September in Georgia means the heat finally starts to loosen its grip, Saturdays fill up with football, and the last of the state's peaches make their way into everything from cobbler to old fashioneds. It's also National Bourbon Heritage Month, a nod Congress made official back in 2007 to recognize bourbon as America's only native spirit. Around here, that's an excuse to pour something worth talking about.
This year we're pulling four bottles from the shelf that show just how wide the bourbon world has gotten: a Madagascar vanilla-finished sipper with a story behind every drop, a Memphis-bottled flagship with the awards to back it up, a wheated bourbon built by a house known for its rye, and an estate bourbon grown, distilled, and aged entirely in the Nevada high desert. Different mash bills, different states, all bourbon. Here's what to know about each before you pour.
Edmond's Honor: A Story in Every Sip
Edmond's Honor is a straight bourbon whiskey with a mash bill built on high corn content, rested in American oak, then finished in French oak cognac casks that once held Madagascar vanilla. That finishing step is the whole point. It's a tribute to Edmond Albius, who as a young boy on the island of Bourbon (known today as Réunion) discovered the technique for hand-pollinating vanilla orchids, a breakthrough that made large-scale vanilla farming possible around the world. Edmond's Honor bottles that legacy at 86 proof (43% ABV) in a 750ml bottle.
Nose: Orange blossom, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a whisper of toasted oak. Palate: Bourbon vanilla, sandalwood, and candied almonds give way to warming allspice, with zesty citrus and wild honey rounding out the mouthfeel. Finish: Toasted baking spices linger alongside more of that signature vanilla.
Best enjoyed neat or on the rocks to let the vanilla shine, though it holds its own in a cocktail too.
Try it as a: Vanilla Bourbon Old Fashioned
- 60ml Edmond's Honor
- 7ml simple syrup
- 2 dashes aromatic bitters
- Orange peel, for garnish
Stir the bourbon, syrup, and bitters over ice until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube and express the orange peel over the top before dropping it in.
Blue Note Bourbon: Born in Kentucky, Raised in Memphis
Blue Note's tagline says it all — born in Kentucky, raised in Memphis, finished with soul. The flagship release, Juke Joint, is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey with a mash bill of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley, aged a minimum of three years and bottled unfiltered at 93 proof. It's picked up serious hardware along the way, including back-to-back-to-back Double Golds and two Platinum medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Nose: Sweet corn, allspice, and oak. Palate: Viscous and rich, with vanilla, allspice, apricot, and pear. Finish: Allspice fades into lingering oak, pear, and more vanilla.
Best enjoyed neat to appreciate the body, though Blue Note built this bourbon to work just as hard in a cocktail glass.
Try it as a: Brown Sugar & Ginger Old Fashioned
- 60ml Blue Note Juke Joint
- 7-15ml brown sugar simple syrup (to taste)
- 2 dashes ginger bitters
- Orange twist, for garnish
Combine the bourbon, syrup, and bitters in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir. Strain into a double old fashioned glass over one large ice cube, then garnish with the orange twist.
Redemption Wheated Bourbon: Rye Roots, Wheated Heart
Redemption built its name on rye whiskey, so when the brand turned its attention to a wheated bourbon, it leaned into that same instinct for unusual mash bills. The result is 45% winter wheat, bottled at 96 proof (48% ABV) in new American oak, non-chill filtered for a fuller texture.
Nose: Candied ginger, sage, and lavender, layered over fresh pear, vanilla, and cedar. Palate: Silky and robust at once, with roasted coffee, smoked meats, and hazelnut running into cardamom and black pepper. Finish: Fresh baked bread with a toasted crust and a hint of malty sweetness.
Best enjoyed neat or with a single large cube — the roasted, savory notes hold up beautifully to a slow sip.
Try it as an: Espresso Old Fashioned, playing off the bourbon's natural coffee character
- 60ml Redemption Wheated Bourbon
- 15ml espresso, cooled
- 7ml maple syrup
- 2 dashes chocolate or aromatic bitters
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over a fresh ice cube.
Minden Mill: High Desert, Grain to Glass
Minden Mill is proof that bourbon doesn't have to come from Kentucky to earn the name. Every step happens on-site in Minden, Nevada. The grain is estate-grown, the bourbon is distilled on-property, and it's aged there too, drawing on Sierra Nevada snowmelt for the water. The mash bill runs 60% heirloom corn, 20% rye, 10% barley, and 10% oats, aged four years in a mix of new American and French oak and bottled at 94 proof (47% ABV), non-chill filtered.
Nose: Cherry cola and vanilla with a warm, welcoming lift. Palate: A balanced mix of light spice and subtle sweetness, with earthy notes from the heirloom grains coming through. Finish: Long and sweet, with real staying power.
Best enjoyed neat with a splash of water, or on a single large rock to bring out the lighter spice notes.
Try it as a: High Desert Old Fashioned
- 60ml Minden Mill Nevada Straight Bourbon
- 7ml simple syrup
- 2 dashes bitters
- Orange twist, for garnish
Stir the bourbon, syrup, and bitters over ice, then strain into a rocks glass over a large cube. Express the orange twist over the drink and drop it in.
Pour With Purpose This September
Four bourbons with four completely different stories. That's the fun of National Bourbon Heritage Month. There's no single "right" bottle, just more reasons to try something new. Grab a bottle, invite some friends over before kickoff, and make September the month you actually work your way through the bourbon aisle instead of grabbing the same one every time.
View these bourbons and more on our website here.
