Glasgow-based spirits agency Artisan Spirits has just launched its new premium Kentucky whiskey brand The STANHOPE.
With a lengthy family story behind it, the ambitious new brand has arrived on the market in two iterations – Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey.
The liquid is the result of a collaboration between Artisan Spirits and the Owensboro Distilling Co of Kentucky. These American oak barrelled small batch whiskies are said to epitomise ‘exceptional quality and authenticity’ through heritage and craftsmanship.
The launch builds on the Holmes family’s ‘legacy of craftsmanship and innovation’, which traces back to the family’s pioneering days in horse carriage building.
In 1879, after a decade of mastering the art of carriage building in America, Peter Holmes returned to Glasgow to establish Peter Holmes Carriage Builders. Renowned for producing Wagonettes and Carriages, the Holmes’ company catalogue included the first Scottish-made reversible ‘STANHOPE Wagonette’, using a design Peter had learned in the USA.
His successor Andy Holmes, STANHOPE Whiskey’s founder and managing director, said: “Launching the brand is a particularly special moment for me, as it is a reflection of Peter Holmes’s enduring legacy, a fusion of old-world craftsmanship and contemporary innovation that has shaped our family for generations.
“We’re thrilled to have found the perfect partner in the Owensboro Distilling Co, the 10th Distilled Spirits Plant in Kentucky, dating back to 1885, whose expertise and dedication mirror our own.”
Layered with a mash bill of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malt, The STANHOPE Kentucky Straight Bourbon, bottled at 44.8% ABV, is described as ‘a bourbon with attitude’, with a rich flavour profile that includes notes of maple, honey and dried fruits.
With a mash bill of 95% rye, the STANHOPE Kentucky Straight Rye, bottled at 45.2% ABV, is described as a unique and unusual Rye Whiskey, with ‘light peppery notes that unfold to a rich and luxurious dry finish’.
Aged in American White Oak casks, both products were awarded Silver medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2024. The brand’s heavyweight 700ml bottles are designed for reuse by bars and restaurants.
