Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

A collection of 334 posts

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Watershed Distillery Bourbon Review

I tried this after tasting the Watershed Bottled-in-Bond, figuring the apple brandy might taint my palate in a way a straight bourbon wouldn’t. Unfortunately, it didn’t matter. Even after three tries, I just couldn’t find much flavor here.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Watershed Bottled In Bond Bourbon Review

For my first taste of Watershed Distillery, this was a solid if unspectacular bottled-in-bond bourbon. It doesn’t have many youth notes and is more apple- and rye-forward (though the mash bill is undisclosed), and I found it a great mixer for a Manhattan or a less-sweet Gold Rush.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Swilled Dog Spirits Bourbon and Rye Review

Which of the offerings from Swilled Dog Spirits are good, better, best? Lee Stang tastes their lineup to find out.

Banter

Heaven’s Door Master Blenders’ Edition Redbreast Collaboration Review

I’m someone who likes to try new things and enjoys seeing the results of experimentation. Because of that, I very well may have been curious enough to try this even at it’s steep price point had I not been sent this sample from Heaven’s Door. How did it fare?

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Stellum Bourbon Whiskey Review

What can I say, I’m a sucker for that high-proof MGP bourbon nose. The moment I pour my first glass and took a whiff I was hooked. The aroma immediately took me back to a previous review I had done on the Remus Repeal Reserve Series IV.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Chicken Cock 15 Year Old Barrel Proof Bourbon Review

This is a swell whiskey. It’s balanced, bold—even muscular—and pretty much what a properly aged 15-year-old bourbon should taste like. Some sourced whiskey shows the talent or luck of the barrel hunter, so let’s call Grain & Barrel Spirits’ master distiller Gregg Snyder talented.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

KO Distiller’s Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review

This was a pleasant surprise. I have had the opportunity to try a number of KO Distilling whiskies including their Cask Strength Offerings at 120 proof and at least 3 years in age. I found them very hot and a good bit of youth showing through. The Distiller’s Reserve is a different story, however.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Blade and Bow 22-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Review

Despite the inviting nose—which revealed layer after incredible layer of aromas the longer it rested—whiskey is for drinking, and that effort ended the fun for me. I get that others like some of these extra-long-aged bourbons; in fact, I appreciate it.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Wolf Moon Bourbon Review

It isn’t harsh, which is good for a 4 year old, but that’s likely due to the low proof. Wolf Moon is best suited for sipping while hanging around and burning it down, and you don’t want to sip on any Jack Daniels.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Angel’s Envy Limited-Edition 2020 Cask Strength Bourbon Review

I’m really pleased with this release because of its port-forward notes. Some recent Angel’s Envy Cask Strength releases tasted more like delicious, polished bourbon while lacking the distinctive port finish components of early releases.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Black Button Distilling Cask Strength Bourbon Review

If you have been following my Black Button Bourbon reviews you know that their Signature Four Grain Bourbon and Double Oaked Bourbon didn’t quite do the trick for me at 84 proof. This cask strength version at 110.2 proof has something going for it.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Black Button Distilling Double Barrel Bourbon Review

This bourbon was started as the Black Button Four Grain expression aging in barrels of New York State White Oak, hand charred over open flames.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Old Forester 2020 Birthday Bourbon Review

Old Forester’s 100 proof standard is a super-versatile and amazingly affordable favorite of mine. Some of this year’s special distillery releases (such as the 150th Anniversary Bourbon, Batch 2, which I reviewed here) have been brilliant.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Black Button Distilling Four Grain Bourbon Review

This is the signature bourbon for Black Button Distilling. This bottle of the Four Grain Small Batch Bourbon is Batch 19. It consists of a blend 20 to 24 barrels.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Heaven Hill 85th Anniversary Single Barrel Bourbon Review

Straight out of the bottle this bourbon’s inviting nose led me to jump in and taste, which was a small mistake. It was surprisingly oaky and tannic, especially for a 13-year-old. So, I poured a little more and abandoned it for about 20 minutes to let it open up, and it did.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Blue Run Bourbon Review

The price is a tough sell for me but the bourbon itself is exceptional. It certainly reminds me of one of my all-time favorite expressions (Elijah Craig) and when I had my boyfriend taste it he asked, “Is this Elijah Craig?”

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Old Forester 150th Anniversary Bourbon Review

Don’t let Old Forester 150th Anniversary bourbon’s potent proof fool you, this bourbon can be rolled around the mouth and savored. The finish on it is beautiful, silken and long; it’s a real pleasure to drink. This is Old Forester at its purest, boldest, most enticing and exciting.

Banter

Jefferson’s Ocean Spray Bourbon Review

Jefferson’s has done it again and just in time for the holidays! Never was there a more perfect release that pairs perfectly with Thanksgiving dinner. The gentle tartness of the palate will blend perfectly with the salinity of a well-brined turkey, and especially one with a crisp, fried skin.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Old Elk Wheated Bourbon Review

On the nose I’m getting light wheat grain and a lot of bubble gum. Not Trident or Hubba Bubba, but Topps baseball card gum. The gum that could also be used to shim an unlevel chair, that kind of gum.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Maker’s Mark 2020 Limited Edition Wood Finishing Series Review

The first time I and a friend cracked a bottle of Maker’s Mark Cask Strength, he said, correctly, “This is what Maker’s Mark should have been all along. Why did they wait so long to release at this proof?” I agreed.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Old Elk Blended Straight Bourbon Review

I’ve had a lot of bourbon that has a great nose, then everything is downhill from there. This one is very much the opposite. The noise isn’t strong, and the notes I get aren’t ones that I gravitate towards usually. A bit of musty oak and leather, and a very slight hint of anise.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Blue Note Juke Joint Whiskey Review

The first time I experience a new whiskey, I look for authenticity in the label and something other than creative writing and graphic design to justify the cost of a pour at a bar or the MSRP at a retail store.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Rabbit Hole Cavehill 4-Grain Bourbon Review

This is a rebranding of the original Rabbit Hole Straight Kentucky Bourbon reviewed in 2018 by Matt Self and Pops (Rabbit Hole Bourbon Whiskey). A young bourbon without the complexity you would expect from the mash bill.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Old Fitzgerald 14 Year Old Bottled In Bond Bourbon Review (Fall 2020)

The Old Fitzgerald 14 Year Old Bottled In Bond Bourbon is a solid whiskey that Old Fitz fans and grain-forward whiskey fans will enjoy. Were this a wine review, I’d compliment its “structure” and uniformity for playing no tricks and not changing with long exposure.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Basil Hayden’s 10 Year Bourbon Review – 2020 Release

The initial mellow flavors hit on the traditional notes of caramel, vanilla, rye spice and oak but I found the taste thin and fleeting. After my initial tasting notes, I added a few drops of water (as per usual review practice) – this was a mistake; most flavors became non-existent and I felt like I