Latest news with #KentuckyOwl
Forbes
20-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Whiskey Of The Week: Kentucky Owl Batch #13 Bourbon
Kentucky Owl has a weird, possibly unique story in the annals of whiskey history. The brand's history dates back to 1879, when it was founded by Charles M. Dedman and awarded license DSP-16 to produce distilled spirits. By all accounts the distillery was a successful one, lasting until Prohibition fever started sweeping the nation in the second decade of the 20th century. According to lore, Kentucky Owl ceased production in 1916 (three years before Prohibition became law in Kentucky and four years before it went into effect nationwide) and several thousand barrels of whiskey were put into a federally controlled warehouse. Shortly thereafter, a suspicious fire either destroyed the whiskey or liberated it for use in the nascent bootlegging industry, depending on who you ask. Fast forward almost a century, to 2014, when Dedman's great-great grandson, Dixon Dedman, decided to revive the Kentucky Owl name. Using sourced whiskeys this time, he created a blended bourbon in a classy bottle that sold for eye-popping prices — $170 for a blend sourced from unnamed distilleries was a lot less common a decade ago than it is today. And it was an immediate hit, with each batch selling out almost instantly. In 2017, Dedman released the first Kentucky Owl rye, and the same year sold the brand to Stoli Group. Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Famer John Rhea rides off into the sunset with a terrific, if expensive, blend. Photo courtesy Stoli Group The plan was for Dedman to stay on as blender and frontman, but business differences soon reared their ugly head. By 2021 he was out; nowadays he's back blending his 2XO brand. At the same time, Stoli Group was stumbling, eventually filing for bankruptcy in 2024. Kentucky Owl, loosed from its historical connection to its founder, endures, though it's been a mixed bag in the Stoli era, with excellent additions to the permanent range like Confiscated bourbon constrasted with head-scratchers like the St. Patrick's Edition. It also spawned The Wiseman, an inexpensive, relatively satisfying spinoff brand. Longtime Four Roses distillery COO and Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame inductee John Rhea took the blending reins from Dedman in 2021, and the Batch series of limited edition blends continued to draw rave reviews on his watch, even as the suggested retail price rose to $400 (bottles can be found for less — and more — if you search online). If it's any consolation to your wallet, the new Kentucky Owl Batch #13 Bourbon may at least wind up being a collector's item, because it's John Rhea's final blend before retiring after almost half a century in the whiskey biz. He can ride off into the sunset knowing he's going out on a high note — it's been a while since I tried one of the Batches, but Lucky 13 is as good as any I've tasted. Batch #13 is a blend of high-rye and wheated bourbons sourced, as always, from unnamed distilleries — mostly 8-9 years old, along with some 4, 5, and 6 in the mix. Bottled at a cask strength of 56.8% ABV, it's rich and intense on the palate, with desserty chocolate and caramel notes overlaid with candied orange peel. Oak and peppery tannins show up midpalate and linger on the finish along with gooey, fudgy chocolate. It's a sophisticated, well-balanced sipper that also appeals to my sweet tooth. As with all the Kentucky Owl Batches, #13 is a limited edition, though just how limited isn't known. As of this writing it's available through ReserveBar and soon to arrive on Flaviar, with bottles going to select brick-and-mortar retailers throughout the U.S. as well. Based on the continued availability of some earlier Batches, I wouldn't necessarily recommend sprinting with a fistful of bills to your local liquor emporium this very instant. But should a bottle cross your path, it'd be wise to make room on the shelf for it.
Miami Herald
14-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Iconic vodka maker in Chapter 11 bankruptcy faces liquidation
While many consider it a value brand, Stoli Vodka markets itself as the original premium brand. It's a company that has a deep history. That history, you should note, no longer mentions "Russia" in its origin story due to boycotts of Russian brands after the nation invaded Ukraine. "Made from the finest wheat and distilled into the highest quality alcohol, the process starts in Latvia, at the magnificent Latvijas Balzams distillery (built by order of the Tsar in 1900) where the spirit is then filtered through charcoal and quartz sand and blended with pure artesian well water, to create vodka of unsurpassed smoothness. Latvijas Balzams has been one of the main production facilities for Stoli Vodka since 1948," the company shared on its website. Related: Popular brewery and distillery files Chapter 11 bankruptcy In addition to its classic vodka, Stoli Group owns a number of other popular spirit brands including Elit Vodka, Kentucky Owl bourbon, The Wiseman, a bourbon and rye line, Bayou Rum, Cenote, Villa One, and Se Busca tequilas as well as Tulchan Gin, and various wines. The company makes its overall approach clear. "Our brands push further, aim higher and bring people together over little shared moments of magic. Whether it's vodka or wine, the quality of our products is unlike anything else on the market – because we always strive for better. We care deeply and think creatively, building sophisticated brands that are revered worldwide," it posted on its website. The company, however, filled Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late-November and remains under court protection. That's something that could change soon. Stoli Group USA blamed its bankruptcy filing on a two-month-long cyber attack that impacted its U.S. operations. The Chapter 11 filing involved Stoli Group USA and its Kentucky Owl American Whiskey unit, Under the terms of the original filing, the company planned to continue operations as normal making all required payments. The filing showed the company as having between $50 million and $100 million in liabilities. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter In the filing with the Northern District of Texas bankruptcy court, it also showed between 299 and 1,000 creditors. It does have significant assets and reported holding between $100 and $500 million in tangible assets. The cyberattacks, according to the company, crippled its systems and forced it to rebuild them while operating fully manually. More bankruptcy: Iconic auto repair chain franchise files Chapter 11 bankruptcyPopular beer brand closes down and files Chapter 7 bankruptcyPopular vodka and gin brand files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Stoli Group USA hired Steve Wybo as its Chief Restructuring Officer and named Foley and Lardner as its law firm. Stoli used to be known as Stolichnaya, but changed its name in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine. On June 16, Stoli will return to court to involve a hearing on its next steps as part of the bankruptcy. The company's bank, Fifth Third has an objection to how it has been using its cash. In the hearing, the court will hear arguments from the bank which is demanding "adequate protection. It has formally objected to Stoli's "continued use of cash collateral without lender's consent," according to a court filing. In absence of that consent, the bank wants the court to appoint a new Chapter 11 trustee or "convert these Chapter 11 cases 11 to Chapter 7." Chris Caldwell, the company's CEO and current trustee, wants the court to continue its original motion and give his company more time to file a Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan. In theory, the bankruptcy court judge, Scott W. Everett, could order the company to liquidate its assets. If that happened, it's unclear if a company would bid for all its assets or whether the company would be sold in pieces. Stoli Group USA does not include the Stoli Group assets in the rest of the world. Related: Popular beverage chain franchisee files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
