Chip Tate is probably best known for being the founder of Balcones Distilling in Waco, Texas but now, a handful of years after his departure from Balcones, he’s back making unique whiskey with Foley Family Wine and Spirits. He released the Ampersand line of whiskey with Foley, and of the three initial releases the one that caught my eye was the Opimus. It’s a 15 year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in Tokaji casks, and I love Tokaji finishes. So this particular release certainly piqued my interest! For those unfamiliar with Tokaji, it’s a Hungarian dessert wine. It’s a sweet, white wine from northeastern Hungary.
Bottled at 58.3% with a mashbill of 75/13/12, Corn/Rye/Barley, Ampersand Opimus is what’s commonly referred to as a “Buff Turkey”. That’s a whiskey distilled at Buffalo Trace using Wild Turkey’s mashbill and yeast strain. I don’t have verified information but a quick Google search says that when Campari first bought Wild Turkey they upgraded the equipment and partnered with Buffalo Trace to distill liquid for them. This wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen distilleries in Kentucky work together like this. We commonly think of brands as competitors, and sure, technically they are, but especially in Kentucky, most everyone knows each other, and folks are generally friendly and supportive of each other. It’s a small community.
The Colonel’s Childhood Bear Sooty Holding a Bottle of Ampersand Opimus