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04/22/2025
Get a head start on the Kentucky Derby excitement with Never Say Die—whiskies born from a true underdog (or, should we say, underhorse) tale! 🏇
In 1951, at Hamburg Farm in Lexington, a newborn c**t teetered on the brink of life until legendary horseman John A. Bell III poured a shot of bourbon down its throat; the horse rallied and was aptly named Never Say Die. Three years later, at 33‑1 odds, Never Say Die stunned a crowd of 250,000 spectators at Epsom Downs to become the first American‑bred winner of the 175th Epsom Derby in more than seventy years. In 2017, Kentucky native Pat Madden and Englishman David Wild—who first dreamed the idea over a glass at the Kentucky Derby—launched a spirit honoring that legacy.
🥃 Never Say Die Small Batch Bourbon
Mash bill: 75% corn / 21% rye / 4% malted barley
Proof & Aging: 95 proof; 5–7 years in Kentucky rickhouses, then 1 year ocean‑aged in Derbyshire
Nose: Caramelized orange‑cream & clove‑spiced butterscotch
Palate: Minty herbal rye warmth with roasted oak, green caramel‑apple sweetness & soft butterscotch
Finish: Long, dry rye spice and toasted oak
🥃 Never Say Die Rye
Mash bill: 56% rye / 33% corn / 11% malted barley
Proof & Aging: 105 proof; ~5 years in Kentucky barrels, plus 1 year ocean‑aged in Derbyshire
Nose: Dark toasted rye bread & cracked pepper unfolding into dried‑fruit & floral vanilla
Palate: Bold rye spice & herbal mint with pine, anise & bright pear‑citrus accents
Finish: A Sichuan‑pepper prickling through subtle tannins
