top-tier bourbon, celebrating craftsmanship and tradition. Bottled at 96 proof and non-chill filtered, this small-batch release is sure to catch the attention of bourbon enthusiasts across the United States.
Image credit: Town Branch Distillery
The Town Branch Imperium MMXXIV is priced at $119.99 for a 750ml bottle, and while availability will be limited to select states, it marks a significant milestone for the distillery. This bourbon is the first of its kind, a blend years in the making, and is set to become an annual tradition.
A Blend of the Finest Barrels
Image credit: Town Branch Distillery
What sets Town Branch Imperium MMXXIV apart is its unique blend of mash bills. The bourbon is a 50/50 combination of the finest wheated bourbon barrels and traditional Kentucky Straight Bourbon barrels. This marks the introduction of a new wheated bourbon mash bill, which is gaining prominence in the distillery’s lineup. This blend not only features 50% Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon but also includes hand-selected barrels from the traditional mash bill, offering a distinctive profile unlike any other bourbon produced by Town Branch.
Each barrel selected for Imperium undergoes a rigorous tasting and inspection process. Town Branch’s production team is known for their attention to detail, identifying barrels that are truly exceptional, often referred to as "one-in-a-hundred" barrels. These special barrels are set aside and reserved for the exclusive Imperium line, ensuring that only the highest quality bourbon is used.
According to Dave Bob Gaspar, Town Branch’s National Brand Manager, “Each barrel tells a story, and each product crafted from those barrels continues to tell that story. Imperium, simply put, commands the best of the best—end of story.” This philosophy underscores the care and precision that goes into each bottle of Imperium bourbon.
Meticulous Aging and Small-Batch Production
The aging process for Imperium MMXXIV bourbon plays a key role in its flavor development. The barrels used for this release range in age from six to eight years. Some of the key barrels include:
- Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey aged between 7 and 8 years
- Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey aged for 6 years and 5 to 7 months
The aging process brings out the rich complexity of the mash bills, creating a perfect balance between the wheat’s softer, sweeter flavors and the bolder notes of traditional bourbon. These barrels are blended to highlight the strengths of each, offering an unparalleled tasting experience.
The release of Town Branch Imperium MMXXIV is truly small-batch, with only six to ten barrels blended per year. This limited production ensures that every bottle maintains a high standard of quality, making it a must-have for collectors and connoisseurs alike. The Roman numerals MMXXIV, representing the year of release (2024), adorn each bottle, emphasizing the exclusivity and tradition behind the line.
Mash Bill: Multiple Kentucky Straight Bourbon Barrels
- Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (72C / 15R / 13B)
- SN 3397 / Fill Date: September 13, 2016 (Aged 8 years, 2 months)
- SN 3466 / Fill Date: October 1, 2016 (Aged 8 years, 1 month)
- SN 3947 / Fill Date: February 12, 2017 (Aged 7 years, 8 months)
- Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey (70C / 22W / 8B)
- SN 8630 / Fill Date: March 03, 2018 (Aged 6 years, 7 months)
- SN 8654 / Fill Date: March 03, 2018 (Aged 6 years, 7 months)
- SN 8686 / Fill Date: April 24, 2018 (Aged 6 years, 5 months)
Tasting Notes
The Town Branch Imperium MMXXIV offers a complex and carefully balanced flavor profile. It begins with a beautiful light mahogany appearance, inviting the drinker to explore its depth.
- Aroma : The nose of this bourbon delivers sweet caramel, complemented by floral notes, oak, and toasted vanilla. These aromas are inviting and give a hint of the rich experience that follows.
- Palate : On the palate, the bourbon unfolds with layers of flavor. You’ll notice cloves and dry oak at first, followed by sweeter, richer notes like pecan praline candy, caramel, apricot, and custard. There’s also a touch of ripe black cherry that adds complexity to each sip.
- Finish : The finish is medium in length, offering a silky and gentle conclusion with lingering flavors of sweet mature oak, toasted almonds, and a hint of allspice.
This balance of sweet and spice, fruit, and oak makes the Town Branch Imperium MMXXIV a truly distinctive bourbon. The wheated bourbon’s softer characteristics enhance the overall smoothness, while the traditional mash bill contributes complexity and boldness, giving bourbon lovers a unique flavor profile that will keep them coming back for more.
A New Era for Town Branch
The release of the Imperium MMXXIV bourbon represents a new chapter for Town Branch Distillery. While the distillery has produced several popular bourbons over the years, the introduction of a wheated mash bill in this annual release signals a new direction for the brand. The distillery has already started incorporating wheated bourbon into other products, such as its Overproof Whiskey, which features 10% wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon.
In addition to experimenting with mash bills, Town Branch is focused on blending only the finest barrels for each product. With the Imperium line, this careful blending process is taken to the next level, resulting in a whiskey that is not only unique but also a reflection of the distillery’s commitment to quality and innovation.
Each year, the barrels set aside for the Imperium stock will be re-evaluated, and only the best selections will make it into the final blend. This ensures that each release of Imperium will continue to offer something special, celebrating National Bourbon Heritage Month with a whiskey that embodies the best of Kentucky bourbon tradition.
Availability and Pricing
As a highly limited annual release, the Town Branch Imperium MMXXIV Kentucky Straight Bourbon will be available in select states across the U.S. The suggested retail price for this 750ml bottle is $119.99, reflecting the craftsmanship and exclusivity behind the product. For those fortunate enough to secure a bottle, it’s sure to become a prized addition to any bourbon collection.
In conclusion, the Town Branch Imperium MMXXIV marks a significant achievement for Town Branch Distillery. With its unique blend of wheated and traditional bourbon barrels, meticulous aging process, and commitment to quality, this bourbon sets a new standard for limited-edition whiskey releases. Bourbon enthusiasts will no doubt be eager to experience the rich, complex flavors that Town Branch has crafted with this exceptional product.
About Town Branch Distillery
Town Branch Distillery is a notable distillery located in Lexington, Kentucky, renowned for its role in both the bourbon and brewing industries. Established in 2012 by Alltech, an international agribusiness and biotechnology company, Town Branch is named after the limestone-rich stream that runs through Lexington. This water source, known as the Town Branch, has historical significance as it was crucial to the city’s early distilleries, and its pure limestone-filtered water makes it ideal for whiskey production. The distillery plays a key role in the revitalization of Lexington’s bourbon heritage.
Town Branch Distillery is part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, a prestigious designation that includes some of the state’s most renowned bourbon producers. What makes Town Branch particularly unique is that it is one of the few distilleries in Kentucky to also have a brewery on-site, the Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. This dual focus allows Town Branch to craft not only bourbon and whiskey but also a range of beers, including the popular Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, which is aged in bourbon barrels to impart rich, woody flavors. This integration of brewing and distilling creates a distinctive synergy that enhances both sides of the production process.
The distillery’s flagship product is Town Branch Bourbon, a traditional Kentucky straight bourbon that is smooth, rich, and slightly sweet. This bourbon features notes of caramel, toffee, vanilla, and oak, which are derived from its aging process in new charred oak barrels. In addition to the bourbon, Town Branch also produces a variety of whiskeys, including Town Branch Rye, which highlights the spicier and bolder characteristics of rye grain. These whiskeys are produced using the classic methods of double distillation in copper pot stills, giving them a refined and well-rounded profile.
Another standout offering from the distillery is Pearse Lyons Reserve, a malt whiskey named after Dr. Pearse Lyons, the founder of Alltech and the visionary behind Town Branch Distillery. Pearse Lyons Reserve is crafted using 100% malted barley and aged in bourbon barrels, making it one of the few American single malt whiskeys, a category that has seen growing interest in recent years. The whiskey boasts a balance of malt sweetness, fruit, and oak, reflecting the skill and innovation that the distillery brings to its craft.
The distillery itself is designed to give visitors a close-up view of the distilling process, and its copper pot stills and mash tuns are visible throughout the tour experience. Town Branch offers tours that showcase both the beer and whiskey production processes, allowing guests to learn about the history of Kentucky bourbon while sampling a variety of the distillery’s spirits and beers.
In summary, Town Branch Distillery is a unique player in the Kentucky spirits world, blending the traditions of bourbon making with the craft of brewing. Its dual focus on producing both beer and whiskey sets it apart from other distilleries, while its commitment to quality and innovation has earned it a respected place on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Through its bourbon, rye, and malt whiskeys, Town Branch continues to make its mark on the American whiskey landscape, while also celebrating Lexington’s rich distilling history.
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