The Never Say Die Story

To kick things off, we’re going to take a quick look at the story behind Never Say Die (NSD) bourbon. Now, buckle up, because this story has got everything from inspirational and heart-warming stories to the origins of The Beatles. Yes, really.

Back in 1951, on a farm in Lexington Kentucky, a foal unfortunately suffered a stressful birth and immediately fell into difficulty. The poor thing stopped breathing and was quickly tended to by John A. Bell III – a legendary horseman round those parts.

John worked his magic, and it is said that he revived the horse by pouring a shot of whiskey down his neck. The horse came to and made a speedy recovery. He was aptly named Never Say Die, for obvious reasons.

The horse went on to become a fairly successful racehorse and three years later he was entered into England’s 175^th Derby Stakes at Epsom Downs, which we now know as the Epsom Derby. Now, don’t get me wrong, he was a good runner, but with odds of 33-1, he was clearly an outsider. Amazingly, in front of more than 250K spectators, including Sir Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth II, he won the race, becoming the first American-born horse to win in more than 70 years!

I’m sure you’ll agree that that’s a pretty amazing story, but it doesn’t stop there. Up in Liverpool, a woman named Mona Best had heard the story of Never Say Die, and, clearly inspired by his story, she is believed to have pawned all her jewellery and worldly possessions to bet everything she had on the horse. Winning with odds of 33-1, she won a fortune and opted to open her own music venue in the heart of her beloved Liverpool.

Naming it the Casbah Coffee Club, it served as a humble venue for up-and-coming music acts just desperate for a big break. One night, a little-known band by the name of ‘The Quarrymen’ performed there. The band consisted of members Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison. They each earned the princely sum of three pounds. Needing a drummer, they even hired Mona’s son Peter Best, who would eventually be replaced by Ringo Star. The Quarrymen would go on to be known as The Beatles, and it’s fair to say they enjoyed a decent amount of success over the years.

Wire Works NSD Double Wood

After linking up with NSD, the folks over at Derbyshire’s White Peak Distillery’s Wire Works Whisky have created something very special with their NSD Double Wood.

I’m a huge fan of Wire Works Whisky. What they’re doing for English whisky over at the White Peak Distillery is nothing short of remarkable, and considering it’s set in the heart of one of the most stunning National Parks in the world, you can see why visits to the distillery are constantly on the up.

Back in 2022, the distillery took delivery of 100 barrels of NSD bourbon. After aging for just under 6 years, the bourbon was then shipped across the Atlantic, where it took around 6 weeks to reach its destination. The maritime conditions, along with the choppy seas and changes in climate, really helped to develop some amazing flavours and characters in this whisky during its journey.

Once they took delivery of the whisky they sold bottlings in their store, as well as several cask strength offerings. Once the oak ASB (American Standard Barrels) were empty however, the fun could really begin.

Presented as a single cask, double cask matured release, they took their signature house style lightly peated single malt whisky and matured it in not one, but two American bourbon whiskey barrels sourced from Heaven Hills (Evan Williams) and of course, Never Say Die.

Initially, it was aged in Heaven Hill barrels before moving into the freshly dumped NSD casks. Because the Never Say Die casks had only recently been emptied, they were known as ‘wet casks’ and subsequently this helped to impart more of the NSD notes into the finished product.

Bottled at cask strength of 54.8% ABV and limited to just 243 bottles, this is a truly remarkable dram that’s packed full of that old oak wisdom you know I love. The wood really did its job this time.

Despite being lightly peated, on the nose you immediately get smoky, charred wood aromas. These are balanced beautifully by notes of creamy caramel, roasted pineapple, and Madagascan vanilla.

On the palate you can really pick up all the very best makings of a fine bourbon. There’s caramel, honey, vanilla, and maple syrup flavours right from the get-go. These are then joined by tastes of tropical fruits, toasted coconut, treacle tart, and fresh orchard fruits with a spicy hint of rye and a touch of charred oak hiding in the background.

The finish is lengthy with a rich mouthfeel to it. There’s orange blossom honey, sea salted caramel, cinnamon sugar, mulled fruits, spicy toasted oak, and a whisper of cigar smoke. This is very drinkable stuff!

If you’d like to learn more about your favourite whiskies, or simply treat yourself to a dram or two at the same time, head on over to GreatDrams.com and take a look at the diverse selection of unique whiskies we currently have in stock.

With an impressive selection of limited-edition, rare, and award-winning whisky, as well as heaps of whisky info on our blog, it’s the perfect spot for any whisky lovers out there.