FRANKFORT, KY (April 30, 2024) – J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery, created by Jeff Mattingly, a descendant of distilling pioneer John Graves Mattingly, is releasing three whiskeys to celebrate the greatest two minutes in sports, called The Greatest Two Ounces in Bourbon.  The three releases will be available at a festival held at the Distillery in Frankfort on May 3^rd and 4^th to celebrate Kentucky’s famous horse race.

The Greatest Two Ounces in Bourbon is available as a Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey, a  Light (Corn) Whiskey, and a Small Batch Rye Whiskey.  All three bottles are available online and at the Distillery upon opening at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 3^rd at a suggested retail price of $120 for a 750 mL bottle.  Details of each release are as follows:

J. Mattingly 1845 The Greatest Two Ounces in Bourbon Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is a six-and-a-half-year-old bourbon bottled at 117 proof.  After undergoing J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery’s proprietary double staving process, the nose on this bourbon is described as breakfast in a bottle – sweet smoke and bacon with oak and stone fruit.  The palate is said to have brown sugar and pancake, with hints of maple and savory smoke and leather.  

J. Mattingly 1845 The Greatest Two Ounces in Light Whiskey is a corn whiskey aged nine years and bottled at 125 proof.  After the Distllery’s signature double staving process, smokey candy, fruit and butterscotch can be found on the nose, and the taste reveals butterscotch upfront with hints of sweet smoke and oak.  The finish is filled with creamy baking spices.  

J. Mattingly 1845 The Greatest Two Ounces in Rye is a small batch rye whiskey comprised of a combination of four-and-a-half and six-and-a-half-year-old barrels.  After the double staving process, this whiskey was bottled at 116 proof.  Notes of sweet, earthy maple and bright citrus can be found on the nose.  On the palate, one will find butterscotch and herb notes balanced with sweet citrus which lingers with hints of smoke.  

The bottles will make their debut at a festival to celebrate Kentucky’s highly anticipated horse racing event which will include customizable, double-staved mint juleps for purchase, a custom wax station for your mint julep cup, games, outdoor seating and snacks.  The festival will run May 3^rd and 4^th from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

While on-site, visitors can also enjoy J. Mattingly 1845’s three tasting options, its Heritage Tasting Experience, which is a tasting of up to six pours for $20 and lasts about 20 minutes; the Single Barrel Tasting Experience, allowing guests to taste from up to seven single barrels, each of which has undergone the proprietary double-staving process, for a cost of $55 and lasting for one half hour; and the VIP Custom Bourbon Blending Experience, which allows the visitor to custom blend their own bourbon and choose their preferred bottle shape, custom label and wax color for the top.  This experience is $175 and lasts approximately one hour.  Reservations are recommended for the custom blending experience.  

“We’re looking forward to celebrating Kentucky’s famous horse races on Friday and Saturday with our three new whiskey releases and a festival at our new location in Frankfort,” said Harry Richart, president and chief operating officer, J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery.  “We’ll have custom mint juleps for sale, you can dip your mint julep cup in wax afterward as a special memento, and also snacks, games, outdoor seating and the races televised so you can hang out here and root for your favorite horse.”  

There is no cost to attend the festival on either day.  J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery is located at 20 Reilly Road in Frankfort, Ky.  https://jmattingly1845.com

About J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery
The Mattingly family has been synonymous with distilling in Kentucky for more than two centuries, having a hand in the development of at least nine separate distilleries in the Commonwealth, and with connections to some of the most illustrious names in the distilling industry, including George Garvin Brown, the Willetts and the Samuels.

It all started in 1845, with John Graves Mattingly’s first distillery in Marion County, Kentucky, Registered Distillery #2.  Many historians today believe his distillery was the first registered distillery in Kentucky.  

In 2010 Jeff Mattingly took up the family mantle and started his own craft bourbon business.  Today, Jeff’s son Cameron has joined the team as Vice President of Production, continuing the legacy into the latest generation for J. Mattingly Distillery 1845 in Frankfort, Kentucky. For more information about J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery visit www.JMattingly1845.com.