Barrel Global recently announced the launch of a new bespoke service dubbed the Kentucky Bourbon Retreat. This immersive experience welcomes consumers and corporate clients to visit a distillery in Kentucky where they will distill their very own barrels of bourbon that will then be aged and bottled to their exact specifications.
A fully customizable itinerary awaits, as guests arrive in Kentucky for a three-day bourbon-making adventure under the guidance and curation of an esteemed bourbon distiller. During the trip, attendees receive a tutorial in distillation and barreling – which starts with selecting a mashbill to create a taste profile suited to your palate, tasting the new mash and the distillate, and making the correct cut between heads, hearts and tails before proofing the liquid. Then, guests return to the distillery on their final day in Kentucky to fill their own barrels with distillate, seal them, check for leaks, and finally roll them into the rickhouse.
Once the barrels are proofed, the distillery partner stores them for the required aging in their on-site warehouses until they are at the desired maturation and ready for bottling. The owners of these newly-minted barrels may determine their future use – from personal consumption and corporate gifting to launching their own mini bourbon brand or reselling the barrels on the open market.
“Our Kentucky Bourbon Retreat democratizes barrel ownership by allowing individuals to create their very own batch of barrels with a truly bespoke mashbill,” said Barrel Global Founder George Koutsakis. “Distilleries typically require a minimum order of more than 100 barrels for such a service, but given our distillery relationships, we’re able to bring that minimum number down to a more palatable 10 barrels.”
“Bourbon distilling has captivated a global audience, and this experience allows retreat attendees to step into the highly coveted role of ‘distiller’ for a day under the careful tutelage of a highly trained distilling expert while respecting the traditions, legacies, and expertise that these notable craftspeople bring to the industry,” he added.
In partnership with Casey Jones Distillery, the inaugural Kentucky Bourbon Retreat launched last month and is aimed at corporate clients, the hospitality industry, families, and friends. Barrel Global will expand with additional experiences and distillery partners in the months ahead.
Pricing for Kentucky Bourbon Retreat is $35,000 dependent on group size and barrel yield, which includes 10 newly-distilled bourbon barrels with a completely bespoke mashbill, full participation in the distilling process. Additional guests may be added for an incremental cost.
