DrinkedIn Trends

Evan Williams Bourbon Announces 2021 American-Made Heroes

American-Made Hero Foundation Fund 2021 grant applications now open

As an American-made and American-owned brand, Evan Williams recognizes true American heroes through their exceptional stories of honor and bravery. This special edition label of Evan Williams Black Bourbon celebrates the heroic stories of military veterans, chosen for their selfless acts of service at home and abroad (bios included below). New for this year, invitations to be featured as an American-Made Hero were extended to veterans whose affiliate organization applied through the American-Made Hero Foundation Fund grant process. The 2021 Evan Williams American-Made Heroes were selected from more than 472 grant applications and are featured on more than 474,000 bottles available nationwide.BARDSTOWN, Ky. – Evan Williams Bourbon today announced the 2021 class of veterans selected as American-Made Heroes. Each veteran’s picture and story of service in their active duty and civilian life will be featured on the side of the special-edition Evan Williams Black Bourbon label. The American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund, now in its second year, will award support through the 2021 Veteran Community Action grants.

The 2021 American Hero edition packaging received the same new look as the Evan Williams Bourbon family, first announced in September 2020. The new signature bottle is complemented by a curved blue label adorned with red and white stripes and stars, and blue capsule featuring “Evan Williams” on the bottle neck. Proudly displayed on the side of each bottle is one of the brand’s key taglines “American Owned, American Made, American Proud” celebrating Evan Williams’ legacy as Kentucky’s first commercial distiller. Each Evan Williams American-Made Hero embodies Evan Williams’ values: hard-working, humbly confident, reliable, and imbued with American spirit, with their stories prominently featured on the side of the label along with their picture, name, and military title.

“We are honored to share the stories of this diverse group of veterans who have upheld the American spirit through extraordinary acts of service,” said Julie Cole, Evan Williams Bourbon Senior Brand Manager. “Through the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund we are humbled to offer help to organizations that support veterans and lift up these communities.”

On Burns Night (January 25th) we were delighted to announce that Locogen’s client, the Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery, had won Phase 1 funding from the Green Distilleries competition run by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to investigate switching from gas oil to hydrogen for their primary process fuel.

So it’s fitting that, on World Whisky Day, we can announce that after a successful Phase 1 feasibility study, Arbikie are applying for Phase 2 funding – and a share of a £10 million funding pot – to implement zero-carbon green hydrogen as their primary process fuel.

The Green Distilleries fund aims to help distilleries cut CO2 emissions by one million tonnes, contributing to Scotland’s national target to be carbon neutral by 2045, with each distillery deploying innovative green solutions in order to achieve these ambitious goals.

Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery are determined to find a low carbon alternative to gas oil to further improve their already impressive sustainability and environmental credentials.

Renewable energy specialist Locogen and hydrogen technology expert Logan Energy are therefore partnering with Arbikie to deliver an innovative solution, using green hydrogen produced onsite using electrolysis from wind and solar generation as the zero-carbon fuel for the distillation process.

K&L Exclusive Sherry-Aged Whisky: Michel Couvreur’s “Peaty Overaged”
Michel Couvreur “Peaty Overaged” K&L Exclusive Malt Whisky (750ml) ($79.99)
“…one of the most authentic and absolutely delicious malts on the market…This new batch of Couvreur is better than ever!” — David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

In their constant search for the world’s most unique and compelling spirits, our buying team routinely discovers truly stupendous offerings exclusive to K&L. One of our favorites over the years has been the Michel Couvreur “Peaty Overaged.” What’s truly remarkable is where this inimitable dram comes from—a deep, dark cellar in the heart of Burgundy. The late Michel Couvreur arrived here in the 1960s and set about acquiring impressive stocks of new-make single malt Scotch and cultivating one of the most well-sourced sherry-cask regimens in the whisky world. Now produced by his long-time apprentice, this peated K&L Exclusive is, as spirits buyer David Othenin-Girard describes, a “wildly high-quality…whisky with a French sensibility.” For any lover of incredibly expressive sherry cask whisky, this is a must-try bottling that will leave you stunned, thrilled, and totally addicted to the style that is none other than Michel Couvreur.

Michel Couvreur “Peaty Overaged” K&L Exclusive Malt Whisky (750ml) ($79.99)

The chance to work with Michel Couvreur on a special K&L whisky project was something that we had been dreaming of for years. We had heard the stories. This innovative Belgian had moved to Burgundy in the ’60s, carved out a wine cellar inside a mountain, only to fill it with Scottish single malt whisky instead of Pinot Noir. He set up camp in Beaune, ordered new-make spirit to be delivered by tanker, and drove down to Jerez himself, selecting his own sherry butts to ensure the finest quality casks for his contracted spirit. Unfortunately, Michel Couvreur passed away in 2013 from pancreatic cancer, thus ending the career of one of the industry’s most courageous pioneers. Luckily for us, however, apprentice Jean-Arnaud has carried on after studying under Michel for more than a decade. When we visited the underground cave, we were all in total awe. The tunnels of dripping stone go on forever, and the amount of whisky stored in this secret lair is jawdropping. We put our trust completely in Jean-Arnaud and are happy we did. Our peated version of the incredible sherry expression is a seamless creation that drinks like the best version of Johnnie Black ever, mixed with the most supple and soft expressions of Macallan. It’s a lush, unfiltered, creamy, caramel-laden dream of a whisky composed only of malts 12 years and older. There’s a bit of peat on the finish, but the soft sherry is the star. (NOTE: do NOT cut the hard wax seal—use a wine opener to go through it)

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: May 13, 2021