Bourbon story

[bourbonv]

Here is a link to a good bourbon story.
http://www.fox41.com/article/view/14815 ... leview.tpl

They are saying Japanese demand for a bourbon equivilant to single malts created the single barrel. Interesting point if it was the Japanese and not domestic market that created the demand.

[mozilla]

Very interesting! Thanks Mike.

[BourbonDrinker]

If the Japanese truly did prompt the distilleries to start making single barrel small batch bottlings than the only thing I have to say is, "Thank You," to the Japanese!

[cowdery]

The growth of bourbon as a premium product in Japan caught the bourbon producers completely off guard. It was primarily a generational phenomenon. The Japanese were and still are big scotch drinkers but in the early 1980s, a new generation of young males decided they didn't want to do what their fathers had done -- a generational switch we take for granted but which was a big change in a culture where ancestors are venerated -- so they started drinking American whiskey. Maybe some of the local sales reps helped it along, but it wasn't something the brand owners were promoting. It just happened. Takara Shuzo was getting its bourbon from what is now Buffalo Trace and approached them with the idea of creating a super-premium bourbon specifially for the Japanese market. Elmer T. Lee was asked for some ideas. He was the one who steered them away from ultra-long aging (which was what they were looking for initially) and toward the "single cask" idea, which already had precedent in high end scotches sold there. That's how Blanton's was born. Only subsequently did they decide it might be possible to sell a $50 bourbon here.

[bourbonv]

Chuck,
I had never really thought of the Japanese influence on the decision. I knew that they were looking for a way to take advantage of the interest in super-premium whiskey created by single malt scotch when Elmer T. Lee came up with the modern idea of "Single Barrel Bourbon", but I thought it was for the American market. I did not think the Japanese became involved with Age International until later in the 1980's. Did Blanton's start as an export to Japan only brand before it hit the American Market? I know Blanton's was making waves in Kentucky, challenging Maker's Mark for the title of best whiskey in the late 1980's before I started with United Distillers. The Lane Report business magazine even had a couple of well publicized tastings in Lexington between the two brands. When Blanton's won these competition, Bill Samuels pointed out that it was an unfair competition because Age Intrernational was able to send the bottle from a hand selected barrel whereas Maker's Mark was bought right off the shelf.

[Bourbon Joe]

When Blanton's won these competition, Bill Samuels pointed out that it was an unfair competition because Age Intrernational was able to send the bottle from a hand selected barrel whereas Maker's Mark was bought right off the shelf.

And Makers has been losing the premium market ever since; and not just to Blanton's. However, there must be a pile of mediocre bourbon drinkers out there. Makers sells all it makes.
Joe

[cowdery]

I don't think there was a big gap between the release in Japan and the US release, but it was developed for Japan. I don't have the exact details of Takara's relationship with Falk's operation, but I think it was along the lines of a joint venture, with Falk doing whatever U.S. business he could while supplying whiskey to Takara.

[bourbonv]

Thanks Chuck,
That does make sense as a joint venture. I seem to recall that it was late in 1992 when I had first started full time at United Distillers that Takura was announced as a formal investor in Age International.