New to Lukas Liquor Superstore

Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel KSBW Barrel #007

“Lukas Barrel Committee Selection #1” Spring 2013 Edition

This past January 31^st I sat down with four of our amazing customers to help kickoff the official, “Lukas Barrel Committee” and help select the very first Committee Barrel.  That evening we nosed and tasted many different barrel samples and finally selected on that was deemed perfect and worthy of a Lukas bottling. And this barrel was the legendary Elmer T Lee Single Barrel KSBW. Not only was it a first for Lukas Liquor Superstore to have our very own Elmer T Lee hand-selected barrel, but it was also going to be Missouri’s first ever retailor selected barrel.

Thanks to our customers Eric Musial, Adam Little, Larry & Linda Alexander, we were able to select and bring this amazingly smooth yet flavorful whiskey to your home or to make that perfect gift.

Who is Elmer T Lee?

“Son, we’re not hiring any hands today” were the words that greeted Elmer T. Lee when he first showed up to interview at George T. Stagg Distillery in 1949. They happened to be uttered by Col. Albert B. Blanton, the iconic President of the Distillery at the time. Had it not been for Orville Schupp’s insistence that he come in to work the following week anyway, Elmer might not have gone on to be named the Distillery’s first Master Distiller.

Kentucky born and bred, Elmer joined the Distillery as a maintenance engineer in 1949 after serving as a Radar Bombardier in World War II and returning to earn an engineering degree at the University of Kentucky.  Quickly rising to Plant Engineer, then Plant Superintendent and eventually the shared title of Plant Manager and Master Distiller, Elmer oversaw much of the Distillery’s modernization and growth up until his retirement in 1985.

In 1984, Elmer honored the man who was initially so skeptical of him by introducing the world’s first single-barrel bourbon, Blanton’s Single Barrel. Not long thereafter, Elmer himself was honored with his own single-barrel namesake. Both bourbons have been the recipient of the highest worldwide acclaim and honors since.

Elmer continues to serve as an ambassador and Master Distiller Emeritus for Buffalo Trace, educating the world on the heritage and unique qualities of Kentucky’s bourbon whiskey. His work and legacy have been honored by his induction into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2001, his receipt of the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from both Whisky Advocate in 2002 and Whisky Magazine in 2012, and his induction into Whisky Magazine’s Hall of Fame.” – per the Buffalo Trace Distillery

Recent Awards

2013 Gold Medal – San Francisco World Spirits Competition

2012 Double Gold Medal – San Francisco World Spirits Competition

2012 Extraordinary/Ultimate Recommendation – Chairman’s Trophy Finalist – Ultimate Spirits Challenge

2012 Gold Medal – Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition

2012 Gold Outstanding Medal – International Wine & Spirits Competition

Recent Critic’s Ratings:

91 Points, Jimmy Murray’s Whisky Bible 2013 “So effortless, it is hard to immediately realize that greatness has entered your glass”.

91 Points, John Hansell of Whisky Advocate Vol. 10, #4 “An elegant, complex whiskey. The flavors are nice and tight.”

4 Stars – Superb & Highly Recommended, F. Paul Pacult of the Spirit Journal

Lukas Barrel Committee Tasting Notes for Barrel #007:

Nose: Immediately spiced vanilla, springtime floral honey with an underlying marriage of rye & oak coming through. With a splash of water a juicier rye springs forth then dives into a warm pot of spiced caramel and honey. Almost a Werthers candy-like toffee on the outer edges.

Taste: Fantastic balance at play here. A delicious Blanton-like spiced vanilla custard immediately greets the palate & fully coats with a spiced tingle. The continuing interplay of rye and oak still add a new level of complexity & compliment the vanilla/honey flavors. The balance of corn sweet and dry rye is simply perfect.

Finish: There’s smooth and there’s Elmer T Lee Single Barrel #007 smooth. The lingering vanilla and honey gently fade away and leave you completely satisfied. Literally one of the smoothest barrel release’s Lukas has ever come across.

Want to know more about the Lukas Barrel Committee and become involved in future barrel selections?

Stop on by Lukas Liquor Superstore and speak with the Lukas Spirits Manager, Adam M England and he will fill you in on the entire barrel selection process, answer your questions and sign you up for future participation/barrel-selections (Must be 21 years-of-age, NO EXCEPTIONS).

Lukas Liquor Superstore started it all years ago being the first to bring you hand-selected Buffalo Trace KSBW, then last year with Missouri’s first ever hand-selected Blanton’s Single Barrel KSBW and are proud to now offer Missouri’s first ever hand-selected Elmer T Lee Single Barrel KSBW.

Whiskey… it’s what we do.

Cheers,

-Adam M England

Lukas Spirits Department

636-227-4543

Lukas Liquor Superstore, St. Louis’ first ever REAL liquor store.