Million Air November-December 2018

DISCOVER

elite traveler NOV/DEC 2018 39

Wine & Spirits by Emma Reynolds

TAKE THREE/// PERSONALIZED BARRELS

Bourbon and whiskey aficionados will cherish these personalized barrels. Concoct your blend with a master distiller, create a custom label and have it delivered to your doorstep

1. Woodford Reserve Double Oak Single Barrel Personal Selection Venture down to where it all began in the heart of Kentucky (Versailles, to be exact) to blend your very own whiskey with Woodford Reserve’s in-house Master Distiller, Chris Morris. First, choose from Craft Bourbon in 180 one-liter-bottle format or the Double Oaked Personal Selection in 240 750ml-bottle format (the latter is the more personalized of the two) before booking your private tour of the distillery. Upon request, receive a personalized barrel and barrelhead. For the ultimate bragging rights, a plaque with your name will permanently hang on the walls of the distillery. From $10,000, woodfordreserve.com 2. Jack Daniels Single Barrel Personal Collection There are three ways to get your

hands on your very own Jack Daniels barrel: visit the offices in Lynchburg, Tennessee, for a taste test and tour, receive tasting samples via mail or simply let the distilling team know which flavors you love and leave it up to the masters’ creativity. Do you prefer more full-bodied and robust,

Savoir faire

In a first-ever collaboration, Bodega Numanthia and Spanish fashion house Loewe have united to create a unique collector’s item: a customizable Loewe-leather-trimmed barrel. The supple leather is delicately wrapped around a 225-liter French oak cask, and can be customized in five colors, from navy to fiery red, then stamped with your initials. Inside lives Termanthia wine from Spain’s northwest Toro region’s Bodega Numanthia, a 205-acre estate vineyard known for its aromatic wine and ancient vines — they survived the phylloxera epidemic in the 19th century that devastated most of Europe’s vineyards. Upon first glance, you wouldn’t think that this desert-like region is capable of bearing intense, yet fruitful wine — if any at all, given the extreme dry heat and bitter winters. However, unlike most vineyards, each vine planted on this estate is low to the ground and spaced far from the next, so its roots have ample space to grow far beneath the earth’s surface, protecting them from the severe weather. And to show for it? The full-bodied Termanthia — its 2004 vintage received a perfect 100-point score by Jay Miller in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate in 2007. Its grapes are fully ripened before harvesting, which give the wine a concentrated and powerful taste (it has balanced tannins and slightly differing notes in every bottle produced, thanks to its distinct terroir). You’ll receive the estate’s rare and precious 2016 vintage delivered in 75cl, 150cl, 5L or 12L formats so you can enjoy the wine for years to come. If you opt for a larger size, you will be one of the only people on earth to have a large-format bottle, as the vineyard has never sold anything larger than a magnum. From $112,000, numanthia.com

flavorful and balanced, or sweet forward? You’ll receive 240 bottles decorated with a personalized silver medallion, as well as a custom barrelhead, and, if you request, a barrel. From $10,000, jackdaniels.com 3. WhistlePigWhiskey Reserve Barrel A small but mighty collection, WhistlePig’s impressive roster of five expressions of whiskeys are aged in casks the company sourced from around the world in pursuit of a one-of-a-kind flavor. Some are aged even further using Vermont oak casks made directly from trees on WhistlePig’s farm in Shoreham, Vermont. Choose an oak barrel from a range of flavor profiles from the 10 Year Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey with notes of allspice, orange peel and hints of caramel and vanilla. Or, you could create a custom blend from the 12 Year Old World Finish Bespoke Blend that has been aged in American oak and finished in Port, Sauternes and Madeira casks to give it more character. Visit the distillery or have samples sent to you to complete the process. From $11,000, whistlepigwhiskey.com