Overview: Drew Mayville, Master Blender for Sazerac Company, recently conducted a masterclass tasting at Smith & Wollensky KL to showcase the company’s range of American whiskies. With over four decades in the whiskey business and 23 years tenure at Sazerac, Mayville provided context on the brand’s portfolio and production philosophy.
The Full Story
Drew Mayville serves as Master Blender for Sazerac Company with over four decades in the whiskey business and a 23-year tenure at the organization. He conducted a masterclass tasting of core whiskies at Smith & Wollensky KL, marking a significant opportunity to discuss American spirits with international audiences. The Sazerac Company is one of the US’ biggest drinks conglomerates, maintaining multiple brands under its umbrella. These include bourbons like Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare, Sazerac Rye whiskey, Paddy Irish whiskies, Peychaud’s Bitters, Paul John Indian single malt, and many more.
While speaking with industry professionals, Mayville noted that American blenders often prefer the term “tasters” over “blenders” due to negative connotations associated with blended whiskeys. He explained that in the US, there isn’t a high regard for the word “blending,” as low-shelf American whiskeys are frequently labeled as American blended whiskies. Consequently, the industry typically talks more about distilling versus blending. Mayville clarified that all whiskeys are blended by taking barrels from around the distillery warehouses and mixing them together to give a product that matches a taste profile. In the US, they like to call it marrying or mingling the barrels together, but he refuses to be called the “master mingler.”
Mayville previously worked at Seagram’s, described as the premier distillery for blending whiskies at the time. He learned his craft there before joining Sazerac. When he started as a Master Blender for Sazerac 23 years ago, it was just him there. He did everything, so if it was a new product or whatever, he had to do it himself because there was nobody else. As they grew, the company hired more people, for instance getting a Master Blender for the Irish whiskey. Buffalo Trace is the company’s flagship bourbon.
Production & Profile
Rye whiskey is described as difficult because people don’t understand it, and education is required to provide exposure. Mayville explained that rye whiskey is made the same way as bourbon, except the majority of the grain is rye, which will dominate across the palate. He noted that Sazerac Rye balances the sweetness of corn with the spiciness of rye. It has a lot of candied fruitiness up front, because the corn is a higher percentage. Others may have a higher rye content, so you get more spiciness.
The blending process involves taking barrels from around the distillery warehouses and blending them together to give a product that matches a taste profile. Mayville stated that he thinks everybody who made whiskey could see how people can be so excited about drinking their products and trying new products with them. He finds doing what he is doing now, which is more ambassadorial and training, exciting.
Brand & Industry History
The brand’s heritage is rooted in cocktail culture. The first American cocktail was the Sazerac, and it even goes back to when it was made with cognac and rye whiskey back in France. It has always been part of the culture, and if you go to New Orleans, there is a place called the Sazerac House where they celebrate the art of the cocktail. This history partly explains why American bourbon and whiskey have come back. It didn’t happen overnight, but over many years.
In the US, vodka was popular for so many years – everybody was drinking mixed cocktails with vodka. But then gradually, in the 2000s, bourbons and whiskeys cocktails started to grow, because people wanted more complexity and more premium products, and started appreciating more of the complexity and flavour profiles of these aged goods. Mayville invented their bourbon cream, Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream, which was almost 20 years ago now. He developed it, did the sales plan, marketing plan, and even had to do the packaging because nobody would do that. It ended up being in their gift shop, and became the number one selling item in their gift shop.
What This Means
The recent cocktail resurgence has helped the American whiskey industry as well. The Sazerac cocktail is a classic after all. Our history is cocktails. It is also partly why American bourbon and whiskey have come back. It didn’t happen overnight, but over many years. In the US, it was vodka for so many years – everybody was drinking mixed cocktails with vodka. But then gradually, in the 2000s, bourbons and whiskeys cocktails started to grow, because people wanted more complexity and more premium products, and started appreciating more of the complexity and flavour profiles of these aged goods.
Consumer Takeaway
This bottle or news offers the drinker access to a portfolio that includes bourbons like Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare, Sazerac Rye whiskey, Paddy Irish whiskies, Peychaud’s Bitters, Paul John Indian single malt, and many more. The consumer can expect a product that matches a taste profile by taking barrels from around the distillery warehouses and blending them together. For those interested in rye whiskey, the experience offers exposure to the drink because cocktails tend to be on the sweeter side, and the rye will come through that sweetness and cut through it.
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