Never Say Die

The first Kentucky-bred winner of the Epsom Derby would earn a place in Thoroughbred racing lore - but he nearly didn’t survive his first night of life. 

In late March 1951, John Bell and his wife returned from a night out to find that a new foal had arrived at their leased acreage outside Lexington. Its mother was exhausted, as was the barn foreman who had helped her with a difficult delivery. 

The unusually large chestnut colt was having trouble breathing as he lay beside his mother. His right foreleg was tucked awkwardly under his body. Concerned that the newborn might not make it, Bell retrieved a bottle of Bourbon whiskey from a desk in the tack room. He took a quick nip for himself and poured the rest of the bottle’s contents down the throat of the struggling foal. The elixir revived the woozy colt, which, fittingly, would be named Never Say Die - and who would go on to win the Epsom Derby and St Leger in 1954 - the latter by a record margin.

The story was inspiration for US businessman Pat Madden - on whose family farm the horse was born - to team up with Brain Luftman and distillers Pat Heist and Shane Baker at the Wilderness Trail Distillery. Following the trail of the horse, a Kentucky Bourbon with a high-rye mashbill of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% barley is aged initially for around four years in the USA before being transported via ship to the UK - where the ocean waves and sea air create added influences in the spirit. The barrels are then taken to the White Peak Distillery in Derbyshire to be bottled, spending a little time still in cask coping with the colder UK climate.

The palate is big, bold and spicy, with hits of cracked black pepper and dried chili flakes, before a pleasant darkmilk chocolate note arrives towards the finish. Some drinkers may prefer a drop of water or leaving the bottle in the fridge to temper the spice, but it also works brilliantly in a bold Manhattan or Boulevardier.