About four years ago, I made my first visit to Louisville, Kentucky, to explore the city and visit some distilleries. New to the whiskey scene but excited by my newfound passion, I stopped by Justin’s House of Bourbon to seek out some interesting pours one afternoon. It was peak COVID lockdown, and I was the only one in the shop with the bartender. I spent a good hour chatting and tasting. Just as I was about to leave, a gentleman walked in with a large box of bottles to sample with the bartender. That gentleman was Bob D’Antoni, co-founder and Chief Barrel Officer of Four Gate Whiskey Company. He was gracious enough to include me in the tasting experience and showcase the variety of products he oversees. I was fascinated by the bold flavors of his whiskeys and ended up taking home a bottle of River Kelvin Rye 7-Year to share with friends. 

To this day, I frequently look for his bottles when I’m at a bar and recommend them to those I’m with. So, I reached out to Bob to learn more about this lesser-known, high-octane company producing such remarkable products.

Four Gate Whiskey Company – The Brand

Four Gate Whiskey Company is a transparent non-distilling producer that specializes in finishing premium whiskeys in diverse casks. From the outset, owners Bob D’Antoni and Bill Straub have cultivated a strong relationship with Kelvin Cooperage, securing access to exceptional custom barrels for finishing their products.

“I was doing financial projects for Kelvin, and Bill had me set up a visit in February 2017 to write a blog post about the cooperage for his website, ModernThirst.com. Bill called me about a year later and asked if I wanted to start an ultra-premium brand and finish the juice in various casks in partnership with Kelvin Cooperage. I had done three projects at Kelvin and was particularly good friends with both brothers, Kevin and Paul McLaughlin, and their General Manager, William Hornaday,” Bob explains.

That was all it took to start the brand. Today, Bob and Bill finish their whiskeys in barrels that previously held port, sherry, Armagnac, Cognac, rum, and even new virgin oak assembled by Kelvin Cooperage.

“We wanted to make sure we were checking all the boxes in starting a luxury brand. We didn’t want to cover anything up—we wanted to make sure we had great whiskey that didn’t need dilution to shine,” Bob remarks.

Kelvin Cooperage

Four Gate Whiskey Company has built a strong and enduring relationship with Kelvin Cooperage, a Louisville-based barrel producer with Scottish roots. This partnership has been integral to Four Gate’s success, shaping both its product quality and brand identity. From the beginning, Four Gate leveraged Kelvin Cooperage’s expertise in crafting unique barrels to enhance the complexity of their whiskeys. 

One of their standout innovations, the “Split Stave” barrels, was developed through this collaboration, combining different char and toast levels within a single barrel to create distinctive flavor profiles.

“We’ve built something really special together,” Bob remarks.

Kelvin Cooperage’s influence extends beyond just barrel supply. Many of Four Gate’s releases pay homage to the cooperage, such as the River Kelvin Rye, named after the river that runs through Glasgow, Scotland, where Kelvin Cooperage was founded. 

Additionally, Four Gate’s annual “Kelvin Collaboration” series highlights their shared commitment to excellence, with each batch featuring carefully selected barrels that undergo secondary maturation in specialty casks sourced by Kelvin.

Even after Kelvin Cooperage was acquired by the French conglomerate Sylvain Charlois Group in 2023, the partnership remained strong, and Four Gate continues to benefit from Kelvin’s access to high-quality barrels. The trust and mutual respect between these two companies have allowed Four Gate to innovate while maintaining the highest standards of whiskey production. Their relationship exemplifies how the right cooperage partner can be more than just a supplier—it can be a key contributor to a brand’s identity and success.

Four Gate Whiskey 

As a non-distilling producer (NDP), Four Gate Whiskey’s success hinges on its ability to source high-quality aged whiskey. Unlike traditional distilleries that produce their own spirit, Four Gate acquires barrels from some of the best whiskey producers in the country, often through brokers. 

This process requires not only industry connections but also a keen understanding of how different mash bills, aging environments, and barrel treatments impact flavor. Once the whiskey is acquired, Bob and Bill taste it, determine if they want to re-barrel it immediately and in what cask, and re-rack it in Bardstown Bourbon Company until the next quality check.

In the early years, the whiskey market was incredibly competitive, making barrel acquisition a high-stakes game. Bob described the challenge of securing barrels:

“Before the market softened, you had to act fast. If you didn’t wire the money that day, someone else was buying it. You don’t always get to taste it first; you just have to know what you’re getting.”

Four Gate has sourced barrels from renowned distilleries, including MGP and many of the biggest Kentucky and Indiana distilleries he couldn’t mention by name. Bob’s relationships with brokers have allowed them to acquire high-rye bourbons, aged rye whiskey, and even ultra-rare 14-year-old Indiana whiskey. With a diverse inventory spanning from six to 14 years old, Four Gate has ensured a steady supply of premium whiskey for its future releases.

“We’ve got a ton of whiskey,” Bob noted. “Every year, we’ll have barrels turning 10 years old. It’s something we’ve worked hard to build. And the best part? No one can take it from us. We own it.”

Bob and Bill meticulously oversee their barrels, carefully evaluating their development and strategizing the best course of action—whether to extend aging, re-barrel for additional complexity, or blend and bottle at the perfect moment.

The Future

Four Gate Whiskey has already established itself as a premier name in cask-strength, finished whiskey, but the future looks even brighter. With a deep inventory of aging barrels and an innovative approach to finishing, co-founders Bob D’Antoni and Bill Straub are positioning the brand for long-term success.

Beyond aging, Four Gate will continue pushing the boundaries of barrel finishing. Upcoming releases include whiskey aged in rare brandy casks that previously held 74-year-old spirit.

“We got ten of them, I think. The whiskey’s fantastic,” Bob shared. “It took us a year to acquire them, but the results are incredible. We’re really looking forward to releasing that.”

He also hinted at continued collaborations with Kelvin Cooperage, saying, “They’re always finding us interesting casks—we’ve got some wild stuff coming. We think we have the best inventory there is.”

As the whiskey market fluctuates, Four Gate remains confident. With older barrels in their rickhouses, innovative finishes on the horizon, and an expanding reputation, they are well-positioned to remain a standout luxury whiskey brand.

Bob sent me three samples of their limited releases and unreleased products after our interview. Among these were their 14-year rye finished in port and rum, Kelvin 60 Double Oaked 8-Year, and Kelvin Collaboration VI, a blend of three 9-year-old whiskeys. The Kelvin 60 Double Oaked explodes with dark raisins, cocoa, spice, oak, and cola—a very complex and rich whiskey. The triple blend had a phenomenal balance, bottled at a relatively low 115.6 proof. This whiskey hit all the right notes of caramel, vanilla, and dark sugars, with the right amount of age and proof that left a long, sweet finish.

Read the full article at Four Gate Whiskey Company: The Bourbon Brand You Need To Know About