The current bourbon renaissance has seen the revival of a number of mothballed brands. Bourbon de Luxe is coming back on the market thanks as part of the Rolling Fork Spirits portfolio. Partners Turner Wathen and Jordan Morris began with Rolling Fork Rum in 2016 and have been blending rums sourced from around the world since then.
The original Bourbon de Luxe brand was created in 1911 by a Milton Eppstein in Fort Worth, Texas.
“Under Eppstein’s ownership, Bourbon de Luxe grew in popularity before Prohibition and it continued as a medicinal whiskey brand during Prohibition,” said bourbon historian Brian Harra. “In 1926, Kentucky’s R.E. Wathen Co. acquired the Bourbon de Luxe brand, and it continued to flourish with the American Medicinal Spirits Co.” AMS became National Distillers, which eventually sold its brands to Jim Beam. Bourbon de Luxe went off the market in the early 2000s.
Bourbon de Luxe
Age: 8-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon.
Source: A distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. Three barrels were blended for the first batch of 528 bottles.
ABV: 59.5%
Tasting notes (from the distillery): “Sweet notes of caramel, vanilla, cream, and orange peel that is balanced by strong notes of seasoned oak and light pepper.”
SRP: $64.99
Availability: Available exclusively on Seelbachs.com
Source: Bourbon de Luxe
“Bourbon de Luxe is one of a few brands that my family produced that Jordan and I had admired for a long time. We have always wanted to do a bourbon, but knew we would not act on a brand revival unless we were able to source very high-quality Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Once we secured the trademark and the bourbon, we were off to the races.”
About Bourbon de Luxe
(From the distillery) Bourbon de Luxe traces its roots back to 1911. The brand survived Prohibition after being acquired by the R.E. Wathen Co. in 1926, and it was folded into American Medicinal Spirits Co. portfolio in 1927 (one of six permit holders to sell medicinal whiskey). The return of Bourbon de Luxe in 2024 marks the revival of this historic brand, which follows the motto created by the Wathen family in 1788: No Finer Spirits Can Be Made. For more information, visit our website and follow us on Instagram at bourbon.de.luxe
