J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery Unveils 3 Kentucky Derby Whiskey Releases Honoring ‘The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports’

J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery unveiled three whiskeys to celebrate the Kentucky Derby. (Photo: J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery)

J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery announced on Tuesday that it is releasing three whiskeys meant to honor “the greatest two minutes in sports” — the Kentucky Derby.

The three-whiskey series is called The Greatest Two Ounces in Bourbon, and the whiskeys will be available for purchase at the Frankfort, Kentucky distillery on May 3-4.

The Greatest Two Ounces in Bourbon features a small-batch bourbon, a light (corn) whiskey and a small-batch rye. The whiskeys all underwent the brand’s double staving process and are available for purchase online and at J. Mattingly’s distillery starting May 3. The releases host a suggested retail price of $120 for each 750-milliliter bottle.

Those in Kentucky during the 150th running of the Derby will also be able to purchase the bottles at a festival. Guests of the festival can make their mint juleps and decorate their cups with a custom wax station for the julep cups. The festival is set to take place from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m on May 3-4.

“We’re looking forward to celebrating Kentucky’s famous horse races on Friday and Saturday with our three new whiskey releases and a festival at our new location in Frankfort,” J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery President and Chief Operating Officer Harry Richart said in a news release. “We’ll have custom mint juleps for sale, you can dip your mint julep cup in wax afterward as a special memento, and also snacks, games, outdoor seating and the races televised so you can hang out here and root for your favorite horse.”

Guests who choose to visit the distillery can partake in one of three tasting packages:

• Heritage Tasting Experience, $20: A tasting of up to six pours that lasts about 20 minutes
• The Single Barrel Tasting Experience, $55: A one-hour tasting from up to seven single barrels, each of which has undergone J. Mattingly’s proprietary double-staving process
• VIP Custom Bourbon Blending Experience, $175: A one-hour experiene that allows visitors to blend their own bourbon and choose their preferred bottle shape, custom label and wax color for the top. Reservations are encouraged.

A Closer Look at The Greatest Two Ounces in Bourbon Series From J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery

J. Mattingly 1845 The Greatest Two Ounces in Bourbon Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey

This 6-and-a-half-year-old bourbon is described by J. Mattingly 1845 as “breakfast in a bottle.” The bourbon clocks in at 117 proof. On the nose, this bourbon possesses aromas of smoke, bacon, oak and orchard fruit. The palate possesses flavors of pancakes dusted with brown sugar, coupled with maple syrup, smoke and leather, according to the brand.

J. Mattingly 1845 The Greatest Two Ounces in Light Whiskey

This corn whiskey spent nine years aging before being bottled at 125 proof. The whiskey possesses a smokey and candied aroma, coupled with fruit drizzled with butterscotch. The palate continues with butterscotch integrated with smoke. It concludes with cream and baking spice aromas.

J. Mattingly 1845 The Greatest Two Ounces in Rye

The rye whiskey in The Greatest Two Ounces in Bourbon Series is a mixture of four-and-a-half and six-and-a-half-year-old barrels that were bottled at 116 proof. The whiskey is earthy on the nose, with plenty of citrus fruit and maple. The palate is a balance of butterscotch, herbs, citrus and smoke.

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