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Beaumont
Inn Brings Back Historic Kentucky Bourbon Brand Lost to Prohibition
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Kentucky Owl
Kentucky Straight Bourbon is ‘The Wiseman’s Bourbon’
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Harrodsburg,
KY – July 2014 / Newsmaker Alert / A Kentucky bourbon brand thought
lost to time has been resurrected by the family that originally created
it back in 1879. Dixon Dedman, the fifth generation of the Dedman family
to serve as innkeeper at the family-owned and operated Beaumont Inn in
Harrodsburg, Ky., has succeeded in bringing back the bourbon created by
his great-great grandfather, Charles Mortimer Dedman, and his son, Thomas
Curry Dedman, Sr.
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 Known
originally as Kentucky Owl Sour Mash Bourbon Whiskey – “The Wise Man’s
Whiskey” – it fell victim to Prohibition when, around 1916, the family
was ordered to cease production and the remaining bourbon was destroyed
in a mysterious warehouse fire. This could have been the end of Kentucky
Owl’s story; however, nearly 100 years after losing this family legacy,
a chance encounter between Dedman and fellow innkeeper and acclaimed winemaker
Mark Carter of Napa Valley’s Carter Cellars, penned a new chapter.
In
mid-July, the first release of the newly revived and rebranded Kentucky
Owl Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – “The Wiseman’s Bourbon” – will
be bottled, hitting store shelves and a select group of fine bourbon-themed
establishments in August. The first release represents a blend of five
hand-selected barrels that will yield between just 1,300 and 1,400 bottles.
Each will be bottled at barrel proof and have handwritten numberings of
the batch, bottle number and proof.
“Our
product will remain in its truest form, uncut and unfiltered,” said Dedman.
“It coats the entire palate with an initial sweetness of caramelized sugar
and dark fruit. The mid-palate sensation is of oak with a sweet cedar spice
and slight citrus, while the finish is long, peppery and with a sweet dark
cherry sensation. The color is deep amber and the nose has a sweet oaky
aroma with a touch of cinnamon.
“Bottled
at close to 119 proof, Kentucky Owl has a subtle warmth – not overpowering
with alcohol, but a richness found only in bourbon in its truest form.”
Kentucky
Owl Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey joins an impressive lineup of some
75-plus Kentucky bourbons stocked at the Beaumont Inn, including such rarities
as George T. Stagg, Pappy Van Winkle 20 & 23, different offerings in
the Willett Family Estate bottling line, Jefferson’s Reserve Presidential
bottlings and many more.
“My
proudest moment in life so far may be when my grandfather told me, just
before he passed away, how much it meant to him to know that the inn would
carry on with a fifth generation and he had all the faith in the world
that I would be successful,” said Dedman. “My second proudest moment may
be when I told my father that we had done it: that Kentucky Owl was truly
on its way back.
“To
be able to bring back another piece of our family’s history means as much
to me as continuing the legacy of Beaumont Inn.”
Besides
enjoying Kentucky Owl Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey in what is essentially
its own home, visitors to Beaumont Inn can indulge in a Personalized Bourbon
Tasting with the Innkeeper. For this, Dedman ushers guests through the
taste profiles, history and nuances of up to six fine Kentucky bourbons
in the leather-chair comfort of the inn’s James Harrod Room. Two tasting
levels are available – $35 and $55 per person – and reservations are required.
To
learn more about the progress of Kentucky Owl Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Whiskey, visit www.KentuckyOwlBourbon.com.
Find details about accommodations at the Beaumont Inn and special packages
at www.BeaumontInn.com; and learn
more about visiting Harrodsburg, Ky., at www.HarrodsburgKY.com.
Dixon
Dedman is available for interviews. Contact him at Dixon@BeaumontInn.com
or 800-352-3992.
Media
Contact:
Karen
Hackett, Executive Director
Harrodsburg/Mercer
County Tourist Commission
800-355-9192
or 859-734-2364
Image
Shown:
Sherri
Carter of Napa Valley’s Carter Cellars created the label for Kentucky Owl
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Credit:
Beaumont Inn
Hi-
and Low-Res Photos Available.
About
Harrodsburg, KY
Sitting
amidst four National Register Historic Districts in the heart of Kentucky’s
famed Bluegrass region, Kentucky’s oldest city is one of the coolest places
in history. Harrodsburg is
full of the unexpected: Eight bourbon distilleries and a dozen wineries
are a short drive away. There are horseback riding trails, backroads and
byways for bicycle enthusiasts, and outdoor water sports from kayaking
to skiing. Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, America’s largest restored
Shaker community, and Beaumont Inn, the state’s oldest family-operated
country inn, are here. Commemorating the first permanent settlement west
of the Allegheny Mountains is Old Fort Harrod State Park with full-scale
replica fort. Providing an up-close view of one of the most unique ecosystems
in the country, the geologically ancient Kentucky River Palisades, is the
authentic 115-passenger Dixie Belle sternwheeler. Harrodsburg is
one of Smithsonian Magazine’s “20 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2014”
– the only Kentucky city on the list – and one of BBC NEWS Magazine’s
“Five hidden US Travel Destinations.” Authentic, affordable, family-friendly
– and full of the unexpected. This is Harrodsburg. www.HarrodsburgUnexpected.com,
Facebook/Harrodsburg |
