A. Smith Bowman Celebrates Founder’s ‘Pioneering Spirit’ With Series Exploring Different Varietals of Oak
A. Smith Bowman unveiled a new series experimenting with different varietals of oak from around the globe. (Photo: A. Smith Bowman)
A. Smith Bowman, Virginia’s oldest distillery, on Thursday announced an experimental series of whiskeys that will showcase different varietals of oak and their impacts on the maturation process of whiskey. The Abraham Bowman Oak Series is rolling out its first expression — French Oak — which will be available via a lottery from April 4-11.
“French Oak is teaching us that experimenting with wood can bring some exciting nuances to the flavor profile of a distillate,” A. Smith Bowman Head Distiller David Bock said in a news release. “As the upcoming Oak Series releases continue to age, we are excited to explore what will come next in the Abraham Bowman collection.”
Abraham Bowman Oak Series French Oak sees the brand’s whiskey blended and aged for 12 years in French Oak barrels — some charred and some uncharred. It is bottled at 100 proof, and the brand claims it has notes of cherry and caramel on the nose, vanilla and spice-driven on the palate and apples and cinnamon on the finish.
“These barrels sat for an extended period to maximize the differences among them,” Bock explained. “Once blended together, the vanilla from the no-char barrels helps balance out the pepper notes from the charred barrels, creating a dynamic and delicious blend. We are very pleased with the final result.”
The series is named after Abraham Bowman, the great-grandfather of the distillery’s founder, Abram Smith Bowman. The brand claims it was inspired by the “pioneering spirit” of Abraham Bowman.
Abraham Bowman explored the territories of Virginia’s eighth regiment and fought in the American Revolution, according to the brand.
The brand shared that winners will be selected at random on April 15 and notified via email. Bottles must be picked up in person at the Virginia whiskey brand’s gift shop within three weeks of being notified. The bottles have a suggested retail price of $99.99 before taxes and fees. Entries are limited to one per person. Those interested in entering the online lottery can do so here.
A. Smith Bowman was founded in 1927. In 2003, the fact the company was purchased by Sazerac.
Previous A. Smith Bowman whiskeys, such as its Cask Strength Bourbon Batch 2, have received exceptionally high ratings.
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