January and February Updates

Personal Update:

January 2024 will always be special to me as my wife and I welcomed the birth of our daughter, Caroline Campbell, on the 20^th of last month.  Any parents reading this can attest that the weeks leading up to and the weeks that follow childbirth are long but priceless.  She is everything to us, and we can’t wait to take her to her first Gamecock events in a couple of years.  If newsletters have been “quiet” lately, its because I’m focusing on the most important part of our lives: my family….and watching Gamecock sports.

Gamecock fans have become accustomed to hearing their elders talk about a “Chicken Curse” for our athletic teams, but something has happened during my daughter’s 3 weeks of life; we haven’t lost in any sport (update: lost in Tennis yesterday).  She may just be what this Athletic Department needed!  We are talking top 5 wins in Men’s basketball, Equestrian, Men’s Tennis, and our Women defeated top 10 LSU.  I knew we gave her the right name when we decided on Caroline.  To all the people who have reached out, sent cards, or made phone calls…my wife and I are grateful for each one.  Thank you!

Limestone Branch Distillery, Yellowstone, and Conservation:

One month after G.C. brought me on to help with the Gamecock Bourbon Society in June 2023, we were approached by a representative of Limestone Branch distillery about getting a single barrel of their Yellowstone Private Stock Bourbon.  Unlike most distilleries you visit today, Limestone Branch uses open pollinated heirloom White Corn rather than #2 Yellow Dent (Mashbill of 75% White Corn, 13% Rye, 12% barley).  For the same reasons I love Jimmy Red Corn, I love the delicate flavors that shine through in Yellowstone whiskey.  It has such a light mouthfeel and little to no burn on the finish.  It really is a well-crafted dram, and that makes sense knowing the pedigree behind the whiskey.  Paul and Stephen Beam’s (you read that right) family have been making whiskey in Kentucky since the 18^th century, and Yellowstone is one of their newest editions having broke ground in 2011.  The limestone water that runs freely near the distillery is a key ingredient to incredible whiskey, and thus the namesake of the distillery.

Limestone Branch is also the largest annual corporate donor to the first National Park in the United States, Yellowstone, and this year has pledged $250,000 to help conserve and preserve one of the most beautiful places on earth.  If you are the philanthropic type, you can rest assured knowing that drinking their whiskey helps the environment, no matter how small.

Starting today, you can reserve your own bottle of Yellowstone “Laurel and Main” at https://gamecockbourbon.com/bottle-pickup-yellowstone/ and they will ready for pick-up starting tomorrow, Saturday February 10.  All 6 of our selections thus far have been $75 and up, so we wanted to find and select a whiskey delicious enough to satisfy a $75 budget, while paying less; $59.98 per bottle.  Did I mention the bottle label is Red (Garnet) and Black?  Laurel and Main is the intersection in downtown Columbia that holds a special place to the Gamecock Bourbon Society and many Columbians.  It’s a place to gather for one of the best markets in the state, Soda City, and also a place where we gather at Ambrosia Taverna; a wonderful upscale Greek restaurant.  We love Gamecock themed bottles, but also wanted to give tribute to both the Soda City Market and our friends at Ambrosia Taverna.  This was the perfect time to honor them as the owners, family, and staff at Ambrosia helped us select the barrel.

Those who purchase a bottle of our Yellowstone pick in the first 21 days will be entered to win the right to purchase a very allocated bottle, Weller Special Reserve, at MSRP.  I believe it is a $30 purchase from Green’s….a price I haven’t seen for that bottle in a number of years.  It’s more than double on the secondary market.  We won’t just have 1 person eligible to purchase a Weller Special Reserve, we will have TEN!!!  So make sure you reserve and pick up your bottle within the first 21 days, and upon purchase, send me a picture of your receipt to PaulMiles@gamecockbourbon.com.  If you purchased multiple bottles, you will have that many opportunities to win more than one Weller Special Reserve.  I appreciate Green’s for offering our group some of their most allocated bottles.  It shows their commitment to our partnership.  If we can sell this barrel as a group, there will be many more and much greater opportunities for some incredible unicorn bottles!

Lastly, our Broad Branch barrel was held up by for reasons that are yet unknown.  It is bottled and ready to ship to South Carolina, but there is possibly more red tape to get past.  I was told it would ship by today, so stay tuned for that barrel release as well.  It will be well received and will be available VERY soon.

Cheers!

Paul Miles

Gamecock Bourbon President