Brent’s Pick: My 5th Year As Master Distiller

Hello Mellow Moments Club members!

I cannot believe it’s already October and one of my favorite months for Bourbon! So far, this year has been unlike any other over my past 15 years at Four Roses, but it makes me especially thankful for our team and each of you, our loyal members.

I sometimes shake my head when I think that I have been in my role as Master Distiller for five years already. But with as busy as we have been at Four Roses and across the industry itself, it’s easy to understand why time flies. Looking back, it’s overwhelming to recount all that that has happened over the past five years, including:

• Creating Small Batch Select, the first edition to our permanent lineup since 2006, releasing it last year, and then expanding its availability into 14 new markets earlier this year. It even was ranked number three in the Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 Whiskies of 2019, the highest rated Bourbon on the list.
• Celebrating Four Roses’ 130th Anniversary, followed by completing our $55 million expansion project to help us produce more Bourbon.
• Earning additional accolades like the 2018 130^th Anniversary Limited Edition Small Batch being named the World’s Best Bourbon in the 2019 World Whiskies Awards and the 2016 Limited Edition Small Batch being named America’s Best Kentucky Bourbon in the 2017 World Whiskies Awards, as well as awards from other competitions across the country and even becoming the official Bourbon of the Rose Bowl Stadium last year.
• Seeing my friends and mentors earn recognition, including former chief operating officer John Rhea, who was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2016, and the late, great Al Young who was inducted into Whisky Magazine’s Hall of Fame in 2015. I miss Al tremendously and think of him every day.
• And lastly, an honor I never could have imagined, Whisky Magazine’s Master Distiller of the Year that was announced this February. The award is especially meaningful because I think it’s a reflection of our accomplishments over the last five years.

Aside from these achievements and accolades, some of my favorite memories are those times I’ve spent with you. Although we weren’t able to enjoy as many of those Mellow Moments in-person over the past months, I look forward to a time when we are able to meet face-to-face once again.

I am honored to be a part of this family and am proud of everything we have achieved together. We couldn’t have done it without you. Looking forward, I will strive to keep providing you with the high-quality products that you have come to expect from Four Roses, and to stay connected as we grow and expand our brand.

I look forward to the years ahead!

Cheers,

Brent