The allure of a whiskey worth raising relies upon an impeccable foundation: the almighty grain. Enchanting, enigmatic, triumphant. Liquid gold, from mere kernels. Yet Fortune’s Fool uses no ordinary grain. Born in the heart of Kentucky bourbon country, we source the finest corn, rye, barley, and wheat around. Then, we treat them with the utmost of care.
A family-owned workshop for four generations, Louisville’s Vendome Copper & Brass Works hand builds each of the unique copper stills used to distill our product. Their tools witnessed the coming and going of Prohibition. Their methods and approach stand the test of time, enhancing and inspiring our inspired spirits.
When you realize a whiskey gets most of its flavor and all of its color from its barrel, it would be foolish to compromise on our spirits’ ephemeral wooden home. Shortcuts are not permitted at Fortune’s Fool, especially so when it comes to our barrels. We’ve partnered with the prestigious cooperage, Seguin Moreau in Napa Valley, to give American oak the old fashioned treatment. No kilns. No steam. No gas. Just wood and flame. The staves are air-dried for 24 months before bending and charring over oak fire, giving our barrels more flame contact and our spirits a more flavorful and mellow finish.
This naturally increases breakdown of wood and creates pores that allow the whiskey and wood to interact more while aging
Oak has proven to be the best vessel for whiskey-aging, new oak is a requirement for bourbon whiskey
No gas is used in the charring and toasting process, which allows for a richer, more natural, all-oak exposure for the whiskey
Master coopers trained in Scotland, with generations of experience, limit the loss of liquid overall resulting in better yields of the best product
This patient process begins in the forest, where Seguin Moreau’s expert coopers know exactly which logs they’re looking for. From there, it’s all about tradition, respect, and mastery of the wood to tease out tantalizing notes of vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, honeysuckle, and spice. Then, nature and time do the rest, and every second the liquid spends in contact with these outstanding barrels is precious.
Fortune’s Fool Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Wheated Bourbon Whiskey will come from Seguin Moreau’s legendary Icône barrels. These contribute complex aromas, a soft mouthfeel, and a gentle oak profile to our spirits, further elevating our whiskies and raising the bar for what spirits may be.
Juliet works with Master Blenders to assess each barrel, performing taste tests and quality analysis to make sure our products are maturing to plan. When our spirits decide they’re ready for the show, our Blenders help raise the curtain.
Come 2025, the curtain will rise again, revealing a theater worthy of the stories it tells. Meet Fortune’s Fool’s elegantly crafted glass bottle, a feat of design and a feast for the senses. First available with our 4-year Straight Rye Whiskey and 4-year Straight Bourbon Whiskey, our seven-sided vessel mirrors the elegance of the spirits within. Each element is intentionally designed and considered. A stage befitting the drama within.
