Silk Velvet Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (2026) 75cl
*Please allow up to 14 days for delivery of this whisky.
Premium Kentucky Straight Bourbon revived from an 1880 Henderson heritage, crafted by 8th-generation Master Distiller Jacob Call.
Blended from twelve hand-selected barrels aged to perfection, this Small Batch Select expression captures the signature character of Silk Velvet — layers of caramel, vanilla, and toasted oak balanced by gentle rye spice, culminating in a finish as smooth as its name.
TASTING NOTES
Nose: Vanilla bean, toasted oak, dark cherry, and warm caramel.
Palate: Brown sugar, baking spice, roasted nuts, and a touch of stone fruit.
Finish: Silky and lingering with oak, cinnamon, and a subtle cocoa sweetness.
About Silk Velvet
In the winter of 1880, after leaving the Worsham family distillery, Colonel Aaron Shelby Winstead set out to build something of his own. At 51, he founded the Winstead Distilling Co. with a clear vision for a more refined bourbon. When the first batch came off the still, he named it for the two finest things he could think of: silk and velvet, a reflection of the character he intended to create.
What followed set him apart. Silk Velvet moved at a scale uncommon for its time, with early shipments reaching New York and beyond, eventually establishing a presence across much of the country. By the early 1900s, it was recognized as one of Kentucky's finest offerings, known for its purity and consistency. Winstead would not live to see its full reach. Prohibition closed the distillery. Time and fire erased what remained. What endured was the standard he set, one built on quality, character, and a name that was never meant to be forgotten.
-
1829Aaron Shelby (A.S.) Winstead is born in Kentucky.
-
1856At 26, Winstead marries America T. Worsham, daughter of Elijah W. Worsham, a respected Kentucky distiller, and begins working at his father-in-law's distillery in Henderson.
-
1863During the Civil War, Winstead registers for the draft but does not serve. He later earns the title "Colonel". Likely an honorary Kentucky Colonel designation.
-
1880Winstead leaves Worsham, partners with Bona Hill, and establishes Hill & Winstead Distilling Co. on the former Henderson Car Works site. The first batch is produced that winter. After tasting it, he declares it the smoothest whiskey on the market and names it "Silk Velvet."
-
Mid-1880sSilk Velvet gains regional popularity. The distillery expands to 125 bushels per day.
-
1891The firm is renamed A.S. Winstead & Sons.
-
1892Winstead Distilling Co. is officially incorporated. Mashing capacity grows to 250 bushels per day.
-
Late 1890sSilk Velvet earns a "national reputation for purity and aroma," shipped to all sections of the United States.
1900s
Growth, Prohibition, and Decline
-
1900Production slows to 130 bushels per day. Warehouses hold 4,000 barrels of aging whiskey.
-
1910E.W. Winstead, son of A.S. Winstead, takes over operations and renames the company E.W. Winstead & Co.
-
1912Col. A.S. Winstead passes away at age 82 and is buried at Fernwood Cemetery in Henderson, KY.
-
1913The Henderson Morning Gleaner describes Silk Velvet as a nationally recognized brand with widespread distribution.
-
1915Marketed as "Kentucky's finest product, pure and undefiled," with distribution east of the Rocky Mountains.
-
1917The Webb-Kenyon Act restricts interstate alcohol shipments, reducing Silk Velvet's mail-order business.
-
1920Prohibition begins. E.W. Winstead & Co. closes. E.W. dies the same year, age 52. He is buried alongside his father.
-
1920 to 2020Silence. A century-long pause.
2000s
The Bourbon Revival Begins
-
2020The Hargis family of Henderson, KY discovers the history of Silk Velvet and begins researching the brand's legacy.
-
2021-2022The Hargis family secures the Silk Velvet trademark, ensuring the historic name is preserved.
-
2023The Hargis family partners with Jacob Call, an 8th-generation master distiller whose family has been making bourbon since 1791.
-
May 2024The first barrels of Silk Velvet are selected for bottling, reviving the brand after more than a century.
-
December 9, 2024Silk Velvet Whiskey officially launches in Henderson, KY, selling out on day one.
-
2025The brand expands across Kentucky and into Tennessee, earning praise for its 7-year-old, 107-proof Single Barrel.
-
TodaySilk Velvet continues to grow, with more limited barrel releases planned and future distillate aging at Western Kentucky Distilling Co. Once lost to time. Now back on the bar.
It started with Mark Hargis, who spent years collecting the pieces of Silk Velvet's past: old bottles, labels, advertisements and records found throughout Henderson. What began as an interest in a forgotten hometown whiskey became something more. The name had been born here in 1880, and the Hargis family believed it belonged here again.
By then, bourbon was already the family trade. Zach had built his career inside Kentucky distilleries, working at the Owensboro distillery through its transition from O.Z. Tyler to the revived Green River name, and later joining the leadership team that built Western Kentucky Distilling Co. from the ground up. Zeb built his career on the other side of the industry, bringing spirits to market and putting bottles into the hands of retailers and drinkers.
In 2020, Mark, Zach and Zeb began the work of bringing Silk Velvet back. From the beginning, their longtime friend and 8th-generation distiller Jacob Call was part of the conversation. Four years later, Silk Velvet returned to Henderson, and the first bottles produced in more than a century sold out the day they were released.
53.5% ABV
75cl
