Never Say Die is the only bourbon that crosses an ocean before it reaches the glass. It is distilled and barrelled in Kentucky and aged there for around five years, which is what earns the Kentucky Straight Bourbon designation, since that requires production and at least two years of maturation in the state. The barrels are then loaded onto a ship for a six week Atlantic crossing and finish maturing at White Peak Distillery in Derbyshire, England, for at least another year before being bottled there and reimported. Constant motion at sea followed by a cool damp English climate produces a very different final year than a Kentucky rickhouse would, and reviewers consistently pick out a faint saline edge that is hard to attribute to anything else. The mashbill is 75 percent corn, 21 percent rye and 4 percent malted barley, matured in number four char American oak, which gives it noticeably more spice than a standard bourbon while keeping the corn sweetness intact. The name belongs to a real racehorse. Born sickly on a Kentucky farm in 1951 and revived with a shot of whiskey, Never Say Die won the 1954 Epsom Derby at 33 to 1, the first American bred colt to take the race in seventy three years. The bottle colours are drawn from the silks his jockey wore that day. Each small batch is capped at 2,750 bottles and every bottle carries its own serial number. Expect lemon peel, caramel, vanilla and baking spice with a dry oaky finish. Drink it neat or over a large cube.
ABV / Proof
| ABV |
47.5% |
| Proof |
95 |
| Size |
750ml |
| Country |
United States, matured and bottled in England |
| Region |
Kentucky and Derbyshire, England |
| Category |
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey |
| Expression |
Small Batch |
| Mashbill |
75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age |
Approximately 5 years in Kentucky plus at least 1 year in England |
| Maturation |
American oak, number 4 char, finished at White Peak Distillery, Derbyshire |
| Batch Size |
Capped at 2,750 bottles |
| Serial |
Individually numbered |
Tasting Notes
Color: Deep amber with a warm copper cast.
Nose: Lemon peel and caramel over vanilla, with baking spice and toasted oak behind.
Palate: Rye forward for a bourbon, with pepper and warm spice set against corn sweetness, caramel and vanilla, carried on a medium body with a faint saline edge.
Finish: Dry and oaky, of medium length, closing on spice and lingering vanilla.
FAQ
What proof is Never Say Die Small Batch? It is bottled at 95 proof, or 47.5 percent alcohol by volume, in the US market.
Why is it aged in England? The bourbon is distilled and aged around five years in Kentucky, then shipped in its original barrels on a six week Atlantic crossing to finish maturing for at least another year at White Peak Distillery in Derbyshire before bottling and reimport.
Is it still legally bourbon? Yes. It is distilled and matured in Kentucky for well beyond the two year minimum required for the Kentucky Straight Bourbon designation before it leaves the country. The English period is additional maturation.
What is the mashbill? 75 percent corn, 21 percent rye and 4 percent malted barley, aged in number four char American oak. The high rye proportion gives it more spice than a typical bourbon.
Where does the name come from? A racehorse born on a Kentucky farm in 1951 and revived as a sickly foal with a shot of whiskey. In 1954 he won the Epsom Derby at 33 to 1, the first American bred colt to do so in seventy three years.
Where can I buy Never Say Die Small Batch Bourbon online? Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
