Palate:  My first taste is a beautiful shimmer of orange zest before creamier tones prevail. My final taste is noticeably less sweet with notes reminiscent of red brick, blackened cornmeal, and Comparing a taste against a single malt of different origins will only wash out the unique experience Tasting malts of this caliber requires a different level of patience compared to American whiskey.

Why is full proof (also interchangeable with cask strength or barrel proof ) such a hot commodity? Now, there are certain practices, like low barrel entry proof, that preserve flavors while maintaining Introducing the water at the same time as the whiskey is introduced to the barrel for aging is what low barrel entry proof essentially entails. For more information on low barrel entry proof, check out this past review.

I didn't see this release ever really get much attention. I've been mixing cocktails with it for a bit now and realized I first reviewed this on my instagram but never shared any thoughts here. It's hard to believe this was first introduced in 2019 and I'm just getting around to writing down my thoughts now. Well, better late than never, right? Barely legal ryes can certainly be hit or miss for me. Let's dive in on a quick review of Heaven Hill's shelfer rye, joining the likes of Pikesville and Rittenhouse. Company on Label: Elijah Craig (Heaven Hill) Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 35% Corn, 51% Rye, 14% Barley Proof: 94° Age: NAS Further identification: This is a shelfer release from Heaven Hill that has been readily available since 2019 Nose: Bright, bubbly, lovely citrus and floral rye just dances in the nose. It's a beautiful contrast to simple, musty bourbons that typically come in around this same proof. There's a subtle lemon peel and bubblegum mixture that does well to not overstimulate the nose. Where the nose is a bit light in complexity - the palate shines. The empty glass smells of honeysuckle, charcoal and a well seasoned grill grate. Palate: Upfront this pour is bright and zesty. Lemon peel and cardamom tingle on the tongue. Light caramel and butterscotch fade into a nondescript bready medley. Hints of cinnamon and allspice sneak in on the back end. The linger is surprisingly long with vanilla dominating. Sugar cookie can be teased out as I nod my head in enjoyment. The mouthfeel is buttery as bakery delights get introduced in a whirlwind meeting of new friends. Late in the glass grilled street corn begins to take shape and my enjoyment grows. Complex contrasts of raspberry, sweet chili aioli, and level oak provide a really interesting neat sip. Though those notes together sound odd, they present more like a carousel - not quite mixing together, but their own distinct experiences capable of being pulled from at will. Drizzles of honey can be found amongst the stone fruit and Summer citrus medley. My last sip is like a Summer cookout; light effervescence of a can of Sprite mixes well with a slightly savory suggestion of barbecue chips. Mmm. There's so much that can be done here! Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf.) My review purely rates the neat pour. Where you might draw more value from this whiskey is when you consider its price point. This is a huge value whiskey that makes exquisite cocktails. If you are going to mix a drink with this, I would suggest trying to keep your creation spirit-forward, as watering this down too far will mute this rye too much for peak enjoyment. This does surprisingly well neat, and may benefit well from a touch of oxidation given I've had this bottle on my shelf for quite some time now. I hope this review helps! Let me know down in the comments what you think of Elijah Craig Rye.

However, using the phrase 'Cask Strength', 'Barrel Strength', or 'Barrel Proof' (which all inherently 'Barrel Proof' was defined in 1977 by the TTB ( Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau ) to "preclude Below are the current guidelines for 'Barrel Proof' whiskey, which can be found in greater detail on more involved than simply transferring a barrel to bottles. The empty glencairn smells of toasted hay and granulated sugar.

Not long after that, a friend had me try my first Four Roses Barrel Strength Single Barrel. If you follow my page, it's easy to see my preference is barrel strength single barrels. straight from the barrel. tend to be more mellow compared to barrel strength single barrels. His attention to detail and quality—carefully tasting, analyzing, and studying different runs of barrels

With just one other single barrel coming through Unicorn Auctions in 2025, this remains the most mysterious I got to taste Frank's single barrel at a tasting event with Pete and Pablo in Boston back in August is the only batch from 2025 that I am aware of, though there was also another single barrel released A long, rolling inhale is full of an indistinguishable dried fruit medley bolstered by a bit of barrel Comparing this release to a great Russell's Reserve single barrel, I find a lot to love in both.

Thank you to the folks at Boulder Spirits for providing this to taste through for a no-strings-attached identification:  This is the 2024 release of Boulder Spirits cask strength offering at an MSRP of $85.00 Nose:  Toasted With a few swirls, I'm surprised to find roasted sweet potatoes and a hint of parmesan cheese. I'd be curious to learn about Boulder Spirits barrel seasoning practices and how their barrels are stored From learning the vast history of whiskey making to celebrating the passion of the industry, she tastes

In 1987, a group of distillery managers from Scottish Malt Distillers (SMD) met for a tasting session on with Gregory Cloyd and the Whisky Legends who participated in a grand tasting of 11 of the most Attendees of this tasting likely felt much like the luminaries of SMD did back in 1988. Take a drink of this whisky and you'll surely find something to love: red grape, pear, kiwi water, toasted Johnnie Walker lovers can thank Caol lla for much of its delicious taste.

This distillery out of Manassas, Virginia boasts the statement that they are Virginia grown, Virginia After getting tasted on the entire line from KO, I knew I had to do a write up on at least one as time Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 100% Rye Proof: 100° Age: 4 years Further identification: Single Barrel I've had plenty of tastes of this bottle to know it is absolutely the real deal. I'd compare it readily to many well-aged Kentucky rye stocks such as Michter's 10 year rye, and it absolutely

batch of Stagg bourbon, which first released in spring of 2026 Nose: On first lifting the glass, I find barrel Barrel funk and vanilla continue to be the dominant tones, reminding me of the simplicity of Batch 16 Another sip reveals a distinctly bready whiskey, something like wheat toast mixed with plain waffle. Cross-referencing this tasting against several other Stagg Jr bottles from releases past allows me to

In my last barrel pick with the laid-back young Associate Blender, I learned of the many Bruce-isms that Over the course of their lifetime, we continued to taste them, allowing the barrels to work their magic Good whiskey doesn't have to be barrel proof, ultra-age-stated, or exorbitantly rare in order to be an Nougat, caramel, and more traditional barrel funk dominate in the nose. Master's Keep Triumph 10 Year Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Brook Hill Indiana Straight Rye Whiskey Barrel

We got to try it straight from the vat pictured above, where Murphy Quint has been blending barrels for Starting this project with a base of single malt aged in ex-bourbon barrels means this was already born As such, we know what happens when these barrels get imparted with a fruit-forward wine before putting Ramon was certainly excited in this warehouse, finding a mighty fine Amontillado barrel to drool over Each barrel is different, with its own unique strengths and limitations.