INDIANAPOLIS -- Bourbon connoisseursknow there's a heated rivalry in the world of whiskey almost as intense as the ones that come in college and NFL football.
It's the rivalry between Tennessee and Kentucky bourbon.
So when Peyton Manning's Sweetens Cove line of whiskeylaunched it's newest product on April Fools' Day, he wondered if the world might think Kennessee was a joke. (Like the time the equipment managers covered his entire car in bubble wrap and taped his doors shut as he practiced).
"The fact that Tennessee and Kentucky are trying to get along, people might think it's an April Fools' prank," Manning told IndyStar Friday. "Certainly when it comes to bourbon, there is certainly intense rivalry arguing which state is better."
Let the Tennessee/Kentucky bourbon rivalry end, Manning said. "We are bringing them together."
More accessible little bourbon brother
"Did we just become friends?" one of the ads forKennessee asks. The product is a mixture ofTennessee and Kentucky bourbon finished with toasted sugar maple wood.
Kennessee is a new product in the Sweetens Cove line and ithit Indiana shelves Friday. It is also being sold in Kentucky and Georgia, just in time for the Masters.
Sweetens CoveTennessee Bourbon launched in the state in September. Manning who is part of a team of owners, doesn't just sit back and hope his products sell.
For Sweetens Cove Tennessee Bourbon, Manning made cold calls to Indianapolis liquor stores to pitch his bourbonas a perfect concoction to put on their shelves. Sweetens Cove Tennessee Bourbon,84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% malted barley, isa limited release and sells for $200 a bottle.
Kennessee is the more accessible little brother to Sweetens Cove, Manning said, selling for $60 a bottle. It will beavailable in more bars, liquor stores and retailers, places that shied away from a $200 bottle.
And that was the plan all along, Manning said.
"It's so competitive and there are so many different types out there, we said, 'Let's do a limited release, make it premiumand make it hard to find,'" he said. "Create a little treasure."
The buzz around Sweetens Cove took off and people started talking aboutManning's whiskey.
"Now it's time to make it more accessible for all people," Manning said.
Each fall Sweetens Cove will still release a premium bottle, but going forward Kennessee will be the mainstay, constant product in the line.
'It's a wonderful romance'
Sweetens Cove TennesseeBourbon launched in 2020, first in Tennessee. The product was the result of tireless work byblenderMarianne Eaves, Kentucky's first female master distiller. Manning calls Eavesthe quarterback of the Sweetens Cove team.
Eaves' Kennessee concoction is well suited to mixology and "everyday special occasions," the company says. It is "excellent for sipping, mixing andenjoying at the golf course."
"This allows us to get into co*cktails," said Mark Rivers, a real estate developer by trade andmanaging partner of Sweetens Cove. "It's the kind of bourbon you would use in an old fashioned."
And it's the only bourbon of its kind, bringing Tennessee and Kentucky together.
"Often that state line has been a cultural border line," Rivers aid. "Mariannewas the perfect peace maker and tastemaker to put those two together in a bottle. It's a wonderful romance."
The taste, Rivers said, hasa little bit of spiceon the front, but is smooth on theback.
Manning said he got up Friday ready to talk Kennesseeand ready to watch his back.
"It's funny. I usually wake up a little more on the radar, making sure I don't get fooled by Ashley or the kids orthe brothers," he said. This year, he didn't play any jokes.
He had a bourbon to launch. And onApril Fools' Day no less.
"We kind of aremaybe playing a kind of prank," Manning said. "Bringing these two together after all this time."
Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on Twitter: @DanaBenbow. Reach her via email: dbenbow@indystar.com.
As an avid enthusiast and expert in the world of whiskey, particularly bourbon, allow me to provide you with a detailed analysis of the concepts mentioned in the article about Peyton Manning's Sweetens Cove line of whiskey and its newest product, Kennessee.
1. Rivalry between Tennessee and Kentucky Bourbon: The article discusses the heated rivalry between Tennessee and Kentucky bourbon, which mirrors the intense rivalries seen in college and NFL football. This rivalry is deeply ingrained in the culture of whiskey enthusiasts, with arguments about which state produces superior bourbon.
2. Peyton Manning's Sweetens Cove Line: Peyton Manning, a former NFL quarterback, is part of the ownership team behind Sweetens Cove, a line of whiskey. Manning actively involves himself in promoting and selling the product, as seen in his efforts to pitch Sweetens Cove Tennessee Bourbon to liquor stores in Indianapolis.
3. Introduction of Kennessee: Kennessee is the newest product in the Sweetens Cove line, introduced on April Fools' Day. It is described as a mixture of Tennessee and Kentucky bourbon finished with toasted sugar maple wood. The product aims to bring together the rival states of Tennessee and Kentucky, challenging the traditional rivalry in the bourbon industry.
4. Price and Accessibility: Sweetens Cove Tennessee Bourbon, a limited release with 84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% malted barley, sells for $200 a bottle. In contrast, Kennessee is positioned as a more accessible option, priced at $60 a bottle. Manning emphasizes that Kennessee is the "more accessible little brother" to Sweetens Cove, targeting a wider market by being available in more bars, liquor stores, and retailers.
5. Marketing Strategy: The article discusses the intentional marketing strategy behind Sweetens Cove, with Manning stating that the initial limited release was meant to be premium and hard to find, creating a sense of exclusivity and treasure. Kennessee is introduced as the constant product in the line, aiming for broader accessibility.
6. Marianne Eaves – Master Distiller: Marianne Eaves, introduced as Kentucky's first female master distiller, is credited as the "quarterback" of the Sweetens Cove team. She played a crucial role in the creation of Sweetens Cove Tennessee Bourbon and is also responsible for the concoction of Kennessee.
7. Taste Profile and Usage: The taste profile of Kennessee is described as having a bit of spice on the front but being smooth on the back. The article mentions that Kennessee is well-suited for mixology and everyday special occasions, suggesting its versatility in co*cktails, particularly in classics like the old fashioned.
8. Cultural Significance: The article highlights the cultural significance of bringing together Tennessee and Kentucky, traditionally separated by a state line. Marianne Eaves is portrayed as a "peace maker and tastemaker" who successfully combines the two states' bourbon traditions in a bottle, describing it as a "wonderful romance."
In summary, the article provides insights into the competitive world of bourbon, the strategy behind introducing Kennessee, and the collaborative efforts to bridge the rivalry between Tennessee and Kentucky bourbon through the Sweetens Cove line.
