Chip Tate entered the American whiskey dialog in 2008 with the founding of Balcones Distilling in Waco, Texas. Working from a repurposed welding store, Tate engineered and assembled his personal copper stills, setting the stage for a palms on method that rapidly separated his work from established producers. At a second when small scale distilling in america was nonetheless gaining traction, his rye, bourbon, and single malt whiskey attracted critical consideration for his or her originality, technical ambition, and refusal to reflect legacy profiles.
Trade recognition adopted. Whisky Journal named Tate a Whisky Icon and Craft Whiskey Distiller of the Yr in each 2012 and 2014, acknowledgments that mirrored his affect on the path of recent American spirits relatively than easy industrial success. By December 2014, Tate departed Balcones to pursue new artistic paths, carrying ahead a constant give attention to experimentation and the unconventional.
That mindset resurfaced in January 2024 when Tate joined Foley Household Wine and Spirits as Grasp Distiller for Innovation, working primarily from Minden Mill Distillery in Nevada. The position supplied a platform for analysis pushed distillation and maturation ideas, whereas permitting Tate to proceed pushing in opposition to stylistic boundaries.
The autumn of 2025 marked the debut of his most formidable endeavor so far, Ampersand Spirits. The mission facilities on pairing spirits from totally different classes and fewer widespread secondary maturation methods that resist straightforward classification. By Ampersand, Tate explores how distinction, construction, and time can work together when conventional guidelines are put aside. The inaugural lineup contains Optimus, Malus, and Vinea, all of which have been supplied to Drinkhacker for evaluation.
Efforts to merge disparate spirit classes have surfaced earlier than, usually accompanied by heavy anticipation and uneven outcomes. Examples such Hogsworth, mixing bourbon and Armagnac, have demonstrated how troublesome true cohesion might be when expectations outpace execution. Tate’s observe report, nevertheless, lends credibility to the concept that these combos might ship greater than novelty.
Ampersand Spirits arrives with stunning presentation and idea, however visible attraction alone doesn’t decide lasting relevance. The central query stays whether or not the liquid itself rises to the promise instructed by its ambition and presentation, and whether or not these class defying compositions can set up a significant place throughout the broader spirits panorama. Let’s dive in!
Ampersand Opimus Kentucky Straight Bourbon 15 Years Outdated Completed in Tokaji Wine Casks Evaluation
Opimus derives from Latin, which means wealthy or ample. With abundance because the guiding concept, Tate completed Kentucky straight bourbon aged 15 and 16 years in 225 liter Tokaji wine casks. The ending casks beforehand held Tokaji, a historic Hungarian dessert wine made primarily from Furmint grapes. This wine is thought for its excessive pure acidity and sweetness, qualities formed by the presence of botrytized fruit. Botrytized grapes are influenced by noble rot, a naturally occurring fungus that partially dries the grapes on the vine, concentrating sugars, acids, and fragrant compounds. Tokaji earned the title “Wine of Kings, King of Wines” after gaining favor amongst European royalty within the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, together with Louis XIV of France.
The bourbon is constructed on a mashbill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley. A lot of the major maturation occurred in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Preliminary maturation befell barrels sourced from a number of cooperages, together with Unbiased Stave Firm, that includes a #4 char and a barrel entry proof of 125. The barrels have been crammed between August and March, permitting for seasonal variation throughout early getting old.
Whereas the distillery of origin isn’t disclosed, obtainable particulars strongly counsel the whiskey was distilled below contract by Buffalo Hint for Wild Turkey, a pairing usually referred to throughout the business as “Buff Turkey.” After prolonged getting old, the bourbon was transferred into Tokaji casks within the fall at 122.6 proof. The ending interval befell at Mindell Mill, the place the barrels rested in local weather managed rickhouses designed to duplicate the cooler, steadier situations generally related to Scotland.
The aroma begins with the nougat middle of a Three Musketeers bar, adopted carefully by milk chocolate that completes the sweet bar composite. As these confectionary notes ease again, beeswax candle and lavender laundry sheets become visible. Later, the Tokaji wine barrel affect reveals itself with a push of Fig Newton character. Taken as a complete, the nosing profile is multifaceted and units formidable expectations for what follows.
The primary sip introduces elderflower cordial paired with raspberry French dressing. Transferring by the center, flavors related to German hefeweizen floor earlier than shifting towards prunes. The general texture reads dry relatively than plush. I evaluated Opimus throughout two classes. Throughout the first, the opening expertise carried a pronounced heightened warmth that felt effectively above its said 116.6 proof energy, sufficient to drag focus away from the flavors and counsel the next proof stage. On the second day, that warmth aligned extra carefully with expectations for its said alcohol content material.
All through the early and center parts, the Tokaji barrel contribution stays a dominant presence. The closing stretch delivers Particular Ok cereal with dehydrated strawberries and a lightweight quantity of allspice, adopted by tannic espresso grounds and dried apple chips. This last part amplifies the drying sensation in comparison with the preliminary palate.
There’s a clear divide between aroma and style: the previous suggests a creamier expertise, whereas the latter skews dry with a little bit of jammy fruit. This distinction seems rooted within the mixture of prolonged wooden getting old after fifteen years and a wealthy wine-barrel end. Drinkers who favor heartier wooden affect are more likely to discover extra attraction right here. For my very own preferences, the wooden presence pushes past my consolation zone.
Whereas a 15 to 16-year-old bourbon launched undiluted and completed in an unusual wine barrel matches comfortably inside a $150 asking value on paper, the enjoyment it delivers doesn’t totally justify that value for me, given how closely the wooden character shapes the expertise. 116.6 proof. B / $150
Ampersand Malus Mix of Straight Rye Whiskey and Calvados Evaluation
Malus takes its title from the Latin phrase for the genus of apple bushes, a becoming reference to a spirit that connects early American preferences. Earlier than bourbon rose to dominance in america, rye whiskey and apple brandy have been the most well-liked spirits in America. Malus revives that heritage by a mix of straight rye whiskey and French Calvados.
Malus consists of 51% straight rye whiskey and 49% Calvados brandy from Normandy, France. The rye whiskey contains a mashbill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley and was distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. The rye matured in Indiana and Kentucky over a interval starting from 8 years to 9 years and 5 months, with a median age of roughly 9 years.
The rye whiskey barrels have been sourced from Unbiased Stave Firm and constructed utilizing staves that have been open-air seasoned for 18 months, together with a #3 char.
The Calvados part was aged 8 to 9 years in French oak casks, crammed between October and December 2014 at 140–144 proof. Whereas it was not disclosed whether or not the casks have been new French oak, Calvados producers historically favor beforehand used barrels. Notably, these casks had by no means held any spirit aside from Calvados. With an age of 8–9 years, the Calvados qualifies for the Hors d’Age designation.
This brandy falls below the AOC Calvados classification, the broadest of the three Calvados appellations, protecting most of Normandy and accounting for almost all of manufacturing. The Calvados is constructed from a mix of greater than 40 types of cider apples and pears, with pears comprising an undisclosed smaller portion. Fermentation occurred with out chaptalization.
Whereas it’s undisclosed whether or not the Calvados was column-distilled or pot-distilled, column distillation is much extra widespread in Normandy. Whatever the methodology, Calvados is legally distilled to a most of 144 proof.
For mixing, the rye whiskey was included at roughly 120 proof, whereas the Calvados was added at round 130 proof, leading to a batch proof of roughly 125. The mix was allowed to marry for about one month earlier than being slowly proofed down and bottled at 92 proof.
The olfactory opening is evident and exact: Cow Tales sweet, rendered with uncanny accuracy. Dry caramel pairs with powdered vanilla cream so convincingly that, with eyes shut, there is no such thing as a psychological drift elsewhere for a number of seconds. As that imagery settles, shiny apple juice presents itself, adopted by honeysuckle and a sprinkle of nutmeg. The bouquet is well-defined, leaning decisively towards Calvados regardless of the near-even 51/49 composition of rye whiskey and Calvados. On the nostril, the rye stays largely within the background, permitting orchard fruit to garner consideration.
The palate shifts path in a manner that retains the expertise attention-grabbing. The place the aroma emphasizes apple-forward sweetness, the flavour profile pivots towards dryness. Brut cider leads, joined by dry ginger ale, making a crisp entry. Mid-palate growth lastly alerts the rye part, introducing clove and a black pepper be aware that positive factors traction towards the again. The closing stretch returns to brut cider, although with barely much less austerity than the preliminary sip. From there, evenly sweetened sultanas, dried orange peel, and a gentle leather-based accent spherical issues out.
Malus succeeds due to this distinction between aroma and taste. The Calvados drives the identification of the mix, even with equal billing on paper, and that distinction works to its benefit. Apple brandy followers will discover lots to understand, whereas the rye offers accent with out pulling focus. Pricing stays accessible, making this a sensible alternative relatively than a speculative one. For knowledgeable brandy fans, this can be a well-done and favorably priced launch. For American whiskey drinkers interested by apple brandy, it features even higher as a degree of entry with out feeling like a degree of entry. 92 proof. A / $59
Ampersand Vinea Mix of Straight Rye and Grain Impartial Spirits Aged 8 Years in Cognac Casks Evaluation
Vinea is Latin phrase for “vine,” a nod to the affect of grape-based Cognac cask getting old on this uncommon mix of spirits. Vinea consists of 75% straight rye whiskey and 25% grain impartial spirit (GNS) that has been aged for greater than 9 years in XO Cognac casks, making a profile not like any conventional American whiskey.
The rye whiskey part was distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and matured in Indiana and Kentucky for a interval starting from 8 years to 9 years and 5 months. Whereas the rye whiskey makes up the big majority of the mix, it’s the Cognac cask-aged grain impartial spirit that defines Vinea.
Below United States rules, grain impartial spirit is outlined as a spirit “distilled from a mash of grain at not lower than 190 proof, so distilled as to be with out distinctive character, aroma, style, or colour.” In easy phrases, vodka begins its life as a impartial spirit, no matter whether or not it’s fermented from grain, fruit, potatoes, or different sugar sources.
For Vinea, the grain impartial spirit was distilled from a 100% corn mashbill and dropped at 190 proof, assembly the authorized definition of neutrality. Nonetheless, not like typical impartial spirits, this GNS developed important character by prolonged getting old in 225-liter XO Cognac casks sourced from Vicard, with the barrels most definitely originating from Rémy Martin.
The GNS was crammed into the XO Cognac casks at 120 proof in the summertime of 2015, the place it matured for over 9 years. This prolonged time in French oak XO cognac casks took a dull spirit and reworked it into an expressive mixing part.
The bouquet begins with aged balsamic glaze alongside contemporary radish sprouts. Because the glass sits, a just-opened bag of marshmallows turns into the first aroma, adopted by freeze-dried strawberries and yellow plum. The profile suggests a spirit that can drink dense and candy.
On the sip, nectarine flesh leads, joined by freshly floor ginger. The center registers Butter Rum Lifesavers and white grape juice. Regardless of the expectations set by the aroma, the physique lands barely under a real medium weight. The closing moments introduce rye bread crust and birch bark, ending with a return of white grape juice and a evenly set pecan pie filling. Whereas the feel initially reads a bit skinny, it positive factors some momentum with repeated sips, notably because it strikes towards the tip of the expertise.
As an unconventional blended spirit, Vinea occupies an in-between area, by no means totally committing to a single stylistic lane. These on the lookout for the energetic character usually related to 8 to 9-year-old rye whiskey might discover it considerably missing The lighter physique is comprehensible given {that a} quarter of the mix consists of grain impartial spirit, although using cognac casks retains it from feeling insubstantial.
That is the kind of bottle I’d be glad to order at a bar out of curiosity and luxuriate in for what it’s. At residence, it’s unlikely to displace extra acquainted favorites in my rotation. That stated, its pricing feels honest for one thing this unusual, making it a comparatively low-risk buy. If it clicks for you, it’s a rewarding discover; if not, the funding is modest. These with an curiosity in cognac influences will seemingly discover the idea particularly interesting. 92 proof. B / $60
Ampersand Malus Mix of Straight Rye Whiskey and Calvados
USD59
Visited 38 instances, 38 go to(s) immediately
