The Tasting Panel magazine

October 2015

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october 2015  /  the tasting panel  /  121 I n 1870, pharmaceutical salesman George Garvin Brown launched an inno- vative whiskey: Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky, sold in sealed glass bottles in an effort to assure quality and consistency, unlike most whiskies of the time, which were sold by the barrel. Shortly thereafter, Brown partnered with his friend George Forman to create a spirits firm that, nearly 150 years later, stands as one of the industry's leaders in sales, innovation and legacy brands: Brown-Forman. Today, you don't even have to get out of the car to take note of the company's connection to its roots: Upon arrival at the Louisville, KY headquarters of Brown-Forman, you're greeted by a giant water tower made to look like a bottle of Old Forester, perched atop a former warehouse- turned-office (Fun fact: a bottle that size would hold eight and a half million servings of whiskey!). Taking the connection a step further, fifth-generation family member Campbell Brown, President of Old Forester, is there to greet you on the wide, welcoming staircase, warmly recounting his fam- ily's story as easily as he talks about the brand's future, which includes opening an operational distillery on Louisville's famed Whiskey Row within the next two years. "The opening of the Whiskey Row distillery and launch of the Whiskey Row Series is the culmination of a decade of work around this brand," explains Brown, "and every- thing we do to innovate our entire portfolio is just as purposeful and deliberate." With generations of spirited innovation to explore, we set off to two of Brown- Forman's most special sites: its world- famous cooperage and the Woodford Reserve distillery. There, we met the people whose passion and commitment to excellence drive Brown-Forman's brands to the forefront of today's industry, where high-tech laboratories meet tried and true distillation and barrel-aging techniques, and where good old- fashioned values like teamwork and tradition trump trends. Here's a peek at the big, beautiful world of Brown-Forman. by Rachel Burkons / photos by Mona Shield Payne On the Louisville, KY campus for Brown-Forman, a gigantic Old Forester water tower stands atop a warehouse-turned-office. Campbell Brown, President of Old Forester and fifth-generation family member.

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