STANHOPE Whiskey, the new premium whiskey brand from Artisan Spirits, has launched two American Oak Barrelled Small Batch whiskies, and like the great Bourbon brands of the United States, it is a partnership born in Scotland and crafted in Kentucky – just like the “Father of Modern Bourbon”, and Scotsman, Dr James C Crow who settled in Kentucky in 1820.
This time, the bourbon is the creation of Scotland’s STANHOPE Whiskey and the result of a partnership with Owensboro Distilling Co, the 10th Distilled Spirits Plant in Kentucky, which has created the The STANHOPE Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey.
The US links continue as Andy Holmes, STANHOPE Whiskey’s Founder & Managing Director, is the great-great grandson of Peter Holmes, an American craftsman and carriage-maker who moved to Scotland in 1879 from the US, creating the first reversible ‘STANHOPE Wagonette’- from which the new bourbon takes its inspiration and name.
Andy Holmes said, “STANHOPE is a story of heritage, passion, and meticulous craftsmanship. 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”.
STANHOPE Kentucky Straight Bourbon has a mash bill of 70% Corn, 21% Rye, and 9% Malt, a distinctive and truly authentic `Kentucky bourbon while STANHOPE Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey has a mash bill of 95% Rye, making it a premium rye whiskey.
Both are distilled and slowly aged in American White Oak casks, and both were awarded Silver medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2024.