Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Michter's 2026 10 Year Bourbon Is Rock-Solid Terrific as Ever

Were Michter's 10 Year Bourbon human, it would introduce itself saying, "Nice to meet you, madam, sir, my name is Bourbon, Proper Bourbon." The '26 release is Proper Bourbon's offspring, and it's eaten a lot of stone fruit and candy bars over the last decade or so.

Wheat Whiskey Reviews

Fruit and floral characters dominate Remus Master Distiller Exp. Series #2 Wheat Whiskey

This is a master work in secondary cask aging. The balance is impeccable, and the treatment of the source material–a delicious and unique 95/5 wheat-to-barley whiskey–is as good as it gets.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Age equals power, complexity in this 22-Year-Old Heaven Hill Heritage Collection Bourbon

Whiskies like this one happen mostly at distilleries with millions of barrels in rickhouses sprinkled across multiple sites. Yet even when you have that much inventory, sometimes the sweet spot is in one spot such as Rickhouse Y in Bardstown.

Tequila Reviews

Tears of Llorona XA Tequila leaves lots to consider for $280

I started tasting this tequila after a five-meeting/Zoom calls one day, so my clean and dry palate was ready for tasting. Once I started on it, I stayed with it for a full hour, pouring sip after sip into a tulip glass. With each tongue lashing, I enjoyed it more.

This Round's Mine

Before Bourbon & Banter, There Was Bourbon Club

October 2008 to now is nearly a third of my life. That's a weird sentence to sit with. A joke about Don Draper's bar cart set off a chain of events that became a business, a community, a podcast, a content platform, tastings across the country, and whatever comes next.

This Round's Mine

Life’s short, so drink your whiskey wisely, and have fun

Full abstinence from alcohol isn't essential, says Feldhaus. An occasional consumer of beer and wine in the company of friends and with food, he balances alcohol’s drawbacks and its benefits.

Tequila Reviews

Lagrimas 'La Sabina' Reposado Tequila Focuses on Terroir

It's fantastic on the palate: coating, honeyed and tingling with a little serrano pepper. You can't miss the dried pineapple and mango or butterscotch that migrates from the nose to the palate. There are no flaws in this reposado.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Widow Jane Decadence Bourbon Balances Sweet and Savory Perfectly

The nose includes aromas like marshmallow, chocolate and charred oak. You're halfway to a s'more just by smelling it. The nose is expressive with dried cherry and raisin, along with lemon curd and pie crust. The balance between sweet and spicy is precisely dialed in.

Members only

HQ Update

HQ Update: 2nd time's a charm?

Wheat Whiskey Reviews

Bernheim Wheat Whiskey Comes of Age at 10 Years

It's the best Bernheim I've ever had. Much as I really enjoyed the 19-year Heaven Hill Heritage Collection Wheat Whiskey and its fruity-floral delicacies, I dig the broader and deeper barrel influence on this one.

Tequila Reviews

Lagrimas 'La Sabina' Plata Tequila Might Leave You Lachrymose

The nose is wide ranging and begins with roasted agave before moving to agua miel, then vinazes followed by freshly baked baguette and then off to tropical flowers and roasted green pepper. All of that rolls in atop a perpetual hum of petrichor mingled with peppermint.

Paid-members only

Virtual Tasting

Replay: Michter's Virtual Tasting

Wheat Whiskey Reviews

Collaboration on Single Mash Bill Yields 'Wow' Wheat Whiskies from New Riff and Chattanooga

The Chattanooga release brings a creamy texture to the Confluence. Where the New Riff iteration stands out is in its boldness. It is multi-dimensional and complex.

Members only

This Round's Mine

Your High-Proof Habit Might Be Wrecking Your Palate

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Triple Casks Drive Flavor in Whiskey Row Small Batch Bourbon

Significant fruit and spice come in on the palate. Golden raisin and grape fill the mouth alongside baking spice. Mouthfeel is rich, weighty and viscous. Every room-temp sip makes you want another and confirms that neat always is the way to go with this bourbon.

This Round's Mine

Fourteen Years of Not Selling Out

So tonight, wherever you are and whatever's in your glass — raise it. We made it fourteen years. That deserves at least a few pours.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Strange Raven 6-Year: A Bourbon Worth Paying Attention To

Compared to many of the sourced NDP releases launched over the last six months, this is one of the better ones I've tasted.

Tequila Reviews

Cambio Tequila Reposado Review

I have to admit, I didn't immediately like this tequila, mostly because I thought it a little stingy on agave aroma and flavor. But sticking with this spirit over time taught me that this is as much about barrel choices as tequila production. This is an exceptional spirit.

Rye Whiskey Reviews

Elijah Craig A126 Barrel Proof Rye Review: A Powerful and Focused Pour

This is not just an outstanding whiskey, it's a terrific Kentucky-style rye on the order of the 115-proof single barrel Knob Creek beasts that roamed retailers' shelves several years ago.

Paid-members only

Annual Summit

Save the Date: The 2026 Bourbon & Banter Summit

Rye Whiskey Reviews

Ingram Straight Rye Whiskey Review: A 'Fryeday' sipper

The nose is candied and led by a combo of vanilla, caramel, white frosting and Kellogg's Frosted Flakes. It's a quick shift to bubblegum, warmed peaches and strawberries and lemon tart before moving to toasted oak, campfire and a breakfast toast.

Tequila Reviews

Cambio Tequila Blanco Review

The palate is even more exciting. It's simultaneously sweet and tart, coating yet refreshing. Imagine an adult version of Sprite that's alcoholic, tingly, lightly sweet but with the tang of tamarind–and you want to sip it neat all the time.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

New King of Kentucky Small Batch: 3 proofs, 12-18 year bourbons

What’s so appealing about King of Kentucky is that while mostly traditional bourbon notes are expressed in it, all are turned up to 11. That makes it one my favorite bourbons ever. It’s liquid goodness amplified by time, heat-cycled warehouses and a caretaker’s patience.

Paid-members only

This Round's Mine

What the Four Roses Sale Actually Means

This isn't a disaster. It's not a guarantee of greatness either. Gallo has the resources and distribution muscle to make Four Roses bigger. Whether they make it better depends on how much they meddle.

Cocktails

I Tried Every Cocktail at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival

Along the way, we hit a few unexpected twists: accidentally wandering into an allocated bourbon tasting, and navigating everything from meticulously batched cocktails to a full “choose your own adventure” bar where you could build your cocktail from the ground up.