COALITION WHISKEY WAS BORN

 

The individuals behind Coalition Whiskey are Leonid Yangarber, a spirits business veteran who left his corporate CEO job to pursue his dreams; Steve Thompson, whose entire life is American whiskey; and Ludwig Vanneron, a prominent Bordeaux winemaker with decades of experience in France and internationally.

Coalition Whiskey was born when the trio had a radical idea (surely conceived over a glass of fine whiskey or wine). What if we found the absolute best wine barrels from world-renowned chateaus in Bordeaux – arguably the most famous wine region on the planet – and used them to bring even more flavor to the most flavorful of brown spirits – Rye Whiskey?

The starting point was an easy decision. Having tried Steve’s hand-crafted, unique 2015 100% Rye Whiskey made from grains grown a stone’s throw to his distillery in Crestwood, KY, the trio decided to look no further. A whiskey made from expensive 100% rye grain is a true rarity in the whiskey world, and the pronounced spicy flavor was unlike anything Leonid and Ludwig had ever tasted.

With the precious whiskey in hand, for the next step they turned to Bordeaux, France. The hunt was on for the best barrels (or barriques in French) from Margaux, Pauillac, and Sauternes to finish their unparalleled whiskey, which Ludwig carefully selected. The result is Coalition Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Margaux Barriques, Pauillac Barriques, and Sauternes Barriques.

To add intrigue, the Founders decided to also introduce the original 100% Rye Whiskey Barrel Proof in limited quantities, so whiskey fans can taste the evolution of this fine spirit… from start to finish.