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Barrell Bourbon Batch 038: A Red, White, and Bold Blend of Modern American Bourbon for This Fourth of July
Barrell Bourbon Batch 038 arrives at a fitting moment in American whiskey. As the nation marks its 250th year, Barrell celebrates the occasion by honoring bourbon's legacy and embracing the evolution of American whiskey. Today's bourbon certainly extends well beyond its point of distillation, with thoughtful blending emerging as a respected and defining expression of American whiskey. Batch 038 captures the spirit of modern bourbon, distilled across four states, masterfully blended by the...
by Jes Smyth0 viewsfull - news
Cedar Ridge QuintEssential Peat & Sherri 2nd Anniversary: The American Single Malt You Didn't Know You Needed
These QuintEssential American Single Malt special releases from Cedar Ridge Distillery are exactly that: special. With a distinct spotlight on Cedar Ridge’s winemaking foundation alongside Iowa distilled malt and a noteworthy age on these blends for the ASM category, Quint and the team at Cedar Ridge have truly tapped into something special here. Following the award for Best American Single Malt at the World Whiskey Awards for the 1st anniversary of Pete & Sherri, the 2nd anniversary release...
by Jes Smyth1 viewfull - news
Old Charter Oak "Finest Oak" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review
“Fishing is a delusion entirely surrounded by liars in old clothes.” –Don Marquis This is a bottle I have been hunting for some time. I'm not sure if we've historically had distribution for Old Charter Oak available in Massachusetts, but when a bottle was sitting in the glass cabinet at one of my local stores for a hair above MSRP, I pulled the trigger without a second thought. For some reason it took me a few weeks to open this one after waiting years to finally taste it. Friends coming over...
by Nick Anderson1 viewfull - news
Midwest Farm Boy Rye: How Liberty Pole Spirits Took the Concept of the NFL Draft and Applied it to Whiskey
“The farmer is, after all, the only man in our economy who has to buy everything he buys at inflated retail, sell everything he sells at depressed wholesale, and pay the freight both ways." –John F. Kennedy Nestled right where the industrial East meets the agricultural Midwest lives Liberty Pole Spirits in Washington, Pennsylvania. Known locally for being a craft distillery with a strong focus on reviving the historical significance of Pennsylvania rye, they've been gaining strong national...
by Nick Anderson1 viewfull - news
Jack Daniel's 14 Year Tennessee Whiskey Batch 2 Review: Repeated Greatness or Something New?
“Life is an echo. What you send out comes back. What you sow you reap. What you give you get. What you see in others exists in you.” –Zig Ziglar, See You at the Top Few distilleries can consistently put out double-digit age statements. Since September 2021, with the introduction of batch 1 of the 10 year expression, Jack Daniel Distillery has been doing just that. Now accompanied by a revered 12 year and 14 year expression, the ultra-aged Tennessee whiskey producer from little old Lynchburg...
by Nick Anderson1 viewfull - news
Willett Family Estate Small Batch Rye Whiskey: The Pour That Changed the Way I Taste Whiskey
“The art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings.” — Kakuzo Okakura Maker's Mark, Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve—these are the brands that are steady, the bottles that offer consistency, the pours I return to when I'm craving a predictable experience. I lived in this realm for quite some time, not actively seeking anything beyond what was comfortable, affordable, and, as far as I knew, as enjoyable as any way to end a day. That all changed the day rye whiskey entered my...
by Jes Smyth1 viewfull - news
Stagg Jr Bourbon Batch 11 Review: Were the Older Batches Just... Better?
“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” – Jackie Robinson The unconditional kindness and proclivity towards sharing that is inherent in the whiskey community is one of my favorite parts about being in this industry. It's the direct message that turns into a dear friend—when someone goes above and beyond to help you expand your palate and experience because that is simply what brings them joy. That's what I got from striking up a conversation with...
by Nick Anderson2 viewsfullsamples - news
Stagg Jr Bourbon Batch 26A Review: Expectations on Consistency
“Average is always a safe choice, and it is the most dangerous choice you can make.” – Erwin Raphael McManus I'm always grateful to try new releases—to be one of the first to bring you the truth in a bottle. When my good friend Jason Kass heard I had not yet tried the 26A release, despite being known as "The Stagg Man," he swiftly brought over his bottle so we could fresh crack it together. His kindness didn't end there, though; he left me with another 2 ounces so I could polish up a full...
by Nick Anderson1 viewfull - news
King of Kentucky 17 Year Single Barrel Bourbon Review: Is This One of the Best Bourbons from 2025?
“The most important step a man can take. It's not the first one, is it? It's the next one.” – Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer Few whiskeys have eluded me over the last 8 years of whiskey hunting. Despite living in a thriving spirits market with great retailers offering fair loyalty programs, King of Kentucky seemed to always be my white whale in Massachusetts, though I never had it at the top of my wish list either. That all changed early this year, when I won the right to purchase a bottle in...
by Nick Anderson1 viewfull - news
Pre-Prohibition W.A. Gaines & Co Old Hermitage Rye Whiskey Reserve Bottled by W. Bixby & Co, Boston, MA
“What's it mean; are you determined To make modern all mankind? If so, you should be be-sermoned And brought back to healthy mind.” – Charles C. Abbott At the last quarterly tasting for the Whisky Legends, several interesting and historically significant bottles turned up on the sidebar for the weekend. Being from the Boston area and having tasted a Bixby bottled Old Crow at a previous Legends tasting, one bottle in particular caught my eye. Enter my first introduction to Old Hermitage Rye...
by Nick Anderson1 viewhistoricalfull - news
Are Cigar Blends Finally Hitting Their Stride? A Look Inside Barrell Bourbon’s Latest Cigar Blend
The first cigar blend from Barrell Bourbon has officially landed, and I'm surely not the first person to wonder why it took them so long. Cigar blends soared onto the whiskey scene a few years ago but seem to have fallen off recently, suggesting their time in the limelight has passed. It seems I may be wrong in this thinking. The buzz around this release is real. Heck, I'm excited about it, and guess what? I don't even smoke cigars. You don't have to be a cigar enthusiast to enjoy a cigar...
by Jes Smyth1 viewfull - news
Redbreast Moscatel Wine Cask Edition Irish Whiskey Review
“If you develop the habit of success, you’ll make success a habit.” – Michael Angier With spring just around the corner in New England, my mind always turns to Irish whiskey. Negating the obvious obligation of celebrating St. Patrick's Day, those first sunny days fit for a picnic are also some of the most incredible moments to share a glass of uisce beatha— the "water of life." This was a fun surprise from Redbreast; I was shocked to see a bright blue box shining on the shelf at my local...
by Nick Anderson1 viewfull - news
Old Cassidy Bourbon Batch A-025 Review
“A nice blend of prediction and surprise seem to be at the heart of the best art.” – Wendy Carlos With rumors abound after its incredible inaugural launch through my friend Frank Dobbins , the Old Cassidy brand from Rare Character was ripe for speculation. With just one other single barrel coming through Unicorn Auctions in 2025, this remains the most mysterious brand from Rare Character, even with the likes of Brook Hill still making waves through the whiskey market. I got to taste Frank's...
by Nick Anderson1 viewfull - news
Heaven Hill 90th Anniversary Bourbon Review: Just Another Premium Dupe?
“Nothing more completely baffles one who is full of trick and duplicity than straightforward and simple integrity in another.” – Charles Caleb Colton Did you think this was another one of those legendary Heaven Hill Heritage Collection releases at first glance? I did too—and didn't hesitate to spend the $150 that was asked of me at the register when one of my local stores got a few bottles in. It's a simple mistake when the marketing is so similar. They both come in a blue box, though the...
by Nick Anderson1 viewfull - news
Green River Full Proof Wheated Bourbon Whiskey Review: I Found Great Notes with Practiced Patience
Image provided by Green River Distilling Co. High proof fanatics, rejoice! Green River Distilling Co. is expanding its award-winning lineup with the launch of Wheated Full Proof Bourbon. In their press release, Green River mentions why the wheated recipe was next in line for their full proof designation: "Wheated bourbon represents roughly one-third of the North American Bourbon market, with growth projected through 2031, even as average prices continue to climb across the category (Allied...
by Jes Smyth1 viewfull - news
Weldon Mills Distillery Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review: Highlighting North Carolina Grains
What hallmarks do you look for in small distilleries? Is there something you gravitate toward without realizing its importance until the pattern is established? Perhaps you seek out pot-still production, for example, or you look for a brand's commitment to preserving the historical ways of crafting whiskey, or you enjoy a passionate focus on local ingredients. Whatever the reason, I wonder: are consumers being too hard on the little guys who are pursuing their passions? I don't think so....
by Jes Smyth1 viewfull - news
2025 George T. Stagg Bourbon Review: Can Buffalo Trace Produce Repeatable Perfection?
“Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.” – Marcus Aurelius When I heard this year's George T. Stagg release crossed over the threshold beyond the magic hazmat number, I knew I had to track one down. While the bourbon hunt was a little slower to produce this year, the generosity of the whiskey community turned up strong. My dear friend Matt Long, also known as @rarewhiskeynomad or "Hazzmatty," sent along a sample for review. Matt runs an incredible community called The...
by Nick Anderson1 viewfull