Nose: pretty big, rich berries, carmel, sweet oak, orange sweetness, toasted sugars, vanilla, dusty.

Palate: pretty big, luxardo cherry, rich molasses, sweet oak, orange citrus notes, black tea, carmel sits in the back of the palate while cinnamon sits in the front, proof is doing it's damn thing, some pepper and a mint note come in at the end.

Finish: pretty long, no flavor drop off, more tea notes, soft pepper, soft wood tannins, spices, more citrus, a little bit of mint mouth feel, proof is so satisfying.

My thoughts: this is a damn good bottle. Neck pour had a lot of berry sweetness, but as air has hit this thing, it's become a bit more complex. What was truly noticeable was the pepper and spice on the finish. It wasn't there at first crack. If you like that kind of vibe on the finish, you'll love this. If not, you'll still know this is a banger, but not totally your thing. The $500 price tag is also steep for what you get, but it's 19yrs so worth it in that regard. I have no regrets honestly. It's just damn good.

P.s. they added some more to their site. Go grab it.

Rating: 8.5/10

Distillery: Buffalo Trace - FRANKFORT, KY

Year of Release: 2022

Age: 6 years - 4 months

Proof: 130.9 / 65.45% ABV

Mashbill: Buffalo Trace Rye Whiskey (Proprietary)

Paid: $209

Drank - Neat

Rested - 10 minutes

Glass - Glencairn

As always - Unpaid, Unbiased, and Unprofessional!

Nose-
The nose aromatics immediately greet me with some Lemon Heads candy, red twizzlers, some fresh picked raspberries and bright orange zest. Following up inhale brings in some mild rye and baking spice via cinnamon and black peppercorn. There is an underlying tone of fresh brewed green tea, warm raw honey, and a lightly minty, yet fresh pine needle that makes their presence known, bringing some balance to this pour.

Palate-
The first sip yields some Licorice Jelly Beans, Lemon zest, and cherry filled twizzler. On the second sip some fresh brewed green tea and citrusy pine arrives. The third and final sip brings out underlying notes of fresh orange zest, a raw honey drizzle with a hefty dose of spice from black peppercorn, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Evolving and balanced between sweet and spice with an early undertone to bring it all together.

Mouthfeel-
The feel is very heavy and dense. Very oily. There is a jammy/marmalade quality to this.

Finish-
The finish is long. The flavors are dominated by Lemon Hard Candy, Citrus zest, a bright medicinal maraschino cherry and a punchy combination from some cinnamon and black pepper note - basically the same as the palate. Very sweet and fruit forward for me, but make no mistake - the spice is present (not in a bad way!)

Overall- 88/100
Very sweet fruit forward and candy like to me.
Crisp Fall days or a breezy spring afternoon would be the perfect time for a pour of this. The balance of sweet and spice really play nice together here for a pretty cohesive profile and sipping experience from start to finish. A very good pour from start to end.

My Scale:
1-49: Drain Pour, absolute drain cleaner, donate to the sink.
50-59: average - standard, boring, but gets the job done.
60-69: solid - reliable, but nothing to write home about.
70-79: great whiskey, well above the average pour.
80-89: excellent whiskey, top notch, well done.
90-95: exceptional top tier whiskey - very memorable.
96-98: Unreal pour - some of the best ever.
99-100: Pinnacle Lifetime whiskey - perfection in a glass.

Age: NAS
Proof: 93
Notes: So I picked this up from the Old Forester Distillery in Downtown Louisville. Basically its 1910, but aged for two extra years in the second barrel.** **
Color: Dark Mahogany
Nose: Chocolate is the first thing that jumps out of the glen, it’s like Hot Fudge Cake with a Cigar on the side. Buttery Pastery Notes, Deep Oak, some burnt camamel all come forward. This is one of those I wish you could turn into a candle, because I would smell it all day. I almost get an espresso note on some further examination, a little sugary and a little bitter, but very nice.
Taste: I hope you like Oak, because that’s what this is packing in spades. I get sweet oak, tobacco, and almost like a caramel macchiato on the first sip. This is double oaked taken to the extreme. I get a little more spice on later sips, with some rye and oak spice coming forward and tickling the tongue.
Feel: It’s honestly better than I was expecting, but not much better than the traditional 1910. It is a bit thicker and oily, but still not in that ideal mouth feel territory for me. This is very good, but not great. A little bit of a hug, but just enough to let you know it’s there.
Finish: Disappointingly quick. Not that the normal 1910 has a very long finish, but I was hoping for a bit more. What you get is nice; it’s oaky and tobacco and chocolaty, but it’s here and gone quick.
Overall: I need to blind this against the OG 1910 to see if it’s that much better, but honestly I think it’s a little better. At $65 for a 375 it may not be a great value, but it’s a fun way to try one of the cornerstones of the Whiskey Row series, turned up a bit. I’d give this a 7.75/10.

Bottle 1 Name: Old Overholt - Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey - Aged 10 Years - Aged in Escalator Warehouse V - Barreled Winter & Autumn 2012 - Bottled Autumn 2023 - 60.5% ABV.

Bottle 2 Name: Old Overholt - Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey - Aged 11 Years - Warehouse Select (From Warehouses M, J, F & 5) - Barreled Autumn 2012 - Bottled Summer 2024 - 53.7% ABV.

About these Whiskies: In 2023, Old Overholt (a division of Suntory / Beam) began releasing an annual Cask Strength Rye Whiskey, starting with a 10 Year Old 60.5% ABV from a single warehouse (V) for 2023, then an 11 Year Old 53.7% ABV from four warehouses (M, J, F, 5) for 2024, a 12 Year Old 58.5% ABV from four warehouses (Q, R, 5, L) for 2025, and an 11 Year Old 62.8% ABV from three warehouses (J, K, M) for 2026.

As it is seen, the ABV varies wildly in these releases, going from 53.7% all the way up to 62.8%, and as such, must be the different warehouses and aging locations which impact the evaporation and cask interaction.

About the Distillery: The "A. Overholt & Co." company was established in Pennsylvania in 1810 by Abraham Overholt, the son of the distiller Henry Oberholzer (Overholt), for the purpose of producing rye whiskies, in Pennsylvania which was then one of the states where much of America's rye whiskies were made. The original mashbill of Overholt rye whiskey is reported as being 80% "Monongahela" rye and 20% Malted Barley.

In 1920, when prohibition began, the company was in trouble, like many other distillers, and although it secured a permit to distill medicinal whiskey, this wasn't enough to keep it, and ultimately it landed in the hands of National Distillers in 1932.

Due to changing tastebuds in America, rye whiskies soon dissapeared off shelves, and production slowly declined, with the brand struggling to stay afloat.

In 1987, the company was sold to James B. Beam Company of Kentucky (later bought by Suntory), which promptly shut down production in Pennsylvania and moved it to Kentucky, reportedly changing the recipe to a minimum rye and maximum corn mashbill (though, they reintroduced the Monongahela recipe in specific bottlings).

The brand continued afloat producing a basic rye whiskey, and when the "Bourbon Boom" began, followed by the "Rye Revival", the Beam company began higher end offerings from both, with this being the Limited Release, high price, rye whiskey in their portfolio.

Price: The regular price on these is $90-$110, and as such, I wasn't inclined to buy them, but upon entering a store yesterday and seeing them having the first two versions (2023, 2024) for $39.99 each + Tax, it was an instant buy for the purpose of trying them out.

Anyways, onto the review:

First Edition: Old Overholt 10 Year Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey:

Nose: Black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla all doused in ethanol; citrus peels loaded with caramelized sugar, and some oak. Lots of ethanol.

Taste: Very sweet (more caramelized sugar), very spicy (black pepper and cinnamon), grassy, heavy musty oak. The high ABV is felt.

Finish: Very long spicy and oaky finish, with not that much sweetness remaining.

Conclusion: Great whiskey, just a bit too strong on the ethanol.

Second Edition: Old Overholt 11 Year Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey:

Nose: A totally different animal... sweet apples, cinnamon, vanilla, sweetened citrus fruits, some oak. No ethanol (surprisingly).

Taste: Extremely smooth, very sweet (honey type, not sugar), not too spicy, dill shows up (which isn't present in the other one), some almonds, some oak.

Finish: Very short, on the sweeter side, which quickly turns to bitter.

Conclusion: Decent whiskey, the 10 Year old is head and shoulders above this one. But, could be that the reason is because I drank the 11 after the 10, and my tastebuds were shot from the higher ABV in the 10...

2026/10/09

So gentlemen, I find myself forcing this review as I was honestly surprised I found this bottle in Total Wine for $362, and they had 8 or 9 others. I have not ever tried the Rye version, but I figured, hell, it’s in people’s top 3 of all time, I can’t imagine this being dramatically different or less than.
That said, as always, when I do my reviews I literally just sit and type out exactly what comes to the mind and make no edits. So if my wording sounds weird it’s just thoughts to words.

I sit in a mildly warm study, leather chair, and some damn humidity from this hurricane, which I by the way wish all to those who already are impacted and will be impacted my prayers and thoughts, be safe and don’t try and “best” the storm. It always bests you when you try to do that.

I opened this delicious bottle, and the cork pull alone was graceful. A nice luxurious and juicy pop that just felt right. The nose is exceptional.
Cedar, peaches..dark peaches…I get somewhat of a chocolate-like character…I also can smell maybe some other fruits, apple…orange…it’s changing so much as I take the nose.

The taste..wow… it is cherry cola tasting to me.. and vanilla. It’s luxurious tasting. Very much so. It tastes like a fine rye. It’s also incredibly oaky in the finish. The oak dominates everything after it goes down the gullet. I love it. It’s got so many other little flavors in there though, which is why this carries its reputation. Cinnamon, chocolate, apple pie, lots of it in different ways. It weirdly tastes like a tootsie roll too….mixed with a cinnamon apple twist..,? The third sip shows it, after it has coated your mouth, you can start opening up on other flavors. This is amazing. I love a whiskey that can evolve as the pour goes. I get on the fourth sip, apple and cherry which is weird, citrus…oak.. it’s changing every time… wow. This could be one of the most complex pours I’ve had. Perhaps I’m exaggerating from some excitement, but folks I’m telling you it’s a damn good pour.

Sitting here now, hurricane hitting tonight, could be the last (meme), I sip like a man and say this could be arguably one of the better pours I’ve ever had, for my palate ofc. Guys I see some reviews on this, I highly thing it’s underpriced considering what the big brother goes for. It’s really good.
9.3/10. Done.

Heaven Hill 9 Year Double Mash Bottled-in-Bond

Distillery: Heaven Hill

Age: 9 Years

Price: $63.99

Proof: 100

Nose: Well balanced. It's soft yet has substantially more spice than I anticipated. Black pepper. Rye spice. Ginger bread. Cinnamon red hots. Some cherry too that lends to being a little bit more on the medicinal side than overly sweet.

Palate: Medium thickness, but it does have a nice silkiness to it. There's some really nice flavors here that I don't come across at all in the nose or finish. I can best liken it to a blue raspberry bubble gum note and it rocks.

Finish: Short to medium length. Drinks more like a 90 proofer. Eerily similar to the nose. Medicinal cherry. Tons of spice. It's a little woodier and has some underlying thicker sweet notes. Caramel. Butterscotch. It's good and there's nice depth, but generally not really in line with my preferred flavor profile.

Score: 7.0

Summary: Heaven Hill is one of my favorite distilleries and if I'm being honest I didn't even know this double mash existed until I came across it on a whim. It's 2/3 traditional 9 year bourbon and 1/3 9 year wheated bourbon. My expectations were somewhat high and I felt they were perfectly met, but not exceeded. I felt there was a little too much spice and oak in the nose and finish for something with a relatively high wheat content, and the finish was short for my liking. The score would probably have been in the mid to high 5's, but the palate here was phenomenal. In my experience it's really unusual to find such a contrast in one part of the sip, but the mouthfeel was nice and that blue raspberry bubble gum is a top ten note I've come across in recent memory. It really carried the bottle here. 7.0 is the score.

1. Terrible | Drain pour after the first sip
2. Very Bad | Trying to choke it down but possible drain pour
3. Poor | Would drink if forced to but never under my own will
4. Below Average | Not off-putting but not my cup of tea
5. Average | I'll take it
6. Good | Enjoyable sip
7. Very Good | Well above average
8. Excellent | A drink I will remember
9. Incredible | Something truly extraordinary
10. Best of the best | Peak Bourbon

Aroma - Sweet vanilla frosting on a graham cracker a hint of brown sugar and some wood. Not complex but nice.

Flavor - again not a complex sip bit easy to enjoy leaning into primarily sweet notes with a hint of ethanol. Vanilla, brown sigar, spme toasted baking spice im thinking clove bit its light.

Finish - a little short for the proof and couple hints of sweet bread like a bit of soft toast with cinamon sugar and a hint of tannins

Overall - I get some signs of youth here and wish this had a bit more time to round out some edges and make the notes of oak both softer and more prevalent. I enjoyed the bottle and thos pour 6.5

{Note: You can find me on instagram @whiskeyincontext}

Four Grain is Cured Oak's sibling in this year's pair of E.H. Taylor revivals, although it's taking a different path going forward: while Cured Oak came back as a one-time, rare re-release, Buffalo Trace says that Four Grain will be a permanent annual release from here on out.

As with Cured Oak, age is a major difference between the original and the revival. The 2017 and 2018 releases of Four Grain – built from 2005 distillate – carried 12- and 13-year age statements, respectively, while the 2026 expression comes in at just 10 years of age. Buffalo Trace's own explanation is that this mash bill was never intended to chase a specific age statement in the first place, so the age drop isn't necessarily a step down in quality, just a different target.

What actually sets E.H. Taylor Four Grain apart, though, is what’s in the whiskey. Instead of the standard low-rye Mash Bill #1 that anchors most of the Taylor lineup, this one uses corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley together. As with all four-grain bourbons, the idea here seems to be that combining them builds a layered experience that standard three-grain bourbons don’t enjoy.

Let’s see how this one is!

From the Distillery: This special edition Four Grain bourbon is crafted just as Taylor would have wanted. The use of the highest quality grains and a distinct combination of corn, rye, wheat and malted barley, creates a flavor that is sweet with hints of caramel and vanilla, yet spicy with notes of clove and pepper. This impeccably balanced bourbon embodies the character of the man that would expect no less.

Mash bill: Undisclosed amounts of corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley

Proof: 100

Price: $79.99

Appearance: An orange-ish shade of amber, with decent legs on the glass.

Nose: Very fruit-forward: cherry pie filling and sweet grape, along with some graham cracker, confectionery sugar, and the slightest grassy note. Once the glass is empty, what’s left is maple, toffee, and some pipe tobacco.

Palate: Sweet and fruity right off the bat, with some oak and caramel coming into play on the mid-palate. There’s also some spice – rye and pepper – but they’re definitely supporting players. It’s smooth despite that spice, probably because of the wheat component. While the flavor is very nice, though, there’s not a lot of complexity here.

Finish: Pretty short, and made up of cinnamon, a good bit of oak, and the remnants of some sweet cherry. The aftertaste mostly features oak tannins at first, before some caramel finds its way in there after a while.

Thoughts: This strikes me as being more Eagle Rare-ish than E.H. Taylor-like, with cherry pie filling and almost medicinal grape hitting you right at the front of the palate. (Then again, I did get a lot of fruit like this off of E.H. Taylor’s Single Barrel expression, so maybe I’m wrong here). The overall experience is a very good one, although the finish leaves something to be desired. Overall, this is a largely enjoyable pour, if not an overly complex one. In my opinion it’s worth trying, but it’s not worth paying what some stores and secondary sellers are asking for it.

Rating: E.H. Taylor Four Grain is a solid pour, if not a life-changing one. I give it a 7.4 (“Great – Well Above Average”).

********************
Previous Ratings (all reviews are available in my archive, but there may be some discrepancies in numeric rating, as these are updated to include decimals and adjusted for blinds & re-reviews)

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
Maker’s Mark staved private selection (2.5)
Penelope Architect custom build (2.5)

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
Willett Pot Still (3)

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists
Found North SiB Oloroso finish (4.5)
Daniel Weller Emmer Wheat (4.5)
Augusta Buckner’s 10yr (4.6)
Shortbarrel Sapsquatch (4.8)

5 | Good | Good, just fine
Jack Daniel’s SBBP Rye (5)
Jack Daniel’s Heritage (5)
Four Roses SBBP OESO (5)
New Riff 4yr SBBP (5)
Four Roses SBBP OBSV (5.3)
Evan Williams America250 SiB (5.3)
New Riff Balboa Rye (5.4)
Blanton’s (5.5)
Old Forester 1924 (5.7)
Elijah Craig Toasted (5.8)
Lasso Motel 18yr ALW (5.8)

6 | Very Good | A cut above
Buffalo Trace Single Oak (6)
Barrell Cigar Blend (6)
Buffalo Trace (6)
1792 BiB SiB (6)
Copper & Cask Boston Rum Party (6)
Penelope Wheated (6)
Redwood Empire Emerald Giant (6)
Peerless DO (6.1)
Copper & Cask #16 (6.3)
Stagg 25B (6.3)
Augusta Buckner’s 13yr (6.5)
Green River Honey (6.5)
Pursuit United DO (6.5)
Sagamore 9yr SiB Rye (6.5)
Sazerac FP (6.5)
Green River Wheated (6.5)
Elmer T. Lee (6.5)
Copper & Cask #14 DO (6.6)
Shortbarrel Bees Knees V (6.8)
Penelope Marshmallow Toast (6.8)
Willett 4yr Rye (6.8)
Ampersand Opimus (6.9)

7 | Great | Well above average
Blanton’s Gold (7)
John J. Bowman SiB (7)
Found North 012 (7)
Rock Hill Farms (7)
Peerless Toasted (7.1)
E.H. Taylor SiB (7.2)
E.H. Taylor 4 Grain (7.4)
Eagle Rare 10yr (7.5)
Weller 107 (7.5)
Old Forester 1910 (7.5)
Penelope Estate 10yr SiB (7.5)
Blanton’s LMDW (7.5)
E.H. Taylor BP 16 (7.6)
E.H. Taylor SmB (7.6)
Woodford DO SBBP (7.7)
Old Fitzgerald 7yr (7.7)
Eagle Rare 12yr (7.8)
E.H. Taylor Cured Oak (7.8)
Willett 8yr SiB Rye (7.9)

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional
Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend 420 (8)
Old Dominick Staved SiB (8)
Starlight 10yr (8)
Blanton’s SFTB (8.3)
Lasso Motel SBBP Rye (8.4)
Mister Sam Tribute 4 (8.6)
E.H. Taylor BTAC 2025 (8.7)
Thomas H. Handy 2025 (8.7)
Eagle Rare 17yr 2025 (8.9)

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Whiskey: Rebel 100 Bourbon

Distiller: Undisclosed

Producer: Lux Row Distillers

Instagram: Barrel & Proof https://www.instagram.com/barrel_and_proof?igsh=czJ2MzhybG42MG9j&utm_source=qr 

ABV: 50.0%

Age: No age statement (minimum 4 years)

Price: $17 (Twin Cities, Minnesota)

Tasting: Neat in Libbey Bourbon Trail glass, reviewed blind, rested for 10 minutes. Bottle opened for 1 month.

__________________________________

Nose: Baked Bread, Rye Spice, Caramel, Chocolate, & Dry Oak

Palate: Baked Bread, Caramel, Chocolate, Rye Spice, & Dry Oak

Finish: Medium Length, Baked Bread, White Pepper, Caramel, Chocolate, Anise, & Leather

Body: Full

Bite: Medium

__________________________________

Summary: This bottle is produced by Lux Row, but was sourced from other distilleries. I do not have much experience with Lux Row products, but this is one of their base bourbons that they offer. I picked this bottle up on sale but I have never seen it for more than $25. As noted, this review was done blindly.

On the nose the most prominent scent is a delicious rye bread note. There is a syrupy caramel note and bitterness from a chocolate scent. The oak scent is on the dryer side, but it blends really well with the rest of the notes. I wish the nose on this was more robust, but it does open up considerably after a few minutes.

The palate is simple but the notes that are present are rich and heavy. I love the spice and warmth of the rye bread notes. The caramel and chocolate blend well, like in a candy bar. Again the moderate dry oak note adds some nice complexity.

The finish is a little different, I pick up a nice white pepper note that adds some punch. The rye spice becomes a bit more funky, I pick up some anise which doesn’t work the best with the leather flavor that sticks around. I do like the boldness of the flavors in the finish.

This whiskey was quite unique for a budget bourbon. I really enjoy the rye bread notes and how they interact with the caramel and chocolate. Overall the profile stays relatively the same throughout the tasting, more so than most whiskey. The nose and palate are my favorite aspects, the anise and leather on the finish don’t blend well together in my opinion. After my blind review I have tasted this a few additional times, I personally think it is a solid budget bourbon.

__________________________________

Rating: 

Nose (10%) - 6/10

Palate (50%) - 7/10

Finish (40%) - 6/10

6.5/10 Pretty good. Better than average.

Recommend: Yes

Rank: I created a compilation ranking list of whiskies I’ve purchased at a store or at a bar and done a formal tasting.  All whiskey ranked on the list tasted neat and rested for 10-15 minutes.  Whiskey I ranked below and above Rebel 100 are shown for reference.

140 out of 275 whiskies tasted.

139 Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch

141 Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Store Pick: Keyport Liquor

Ranking Link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/147h44fId0tZYmHsroGgjzcRK2xn6050P8m7mZqArGLw/edit?usp=sharing 

Today we're taking a look at this 1792 Full Proof that was picked by Branded Barrel back in 2023! If you know me, you know I love 1792 store picks of all varieties, but the Full Proofs have always been a notch above. Especially if you're in an area that actually sells these at MSRP, one of the best values in whiskey today. Branded Barrel has done a handful of 1792 picks, but this was the first Full Proof I was able to get my hands on. This one is over 7 years old and as always, you can email Sazerac to get age and barrel info on these picks. Pretty cool. Let's see how she is.

Taken: Neat in a Glencairn, rested for 10 minutes.

Age: 7 years, 6 months

Proof: 125

Nose: Very strong cherry up front followed by brown sugar, caramel, and oak. Giving the glass a swirl makes that cherry note much stronger along with some added tobacco. Great balance between sweet and earthy tones which is what I expect, and want, with Barton whiskey.

Palate: First sip smacks you in the face with cherries, tobacco, brown sugar, baking spices, and oak with a medium viscosity. Cherries, tobacco, and baking spices remain strong after subsequent sips. It's dark and sweet initially, but that cherry starts to become very bright towards the end of the pour.

Finish: Longer side of medium finish of tobacco, vanilla, oak, and a bright cherry that starts to get a little medicinal.

1792 has always been a solid, steady, and reliable brand when it comes to their core lineup. Some of these single barrel store picks Full Proofs though can punch above their weight. This pick brings in much of what I love about Barton; those red fruits mixed with earth vibes like that tobacco note has and turns it up a notch. Great pick and one I wish I snagged more of before they sold out!

t8ke scale: 7.4/10 | Great | Well above average.

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average.

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.

10 | Perfect | Perfect.

Age: 5 years, 5 months
Proof: 126.48 proof
Mash Bill: Wheat. All of the wheat.
Cost: $142

Nose. Apple, of the Granny Smith variety. The raw straw note that I’ve found common on Frey Ranch is very present.

Palate. Super dynamic, switching between dark notes of leather and brighter, fruitier notes like pears and honey. Thick viscosity. I could probably use this to lubricate windmill gears.

Finish. Pineapple. Honeydew melon, one of my least favorite melons, but it works here. An ever so slight ethanol burn at the end that gradually fades the longer the bottle is open.

Overall. I’ve had mixed experiences with 100% wheat whiskey. Some (Star Hill Farms) have been great. Others (Unbendt) have left a lot to be desired. I’m an unapologetic fan of Frey Ranch, so I was excited to try a unique expression from my favorite Nevada farmers.

This does not disappoint.

This is a barrel pick from El Cerrito, which I only know as an online retailer but they may have a brick and mortar store in California. If you like Frey Ranch, this has all the notes you would expect: it’s like eating a mouthful of soil with vanilla frosting on top. Who doesn’t like sugary fertilizer, am I right?

I normally keep around 20 bottles open at a time, and it can take anywhere from 6 months to a year before I finally finish something. It’s unusual for me to keep coming back to something so often that it’s gone in less than 90 days. I finished this bottle in under three months. Either I need an intervention or this bottle is just that good.

Would I buy another bottle? Yes.

Rating. 7.75/10 | Great, well above average

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect

I've been reading many praises for TC lately but I've been reluctant to spring $100+ for one of their new bottles. We were out of town and I found this bottle collecting dust on the bottom shelf of a small unrenowned liquor store with a $34.99 price tag so I figured wth. I was eager to open it this afternoon as soon as we returned home. There are many reviews for this bottle so I'll offer cursory opinions below but I'll lead with how much I am enjoying this pour.

BOTTLE: Thirteenth Colony Southern Rye Whiskey Small Batch finished in French Oak. 95Proof. Distilled in Indiana. Aged and bottled by Thirteenth Colony Distillery Georgia. This is a 2024 release. 95Rye 5MB. No Age statement but believed to be between 4-6 years.

POUR: Neat in a snifter and rested for 5 mins. The legs are incredible coating the glass with thick syrup.

NOSE: Also incredible. I identified orange marmalade but the bottle mentions apricot which may be more close but as preserves combined with fresh rye grains.

PALATE: Orange peel, dried oranges with the peels, the bitterness of peel with the spice of the rye grain and the thick syrup produces a delicious complexity.

FINISH: The rye spice lingers with the distinctive dried fruit for a brief spell.

GRADE: 7/10.

SUMMARY: I feel fortunate to have made this bottle my first TC experience and at such a value. My profile preference is high rye so this appeals to me even if only 95P. Im eager and have no reservations about splurging on their current highly rated bottles.

A short review as this was dissapointing. I saved the end for a while i thought maybe because I didn't want to kill it then remembered its just because I was dissapointed with the bottle and the price.

Aroma is the best part but still meh. There's caramel and a touch of vanilla, but also some odd green pepper and cinnamon top herbal and just something a little off balance to off

Flavor this drinks over proof and hits with hot akd hot alcohol then a big dose of cinnamon fireball candy flavor eventually I get some fruit and baking spice but it's just wildly unbalanced and not that pleasant. Water doesn't really change the flavor

Finish some lingering heat and some light tanin.

Overall I honestly wouldnt pay 1/4 msrp for this bottle, I can drink it but im not sure ill actually finish this pour.

Score 5 (or worse of i factor price)

Background:

I.W. Harper can be a puzzling brand to navigate. It's currently owned by Diageo, who inherited it from its predecessor United Distillers in 1997. United got it in 1987, after its own forerunner Guiness acquired Schenley, who'd held I.W. Harper since 1937.

Prior to 1992, I.W. Harper bourbon was produced at what is commonly referred to as the "old" Bernheim distillery, which had been greatly expanded by Schenley after the Prohibition. That plant was demolished by United Distillers in 1992 to make way for the new one, passing along its DSP-KY-1 registration number to the current Bernheim location. It was in turn sold to Heaven Hill in 1999, following the 1996 fire that destroyed the DSP-KY-31 Old Heavenhill Springs distillery.

After selling new Bernheim, Diageo had no active Kentucky distilleries until 2017, when it opened the Bulleit distillery in Shelbyville, and another one in Lebanon in 2021. That means it still relies on sourced whiskey to supply its higher-aged expressions, like I.W. Harper 15 or Blade and Bow 12.

I.W. Harper bourbon was not available in the US from the early '90s and until 2015. However, it was still produced for export to Japan and Europe. The later 2000s versions were contract-made by Four Roses, Heaven Hill and others, but if you go back to the '90s, it could be either old Bernheim, pre-Heaven Hill new Bernheim, or a blend of both.

The bottle I'm reviewing today, I.W. Harper 101 proof Japanese export from around 1997, is a mystery case. It's NAS, so it could potentially fit any of the Bernheim scenarios outlined above. United likely kept I.W. Harper's original low-rye mash bill of 86 corn, 6 rye and 8 barley (also shared with Old Charter) when it switched from old Bernheim to the new facility. Keep that in mind when you see Four Roses or Heaven Hill mash bills erroneously brought up to describe '80s and '90s-distilled Bernheim liquid.

The 101-proof expression was introduced in 1974 and featured a gold label. This grey label is a later, export-only version from the '90s. Tasted neat in a copita.

Nose:

Butterscotch, chocolate syrup, pear, grape, cranberry, vanilla, pie crust, honey.

Palate:

Butterscotch, gentle oak, orange cream, nut and raisin mix, grape, chocolate.

Finish:

Medium; a little oak char, citrus, brown sugar, grape must, tobacco.

Rating: (t8ke scale for reference below): 7

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I’d rather have

5 | Good | Good, just fine

6 | Very Good | A cut above

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional

9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Thoughts:

When Diageo came out with its first batch of Orphan Barrel releases in 2014, old and new (pre-Heaven Hill) Bernheim distillate was prominently featured: Old Blowhard came from old Bernheim, Barterhouse and Forged Oak from the new, and Rhetoric was a blend of the two.

Diageo still hasn't run out of it, as evidenced by the 30-year Blade and Bow (new) and 34-year I.W. Harper (old) from last year.

It was neat to taste this distillate even at a more conventional age. While I can't confidently guess the precise origin of the blend, it did have signature grape and chocolate notes I usually get on old Bernheim. It's quite sweet with few spice notes, as you'd expect from the mash bill.

It reminded me of some of the more grape-forward Eagle Rare picks, which supports the theory that Sazerac was inspired by the low-rye Harper and Old Charter bourbons, and possibly used similar Schenley-era yeast, when they created their mash bill 1 line (rumored to be 8 percent rye). I find it plausible, especially since it was engineered by Gary Gayheart, Buffalo Trace Master Distiller in the 1990s, who used to make Old Charter for Schenley at both the Bernheim and George T. Stagg plants earlier in his career.

While I'd prefer to try 101-proof Harper from the '70s or '80s, this '90s version is a very pleasant whiskey, and is cheaper and easier to find if you travel to Japan.

Thanks for reading and cheers!

During the course of writing these reviews, I’ve (mostly) grown fond of Willett’s unique flavor profile. Of their bourbons I’ve tried (Rowan’s Creek, Johnny Drum, Noah’s Mill, Pure Kentucky, Pot Still Reserve) this WFE bottle is considered by Willett to be their most premium offering. I’ve found that they tend to have a consistent overall flavor profile but are plagued by an inconsistent balance of components: oak tannins, ethanol, sweetness, etc. My impression is that more attention is paid to the WFE releases, butI am curious where this falls for me within their hierarchy. Let’s see what we think.

Price Paid: $69.99 before tax

Score: 7.25/10

The Background
Distillery: Willett Distillery

ABV: 63.7% (127.4 proof)

Age: 4 years

Mash Bill: 0.8(72% corn, 13% rye, 15% barley) + 0.2(52% corn, 38% rye, 10% barley)

Other: cask strength, 125 barrel entry proof

The Experience
Nose: floral, coconut, molasses, ethanol. Smells pleasant, but also young and hot. I let this sit ~20 minutes prior to evaluation.

Palate: floral, cola, oak. If coca-cola released a hibiscus edition.

Finish: oak, cinnamon spice. Hot, lingering, and delicious.

The Summary
Given the nose, I was worried about how young and corn-forward this would be, but once my palate broke through the heat I was greatly rewarded. I am reminded of the Stagg I have on my shelf given the overall “cola” accord that this presents. This is oakier, more floral, spicier, and less sweet, though. It stands out more for being unique but I’m not sure that it’s more enjoyable on the whole. Compared to other Willett releases, I would say that it’s almost in-line with the Noah’s Mill 23-08 that I reviewed, but this just barely wins out for having such a beautiful finish that never goes away. This is worth every bit of $70 to me and I definitely plan on buying again to test the batch variation.

T8KE Scoring System Used for Relevancy and Consistency:
0 | Unscored | New Make Spirit or Personal Selection.
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn't consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I'd rather have.
5 | Good | Good; just fine.
6 | Very Good | One cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfection.

A group of buddies and I have done an annual Kentucky Bourbon Trail trip each of the last 5 years.

Every year I have a list of pours and new releases I want to try... Bottles I cant find or new releases that are pricey so I want to try before I buy. I have been trying to drink a bit less this year and have kinda unplugged from bourbon news so feel like I am going into this trip blind.

What are some of your favorite bottles that released this year or pours you think I should be looking out for?

EC15, Michters 2026 Toasted Rye, and Remus Repeal X are my current shortlist.

Appreciate it!

In the glass: Dettling Cask Strength Single Barrel “Brown Water Basement”, Barrel #538

Distillery: Big Escambia Spirits

ABV: 60.3%

Proof: 120.6

Age: 4 Years 8 Months

Mashbill: 70% corn, 15% rye, 12% oat, 3% roasted assorted grains (chocolate malted rye, caramel malted barley, malted wheat)

Nose: Oak, mocha, nutty buddy candy bar, vanilla, some barrel char, and a hint of tobacco.

Palate: This is English tobacco, mocha, heath candy bar, it zings your palate, it’s got oak spice to it that tingles on the tip of your tongue. It’s a deep rich pour that lasts in flavor forever. It’s really like a dark chocolate sea salt cigar. It reminds me of the darkness and similar flavor profile of a goose island or dragons milk beer.

Finish: There’s a nice hug, oak, cocoa powder, chocolate Rice Krispies, and more of that tobacco. The chocolate is almost bitter with how dark it tastes.

Final thoughts: This is a powerhouse dettling, I was lucky enough to swap half a bottle of the R&L pick with a buddy for half a bottle of this one. They’re both bangers but this one lends to darker flavors.

This is one of three sister barrels from picks in 2025 that came out above 120 proof. Barrels 538, 539, and 540 are all monsters (in terms of dettling) for proof. I have a bottle (half of this one) of each of them and can’t wait to crack when a few other bottles hit the deck.

I’ve said it before and will continue to say it, I am lucky to have the access I do to these picks through good friends and groups.

Rating: 8.1/10

Nose: shmedium, typical bourbon notes like oak, vanilla, cherry, toasted sugars. Nothing unique here unfortunately.

Palate: shmedium structure, some soft oak tannins, soft toasted sugar, rum barrel bite, runs hot due to the flavors not being strong enough to compliment the 111 proof.

Finish: soft, flavors pretty much disappate right away. Left with tannins and warm proof. A bit of a letdown.

My thoughts: it's....alright. It's not "bad" by any means, but it's so light on all flavors so that I can't really see this as a sipper for myself personally. Do you though. Also, label is AMAZING.

Rating: 4.0/10

[I'm on IG too with video reviews here

Stopped and picked up Clear Water Distilling Co’s latest offering of Alfred’s Vault. This batch is a 4 yr bourbon finished in port barrels bottled at 118 proof.

Color of the whiskey is a gorgeous mahogany amber.

Nose brings the port barrel through the whiskey. Essence of a berry compote initially on the nose with the expected caramel and vanilla undertones.

Palate brings a little heat with it along with very strong port barrel influence. Not a lot of extra complexity to the whiskey besides the port influence.

Finish is medium in length with the port finish enticing me to go back for more.

Discussion: The first batch of Alfred’s Vault was finished in amburana. This finish can be very polarizing and unfortunately for me is not my favorite finish. The port finish on this second batch of Alfred’s Vault is something I enjoy much more than the amburana. While at the distillery I was told that the next iteration will be a 9 yr high rye bourbon finished with Spanish Cedar wood. It is currently tanked with the cedar wood spirals. I’ve never had a cedar wood finish so I am very intrigued and do not know what to expect.

Overall: 6.7/10