OJ Lima launches his 'forever art project' in Kinfolk Trust American Whiskey

From hip hop to bottle picking, few are better at curation than Lima. For his next act, his own whiskey.

In Kinfolk, we Trust. (Source: TSR)

When I started down my wayward path to writing and experiencing the wide world of spirits, cocktails and beyond, I had no genuine relationships in the industry. I was — and still am — an enthusiast excited to explore where my intellectual curiosities take me.

Yet, once I began to create and engage in the space, there were people who were immediately willing and excited to share, educate and brainstorm. Samara Rivers, founder of Black Bourbon Society, was first. Then, it was Kurt Maitland, author of multiple cocktail books and whiskey savant. Also, there’s Crystal Corbin, a fellow alum of mine at Langston University, who collaborated with me, and I watched her and her husband create the Liquor Connoisseur podcast. I truly value their friendship.

Then I connected with OJ Lima, and I can honestly say he opened my mind to the realities of this business in ways I couldn’t understand as a neophyte in the game.

Lima, a former executive at Paramount and Def Jam Recordings transitioned into co-founding an e-commerce liquor platform, Taste Select Repeat, with longtime friend Pierre Auguste. (What up, Pierre!)

The duo curates selections of spirits ranging from classic and award-winning to new and unique via their online shop, which has been live since 2020. Additionally, the two have been barrel-picking spirits from distillers since 2018, and their spirits are also available on TSR.

But in talking to Lima, it’s been clear to me that his ultimate desire was to have something he could uniquely call his own. A brand name he could stand behind vs. putting his stamp on someone else’s. His own whiskey.

It reminds me of Frank Lucas’ (Denzel Washington) line to Nicky Barnes (Cuba Gooding Jr.) in American Gangster when referring to his “product”:

Brand names mean something, Nicky. Consumers rely on them to know what they're getting. Blue Magic, that's a brand name. Like Pepsi, that's a brand name. — Frank Lucas

Lucas was referring to his product, but it was also a reference to himself and what he represented.

For Lima, that product is Kinfolk Trust American Whiskey, a.k.a. his “forever art project.”

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Here are the details regarding Kinfolk Trust American Whiskey.

There will only be three batches released per year, with each batch offered at Cask Strength and Preferred Proof and bottle quantities are limited. For the first batch, Lima collaborated with Dark Arts Whiskey House in Kentucky and Bainbridge Organic Distillers in Washington to source and blend four seven-year barrels for bottling. The Cask Strength will be bottled at 125.6 proof and retail for $147 at TSR, while the Preferred Proof will be bottled at 108 proof and retail for $118 at TSR.

Of note, the beautifully minimalist and serene label on the bottle — a hummingbird and a flower — was crafted by Ana Bravo Lima, OJ’s wife. A reminder that not only an art project, but a project bonded by love.

anabravoart

A post shared by @anabravoart

Uproxx’s Frank Dobbins III, who provided tasting notes from an intimate first taste in Kentucky last October, praised the spirit. “This is whiskey fit for a king,” he said.

Nose: The aroma notes unveil hints of beeswax at first, while butterscotch, oak, and orange blossom aromas follow close behind. It has a very creamy, approachable nose despite the proof, with a faintly vegetal note pulsing throughout as well.

Palate: Bubblegum reaches the palate first, then the faintly citric, sweet note of orange pith comes in. It’s big and flavorful at midpalate, with loads of butterscotch, slightly floral notes, orange marmalade, and restrained spice blossoming. The heat fans out over the edges of the tongue and then dart up the roof of the mouth, with black pepper leading the charge.

Finish: Kinfolk Trust’s Cask Strength offering has a lingering finish that hangs on the palate for a long time, with some nougat and black pepper leaving the most lasting impression.

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I have an annual list of resolutions I try to review and modify where possible. I do this for my personal life, as well as professionally and for other recreational purposes. This includes my engagement in the spirit space.

Lima’s Kinfolk Trust release ticks two major boxes, and possibly a third.

One is splurge. Yes, you’re looking at a triple-digit purchase here for a bottle, but you’re also acquiring something meticulously crafted. Lima’s superpower in the industry is barrel picking, and the response to this spirit from respected voices all proclaims that this spirit is premium. I can skip buying a pair of Adidas AE 1s or Nike Air Jordan 4s. I’ll survive. I think.

Two is buying from minorities. This industry is still scratching the surface on diversity, and the country seems hellbent on peeling back well-intentioned programs for nefarious reasons. Few have supported women and people of color in this space, like Lima. This is a no-brainer.

Three, which will be my personal challenge, is drinking my good stuff. I hoard my good bottles and prefer to drink accessible things. I like to share with people, but my personal and professional life make that tricky. I’ve vowed to do better at this, and cracking this bottle—and the story behind it—is important to me.

As a community, we’re rooting for Lima to succeed. In this industry, we must also encourage innovation and experimentation. If you believe in the latter statement, you can support the former.