Olivia Taylor
The Dawn of a New Bourbon-Aging Era
They say change is the only constant thing, a truth that holds in every facet of life, bourbon aging included. In a bold new move, Bespoken Spirits is set to positively disrupt the bourbon industry with an innovative approach to bourbon aging. The game-changing revolution is coming to none other than the picturesque city of Lexington, the heartland of bourbon production.
The Revolutionary Leap
Steeped in traditional processes and ancient techniques, the bourbon industry has long been averse to changes, particularly in the area of bourbon aging. A new bourbon barrel would be filled and left to age for years, gathering dust in the shelf while waiting for the elusive, optimum aging point. But, not any more. The wind of change is blowing through the industry, with Bespoken Spirits as the flag bearer of this change.
Bespoken Spirits – Who are They?
Bespoken Spirits, based in California, is a relatively new entrant in the spirits industry. However, what they lack in antiquity, they compensate with cutting-edge technology and innovative practices. Their mission is clear—to revolutionize the way spirits, particularly bourbon, is aged.
Technological Intervention in Bourbon Aging
Until now, the bourbon aging process used to be dependent largely on natural environmental factors, making it a time-consuming and rather unpredictable process. Bespoken Spirits is all set to break this traditional mold using advanced technology to fasten and control the aging process. This technology allows them to “bespoke” the flavor profile of the bourbon by controlling factors such as temperature, pressure, and wood interaction—all in just a few days.
How Does It Work?
Through a proprietary method named ActivatedAging™, Bespoken Spirits accelerates the aging process to deliver a product that boasts a flavor profile inline with years-old bourbon. The secret lies in their ACTivation process that treats the distillate and the wood separately. This technique significantly brings down the time taken to mature the spirit and imbue it with the desirable flavors, without compromising its quality or character.
Why This Matters?
Aside from the obvious advantage of eliminating the waiting years, this revolutionary process translates to less waste and more sustainability in the long run. It curbs the need for long-term storage and the associated costs, reducing the industry’s carbon footprint. Moreover, it allows distillers to customize the taste as per the market’s ever-evolving palate, keeping up with the consumer’s demand for variety and novelty.
Why Lexington?
Athletic discovery and progress, Lexington is often referred to as the ‘Horse Capital of the World.’ However, any bourbon lover would assert it’s equally renowned for its bourbon. In bringing their avant-garde bourbon aging process to Lexington, Bespoken Spirits is not just making inroads into one of the nation’s foremost bourbon-dominated territories but is also bestowing an advanced approach to bourbon making in its historical heartland.
The Future
The question that lingers is whether Bespoken Spirits’ Technological disruption will be widely embraced by the traditionalist bourbon world or confronted with resistance. However, one thing is certain—the bourbon aging process will never be the same again. Whether others in the industry will follow suit, emulating Bespoken’s processes into their production remains to be seen. If they do, this could herald a new age for the spirits industry overall.
All eyes are now focused on Lexington, anticipating the birth of a new bourbon era. It’ll certainly take some time for bourbon purists to adjust to this change, but with the door opened, Lexington and its bourbon industry could be headed for an exciting and promising future. Cheers to that!
