TL:DR (Price Low to High)
Ezra Brooks 99, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Casks
Noble Oak Double Oak Rye, Rye Whiskey Finished with Port Wine Staves
Templeton Midnight Rye, American Rye Whiskey Blended with Dark Port Wine
Woodinville Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Finished in Port Casks
Amador Whiskey Co. Kentucky Rye Whiskey, Finished in Port Barrels
Breckenridge Whiskey, Port Cask Finish
Angel's Envy, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels
TX, Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Tawny Port Casks
Old Elk Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Port Cask Finish
Garrison Brothers Guadalupe, Texas Straight Bourbon Finished in a Port Cask
What is Port Wine?
Port is a sweet, fortified wine hailing from the Douro region of Portugal. It originates from trade wars between England and France in the 17th century, causing England to increase trade with Portugal. The powerful red wines became popular in England, and brandy started to be added to stabilise the dry wines and make sure they arrived in England in good condition. Ports are made by adding grape spirit to a fermenting juice to create an alcoholic sweet wine. This is a technique that has been used in this region since the eighteenth century and it is now used to make wines of a similar style throughout the world. Port is made in red, white, and rosé styles but red Port is the most common. (Wine & Spirit Education Trust)
Basic Ruby Ports are blends of wines that are typically between one and three years old. They are fresher in style and lack the concentration, complexity or tannins of more premium Port styles.
Basic Tawny are not necessarily older than Ruby Ports, but they appear browner in color, thus the name tawny, because they are deliberately aged in an oxidative style.
Photo by Dram Street
Ezra Brooks 99, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Port Wine Casks
The Ezra Brooks brand is produced at Lux Row Distillers, a 90-acre distillery property in Bardstown, Kentucky, about an hour south of Louisville by car. The distillery also produces and bottles the following bourbon brands: Rebel, David Nicholson, Daviess County, and Blood Oath.
The Ezra Brooks brand was created in 1957 by Frank Silverman and bottled at Hoffman Distilling Company in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. In 1976, the Medley Distilling Company in Owensboro, Kentucky, produced Ezra Brooks, which became their best-selling brand. In 1993, St. Louis-based spirits supplier Luxco purchased the Ezra Brooks bourbon brand. Luxco was previously known as the David Sherman Corporation. In 2016 and 2017, the brand updated the packaging and released the Bourbon Cream and Rye labels. In 2018, Lux Row Distillers opened, and Ezra Brooks and several other Luxco bourbons finally had a production home. In 2021, the Ezra Brooks brand released the 99 proof, which became the new standard bottling proof for bourbon and rye. The Ezra Brooks 80 proof is discontinued.
Ezra Brooks 99 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (KSBW) is the brand's flagship product and the base whiskey for their Port cask-finish release. The bourbon is distilled from a mash bill of 78 % corn, 10 % rye, 12 % malted barley, aged for 4-years in a new charred American oak barrel, charcoal filtered, and bottled at 99 proof (49.5 % ABV). Charcoal filtering is legally mandated for Tennessee Whiskey but highly uncommon for Kentucky bourbon. This extra step gives Ezra Brooks a unique, mellow flavor. The Port Cask-Finish is the brand's newest release. In November 2024, this product will be readily available, although I am not sure if it will be a permanent line extension. The brand does not disclose how long the Ezra Brooks 99 bourbon is finished in the Port casks, but the final product is also bottled at 99 proof (49.5 % ABV).
Tasting Notes from the Brand
Vanilla, tobacco, and leather are in perfect harmony on the nose, with sweet fruitiness and dark chocolate on the palate.
Photo by Noble Oak
Noble Oak Double Oak Rye, Rye Whiskey Finished with Port Wine Staves
Noble Oak is an American Whiskey brand with a mission to plant trees. They partnered with OneTreePlanted.org to plant 1.24 million trees to date. You can visit their website for a very detailed map of where exactly their reforestation projects have been completed.
American Whiskey, particularly bourbon, requires by law a new barrel every time, which could strain the long-term sustainability of American oak forests. That is why more American Whiskey brands partner with organizations that encourage planting new trees.
Noble Oak is owned by Scottish spirits supplier Edrington, who is most well-known for The Macallan Single Malt Scotch Whiskey. The Noble Oak Double Oak Rye is distilled in Indiana from a mash bill of 95 % rye and 5 % malted barley. The whiskey is aged for a minimum of 1 year in new charred American white oak barrels and finished with former Ruby port staves sourced from the Douro Valley in Portugal by Stuart MacPherson, Master of Wood for Macallan. The brand uses a unique compression finishing process, which applies heat and pressure cycles to maximize the wood-to-spirit contact in the barrel. The final product is bottled at 96 proof (48 % ABV) and won a double goal at the 2023 San Fransisco World Spirits Competition.
Tasting Notes from the Brand
Color: Deep mahogany
Nose: Notes of toffee, allspice, wood, and rich grains
Palate: Notes of sweet brown sugar and maple syrup dissolve into a sharp profile of green pepper and grass, closing with austere rye grainy spice
Photo by Templeton
Templeton Midnight Rye, American Rye Whiskey Blended with Dark Port Wine
The Templeton brand was founded in 2006 in the tiny town of Templeton, in western Iowa, by Keith Kerkhoff, a local farmer, distiller, and second-generation descendent of a Templeton prohibition moonshiner. The town of Templeton has a famous reputation for distilling rye whiskey during American Prohibition. Nicknamed "The Good Stuff," their product was so good that it allegedly became the whiskey of choice for the Chicago Outfit crime boss, Al Capone. Kerkhoff went the legal route when reviving the town's rye whiskey distilling legacy. Initially using contract rye whiskey from Indiana, the brand opened a distillery in Templeton in 2018.
The Templeton Midnight Rye is a rye whiskey distilled from a mash bill of 95 % rye and 5 % malted barley, aged in first-fill American oak barrels, which means the barrels have already been used once for aging whiskey, blended with "dark" Port wine, and bottled at 90 proof (45 % ABV). Unlike the other products on this list, the Templeton Midnight Rye is a slightly unconventional whiskey because the base whiskey is blended with actual port wine, rather than finishing the whiskey in a barrel that previously held port wine.
Tasting Notes from the Brand
Aroma: An enchanting dance of dark cherries, figs, and a subtle hint of spiced orange peel
Taste: A perfect balance of cinnamon, clove, and a touch of dark chocolate, all harmonizing in a silky, full-bodied texture that coats the palate.
Finish: A lingering embrace of warmth and satisfaction, leaving behind echoes of dried fruits, oak, and a whisper of black pepper.
Photo by Woodinville
Woodinville Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Finished in Port Casks
The Woodinville brand was founded by two best friends, Orlin Sorensen and Brett Carlile, in 2010 in Woodinville, Washington, about 30 minutes northeast of Seattle by car. They received help and mentorship from the late David Pickerell, former Master Distiller for Maker's Mark and Whiskey Pig. Dave, who died on November 1, 2018, is considered the "Johnny Appleseed" of American craft distilling because he provided his vast knowledge and experience to assist many new distilleries to get off the ground. Another example of a distillery Dave worked with is Garrison Brothers in Hye, Texas. Woodinville focuses on three areas to ensure their whiskey is high-quality:
All their grains are estate-grown and sourced from the Omlin family farm in Quincy, Washington.
They use single-batch distillation in pear-shaped pot stills.
Before the wood is turned into a barrel, it is seasoned outside in the open, exposed to the elements of air, rain, wind, sun, and snow for 18 months to soften its harsh tannins.
After seasoning, they toast the inside of the barrel for added complexity before finally heavily charring the barrel's inside to enrich the wood's desirable flavors.
The Port Cask-finished label was released in 2017. The base whiskey for this product is the brand's flagship Woodinville Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The bourbon is mashed and distilled at the Woodinville Distillery from a mash bill of 72 % corn, 22 % rye, and 6 % malted barley and aged for 5 years in pre-seasoned, toasted, charred American oak barrels. Next, the fully mature bourbon is moved to former Port casks, sourced from the Douro Valley in Portugal, and further aged for 6 to 9 months before being bottled at 90 proof (45 % ABV). The Port introduces a rich texture and notes of sticky baked plums and chocolate-covered cherries, creating a complex and delectable bourbon you can really chew on.
Tasting Notes from the Brand
Nose: Vanilla and Sweet Berries
Caste: Caramel, Berry, and Dark Chocolate
Finish: Lingering Fruit
Photo by Amador Whiskey Co.
Amador Whiskey Co. Kentucky Rye Whiskey, Finished in Port Barrels
Amador Whiskey Company is owned by California wine supplier Trinchero Family Estates and is named after Amador County, located just east of Sacramento. All their whiskeys are double barrel aged, sourced Kentucky distilled whiskey, and finished in California wine casks. The Amador Port finished Rye is distilled at the Willet Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, from a mash bill of 74 % rye, 11 % corn, and 15 % malted barley. The whiskey is aged for 3 years in new charred American oak barrels at the Castle & Key Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. Finally, the rye whiskey is finished for 9 to 12 months in former medium toast French and American oak casks that formerly held Amador County Terra d'Orod'Oro Port, then bottled at 92 proof (46 % ABV). I recently read that Trinchero closed the Terra d'Orod'Oro Winery in Amador County at the end of August 2024. How will this affect where they source their American Port barrels moving forward?
Tasting Notes from the Brand
Deep copper brown color with red hue from Port wine barrels. Classic rye spice with aromas and flavors of gingerbread, cookie dough, toffee, and hints of vanilla and honey. Full bodied and decadent
Photo by Reserve Bar
Breckenridge Whiskey, Port Cask Finish
The Breckenridge Distillery is the "World's Highest Distillery," located in the famous ski town of Breckenridge, Colorado, 9,600 feet above sea level. It was founded in 2008 by Bryan Nolt, a doctor in Radiology turned distiller, who made a significant career transition after experiencing an epiphany while visiting Scotch distilleries in Scotland.
The Breckenridge Port Cask Finish begins as their flagship high-rye bourbon, distilled at Breckenridge Distillery from a mash bill of 56 % corn, 38 % rye, and 6 % malted barley. The base bourbon is a blend of 3 to 8-year-old bourbon, made using high mineral-content Rocky Mountain water sourced from tarns, which are alpine lakes carved out by glaciers. Next, the mature bourbon is finished for 8 months in 10-to-20-year-old 59-gallon Tawny Port wine casks. The final product is non-chill filtered, bottled in 8 to 10 barrel batches at 90 proof (45 % ABV). The Breckenridge Port Cask Finish won a gold medal in 2023 at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Photo by Angel’s Envy
Angel's Envy, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels
When people think about port cask-finished bourbon, they think about Angel's Envy. Unlike most other brands that release a port cask-finish bourbon as a special release, limited-time offer, or line extension, Angel's Envy built their entire brand with their port cask-finished bourbon. Lincoln Henderson, founder and former Master Distiller, created the brand with his son Wes. Lincoln retired from Brown-Forman after a long and successful career, where he played an integral role in developing the Woodford Reserve brand and other successful Brown-Forman products like Gentleman Jack and Jack Daniel's Single Barrel. He was also inducted into the Bourbon Hall of Fame. Inspired by the boom in craft distilling, Wes encourage his retired father to experiment with something new without the constraints of working for a large company. They finished their new bourbon in port barrels when very few American Whiskey producers did this. When you age whiskey in a barrel, a certain volume evaporates over time, often called the "Angel's Share." I have heard people cite that it's about 5 % in Kentucky. Well, the story goes, when Lincoln and Wes tasted their first batch of experimental whiskey, Lincoln joked that maybe they'd finally gotten a better deal and the angels should envy them. The legend of the name Angel's Envy was born. Lincoln Henderson died in 2013, and Bacardi bought the brand in 2015.
The Angel's Envy Distillery is located in downtown Louisville across from the Louisville Slugger Field, home to the minor league baseball team, the Louisville Bats. The brand needs to provide more transparency regarding its production process. Angel's Envy sources their barrels from Louisville neighbor Kelvin Cooperage. They finish their Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey in Ruby Port casks for an undisclosed time, then bottle the final product at 86.6 proof (43.3 % ABV). I have visited many Kentucky distilleries but have yet to go to Angel's Envy. I may need to schedule a visit to learn more about their production process.
Tasting Notes from the Brand
Nose: Subtle vanilla, raisins, maple syrup and toasted nuts
Palate: Vanilla, ripe fruit, maple syrup, toast and bitter chocolate
Finish: Clean and lingering sweetness with a hint of Madeira that slowly fades
Photo by TX
TX, Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Tawny Port Casks
The TX Bourbon Port Cask finish is the second Port Cask finished Texas bourbon on this list, along with the Garrison Brothers Guadalupe. The company was founded by Leonard Firestone & Troy Robertson in 2010. Unlike the Garrison Brothers Distillery near the Texas Hill Country, the Firestone & Robertson Distilling is located in Fort Worth in North Texas. Their TX Whiskey Ranch is 112 acres, truly a Texas-size property, and they claim to be the largest distillery west of the Mississippi River. Their Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a wheated bourbon distilled from yellow dent corn, soft red winter wheat, and barley, all grown by a 4th generation Texas farmer about an hour south of the distillery. They do not publicly disclose the mash bill. They ferment their mash with a proprietary strain of yeast captured from a Texas pecan. It is essential because a brand's mash bill plus yeast strain is known as their recipe. Texas source water is used for all parts of the production process. The whiskey is aged for a minimum of 4 years in North Texas. The brand emphasizes the bourbon is made with Texas ingredients for an undeniable Texas flavor. The brand was purchased by French spirits giant Pernod Ricard (Jameson, Absolut, Malibu) in 2019. TX launched its barrel finish series in 2021. The Port Cask Finish uses the base Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey, finished in Tawny Port casks for an undisclosed time, is non-chill filtered, and bottled at 101.6 proof (50.8 % ABV).
Tasting Notes from the Brand
Nose: Toasted caramel, baked apple, sweet smoke, honey, cinnamon
Palate: Chocolate, baking spices, apricot, maple syrup
Finish: Long finish, warm, heavy dark fruit and molasses
Photo by Old Elk
Old Elk Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Port Cask Finish
Old Elk is a bourbon brand from Fort Collins, Colorado. Old Elk is one of the brands on this list I need to learn more about because I have never sold their brand professionally, so I will need to rely on the information they release publicly. One significant production difference that sets them apart is their "Slow Cut Proofing Process."
Their website says, "One of the things that sets Old Elk apart from the herd is our Slow Cut™ Proofing Process. For us it means extra steps and extra costs. For you it means the world-class quality you’ve come to expect from our products. To proof alcohol, water is added until the liquid reaches a desired strength. However, this creates a heat liberating reaction, and when you add hundreds of gallons of water in a day or two, it ends up boiling off many of the lighter, finer flavors. Here at Old Elk, though, we’ve always done things differently. Instead of a day, we spend weeks adding small increments of water to keep our liquid cool and save the delicate flavors our team works so hard to produce during mashing, fermentation, distillation, and maturation. It’s why we’ve deemed our whiskey Slow Cut™, and it’s why you can taste the quality in every sip."
The Old Elk Bourbon Port Cask Finish is distilled from their signature high-malt mash bill of 51 % corn, 15 % rye, and 34 % malted barley. I believe all their whiskey is distilled in Indiana, which probably means it is sourced from Ross & Squibb, formerly MGP. The whiskey is aged for a minimum of 5 years in a new American charred barrel, then cask finished in a 59-gallon former Port cask from Portugal for 10 months to 1 year, and finally bottled at 108.1 proof (54 % ABV).
Tasting Notes from the Brand
Honey, orchid, apples, oak, and a flavor profile featuring smoke on the finish
Photo by Garrison Brothers
Garrison Brothers Guadalupe, Texas Straight Bourbon Finished in a Port Cask
Garrison Brothers was the first legal distillery in Texas since Prohibition. They have distilled all their own bourbon since they opened and only produce one brand, both of which are a rarity these days. Their distillery is located in Hye, Texas, about an hour west of Austin by car. Their flagship Small-batch bourbon is the base whiskey used in all their cask-finished products. The Small Batch Bourbon is a wheated bourbon distilled from a mash bill of 74 % Corn, 15 % Red Winter Wheat, and 11 % Malted Barley, fermented using a sweet mash instead of the usual sour mash*, aged for a minimum of 4 years in toasted and charred new American white oak barrels.
The idea for Guadalupe came from a previous wine-cask-finished project called Estacado. In 2016, Garrison Brothers collaborated with Texas winemaker Llano Estacado in the Panhandle. Llano Estacado is one of Texas's oldest winemakers. They traded them 20 wet Garrison Brothers bourbon barrels in exchange for 20 ten-year-old Texas-Port casks. Llano Estacado aged a Cabernet Sauvignon wine in the Garrison Brothers bourbon barrels, and they aged 4-year-old bourbon in their port casks. The result was Estacado port cask-finished Texas straight bourbon whiskey, bottled at 107 port (53.5 %). Founder Dan Garrison said," We took what we learned from our Estacado and improved it with Guadalupe."
The burnt orange wax top can identify the Guadalupe label from the other Garrison Brothers products. For the Guadalupe label, they cask-finish their 4-year-old wheated bourbon for two additional years in super wet tawny Port casks from Portugal, then bottle the final product at 107 proof (53.5 % ABV). A wet barrel, or wet cask, is when the original winery or a barrel broker ships the used barrels with a small portion of wine inside the barrel to keep the wooden staves moist and prevent them from cracking or leaking. A wet, well-seasoned barrel will provide a lot of flavor to the next whiskey added. Garrison Brothers chose to finish their Guadalupe for two years, which is a long time to finish a bourbon. Most cask-finish bourbons are usually less than a year, maybe 6-9 months. The final price certainly reflects all this care and attention to detail. In my home market of Oklahoma, this product costs between $132 and $144 per bottle when available.
The distillery location has substantial temperature swings between the Texas summers and winters. A considerable evaporation loss called the Angel's Share gives Garrison Brothers a big, bold, and concentrated flavor profile. This unique taste makes it a perfect match for finishing in Port casks. Their website states, "Port wine is typically richer, sweeter, heavier, and higher in alcohol content. Most would say the same thing about Garrison Brothers bourbon."
To give an example of how the Angel's Share affects the final product for Guadalupe, Master Distiller Donnis Todd selected 122 thirty-gallon bourbon barrels that had been filled initially in 2016. The Angel's share losses were about 13 gallons per barrel (liters), meaning there were just 2,065 gallons of bourbon to be used. This liquid was entered into thirty-five 59-gallon port casks in 2020. The brand considers this arguably the best bourbon vintage they have ever made.
Tasting Notes from the Brand
A sensuous, creamy liquid. Full-on berry fruit. Ripe plums. Strawberry butter on flaky morning biscuits. Chocolate and cinnamon. Lavender honey. Toasted coffee beans. Instant drool.
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