Reviews

“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 whisk

“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

“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 pol

“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 pur

“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

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