Marianne Eaves, Kentucky’s first female Master Distiller, today debuts Forbidden, the spirits industry’s first white corn and white winter wheat expression of bold Kentucky bourbon. Inspired by Southern cooking, Forbidden is the culmination of nearly a decade of work by Eaves to capture the essence of an elegant mature bourbon achieved by nontraditional low-temperature fermentation.
“Total creativity involves a certain degree of rebellion. To be completely creative, I tend to do things a little bit forbidden,” said Eaves, who has fully controlled the distillation, aging and bottling of Forbidden from grain to glass. “While creating Forbidden, I have had the freedom to cross deep into uncharted territory using nontraditional ingredients and techniques. The resulting bourbon, on my palate, is perfection.”
The first release of Forbidden is a small batch, hand-blended 5-year-old bourbon bottled at 95.2 proof. This bold and elegant expression is beautifully balanced and complex. Forbidden’s unique blend of cuisine-quality white corn, white winter wheat and malted barley gives it a smooth profile. Darker notes balance Forbidden and originate from charred barrels and fruity, floral yeast. The aroma leads with vanilla bean and crème brûlée, dried fruit, hazelnut, light sweet citrus notes and gentle layered spice. The palate: caramel, citrus oil and delicate floral along with baking spices, oak sugar, soft, chewy sweet with a hint of grain. The finish lingers with creamy sweetness with oak and spice.
“With Forbidden, we’ve taken our time to create something completely original in Kentucky bourbon,” said Daniel Rickenmann, one of the new brand’s four South Carolina -based partners along with Eaves in Kentucky. “Forbidden is a bourbon you finish and say, ‘This is my first drink and my last drink of the evening.’ It’s a symphony of flavor, complexity and warmth.”
Rickenmann adds about Eaves, “Marianne’s preoccupation with achieving such a high level of work means she doesn’t follow the usual script. For nearly two decades, Marianne has steadily stepped outside the norm in her career and with her work to create Forbidden, she defies every expectation.”
Distilled, aged and bottled at Bardstown Bourbon Company by Marianne Eaves, Forbidden will be available initially in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina and online at an SRP of $129. The first release will include a highly allocated number of hand-blended bottles and three single-barrel cask strength expressions.
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