ModernThirst
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    ModernThirst
    • HOME
    • News & Views
      1. Podcasts
      2. Videos
      3. Events
      4. Links
      Featured

      Four Gate Whiskey Announces Release 15.1, 15.2, & 15.3: The Bluegrass Trilogy

      By BillNovember 30, 20210
      Recent

      Four Gate Whiskey Announces Release 15.1, 15.2, & 15.3: The Bluegrass Trilogy

      November 30, 2021

      Old Forester 21st Release of Annual Birthday Bourbon

      August 24, 2021

      Press Release: Old Forester’s Next Release in the 117 Series Features a Blend of Barrels Aged Solely in Warehouse K 

      August 20, 2021
    • Bourbon & Whiskey
      • Bourbon and Whiskey Reviews
      • Bourbon and Whiskey Mash Bills
      • Bourbon Information & Resources
      • All Whiskey Content
        • Bourbon
        • Rye Whiskey
        • Scotch
        • Irish Whisky
      • Distillery Visits/Kentucky Bourbon Trail
    • Food, Beer, & Lifestyle
      • Pepperheads: Hot Sauce
      • Lifestyle & Features
      • Cocktail Corner
      • Food
      • Barware
      • Other Distilled Spirits
      • All Beer Content
      • Recipes
    • Hot Sauce
    • Shop
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Patrons and Supporters
      • Sample Policy
      • Get in touch with ModernThirst
      • Advertise with ModernThirst
    ModernThirst
    ModernThirst's Matt Gates with Jim Rutledge of Four Roses
    Jim Rutledge of Four Roses

    Jim Rutledge to retire

    BillBy BillJuly 1, 2015Updated:July 7, 2015No Comments3 Mins Read

    Fare thee well, Jim!

    Jim Rutledge, Master Distiller of Four Roses, announced today that he will be retiring on September 1st of this year.  Truly the rock star of the bourbon industry, Jim is a down-to-earth and knowledgeable guy who is responsible for the re-emergence of Four Roses into not only a major domestic label, but also the cutting edge leader of the American Bourbon Boom.  We named him our 2014 Distiller of the Year, and for good reason.  Everything Rutledge’s distillery has produced in the past few years has been gold.

    Best wishes in your future endeavors, Jim, you will be missed!

    Long-time Four Roses Bourbon Master Distiller Jim Rutledge to Retire
    Operations Director Brent Elliott to Transition to New Role

    LAWRENCEBURG, Ky. (July 1, 2015) – Four Roses Distillery’s CEO and President, Satoko Yoshida, announced today the retirement of long-time Master Distiller Jim Rutledge – effective September 1, 2015.

    Jim is in his 49th year working in the Bourbon business with Seagram and Four Roses, and he has been Master Distiller at Four Roses for more than 20 years. His passion, enthusiasm and loyalty for Four Roses Bourbons and the distillery employees and staff were instrumental in returning Four Roses Bourbon to the USA after spending more than 40 years in European and Japanese markets only.

    In 2001, Rutledge was inducted into the inaugural class of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame. He was given a “Lifetime Achievement Award” by Malt Advocate Magazine in 2007, and in 2008 Whisky Magazine named him “Whisky Ambassador of the Year – American Whiskies.” In 2012, Whisky Magazine also named Jim to its Icons of Whisky Hall of Fame, for global whiskies. He was the 2nd American inducted into this elite group of whisky makers.

    When asked about retirement and what may lie ahead, Rutledge stated that his passion for the Bourbon industry, and especially Four Roses, will never diminish, and he went on to say he plans to stay involved in the industry he loves in so much – perhaps including various roles as Four Roses’ Master Distiller Emeritus.

    Four Roses is the only Kentucky Bourbon Distillery to use 5 proprietary yeast strains in combination with 2 mashbills to distill and age in new white oak barrels 10 unique Bourbon recipes. Rutledge went on to say that nothing will change with his retirement, and Four Roses will continue producing the 10 Bourbons with the same loving care to ensure the continuance of the very mellow and smooth Bourbons as its consumers have become accustomed to finding with all its Bourbon renderings.

    Rutledge announced, with his usual passion and enthusiasm, that Brent Elliott will replace him as Master Distiller. He went on to say: “With Brent’s knowledge of the Bourbon industry, the distillery process, and his passion for all facets of Four Roses Distillery operations, I have every confidence the growth of Four Roses Bourbons will continue under Brent’s leadership.”

    Ms. Yoshida stated that she and the entire Four Roses team of employees wish to sincerely thank Jim for his many years of passion for the Bourbon he made for so many years and also the dedication and loyalty he exhibited throughout his career for the employees of Four Roses. “He will be missed as the ‘face of Four Roses Bourbon,’ but we now wish him much happiness and success in his retirement years. I am also excited to have the opportunity to work with Brent in his new capacity as Master Distiller.”

    ModernThirst’s Matt Gates with Jim Rutledge of Four Roses
    Jim Rutledge, Master Distiller of Four Roses
    im Rutledge, Master Distiller of Four Roses
    Jim Rutledge, Master Distiller of Four Roses
    im Rutledge, Master Distiller of Four Roses
    Facebook Comments
    Previous ArticleWillett Bottle Lamp Project
    Next Article High West Double Rye! Whiskey Review
    Bill
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Bill is the Co-Founder, Editor-in Chief, and official Bourbon-o-Phile for ModernThirst.com, and Founder and Chief Blending Officer for Four Gate Whiskey Company. He is a native of Louisville, KY in the heart of Bourbon Country. He attended the University of Kentucky in the mid to late 1990s. He has also been published on Liquor.com. He has conducted various bourbon and whiskey tastings in cities across the country, and consulted for multiple national labels. He is married with two daughters, and lives in east Louisville. You can follow him on Facebook and Twitter @BillStraub and email him at Bill@ModernThirst.com.

    Related Posts

    Four Gate Whiskey Announces Release 15.1, 15.2, & 15.3: The Bluegrass Trilogy

    November 30, 2021

    Old Forester 21st Release of Annual Birthday Bourbon

    August 24, 2021

    Press Release: Old Forester’s Next Release in the 117 Series Features a Blend of Barrels Aged Solely in Warehouse K 

    August 20, 2021

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Browse Bourbon and Whiskey Reviews

    Shop T-Shirts from $18.49

     

    [bbp-login]
    Pending Reviews

     

    Shop
    Craft Beer Ratings

    Matt's Beer Ratings

    WHISKEY NEWS AND REVIEWS

    Recent Comments
    • Bill on Signed Bottles
    • Bill on Signed Bottles
    • Tracy on Signed Bottles
    Archives
    • November 2021
    • August 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
    • April 2021
    • February 2021
    • January 2021
    • November 2020
    • October 2020
    • September 2020
    • August 2020
    • July 2020
    • June 2020
    • April 2020
    • March 2020
    • February 2020
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • November 2019
    • October 2019
    • September 2019
    • August 2019
    • July 2019
    • June 2019
    • May 2019
    • April 2019
    • March 2019
    • February 2019
    • January 2019
    • December 2018
    • November 2018
    • October 2018
    • September 2018
    • August 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • July 2017
    • June 2017
    • May 2017
    • April 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • October 2016
    • September 2016
    • August 2016
    • July 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2016
    • April 2016
    • March 2016
    • February 2016
    • January 2016
    • December 2015
    • November 2015
    • October 2015
    • September 2015
    • August 2015
    • July 2015
    • June 2015
    • May 2015
    • April 2015
    • March 2015
    • February 2015
    • January 2015
    • December 2014
    • November 2014
    • October 2014
    • September 2014
    • August 2014
    • July 2014
    • June 2014
    • May 2014
    • April 2014
    • March 2014
    • February 2014
    • January 2014
    Tags
    #IfIhadaBenjamin Barrel Proof Barton Beer Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon Bourbon/Whiskey Reviews Bourbon Classic bourbon review Budget buffalo trace craft Diageo distillery Elijah Craig Evan Williams Four Gate Four Roses GQuiz Heaven Hill irish Whiskey Islay Jim Beam Kentucky Luxco Matt modernthirst Modern Thirst Old Forester press release rating ratings Review Reviews Rye Score scotch Single Barrel Single Malt tasting tasting notes Video Whiskey Whisky Wild Turkey
    Recent Comments:
    • Bill on Signed Bottles
    • Bill on Signed Bottles
    • Tracy on Signed Bottles

     

     

    © 2020 ModernThirst. Please be responsible. Don’t drink and drive.

    © 2020 ModernThirst. Please be responsible. Don't drink and drive.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.