Calumet Farms 15 Year Old Single Rack Black Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (2023) 75cl US Import

Calumet Farms 15 Year Old Single Rack Black Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (2023) 75cl US Import

A fantastic alternative to Pappy 15 that tastes very similar without costing you 3 arms and 17 legs. People will pay anything for a bottle with a legendary man with a moustache on it.

19 Barrels batched to make Rack No. P2614.09

Calumet Farm Single Rack Black 15 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey is the pinnacle of the Calumet Farm Bourbon family. It represents the premium quality our brand is known for, as well as the hard-earned badge of patience. Allowing our bourbon to age slowly in Kentucky-only rick houses is a testament to doing things the right way - the way bourbon should be done. All barrels used to craft these rare batches are aged in a single, center cut rack. This expression of the Calumet Farm Bourbon family is our most aged and highest proof to date. It is Non-Chill Filtered for added depth of character and colour.

In 1941, Whirlaway was ready to shock the world with his amazing speed. Whirlaway had a tendency to bolt toward the outside rail. Trainer Ben Jones spent many sessions trying to break the habit with no luck. The more he tried to tame the wild Whirlaway, the more ornery and bold he became. As a last resort, the day before the Kentucky Derby, Ben Jones cuts one of Whirlaway's blinkers away. It works. Whirlaway, ridden by Eddie Arcaro, not only gives Calumet Farm its first Kentucky Derby victory but he does it with an 8-length victory in a record time of 2:01 2/5. Whirlaway subsequently gives Calumet its first Triple Crown after dominating the Preakness and the Belmont races as well. He later added a win at the Travers Stakes to complete the Grand Slam of thoroughbred racing. To date, he is still the only horse in history to ever accomplish this feat. Whirlaway also captures the honored title of 1941 Horse of the Year. To honor the legacy of Calumet Farm and its first Triple Crown winning horse, this exquisite bourbon has been crafted with the same passion and dedication that lead Whirlaway to victory.

William Monroe Wright established Calumet Farm in 1924 on a small farm in Lexington, Ky. After Wright’s death in 1933 his son Warren began to move the farm’s business toward Thoroughbred racing. After developing the farm’s stock and pedigree for a short time the Wrights hire famed horse trainer Ben A. Jones. Through dedication passion and hard work the farm began an unparalleled ascent eventually topping the horse racing world. This rise to glory would cement Calumet Farm as one of the most dominant names in horse racing history. Over the decades that came the farm produced 2 Triple Crown winners, 8 Kentucky Derby winners and 8 Preakness winners. Calumet Farm is proud to have 11 horses in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame.

1933 - First Stakes Winner

Hadagal became the Wrights first stakes winner – winning the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park. The Wrights began bloodstock investments with the idea of breeding and raising their own horses. They purchased Nellie Morse in foal to the stallion American Flag. Nellie Flag was the first champion to don Calumet’s “devil” red and blue racing silks, which would remain a staple of horse racing for the remainder of the century.

1936 - Investments

The Wrights purchased an interest in the stud career of English Derby winner Blenheim II and bought a yearling colt at the Saratoga sales who became five-time Leading Sire—Bull Lea.

1939 - The Legacy Begins

The Wrights hire the famed horse trainer Ben A. Jones. Jones’ son Jimmy soon joined him and they trained Calumet horses together for the next 20 years.

1941 - Farm Firsts

After bringing the first Calumet horses to Jones’ shedrow a year before, Whirlaway was finally ready to shock the world. Whirlaway had a tendency to bolt toward the outside rail. After many sessions trying to break the habit, Ben Jones as a last resort, the day before the KY Derby, cuts one of Whirlaway's blinkers. It works. Whirlaway not only gives Calumet Farm its first Kentucky Derby victory but he does it with an 8-length victory in a record time of 2:01 2/5. He subsequently gives Calumet its first Triple Crown after dominating the Preakness and the Belmont races as well. Whirlaway captures the honored title of 1941 Horse of the Year.

1942-1943 Greatness Continues

Whirlaway continued to dominate winning 12 of his 22 starts and was voted Horse of the Year once more. By the end of 1942, he had become the world's leading money-winner ($560,911.50) and racing's first ever $500,000 earner.

1947 - The Greatest

In this single year, Calumet Farm cememted it's place in Thoroughbred racing history for all time. Before the year was over, Calumet Farm had collected a record 100 victories, with 36 money-winning performers and 10 stakes winners. The $1,402,436 earned by the farm in this single year was more than double any stable's previous earnings. Citation, as a 2 year-old, wins 8 of his 9 starts, hinting at the great things to come.

1948 - Citation

Citation wins 19 of his 20 starts, is named Horse of the Year and captures Calumet Farm's second Triple Crown. Legendary jockey Eddie Arcaro would go on to describe Citation as the best horse he ever rode. In media polls at the end of the last century, Citation was ranked with the likes of Man O’War and Secretariat as one of the best racehorses of all time.

1950 - A Legend Passes

On December 28th, Waren Wright Sr. passes away. His 19 years as head of Calumet Farm leaves an indelable mark on the history of Thoroughbred breeding and racing. The farm's continued success would serve as a fitting tribute to one the sports greats.

1951 - Dreams Achieved

One of Wright Sr.'s major ambitions was to see Citation become racing's first millionaire earners. Around 6 months after Wright Sr. passed, Citation achieved this dream as a 6 year-old capturing the Hollywood Gold Cup, his last race.

1951-1961 Continued Dominance

For the next decade, Calumet Farm continues to dominate Thoroughbred racing. Although never returning to the heigths achieved in the 1940's, the farm tops the list of Money-Winning Owners 5 more times during this stretch.

1961 - Ben Passes

Ben Allyn Jones passes away at age 78. During his time at Calumet, the farm led the nation in earnings a record 11 times. He was elected to the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (1958).

1960-1980 Transition

Over the next 2 decades, Calumet Farm continued to have success but several factors made it difficult to maintain the meteoric rise of the farm's previous 20 years. After the passing of Ben Jones ('61) and the retirement of his son Jimmy Jones ('64) the farm started a slow decline. Bull Lea dies in 1964 and from then until 1977 Calumet only races 20 stakes winners. For many farms this would be considerably successful, however as compared to Calumet’s former successes, this was a serious decline. This time wasn't without high points. In 1978 Alydar, of Calumet Farm, with Affirmed, provides racing with one of its greatest rivalries. This includes neck and neck finishes of every leg of the Triple Crown, a feat not repeated before nor since.

1980-2012

The farm falls further from championship shape. In 1990, Alydar dies and accelerates the farm’s decline. Soon afterward the farm goes into bankruptcy, the horses are dispersed and the land put to the auction block in 1992. This seems to mark the end of an era. In 1992, successful businessman Henryk de Kwiatkowski who had grown fond of the pristine beauty of Calumet Farm on his regular visits to the Bluegrass State, learns that the farm is to be auctioned. He quickly flies to Lexington, arriving less than an hour before the event and wins the ownership of Calumet with a final bid of $17 million. After his purchase of Calumet, Kwiatkowski returned the farm to its former beauty with white fences and lush fields. In 2003, Henryk de Kwiatkowski passes away and the operation was passed to his family members as a group of trustees.

2012 - A Legend is Reborn

The Calumet Investment Group bought Calumet Farm from the de Kwiatkowski Trust for over $36 million in 2012.

2013 - Oxbow and Bourbon

Oxbow wins the Preakness Stakes and marks the return of Calumet Farm to the winner's circle of a Triple Crown race for the first time since 1968. Calumet Farm Bourbon is also launched and released in a singular, extremely small batch.

2019 - Back On Top

Calumet Farm breaks a 57 year drought and in 2019 becomes North America’s leading breeder by money won for the first time since 1961. The Farm's 410 starters of 2019 collectively earned $12,576.242 in purses. Calumet Farm was also named as a finalist for the Eclipse Award as Outstanding Breeder.

TASTING NOTES

Colour: Deep amber throughout with shimmering highlights of copper and sun-yellow

Nose Upon Uncorking: Notes of oak and wood char are notable

Nose After Breathing: complex scents of dark fruit and sweet corn

Palate: Bold flavours of oak, aged spice and toasted grains are present while toffee and a subtle smoky-sweetness roll across the palate

Finish: A lingering finish mellows, leaving sweet tobacco and rye flavours with a slightly dry mouth feel

52.5% ABV

75cl