103: OH Ingram River Aged Whiskey

Hank Ingram joined us to talk about his namesake whiskey and the unique aging technique it employs. Nashville entrepreneur, Hank Ingram, is the founder of Brown Water Spirits and their line of O.H. Ingram River Aged Whiskey. As the name implies, this whiskey was river-aged inside a floating rickhouse. This rickhouse is a large barge moored to the banks of the Mississippi River, benefiting from the riverside’s temperature variations, humidity, and the constant motion of the river. While some may be skeptical of non-traditional aging techniques (including ourselves), this is hardly a shortcut in the aging process. Hank has patiently waited and released straight whiskey (2-4 years old) which has been enhanced by river aging.

We were honored to be the first people outside of Brown Water Spirits to taste the new Straight Rye Whiskey, which had not released at the time of recording. We think you’ll be impressed with these whiskies and, as their distribution grows, you should check them out. 

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About the Brand:  

O.H. Ingram River Aged Whiskey is aged inside a barge on a first-of-its-kind floating rickhouse. Moored on the riverbank of Ballard Country (Wickliffe, KY) we utilize the climate of the Mississippi River along with its drastic rise and fall to provoke a unique interaction between wood and spirit that is unlike any other. The temperature swings, humidity, and constant cadence of the flowing water keeps our whiskey working. This unique process provides a unique interaction between wood and spirit – we call it barrel aged and river raised!

About the Whiskey:

• River Aged Straight Whiskey:
• • The first release in the River Aged Series.
  • Vital Stats: Mash Bill – 96 proof, blend of 95% rye, 5% barley whiskey and 36% rye, 4% barley, 60% corn bourbon.
  • Aged 3 years in new charred oak barrels.
  • Available in select markets for ~$80/750ml.
  • Appearance: Warm amber. Medium viscosity and a gentle swirl ends in clear, fine legs. 
  • Nose: Right off I got the strong scent of baking spices, predominantly cinnamon. The throat-soothing allure of honey and meringue with a bit of acid from an orange peel
  • Palate: Buttery mouthfeel, tastes kind of rummy, may be the way the sugar shows up. The slow build heat mellows into a smooth taste with distinct spice.
• River Aged Straight Rye:
  •  Just released in December 2020
  • Currently available in Middle and East Tennessee with additional markets coming as inventories are available.

About the Founder Hank Ingram:

• Hank Ingram comes from a long line of entrepreneurs who for more than five generations have built businesses with the river at their core. 
• Beginning in the mid-1800s, his great-great-great-grandfather Orrin Henry Ingram founded the Empire Lumber Company. Hank’s great-grandfather brought the family to Nashville where he founded the Ingram Barge Company in 1946.
  • Ingram Industries — the marine logistics, book production and distribution company
• Hank is the latest in his family tree to bring a great idea to the river’s edge. With an intimate knowledge of the river and a penchant for a bourbon nightcap, he developed the idea for the unique river ageing process while in business school. After the idea won first place in a pitch competition in 2015, Hank founded Brown Water Spirits shortly thereafter to bring the idea to life.
• Hank previously served as Director of Corporate Partnerships for Nashville Soccer Club and held various positions within Ingram Industries and its subsidiaries.
• Hank is a graduate of Washington and Lee University and received his MBA from the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University. He is an active volunteer in a number of Nashville organizations and serves on boards for the Boy Scouts of Middle Tennessee and the Nashville Symphony.
• In his spare time, Hank enjoys golf, guitar and cycling. And of course, a neat glass of bourbon.

Links:

Learn more at IngramWhiskey.com

WhiskyAdvocate.com Feature

Tennessean.com Feature

Discussed in the Nashville Scene

Style Blueprint on Ingram River Aged Whiskey