The Chronicle
Latest dispatches
100 results across all types
- news
Disclosure Day Review: Spielberg Gives Us Too Much Credit
Disclosure Day review: Spielberg pours a lifetime of obsessions into an earnest, overlong sci-fi plea to an indifferent world. A little over halfway through Steven Spielberg's Disclosure Day, Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt) and Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor) take refuge from a thrilling chase in a freight car packed with disassembled pianos. Margaret slides into a panic attack, certain the tremors moving through her hands are the first signs of the Parkinson's that took her father and has shadowed her ever since. It’s one of the more compelling scenes in the film, and for a moment I was sure that Spielberg was using it to crack the whole film open, that this was a movie functioning as an allegory about aging, memory, and losing control. It is a shame the movie never fully follows or commits to that thread. But when Disclosure Day manages to get out of its own way, it is about memory: about a plea to remember what humans are capable of when we choose to cooperate. That plea
- news
Green River Honey Finished Bourbon Review: A $25 Honey Whiskey Worth Trying?
Updated: June 2026 The short answer: Green River Honey Finished Bourbon is a 92-proof, 4-year Kentucky straight bourbon with real honey added directly to the barrel during finishing. At $25 MSRP, it delivers a clean, honey-forward sip without the syrupy sweetness of most flavored whiskeys. We give it a combined 36.75/50 and an easy recommend. Introduction First, a quick note on the category, because "honey-finished bourbon" sits in a legal gray zone that Green River is navigating carefully. Under TTB rules, anything labeled "Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey" cannot have flavoring, coloring, or sweeteners added after distillation and aging. That's the rule that makes bourbon, bourbon. But in Green River's own words: "We start with real 4-year Kentucky straight bourbon and then add real locally sourced honey directly into the barrel. Then we let time do what it does best, and that's it." You may be wondering, as we still are, how this constitutes "finishing" if it happens in the same pr
- news
Whisky Review: Glenmorangie Harrison Ford Limited Edition
Introduction Today, we are checking out the Glenmorangie Harrison Ford, a limited edition release from the Highland Scotch distillery in collaboration with the legendary actor. This is a 93-proof, non-age-stated single malt Scotch with an MSRP of $99.99. On the production side, Glenmorangie's website doesn't give us much. All they say is that they marry classic bourbon Glenmorangie (by that they mean "aged in ex-bourbon barrels") with toasted Portuguese red wine casks. We'd love to have more transparency into what went into this, but at the end of the day, what we care about here on Film and Whiskey is: how is the whiskey in the bottle? A quick word on the tie-in: we love that it's just called Glenmorangie Harrison Ford. They don't try to make it something referencing one of his movies, just the man himself, and that seems to make sense for his personality. A man of few words, slightly gruff, slightly rough around the edges. But that's why we love Harrison Ford. The followin
- news
Whiskey Review: Bardstown Bourbon Company Bottled in Bond Bourbon
Introduction Today we’re revisiting Bardstown Bourbon Company Bottled in Bond Bourbon , a bottle that longtime listeners of Film & Whiskey may recognize from a previous review. Originally released as part of Bardstown’s Origin Series , the whiskey has since been rebranded with new labels, fonts, and packaging , now standing on its own as the company’s baseline Bottled in Bond offering. For those unfamiliar, Bottled in Bond means the bourbon must follow strict regulations: it must be distilled in a single season, aged at least four years, bottled at 100 proof , and produced by a single distillery under government supervision. In this case, Bardstown Bourbon Company distilled and produced the whiskey themselves. This expression is a six-year bourbon with a mash bill of 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley , making it a wheated Bottled in Bond bourbon . The MSRP sits around $49.99 , putting it right in the increasingly competitive $50 bourbon range. Before divi
- news
Whisky Review: Green River Wheated Full Proof Bourbon
Introduction We’ve tried just about everything Green River has put out over the past couple of years, and more often than not, we’ve walked away impressed. With Aaron Harris steering the ship and Lofted Spirits continuing to expand its footprint alongside Bardstown Bourbon Company, Green River has quietly built one of the more reliable portfolios in American whiskey. Now they’re expanding their Full Proof lineup with Green River Wheated Full Proof Bourbon , following the wheated expression’s win for Best Overall Whiskey at the New York Spirits Competition. That’s a bold move, and a high bar to clear. This batch comes in at 109.3 proof (54.65% ABV) , with a mash bill of 70% corn, 21% wheat, and 9% malted barley , aged between five and seven years , and priced at $49.99 MSRP . On paper, that’s a compelling value in today’s bourbon market. But how does it actually drink? This review is taken from our episode " One Battle After Another (2025) / Gre
- news
Whiskey Review: Four Roses Bourbon (Yellow Label)
Introduction Today we’re revisiting Four Roses , one of the most recognizable names in American bourbon. Over the years, we’ve tried several expressions from the brand on Film & Whiskey, including Four Roses Small Batch and Small Batch Select. But Four Roses as a distillery is a much deeper rabbit hole than most casual bourbon drinkers realize. Part of that comes from the brand’s famously intricate production system. Four Roses produces multiple mash bills and yeast strains that combine into a wide range of recipes, often labeled with codes like OBSV or OESV on single barrels. Enthusiasts love chasing those individual recipes to find their favorites. But on this show, we usually focus on core products rather than single barrels, simply because single barrels vary so widely. If we’re trying to give listeners a clear sense of what a brand tastes like, the most consistent place to start is with the core lineup. That brings us to Four Roses Bourbon , commonly kn
- news
Whisky Review: Chivas Regal 12-Year Blended Scotch
Introduction We are checking out Chivas Regal 12-Year Blended Scotch , and it feels a little strange to say this out loud, because neither of us has really gone back to this bottle since season one of the podcast. It is not something either of us regularly keeps on the shelf. That said, revisiting it now feels overdue. Chivas Regal 12 is a blended Scotch whisky, aged a minimum of 12 years, meaning every whisky in the blend is at least that old. From what we can tell, most of the components sit right at that 12-year mark. There are multiple distilleries involved in the blend, including several from Speyside, which makes sense given the lighter, more floral, fruit-forward profile we tend to enjoy from that region. This is an 80-proof whisky, bottled at 40% ABV, and it is very clearly positioned as an affordable entry point into Scotch. With that in mind, we did not need to overcomplicate the setup. The real question was whether this still holds up, especially when tasted alongside other
- news
Whisky Review: Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban Highland Single Malt Scotch
Introduction We’re revisiting an old favorite this week: Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban , a Highland scotch finished in Ruby Port casks, now boasting a 14-year age statement. Back in 2019, we reviewed the then-12-year version as part of a Glenmorangie sampler pack, and Quinta Ruban stood out as an incredible value. With the upgrade to 14 years and a retail price of around $70, we’re eager to see how it holds up after all these years and whether the added aging gives it even more character. This Highland single malt clocks in at 46% ABV and is made from 100% malted barley. After its initial maturation in ex-bourbon barrels, it’s finished in Ruby Port casks, which we expect to bring fruit-forward richness and depth. Let’s dive in. Nose Brad: The nose has all sorts of really nice fruit flavors going on. It’s got a bit of a peach vibe. There’s a lot of raisins from the port influence and a honey drizzle I really like. The longer I sit with it, the more it rem
- news
Oscar Nominations 2026: Order at the Top, Chaos on the Margins
The nominations for the 98th Academy Awards were announced Thursday morning, and at first glance, they suggest an unusually tidy year. Few genuine surprises or snubs dominated the nominations list, and the frontrunners for Oscar gold remain in pole position. The Shape of the Race: Warner Bros. in Command The morning belonged to Warner Bros., full stop. Sinners led the pack with a staggering 16 nominations , setting a new Academy record. The film landed everywhere it plausibly could, including Best Picture, Best Director for Ryan Coogler , and Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan . Whether or not it ultimately wins big on Oscar night, Sinners has already achieved something rare: unanimous, across-the-branches enthusiasm. Close behind was One Battle After Another , which picked up 13 nominations , including Best Picture, Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson , and Best Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio . Taken together, the two films signal something important: this is a year where co
- news
Whiskey Review: Jack Daniel’s Twice-Barreled American Single Malt
We’re dipping into the vault for a special pour this week: the 2022 limited-edition release of Jack Daniel’s Twice-Barreled American Single Malt . It’s a bottle we’ve been holding onto for nearly four years, and one that marked a significant shift for the Jack Daniel’s brand. Crafted under the watch of Brown-Forman master distiller Chris Morris, this American single malt was one of Jack’s first public forays into the category. It’s made from 100% malted barley and undergoes the Lincoln County process of charcoal filtration before aging. First matured in new American oak for just over four years, it’s then finished in freshly emptied Oloroso sherry casks for an additional two years. Bottled at 105.7 proof , this pour blends the structure of American whiskey with the richness of sherry influence. We’re excited to finally uncork this one and see if it lives up to the hype. Here’s how it fared across our categories. Nose Brad: The
- news
Whiskey Review: Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon
We’re diving into one of the staples of the bourbon shelf: Four Roses Small Batch. It’s been a while since we’ve had anything from Four Roses on the podcast, and this expression sits just above their entry-level Yellow Label offering. Where Yellow Label blends all ten of Four Roses’ proprietary bourbon recipes, Small Batch narrows it down to just four: OBSK, OESK, OBSO, and OESO. Four Roses is known for its high-rye and low-rye mash bills and five different yeast strains, which combine to create those ten unique recipes. Small Batch is bottled at 90 proof, up from the 80 proof of Yellow Label, and carries no age statement, though most estimates put it around 6–7 years. With a shelf price around $37, it competes directly with fan favorites like Elijah Craig and Cooper’s Craft 100. Is it worth your money? Let’s find out. This review is taken from our podcast episode " Fight Club (1999) / Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon ." Click the link to listen
- news
Whiskey Review: Remus Babe Ruth Reserve 2025 Bourbon
Introduction We’re back with another premium pour on Film & Whiskey, and this time we’re diving into the 2025 edition of Remus Babe Ruth Reserve, a limited-release bourbon from Ross & Squibb Distillery, better known as MGP. This is the house label for all of their in-house whiskey releases, and the Remus brand has built a strong following in recent years thanks to high-quality blends like the Gatsby Reserve. The 2025 Babe Ruth Reserve blends three different bourbons: two from 2017 and one from 2016, clocking in at 8–9 years old. The mash bills lean rye-heavy, with one blend featuring 51% corn, 39% rye, and 10% malted barley. Bottled at 111 proof, this release is limited to 8,300 bottles: rare enough to feel special, but accessible enough to hunt down. Let’s dive in. Nose Brad: Really like the nose. It's got apricots, got caramel. It gets that kind of sweet mint that I would expect from a rye. It's a really pleasant, not like super complex, but a little b
- news
Whisky Review: Crown Royal Canadian Whisky
We’re back with another whisky review, and this time we’re diving into one of the most widely recognized names in Canadian whisky: Crown Royal. It’s been a while since we’ve featured a Canadian whisky on the show, and if we're being honest, there’s a reason for that. Canadian whiskies often get a bad rap, especially among bourbon fans, largely because of their production methods (typically aged in used barrels instead of new charred oak, resulting in a lighter flavor profile). Still, when aged well, Canadian whiskies can hold their own. Crown Royal is known for being a highly blended product, reportedly made from up to 50 different whiskies. Around 80% of the grain is sourced from Manitoba and nearby provinces. This bottling clocks in at 80 proof and is likely aged at least three years, though the lack of an age statement keeps it vague. Today’s sample? A mini bottle that cost just 99 cents. This review is taken from our episode American Beauty (1999
- news
Whiskey Review: Weller Antique 107 Bourbon
Introduction Today we're revisiting a longtime fan-favorite: Weller Antique 107. Also known as Old Weller Antique, OWA, or simply "Weller 107," this wheated bourbon is one of the most sought-after bottles in the Buffalo Trace lineup. At 107 proof, it sits above Weller Special Reserve and just below Weller 12 Year, though many enthusiasts claim it offers the most crowd-pleasing flavor in the lineup. This bottle's popularity exploded as part of the so-called "Poor Man's Pappy" blend (a combination of Weller Antique 107 and Weller 12 that allegedly mimics Pappy Van Winkle). But hype aside, how does it actually perform in the glass? We tracked down pours at local bourbon bars to find out. Weller Antique 107 is an undisclosed-age wheated bourbon (rumored to be 6-8 years old), made using Buffalo Trace's wheated mash bill. Let's dive into the tasting. This review is taken from our podcast episode " Pulp Fiction (1994) / Weller Antique 107 Bourbon ." Click the link to listen to this review in
- news
Whiskey Review: Gentleman Jack Tennessee Whiskey
In this review, we’re diving into Gentleman Jack , a Tennessee whiskey from the legendary Jack Daniel’s distillery. Marketed as a step up from regular Jack Daniel's, Gentleman Jack is nevertheless known for that distillery's signature smoothness thanks to a double charcoal mellowing process: once before barreling, and again after. It's bottled at 80 proof and made from a mash bill of 80% corn, 12% barley, and 8% rye. We were curious: does Gentleman Jack elevate the Jack Daniel’s experience, or is it just a dressed-up version of the standard pour? Let’s find out. This review is taken from our podcast episode "On the Waterfront (1954) / Gentleman Jack Tennessee Whiskey." Click the link to listen to this review in audio format. Nose Brad : This is a really pleasant nose. The first note that stood out to me was a really nice butterscotch. There’s a lot of vanilla, some honey, and at the end of the day, this is Jack Daniel’s. I’m definitely getting
- news
Whiskey Review: Bardstown Bourbon Company Normandie Calvados Brandy Barrel Finish
We’re checking out another limited-release expression from Bardstown Bourbon Company. This time, Bob is flying solo for the whiskey portion as we dig into the third bottle in Bardstown’s Distillery Collection series: the Normandie Calvados Brandy Barrel Finish . We’ve already reviewed the Cathedral French Oak and Hokkaido Mizunara Oak releases from this line. Cathedral, in particular, blew us away, becoming one of our favorite whiskeys we’ve ever had on the show. So this new Calvados-finished expression has a lot to live up to. This bottle features a blend of 12- and 13-year-old bourbons from Indiana (likely MGP), both using a 75/21/4 mash bill (corn/rye/malted barley). It's been finished for a whopping 28 months in Calvados barrels, a type of apple (or sometimes pear) brandy barrel from Normandy, France. This particular finish came from a collaboration with Christian Drouin House , a renowned Calvados producer. At 104.2 proof , this limited release comes in a 3
- news
Whiskey Review: Redbreast 12 Year Irish Whiskey
We’re revisiting a whiskey that we haven’t touched since Season 1 of Film & Whiskey: Redbreast 12 Year , a classic single pot still Irish whiskey that helped introduce us to the category years ago. Back then, our palates weren’t quite ready for it. Now, with more experience under our belts and hundreds of whiskeys behind us, we’re excited to see how Redbreast 12 holds up. Redbreast 12 is distilled at the Midleton Distillery in Ireland and is owned by Pernod Ricard . It’s aged for 12 years, triple-distilled, and made using a traditional pot still with a mash bill of malted and unmalted barley, a hallmark of single pot still whiskey. The whiskey is bottled at 40% ABV (80 proof) . Let’s dive into the nose, taste, finish, and overall experience. Nose Brad: There’s a nice combination of toffee, citrus, and floral notes. It leans a little grainy, and I think you can really pick up on that barley. It’s pleasant, bright, and distinctly Irish&
- news
Whiskey Review: Pursuit United Triple Mash Rye Barrel Proof
Introduction We’re diving into a whiskey that comes with a bold claim: Pursuit United Triple Mash Rye Barrel Proof, a small batch blend from the team behind Bourbon Pursuit, is being pitched as a Whiskey of the Year contender. That’s a high bar, and we’re more than happy to judge it on those terms. This bottle clocks in at 121.8 proof , uncut and unfiltered. It's a blend of three rye whiskeys from two different distilleries: A 95/5 rye from Bardstown Bourbon Company A 95/5 rye and a 52/43/5 mashbill rye (rye/corn/malted barley) from Sagamore Spirit Let’s see how this bold blend stacks up. Nose Brad: This one is like baking spices and caramel and rye and sweet mint. It almost reminds me of the burnt marshmallows on top of a sweet potato casserole. It's got that marshmallow caramelized mallow vibe that you know I'm digging. This is a 9.5/10 . Bob: This smells like my favorite kind of bourbon, but I know that it’s a rye, so it’s going to have even more
- news
Whisky Review: Johnnie Walker Black Label Blended Scotch
Each week on the Film & Whiskey Podcast, we crack open a classic movie and a new bottle of whiskey. This time, we’re revisiting an old favorite that somehow never made it to the review table: Johnnie Walker Black Label Blended Scotch . Bob was convinced we had reviewed it before, probably because we’ve always compared it favorably to Red Label. But to our surprise, this is the first time we’re officially reviewing it. Johnnie Walker Black Label is a blended Scotch whisky bottled at 40% ABV and aged 12 years. Unlike Red Label, which carries no age statement and is clearly intended for mixing, Black Label sits comfortably at the $35 price point and promises a more refined experience. So, how does it stack up against our usual blended Scotch benchmarks like Monkey Shoulder and Chivas Regal? This review is taken from our episode "Hanksgiving VI: Catch Me if You Can / Johnnie Walker Black Label." Click the link to listen to this review in audio format. Nose Brad : Yeah
- news
Whiskey Review: W.L. Weller Special Reserve Bourbon
Introduction Today, we’re reviewing W.L. Weller Special Reserve , the entry-level wheated bourbon in the Weller lineup from Buffalo Trace. This 90-proof bourbon has become one of the most talked-about bottles in the whiskey community—not necessarily for what’s inside, but for the price, availability, and hype surrounding it. Once a humble $23–$25 bottle, Weller Special Reserve now sits at around $28 in states like Ohio… if you can find it. In many markets, it’s treated like allocated gold, retailing for $50 or more, with some stores pushing it into the $80+ range. That’s led to a lot of conversation in the whiskey world about whether this bottle lives up to the hype, or if it’s just riding the coattails of its more acclaimed siblings like Weller Antique 107 and Weller 12. Jining us for today's tasting is longtime friend of the show Lee Diaz of ReserveBar . So, how does the actual whiskey hold up? We poured a fresh sample and sat down to
- news
Whiskey Review: Bulleit Rye Whiskey
Introduction We’re back with a pour that helped shape our early days of whiskey tasting: Bulleit 95 Rye Whiskey . Despite its name, this rye is not 95-proof but clocks in at 90 proof. The “95” refers to the mash bill: 95% rye and 5% malted barley, a classic MGP recipe that Bulleit helped popularize. This bottle is a staple on most whiskey shelves and bars, and for good reason: it’s widely available and priced around $28 in states like Ohio. It doesn’t carry an age statement, but industry chatter puts the youngest whiskey in the blend somewhere around four years. We’ve tried a lot of rye since starting the podcast, and going back to Bulleit feels like stepping into a time machine. This was one of the first rye profiles that trained our palates. The big question now: does it still hold up? This review is taken from our episode " Cinderella Man (2005) / Bulleit Rye ." Click the link to listen to this review in audio format. Nose Brad: This is a mint bom
- news
Whiskey Review: Henry McKenna Bottled in Bond Single Barrel Bourbon
Introduction We’re revisiting one of the most talked-about bourbons of the past decade: Henry McKenna Bottled-in-Bond Single Barrel Bourbon . This 100-proof, 10-year age-stated bourbon from Heaven Hill Distillery exploded in popularity after being named Best in Show Whiskey at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. At the time, it was a $35 bottle beating out much older, pricier scotches, earning it a cult following and a massive price hike. But what happens when a bottle that once cost $35 now retails for $65 or more? Does the whiskey itself hold up, or are we chasing nostalgia (and marketing hype)? After trying over 500 whiskeys since we first reviewed this bottle in Season 1, we decided it was time to revisit McKenna and give it a fresh look. This review is taken from our episode " The Lion King (1994) / Henry McKenna 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon ." Click the link to listen to this review in audio format. Nose Brad : There’s a little bit of cherry on the open
- news
Whiskey Review: Larceny Small Batch Bourbon
Today, we’re reviewing Larceny Small Batch Bourbon from Heaven Hill. This 92-proof whiskey is Heaven Hill’s baseline wheated bourbon offering and a direct competitor to Weller Special Reserve. The mash bill is undisclosed, and while it’s non-age stated, we know it’s at least four years old. Larceny traces its roots back to the Old Fitzgerald brand, which Heaven Hill acquired years ago. For a while, the company wasn’t doing much with the brand, but Larceny was released as a nod to Old Fitz before Heaven Hill brought that line back as a premium product. In contrast, Larceny has stayed true to its value roots — the “people’s wheated bourbon.” We were eager to revisit this bottle. Bob remembers not being a huge fan when he tried it years ago, but with the rising popularity of Larceny’s Barrel Proof expressions, it was time to give the 92-proof version another chance. This review is taken from our episode " Vertigo (1958) / Larceny
- news
Whiskey Review: Old Grand-Dad Bourbon
We’re back with another budget bourbon review, and this week we’re digging into Old Grand-Dad Bourbon—the standard 80-proof version. It’s been a while since we revisited this brand, and we weren’t sure if we’d tried this specific expression before. Old Grand-Dad is part of Beam Suntory’s lineup and belongs to their so-called “Olds Collection” (Old Crow, Old Overholt, Old Tub, and Old Grand-Dad). The mash bill here is 63% corn, 27% rye, and 10% malted barley, making it a high-rye bourbon. Originally created in 1882 by Raymond B. Hayden and named after his grandfather Meredith Basil Hayden Sr., this whiskey shares some lineage with Basil Hayden, another Beam product we’ve found a bit underwhelming in the past. At 80 proof and designed largely for mixing, Old Grand-Dad has some stiff competition in the bottom-shelf bourbon category. This review is taken from our episode "Star Wars (1977) / Old Grand-Dad Bourbon." Click the link t