Danica Serena Stockton Danica Serena Stockton | April 13, 2022 | Food & Drink,
With the Kentucky Derby approaching on May 7th, 2022, SAHARA Las Vegas chose the most apt time to partner with MGP Distillery and Rare Character Whiskey Co. to release their exclusive limited edition bourbon label. SAHARA Rare Character Whiskey is a true straight bourbon with the smokey yet perfectly balanced sweet and spicy flavor profile from its charred oak barrel. It is served best as an old fashioned or on the rocks as the bourbon is higher proof than normal to allow for mixing without compromising the rich notes.
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SAHARA Las Vegas's restaurant Chickie's & Pete’s located just off of the property's casino floor is complete with a wrap-around bar, entire walls of televisions playing sports and the exclusive line by the bottle for sale. All of the necessities are available for the Kentucky Derby viewing. Whether consumers are looking to drink SAHARA Rare Whiskey Co. glass by glass and watch the Kentucky Derby at the sports focused Chickie's & Pete’s or buy the line by the bottle to serve and enjoy at home, the limited edition bourbon is a must try.
Nate Hedlund, the Director of Beverage for SAHARA Las Vegas, gives some insight on their new product, "SAHARA Rare Character Whiskey is a high rye bourbon from a one of a kind barrel. We purchased this barrel off of a blind tasting. It is 35% rye and 51% corn and high proof." The beverage team chose such high proof with the intention to utilize their bourbon for their signature old fashioned, which is the property's number one purchased cocktail.
A single barrel was utilized to create the bourbon whiskey. There is no blending of contents from multiple barrels. Once all of the bottles sell, there will never be another SAHARA Rare Character Whiskey 1952. However, Hedlund does inform that this first label is one of many to come in a sequential line of whiskeys that is to follow the history and development of the SAHARA Las Vegas.
“We are making a series based on the life span of the SAHARA,” he mentions. The current label is the 1952 edition and showcases images of the original SAHARA Las Vegas logo from that year when the property was established. “The next label will be our 1960’s version. Each barrel for each edition is one of a kind and is unique from the distillation process to the bottling,” Hedlund says.
The location of the barrel in relation to the rest affects the aging process and flavor profile. Similar to terroir influencing the taste and composition of grapes for wines, whiskey is affected by its micro environment as it ages in a barrel. Those that are located on top levels of larger distilleries have a warmer environment than those below as heat rises to the top of a room or space. This increased temperature evaporates the water contents quicker, resulting in a speedier aging process and accelerated access to the soluble sugars stored in the wood of the barrel.
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Those located in the middle of a group of barrels have less airflow and tend to have more humid surroundings than the barrels located on the outskirts. The outer barrels tend to dry out quicker due to increased airflow than the inner barrels as a result, which yields a quicker maturation as well.
Nearly through the last of the bottles left for the original 1952 edition, SAHARA Las Vegas is expecting their next shipment of the 1962 edition before the Kentucky Derby. Consumers will only have access to each label while supplies last. One batch for each line makes for a limited supply and a sense of exclusivity for those that appreciate the nuances of whiskey and bourbon whiskey. Order SAHARA Rare Character Whiskey Co. at the property’s bars and restaurants as an Old Fashion or on the rocks or purchase a bottle at Chickie's & Pete’s inside of the SAHARA Las Vegas.
Photography by: Flickr Vox Media, SAHARA Casino Hotel Beverage Management, Unsplash August Phlieger