Stetson, the 160-year-old American Western brand, has entered the premium bourbon category with the launch of Stetson Bourbon. The super-premium, high-rye whiskey is distilled and bottled in Bardstown, Kentucky, and is available now direct-to-consumer and at select retailers in Texas.
Priced at $70, the release follows a three-year sourcing and tasting process.
Stetson developed the bourbon in partnership with Kentucky Master Blender Dan Callaway. The pair created a proprietary blend aged an average of seven years.
The whiskey is a 100-proof, high-rye Kentucky straight bourbon. It marks the first-ever collaboration between Kentucky producers Green River Distilling Co. and Bardstown Bourbon Company.
The brand traces its roots to 1865, when John B. Stetson invented the cowboy hat in response to the demands of the American West.
“For more than 160 years, Stetson has stood alongside the people who built the American West,” said Robert Dundon, CEO of Stetson. “Bourbon has always been part of that same tradition, woven into the same ranches, saloons, and gatherings our hats have been part of.”
Dundon added: “Over the last five years, we’ve crafted and successfully executed a plan to elevate and introduce new categories. When someone sees the Stetson name on a bottle, they can expect the same authenticity, craftsmanship, and enduring quality they’ve known for generations.”
He continued: “We wanted to bring a unique premium expression to market that our discerning customers will enjoy wherever they celebrate the rituals of their lives. It’s about time.”
According to the official notes from the brand, the nose opens with buttery oak, caramel, and vanilla. It then deepens into brandied fruit and warm baking spices, with a light rye finish.
The brand describes the bourbon as “ideal for sipping neat, over ice and in classic cocktails.”
Each bottle features a depiction of The Last Drop from His Stetson, a painting by Western artist Lon Megargee. The artwork has served as a symbol of the American West since the early 1920s.
Stetson said it plans to expand distribution of the bourbon in the future.
The launch comes as bourbon continues to attract heritage brands from outside the drinks industry seeking to capitalize on the category’s premiumization.
Read the full article at Stetson Bourbon Debuts, Paying Homage To The American West
