David Nicholson '1843' Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Winner of Double Gold at the SF Spirits Competition, 1843 is a classic-styled “wheater” in the vein of the most sought after whiskeys in the world. With subtle characteristics that allow the grain to shine, you’ll find hints of caramel corn, Manuka honey, oak spice, and vanilla. The palate is well-developed and balanced with hints of wood smoke, vanilla, and baking spice. You’ll find heaps of flavor without breaking the bank.
As whiskey legends tend to be passed down it’s sometimes hard to wade through what is fact and what is fiction. We don’t know a lot about David Nicholson, but what we do know is a start. Nicholson was a 19th century St. Louis grocer who began producing bourbon in the back room of his store in 1843. The whiskey became a local treasure and during subsequent decades its legend grew. At some point those folks in bourbon’s spiritual homeland of Kentucky took notice, got their hands on the recipe, and in 1893 a couple of folks (names of Van Winkle and Weller) began producing the ‘1843’ whiskey. We’re not sure what happened over the next one-hundred or so years, that part is pretty foggy, but what we do know is the Van Winkle and Weller families’ reputations for quality bourbon soared. In 2000, Luxco purchased the brand from the Stitzel-Weller company and began producing ‘1843’ and introduced the ‘Reserve.’ For most of the last 20 years these have only been available in the St. Louis area. With a taste-per-dollar that is off the charts, these are a welcome new addition to your collection!