

Stagg Jr Bourbon Batch 25B Review—A Journey Through Flavor
“If the path be beautiful, let us not ask where it leads.” – Anatole France What do you do when one of your favorite local liquor stores has a bottle of Stagg Junior hiding in plain sight? First, you confirm it's available for sale at a reasonable price, and then you pop it with the folks at the shop, of course! That's exactly what I did with my friends over at Curtis Liquors in Weymouth, MA when I found this batch 25B hiding in the lockup case. With the foil peeled and cork

Nick Anderson
5 hours ago


Stagg Jr Batch 25C Bourbon Review: Which 2025 Batches Are Worth Hunting?
“The wise are instructed by reason, average minds by experience, the stupid by necessity, and the brute by instinct.” – Marcus Tullius Cicero If you are on the hunt for Stagg this year, you have come to the right place. I have had the good fortune of trying most of the existing Stagg Jr. releases through the years and regularly recalibrate my ratings against previous batches. You'll find my full power ranking at the Stagg Hub , your one-stop shop for all things Stagg Jr. and

Nick Anderson
1 day ago


Stagg Jr Bourbon Batch 25D Review: How Many Batches is Too Many?
“The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.” – Albert Einstein I love reviewing all the Stagg Junior releases whenever I can, but this shift towards four releases a year is getting a little ridiculous. Not only do I believe this has caused a significant slide in the general quality of these batches, as we saw with the 2024 releases, but it also makes understanding which ones are wor

Nick Anderson
1 day ago


Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year Bourbon Review: 2025 is the Year For Sharing
“Life, if well lived, is long enough.” – Seneca In the era of glamour shots of unopened bottles, few dare to tell the tale of what's inside. When I saw this bottle on the shelf for a decent enough price, I knew it was going to be my Christmas dram to share with my dad, who appreciates a pour of whiskey from me every once in a while. Not only did we get to enjoy it over a remarkable game of cribbage, but I also got to share it with my cousin the next day and even sipped it wit

Nick Anderson
Dec 28, 2025


Maker's Mark Cellar Aged 2025 Release Limited Edition Bourbon Flash Review
“Anything in life worth doing is worth overdoing.” - Shane Patton Typical Maker's Mark releases get aged to taste in their traditional rickhouses for around 6 to 8 years. Maker's Mark Cellar Aged adds years to that range with a clever trick that prevents their whiskey from becoming bitter and over-oaked. By resting barrels in an isothermal limestone cave that Maker's calls their "cellar," wood interactions are slowed while oxygen continues to interact with the spirit, increa

Nick Anderson
Dec 28, 2025


2025 Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Bourbon Review: A Taste Through History
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” – Epictetus The history of Pappy Van Winkle is remarkable. It's a phoenix-from-the-ashes story when you look back at the struggling family label that managed to weather a bourbon market collapse only to go on to become one of the most sought-after whiskeys on the planet. The story begins with Julian "Pappy" Van Winkle Senior, who started as a traveling salesman for W.L. Weller & Sons in 1893. By 1935,

Nick Anderson
Dec 28, 2025


2025 Still Austin Tanager Cigar Blend Bourbon Whiskey Review: Old World Skill Meets New World Innovation
“Thy duty, winged flame of Spring, Is but to love, and fly, and sing.” – James Russell Lowell, The Nest Count me amongst the lucky few getting to taste the 2025 release of Still Austin's yearlong project to bring us another edition of Tanager, their take on a cigar blend. This rendition, however, was done alongside the queen of this category: Nancy "The Nose" Fraley. Nancy doesn't do it the new school way; no, she does it her way. Having studied under masters in the Cognac an

Nick Anderson
Dec 27, 2025


Move Over Champagne: Barrell Bourbon is Ringing in the New Year!
Barrell Bourbon has returned to celebrate the new year with its annual release. Featuring a unique blend of bourbons from seven states and bottled at cask strength, this will be the 9th New Year bottling to date. For those mathematically challenged, like myself, the first release was in 2017. Now, if you ask me, these releases might as well be the Times Square New Year's Eve ball drop of blended offerings. It's a relatively well-known release, it's typically a crowd pleaser,

Jes Smyth
Dec 23, 2025


2025 Michter's 20 Year Bourbon Review: An In-Depth Look at an Ultra-Aged Icon
“Time is the wisest counselor of all.” – Pericles Last year, I found myself holding one of my true whiskeys—the 2024 release of Michter's 20 Year. At the time when I was gearing up to open it, I asked myself a simple question: Does ultra-rare whiskey taste ultra-delicious? The answer was a resounding yes . It was a pour that bucked the foolish assumption that hyper-aged Kentucky bourbon is only capable of being a tannic mess. That bottle earned a perfect 5/5 rating, incredibl

Nick Anderson
Dec 21, 2025


Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson E Review: A Taste of Kentucky Bourbon History
The full history of the Camp Nelson property, which is now owned by Wild Turkey, which spawned the Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse release. The 2025 release features Camp Nelson warehouse E, which has historically produced some of the finest Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey in recent memory. Settle in for a deep dive review from Nick Anderson of Amongst the Whiskey.

Nick Anderson
Dec 20, 2025


Taylor Barrel Proof Batch 14 Bourbon Review
Part of what makes whiskey hunting every winter so fun is the not-so-rare bourbon release like Colonel E.H. Taylor barrel proof bourbon, which shows up far more regularly than the likes of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection . This year, however, the Colonel does show up in the Antique Collection, with the addition of the E.H. Taylor bottled-in-bond expression , which is extra-aged to 15 years and 4 months and bottled at 100 proof. In preparation for addressing my top bourbo

Nick Anderson
Dec 20, 2025


Trouble in Blues: Celebrating 100 Years of Chicago Blues with Good Trouble's Kentucky Bourbon
Good Trouble Bourbon is on a mission to spread meaningful impact beyond what's inside a bottle. Founded by Dee M. Robinson, a Chicago entrepreneur and social impact advocate, the brand's focus is not just on how the bourbon tastes but also on connections and the impactful conversations you can find when you "look for good trouble"—a phrase rooted in activism and positive change. Guided by this mantra, the brand donates a portion of the proceeds from Good Trouble bourbon sale

Jes Smyth
Dec 19, 2025









