April 28, 2018

"Heaven’s Door" — the new Bob Dylan whiskey — "should feel like being in a wood structure."



The NYT reports:
“We both [Dylan and his partner Marc Bushala] wanted to create a collection of American whiskeys that, in their own way, tell a story,” Mr. Dylan said in a statement to The New York Times. “I’ve been traveling for decades, and I’ve been able to try some of the best spirits that the world of whiskey has to offer. This is great whiskey.”...

Two Heaven’s Door executives, Marc Bushala... and Ryan Perry, sometimes puzzled over Mr. Dylan’s comments about the whiskey samples he tasted. “It should feel like being in a wood structure” was one....

“Dylan has these qualities that actually work well for a whiskey,” Mr. Bushala said. “He has great authenticity. He is a quintessential American. He does things the way he wants to do them. I think these are good attributes for a super-premium whiskey as well.”...

But for those who have been listening closely, whiskey has been a decades-long thread throughout Mr. Dylan’s music, going back to the early outtake “Moonshiner” in 1963 and to Mr. Dylan’s version of the song “Copper Kettle (The Pale Moonlight),” on the 1970 album “Self Portrait,” which describes the distilling process in detail. (“Get you a copper kettle, get you a copper coil/Fill it with new made corn mash and never more you’ll toil.”)...
I would add, there's also "Gotta Serve Somebody":
Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk
Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk
You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread
You may be sleeping on the floor, sleeping in a king-sized bed
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody
It should be noted that before he worked with Dylan, Bushala had a whiskey brand, Angel's Envy, that he sold for $150 million. You can hit a higher mark with the right celebrity name: That tequila brand associated with George Clooney sold for something like a billion dollars.

28 comments:

Tommy Duncan said...

It's 5:00 PM somewhere.

Jeff Brokaw said...

Finally, a useful article in the NYT!

MadisonMan said...

I'm a big fan of whiskey (and gin), so this is something I might try.

I note, also, that craft breweries have peaked and is decline, so whiskey is the nxt big thing.

David Begley said...

Clooney’s tequila was good.

How much cash did Bob put into the company or did he get equity for the endorsement?

Jeff Brokaw said...

I'm kidding, kinda.

As far as you know.

tcrosse said...

Reminds me of Bill Murray in Lost in Translation.

David Begley said...

Ann and Meade:

You can buy the whiskey online! $60 and $90 per bottle. And since he is selling it direct, his profit per bottle is much higher.

From the website, “The iron gates depicted on bottles of Heaven’s Door Whiskey were created by Bob Dylan at his metalworking shop, Black Buffalo Ironworks, and are comprised of found objects collected from farms and scrap yards across America: “everything from farm equipment, children’s toys, kitchen utensils and antique fire arms to chains, cogs, axes and wheels.”

Curious George said...

“It should feel like being in a wood structure”

That's the weed talking.

Fernandinande said...

George Clooney Blanco Tequila + Robert Zimmerman Whiskey = George Zimmerman White Hispanic Whiskey.

The first thing "wood structure" brings to mind is a flimsy outhouse with a crescent moon on the door and wasps' nest.

walter said...

First glance at the picture had me thinking this would be about Charlie Rose..having a bad hair day/week.

tcrosse said...

It's quarter to three, there's no one in the place except you and me.

Bob Boyd said...

Calling the whiskey Heaven's Door is kind of like calling cigarettes coffin nails.
A coffin is a wood structure.
Maybe it's Dylan's sense of humor.

traditionalguy said...

Whiskey makes a comeback.Bob has left the Marijuana behind and come home. I hope he knows that it is the especially good tasting whiskeys that makes men into alcoholics. Jack Daniels has been the ruin of many a good man.

Amexpat said...

Not the first time Dylan has lent his name to an alcohol product. About 10 years ago he teamed up with an Italian winery to make a red wine.

Dylan is a good businessman and knows the worth of his wine (and whiskey).

Bob Boyd said...

I've had whiskies that were authentic and quintessentially American, but left me feeling like I'd been trepanned in a wood structure.

Otto said...

I laughed so hard when i saw the picture. Here is this 5'7", 120 pound nebbish trying to look like a tough "man". He has trouble just looking like a man no less a tough man.

john said...

Is 10AM appropriate for a celebrity whiskey? I was thinking of brunch tomorrow.

walter said...

Dunno Otto..looks like he's simply having a drink. Maybe you read too much signaling from that.

Wince said...

It should be noted that before he worked with Dylan, Bushala had a whiskey brand, Angel's Envy, that he sold for $150 million.

Bacardi buys Louisville-based Angel's Envy
Gregory A. Hall
March 30, 2015
The Louisville start-up Angel's Envy whiskey brand that was the brainchild of the Henderson family is now the property of a Bermuda-based spirits industry giant under a deal announced Monday.

Looks like there was a three year no-competition agreement, almost to the day.

Could Bacardi be naive enough not to define "competition" as all the preparations needed to release a competing product?

Bob Boyd said...

He's not trying to look tough.
He's drinking alone, the sun's coming up, he's still in his tux from getting the Nobel Prize three days ago, his woman just walked out and didn't even close the door behind her, he's reflecting on his life and wondering how he ever allowed his Uber rating to fall so low that he can't even get himself home.

Otto said...

You are right, he does look like he is about to cry. Maybe he just was told by Ann that Meade is the love of her life.

Earnest Prole said...

He started out on burgundy but soon hit the harder stuff.

the 4chan Guy who reads Althouse said...

Bob Boyd, that was fucking beautiful and shit.

Etienne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ron Snyder said...

Is Dylan still alive?

DrSquid said...

how 'bout a pine box for the wooden structure one is in prior to trying heaven's door.

T. A. Hansen said...

Do we really need anymore MGP sourced whiskies? Are you kidding me "authentic"? I'm sure Althouse will be enthused by bottle art and the spokesman. As an aside, I am a sucker for that. Damn it! "Boutique" sourced MGPs are wearing on me even though when I see a limited High West offering I jump on it. Damn it! Friggin MGP! At least I haven't stooped so low and bought "Templeton Rye".

Caligula said...

Value accounting:

Label $60.
Bottle 1.
Contents 18.
___
Value: $79.