The Detroit Lions match up against the Dallas Cowboys in a playoff game later this afternoon, which may be remembered as one of the most important games in recent Lions history.  The highly anticipated 22 year old Lost Prophet Bourbon is also being released to the Michigan market today.  Coincidence?  I think not!  The only question is whether you should search for a bottle ahead of time so that it’s ready for the post-game celebration, or if the hunt will be more enjoyable with the fresh victory still dancing in your mind.

For those unfamiliar with this particular Bourbon, it is the fourth release from the Orphan Barrel Project.  If I’m still not making much sense, this is a project being undertaken by Diageo to bottle and sell extra-aged whiskeys that have been “lost” in their warehouses.  All of the whiskeys are marketed as being produced by the Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Co., but in actuality have been previously produced at other distilleries.  They are then bottled at the Diageo-owned George Dickel distillery in Tennessee.  The first three whiskeys from this project were released in 2014, with this being the fourth.  So far all of the project’s whiskeys have been Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskeys, but I suspect this may change with future releases.

Anyway, time to get to the details on this particular offering!  This Bourbon is thought to have been distilled at the former George T. Stagg distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky.  The astute reader may realize that this distillery is now known as Buffalo Trace, and isn’t associated with Diageo.  This means the Bourbon was moved from the original distillery, and explains why it was “tucked away in a corner of the historic Stitzel-Weller rickhouses in Shively, Kentucky,” as the official Lost Prophet description notes.  The tasting notes follow:

“A soft spoken whiskey, with aromas of honey, apricot and clove that reveal a silky, full-bodied taste with notes of spiced vanilla and a touch of leather, culminating in a sweet smoky finish.”

This rare, extra-aged, 90.1 proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon is now available to the Michigan market in 750 mL bottles, with a minimum shelf price of $119.96.  I suspect it will be hard to find, and probably even harder to find at the state minimum price.  However, it may be worth the hunt as this is a one-time release, and will never be bottled again.  Please leave a comment if you are lucky enough to secure a bottle!