Jack Daniel's throws us a curveball alongside the 10 year batch 2 release; I've seen a lot more buzz on the 12 year, but I was more excited about the 10 year personally. I've had a few exploration drams of this bottle now and I'm ready to offer my well-triangulated thoughts to you, my dear reader. I am admittedly up against a short window of review time, so I'll get right into tasting and keep todays intro short. Let's get into the whiskey! Company on Label: Jack Daniel Distillery Whiskey Type: Tennessee Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 80% Corn, 8% Rye, 12% Malted Barley Proof: 107° Age: 12 years Further identification: Batch 01 is displayed on the front label of this release which was first made available in March of 2023 alongside the 10 year Batch 2 Nose: Up front the nose is dark, viscous and clearly well-aged. Diving deeper caramel, dusty oak and molasses brood in the heavy nose-feel. Heavy black pepper, anise and rough linen bombard the senses. The glass is overall almost too bright to nose and I'm pushed nearly to the point of a sneeze. Faint hints of cherry skins can be made out from the heavy blanket of barrel influence. Let's dive into a sip and see if this will open up a bit more. Coming back from a sip shows off a reformed glass; delicate vanilla bean and marshmallow now undulate slowly off the surface. The aromas of the glass have become much softer and I'm reminded of a well-worked woodshop now. A touch of minerality can be found in the late, weathered glass. Barrel funk continues to be the driving force of the remaining liquid. The empty glass smells of maple sugar, molasses and a hint of barbecue smoke. Palate: At first sip I'm greeted by soft caramel chews, sherry and nilla wafers. The linger is soft and lovely as it sits long on the tongue like the afterglow of a bite of lemon meringue pie. Another sip accelerates particles of cherry blossom, honeysuckle and freshly buttered toast onto my taste buds. The flavors present cohesive, approachable and well-refined here. As I continue to work through the glass my enjoyment grows, but some of the luster fades. What was exceptionally unique for a moment is now fairly consistent with normality. Vanilla and oak dominate late in the glass as layers are shed and true colors are shone. My final sip is a delicate, bready confectioners delight; soft crépe meets butter and a drizzle of caramel completes an easy sip. Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf.) Now that I am not tasting the 10 year and the 12 year alongside each other, I am finding way more similarities between the two. Many of the notes from the 10 year review are shining through in incredible detail. I'm happy to say I'm damn glad to sip either of them and beyond blessed to have both of them on my shelf. The 10 year smells like I'm back at the distillery, so maybe there is a nostalgia factor there for me. The 12 year is deeper and offers more for you to chew on, for better or worse. The 10 year is more unique, the 12 year is more 'classic good' in my opinion. On my level playing field of quality, I still prefer the overall profile of the 10 year, batch 2, but only by a hair. As such - this still gets my lustrous 4/5 score, but will fall out of favor on the "Keep Amongst the Whiskey" distinction. All in all - this is damn good whiskey from the fine folks at Jack Daniel Distillery. I am certain this is going to be another crowd pleaser.

I've had this bottle for quite some time before I opened it. I try not to review neck pours too often, but this is going to be one! I've always had a harder time finding the ryes than the bourbons; it must have lower distribution numbers. Company on Label: Michter's Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 92.8° Age: 10 years Further identification: Barrel No 20E949 Nose: Elegant sweet perfume notes; surprising for a rye. Greeted by a bright bouquet of florals and an anise-laced oak. Dry white pepper and a hint of vanilla. A signature Michter's cherry, but tinged with all sorts of new uniqueness for me. Something between paper & cotton, but it's definitely dry and light. Low in humidity & absolutely no funk, this nose shines primarily in its uniqueness & intrigue instead of one standout vibe. It's bright and almost inspiring; like nothing but good things can happen on a sun shining, lofty, wispy-cloudy day. Later in the glass the baking spices begin to work in. Black pepper, anise and herbals mix in well. Noses a little hot at times, but when you approach it from the right distance, you are rewarded with sweet vanilla and an oak bowl of cereal. Fun notes all through this. Palate: So sweet and syrupy but in a thin candy way. That cherry note is fantastic. The mouth feel is super oily, but it doesn't stick around to bog down your taste buds. Strawberry, citrus, chocolate and molasses are all left lingering after the sip. A good chew can get the caramel rolling and it kicks out flashes of hot black pepper, light cinnamon and strawberry cream. Herbals stick to the back, but create a complex backdrop for the perpetual sweet maraschino cherry to shine. The finish is a wonderful highlight reel of everything I enjoyed about all of my sips. So nice I'm going to have another! Rating: 4/5

It's time for a little Michter's Monday action, even if I'm starting late... This will likely me my only pour for today, so I thought I'd make it a good one! I'm still swamped with house projects surrounding a recent move which has me in a bit of a change of scenery. It's been an awesome journey so far and the best is yet to come with some whiskey study plans starting to come together. Stay tuned for that on my Instagram. Now let's get into a thorough review of a pour I've already had the pleasure of sharing in good company! Company on Label: Michter's Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 92.8° Age: 10 years Further identification: Barrel No 21E1567 Nose: Sweet nerdz candy forward on first nosing. Slightly chalky, but fading into mature, tight-grain red oak. Dried plum and apricot. Lemongrass and slight vanilla smoke. Very light and approachable nose, which isn't too surprising at 92.8 proof. Something like Charleston Chews now - fluffy vanilla and milk chocolate. Syrupy sweetness starting to take over now - a hallmark sign of a good Michter's product. A touch of lavender perfume makes me feel a bit sleepy. More of the chocolate and vanilla undertones continue to push this glass forward, quite consistently enjoyable throughout. There is not much of an evolution with this, but what it does - it does very well. There's a distinct cotton now that just swung through. With a little swirl there is oak sawdust, dry pepper, and black tea. I guess I spoke too soon on the evolution... A touch of copper-tinged molasses can be found near the bottom of the glass. The empty glass smells of pepper, tea leaves, and other earthy botanicals. Palate: Instant lovely mix of red cherry, orange creamsicle and chocolate soak over my tongue. Delicious first presentation here. This is very similar to what I remember from my singular tasting I've done on the 2020 release of the 10 year rye. Yum - some floral notes give depth to the fruity sweetness. This tastes like early Spring in full bloom. The linger is long with light allspice, walnuts and chocolate. There is a richer wood feel to this than oak I can't quite place. More fruit sweetness, now it has transitioned towards more of a strawberry mix. So sweet and tasty, yet so fleeting, this is a great example of a pour that always leaves you longing for another sip. The finish has changed over to be a bit shorter now. On a larger chew waves of cherry are like drinking straight out of the cherry jar; unbelievably potent here and so delicious. There is certainly quite a bit of oak influence to this at 10 years, but it's not nearly as drying as it could be given the vitals. The last sip gives just a small wave of creamy orange juice and a metallic molasses. Rating: 4/5

A nice alignment to Michter's Monday on Day 8 of the #12DaysofWhiskeyExchange that @bourbondipity_ put together. This pour was added courtesy of Josh Parent. I've previously reviewed the 2020 and 2021 releases, but never the 2019! Excited to try this one as I've always enjoyed Michter's 10 Year releases to date. Forgive the old picture, I didn't grab a shot of the sample bottle. Let's see how this older release stacks up! Company on Label: Michter's Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 92.8° Age: 10 years Further identification: Barrel No 19F954 Nose: Yummy citrus zest with a creamy nose feel. It's lemon twist with a kick of light florals! Level oak presents soft and sweet. Faint pepper alongside vanilla bean. Very, very mellow in the glass early on. It's tough to get any reasonable volume of aroma to waft out of this glass - it seems like one that may need some time to open up. Faint clove and tangerine marmalade. Again very floral, where I'm used to Michter's releases presenting with more candied sweetness. Wow, after a sip some hints of citrus Pinesol notes are faint, but pulling at my heart strings. Later in the glass things take on a more traditional rye profile with allspice, pine boughs and flashes of sweet wintergreen. Caramel and molasses layer in with lovely complexity. Dry dusty oak returns with a boatload of more molasses. The empty glass smells of milk chocolate, oak and a malty orange peel. Palate: Wow, the palate is much more full of flavor than I was expecting! There's a rich syrupy plum, charred vanilla, red grape, maraschino cherry and raisin abound in this. Lovely sweetness as always to this. Orange peel, malted chocolate, herbal baking spices, and touches of floral funk builds well on another sip. Cinnamon spice builds and leaves a dry nutmeg, ginger snaps and mace. My last sip is incredible with a ton of orange sweetness and cherry pie. Rating: 4/5

Another batched product coming out of Heaven Hill?! With the wild success of Elijah Craig barrel proof, I can't say I'd blame them. I've never been one for Larceny barrel proof personally, so I'm a little worried this might be another that doesn't quite jive with my palate. I will certainly go in with open eyes, as I always do when I review a new whiskey. I've had 3 prior tastings of this before today to ensure I am triangulating on the truth and not an unfortunate alignment to a Daniel Powter song. Heaven Hill describes their strategy with this release, departing from the 3-per-year cadence of their other two batched barrel proof products: The first letter of the batch number indicates which of that year's releases the bottle was a part of starting with "A," while the second digit is a number that determines the month of the year the bottle was released. The third and fourth digits indicate the year. The full list of batches and their respective proofs will be available below upon each release. For those newer to the world of whiskey, the label stating this as a Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey means that it has at least 51% wheat in the mash bill, it was aged at least two years in charred new oak, and it was made within a single state (Kentucky in this case). It does still carry 37% corn, which puts it out of the running for being called a bourbon (minimum 51% corn) but does leave some possible similarities on the table. Wondering if this release is worth picking up? I'll leave that for you to decide, but here's my take on what I'm tasting to help inform that decision. Company on Label: Bernheim Distillery (Heaven Hill) Whiskey Type: Wheat Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 51% Wheat, 37% Corn, 12% Malted Barley Proof: 118.8° Age: NAS (7-9 year old barrels are used for these blends) Further identification: Batch A223 is the first ever release of Bernheim barrel proof, which will release twice a year and follow the rules on the batch labeling strategy laid out above (A = first release, 2 = February launch, and 23 = 2023) Nose: Caramel is pronounced up front. On another deep dive of the nose, I can assure you this was definitely aged in oak. Molasses and dry, non-sweet brown sugar coat the glass in an impedimentary wall of flavor. Dusty, dry, funky oak is everywhere in the glass after a swirl. Overall very light, classic, but unfortunately pretty one-noted. Let's dive into a sip and see if this can open up a bit. Returning from a sipping session doesn't introduce anything new, but soothes and smoothes the easy medley of oak, caramel and molasses. This is just a classic aged whiskey aroma; the soft red winter wheat may have been a little too soft on the mash bill. The empty glass smells of honey, airy vanilla wafers and a hint of peanut brittle. Palate: At first sip I find a singular sweet cherry that quickly dries out into a wrinkled skin of what came before. Dry, chalky oak layers over the tongue in an extremely tannic linger. Another sip builds in a strong wave of molasses and wild mint. The tingle after a sip carries a bitter dark chocolate note alongside cinnamon and dry earth. The combination of the wild mint and earthiness is certainly a nostalgic profile for me, having picked my fair share on old hiking trails twenty-odd years ago, but it doesn't really resonate with me on a flavor basis here. Continuing to sip through this I find a touch of honeysuckle, but it keeps falling back on that solid trifecta of molasses, oak and mint. The finish and linger do improve over time, as I find myself satisfied with a solid wave of caramel. A larger sip and swish reveal a touch more cinnamon than before, but little in the way of complexity. Nondescript spice may push this out of the realm of an 'easy sipper' for some. I'm always surprised by how spice forward Heaven Hill's wheat mash can be... looking at you Old Fitzgerald. My last sip is soft and mellow with subtleties of cola, raisin and allspice. Rating: 3/5 (Decent. I can go either way on it.) Unfortunately my initial suspicions seem to have been confirmed today. This is quite a bit too simple for me to be excited about, but it certainly doesn't land in a place that is off-putting. This solidly gets my middle of the road score, where a majority of whiskeys should land if I am reviewing anything and everything under the sun, and whiskey quality is normally distributed. Now that's not distributed in the liquor world sense, that's my engineering world shining through. This might benefit from more air time. I will revisit this again in another couple months and update this post if anything changes. Maybe the blending team just "had a bad day" with this one, but I expect more from that talent rich company personally. Cheers until next time my faithful reader!

Jack Daniel's 10 Year is back for a version 2 of the same release that I reviewed in November of 2021. As a reminder, this label is a new product for today's distillery, but a rekindling of a label they last used over a century ago. A whiskey enthusiast at the end of their first release might be wondering how batch 02 fairs - and why they moved the batch number from the back of the bottle, formerly saying "Batch No 10-001", to the new standard on the front of the bottle - simply "Batch 02". Perhaps their master distiller Chris Fletcher is more proud of this batch? Choosing to prominently display the batch this time is a good idea in my mind, as it certainly makes it stand out as something new. There's almost zero risk of this getting mixed up on a shelf somewhere, as I'm fairly certain all the previous bottles of this 10 year release are sold through by now... One would hope. For those curious about the comparison to the previous batch, I will do a small side by side at the end of this review. For now, settle in - I've got some tasting notes for you. Company on Label: Jack Daniel Distillery Whiskey Type: Tennessee Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 80% Corn, 8% Rye, 12% Malted Barley Proof: 97° Age: 10 years Further identification: Batch 02 is displayed on the front label of this release which was first made available in March of 2023; the perforated neck plastic that covers the cork saw a major upgrade this year with perforations going down the side of the neck and then along the entire perimeter for clean removal - a pain point I specifically had with my bottle of Batch 1 Nose: On lifting the glass to my nose I'm immediately greeted with warm caramel chews and a distinct sweet bakery bread aroma. Another dive of the nose brings in fruit skins; plum, grape and cherry dominate the medley. Deeper inhales exhibit soft molasses leaning more towards sweet than savory. Dusty oak puts forth a touch of texture to an otherwise incredibly creamy nose-feel; black pepper and subtle cinnamon definitely suggest this has been through many warm Summers in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Let's taste some before we continue and give this some time to continue to evolve, which it's done pretty well on already in my opinion. Returning my nose to the glass after sipping through a bit shows a wonderful vibrance, delicacy and balance. Every time I nestle my nose in I find something new. The glass rotates between a handful of really impressive aromas: at times vanilla and marshmallow sweetness bellow up, other times oak and molasses, and for some of my favorite undulations: a wave of stone fruit sizzles alongside subtle baking spice. Hints of chocolate can be teased out of long inhales. The nose continues to be exceptional late into the glass. Warm apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream pushes me into a state of adoration for this glass I cannot understate. Smoky oak presents a subtle backbone late in the glass that was imperceptible behind all of the other fun aromas that have circulated my glencairn. The empty glass smells of honey, vanilla and graham cracker. Just wonderful overall. Palate: Oooh, creamy caramel jumps right out at me first in great volume for a lower proof such as this. The creamy texture oozes down the tongue slowly before making way for cherry cola, vanilla pipe tobacco and a tingling tannic finish. Raisin and dry port wine hover harmoniously above the deliciously creamy coating of the mouthfeel. A larger sip and swish produces so much more to love without tipping over the heat scale. A soft balance between crème brûlée and flan tantalizes the tongue; it can't quite decide if it wants to be soft, creamy and custard forward or brittle, sweet and seared... I'm so here for either choice. I try to never go into a pour with expectations as it relates to a review, but I can solidly say I am surprised by the quality of everything I am tasting here. Soft sherry sweetness presents lovingly between waves of vanilla bean and butterscotch. My last sip is a fond farewell to a friend. Vanilla bean, marshmallow, cherry skins and wonderful, dry, sweet wine parallels shine on the tongue in a strong linger. Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf.) For what it's worth, this is probably the closest a review has ever gotten to a 5 score without actually achieving it. As such, it wholeheartedly earns the 'Keep Amongst the Whiskey' designation because I'm quite enamored, but not fully wowed just yet. This is one of the best noses on a whiskey I've experienced this year. Sipping is only slightly less impressive as this pour grows and evolves with every sip. I give top marks for complexity and kudos to Chris and the blending team for crafting a marvelous whiskey with this one. Jack Daniel Distillery has managed to carve out a specialty release that can easily appeal to the modern day whiskey enthusiast looking for some of the best of the best from a brand with a long legacy of great products. I'm beyond thrilled to have the rest of this 700mL to share and enjoy with friends and family. Bonus Batch 1 vs Batch 2 Comparison Revisiting batch 1, I find the nose has much more nondescript citrus that 2 didn't show off. It also carries more of a dusty paper or linen style of oak, whereas batch 2 presented quite creamy. Deep inhales of batch 1 lacks the volume, elegance and layers of batch 2. I like both for different reasons, but would definitely give the nod to batch 2 on the nose. Quick taste. Woah, apple crisp is much more pronounced on batch 1 - it lands first thing on the palate rather than the dominant note of caramel being the batch 2 highlight. There seems to be more dry tannins on batch 1 as well with raisin delivering a touch hotter and more bitter than batch 2. There's also the classic JD banana note that sneaks into batch 1. I know that can be a bit polarizing in the whiskey community, but I could not find any of that note in batch 2 for better or for worse; I for one love that flavor, but certainly don't miss it in the vast complexity of batch 2. Ranking: Batch 2 > Batch 1 This is a no-brainer; Jack Daniel's managed to elevate the game significantly with batch 2, blowing past an already-awesome release with ease. The bar has officially been set for those already starting to noodle on when batch 3 might show up. Make sure you subscribe down below to stay in the know when that release starts to hit shelves! I do this for free, for fun, and for honest feedback on what's what in the whiskey world. If you can appreciate that, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments down below here, or on my Instagram. Cheers my friends!

There's another Booker's batch on the inbound track. The first release for 2023 is well in swing by this point, but I haven't seen many reviews for it. Are folks growing tired of the 4 releases per year format? It certainly doesn't lend itself to being done with the previous batch before the new one comes out, so the collectors may have this one just to look at. Well, I for one think this stuff is meant to be drank, so I've got mine open. Pull up a chair and have a read on what Fred Noe & co are up to these days. On the Booker's website the inspiration of this release is listed saying: The first release of the Booker’s® Bourbon 2023 Collection is Booker’s Batch 2023-01 “Charlie’s Batch.” This batch is named in honor of Charlie Hutchens, the craftsman behind the signature wooden boxes that each bottle of Booker’s Bourbon comes in. He is also a longtime family friend and former employee of my dad, Booker Noe. Charlie started his career working at the Booker Noe Distillery. He was quite the storyteller and would entertain others with his tall tales throughout the workday. He was also one to pay close attention to the details, doing something over and over again until it was perfect – just like Dad was with his whiskey. It’s not hard to see why they got on so well. After several years, Charlie left the business to open his own cabinet shop with his brother. Charlie handcrafted the very first Booker’s Bourbon wooden boxes in his garage, and he’s created every box for us since. He and his brother have expanded their business to create other fine wood products for different brands and projects in the Beam family, including supplying custom furniture to the new Fred B. Noe Distillery – where Booker’s Bourbon is now distilled. Charlie still lives near our Booker Noe Distillery and enjoys fishing and vacationing with his family in South Carolina. One of these days, my son Freddie and I hope to get out there to fish with him. Our whole family is so grateful for Charlie as he was one of the first people to help us make Booker’s Bourbon a recognizable brand. Charlie is a very worthy recipient of his own batch, and we are excited to honor him. Fun stories are one thing, good bourbon is another - though they often go hand in hand. Let's find out where the liquid inside this bottle lands. Company on Label: James B. Beam Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 126.6° Age: 7 years (1 months, 8 days) Further identification: 2023-01 Charlie's Batch comes bearing an orange label in a wooden box with a batch information card Nose: Caramel and peanut brittle jump out at me first in unsurprising hallmarks of Booker's bourbon. Fruit skins like plum and raspberry introduce a much thicker, viscous aroma that oozes out of the glass like luxardo cherry juice. A platter of oak lifts up molasses and leather. Overall the nose is bright and dry once the initial wave of fruit passes on. Dusty oak, black pepper and vanilla begin to dominate as nondescript spices sizzle in a mess in the background. Let's have a sip, shall we? Coming back to the nose I find a dry pie crust and lovely cinnamon raisin bread has developed in the glass. Picking further through, the glass returns to a more plain medley of molasses and oak. The nose continues to be quite simple, but enjoyable. The empty glass smells of honey roasted plum ice cream and nearly imperceptible smoke. Palate: From the get-go I taste dark plum, blackberry and raspberry pie. Creamy caramel and sugar cookie proliferate on another sip. A churro with a dash of sweet cinnamon and brown sugar graces the palate on the linger. Finally on the third go I find some real heft and proof, as one would expect out of a barrel proof bourbon. Overall the glass dances along a hairy edge between overly dry and creamy fruit. It's ultimately an easy sipper with fun nuance. Late in the glass I begin to find a tootsie roll sweetness that I really adore, as it reminds me of having my fill during the Plymouth, MA 4th of July parades I used to march in for my dad's local Carpenters Union long before his inevitable retirement. I was supposed to be handing them out to parade supporters of course, but what's a little hourly wage for some hard work? What, you thought only Booker's could sling stories alongside their whiskey? See one, play one my friends! As I get back to the tasting notes you might be able to actually understand, my patient reader, I begin to find just a touch of roasted peanuts, softened well by hints of distant cherry sweetness. The salinity of the lightly seasoned nuts delivers squarely on the tongue while the free air molecules not occupied by teeth or tissue exude that sweet air of stone fruit. My last sip is once again creamy with vanilla bean ice cream introducing a strong melting wave of cinnamon, nutmeg and tarragon. Damn, that last delivery just leveled up this pour. Patience will be your friend with this one! Rating: 4/5 (Really good. I want one of these on my shelf.) Taking this glass from quite cool to a warm room temperature elicits a wonderful evolution on the nose. I would like to highlight the fact that I did have an early pour of this bottle that I thoroughly disliked, but considering I have had two other tastings that were similar to the experience I write about here, I think that tough experience was a bit of a palate anomaly. This is why I always tell people never to write anything off at one taste - you'd be surprised how much having an off day can throw off your perception of whiskey! This batch manages to just slide into my high quality Beam category with those subtle fruit layers that were admittedly a little fickle, but ultimately delicious. Bonus Booker's reviews I'd recommend checking out: 2016-05 Off Your Rocker (4/5) 2017-02 Blue Knights Batch (4/5) 2019-03 Country Ham (5/5) 2019-04 Beaten Biscuits (4/5) 2020-01 Granny's Batch (4/5) 2021-01 Donohoe's Batch (4/5) 2021-02 Tagalong Batch (4/5) 2021-03 Bardstown Batch (4/5) 2021-04 Noe Strangers Batch (3/5) 2022-01 Ronnie's Batch (4/5) 2022-02 The Lumberyard Batch (4/5)

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.

If you've heard the phrase "bivvy" before, you probably already know what a bivouac is. For the uninitiated this fancy word, pronounced 'biv-oo-ack', is a temporary camp or sleeping arrangement you might use when you don't have access to a full tent or more robust shelter. If you've ever slept out under the stars in nothing but a sleeping bag like I have many times, you've set up a bivouac. Hirsch further describes their intentions with this release, stating: It alludes to a way of travel only meant for those who want to truly immerse themselves in nature. HIRSCH The Bivouac honors those adventurous spirits who are brave enough to take the road less traveled. The Bivouac combines two straight bourbons distilled in Bardstown, Kentucky - the world capital of Bourbon. Our custom mashbill is inspired by A.H. Hirsch Reserve 16-year-old legendary whiskey, providing balance to our make. You may already know about my love for Hirsch Selected Whiskeys and their associations with great distillates. I've been a big fan of their releases to date, and had the opportunity to try this release when it first came out back in October of 2022. It was ultimately good enough of a first impression for me to buy a bottle for my shelf. Now that we've had some time to let the excitement of a new release die down a little, where does this pour land? Let's dive in and find out. Company on Label: Hirsch Distillers Bardstown Kentucky Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: A blend of two mash bills 95% proportion: 74% Corn, 18% Rye, 8% Malted Barley 5% proportion: 72% Corn, 13% Rye, 15% Malted Barley Proof: 100° Age: 3 years (blend of 95% 3 year, 2 month and 5% 8 year whiskey) Further identification: This orange label Selected Whiskey from Hirsch comes at a more approachable price and proof than some of their previous releases; it was first introduced in 2022 and comes bearing a cork strip similar to old tax strips that shows the batch number "AHH0822" which comes from a run of about 160 barrels Nose: Sweet corn and hay jump out of the glass prominently. Coffee gone cold in the mug is well reminiscent of a true camping experience. Oily caramel and soft chocolate dominate the simple nose-feel. As I dig deeper subtle cherry skins can be found. Some youthful sawdust can be found at times, but it is fairly well covered by enjoyable aromas. Let's move into a sip from here. Coming back to the nose I find more honey sweetness and light oak. Deep inhales produce notes of light graham cracker. A swirl of the glass unlocks much stronger aromas of black peppercorn, cinnamon cereal, rye bread, and bright grapefruit. I find the nose to be quite solid here - all pleasant aromas, but not overly complex. The oak is decently well developed and I think if I was in a rush to get another release out the door, I'd agree with the blenders that this was just about at its minimum ready state. I don't think it picked up very much from the 5% proportion of the same mash bill that was used in a previous release. The empty glass smells of pancake batter and soft pixie stick sweetness. Palate: Wow, what an incredible softness here, even at 100 proof. If you told me this was 80 proof I'd probably believe you. As the liquid slides across the tongue, I find a soft linen doily introduces vanilla for a brief moment on a bright stoneware plate. Another sip builds in soft, oily caramel chews. I'm really amazed at how soft this drinks; it's like the feeling you get when you skydive through a layer of clouds with moist air being forced into your mouth in an exhilarating moment of complete focus. As I continue to explore through the depths of this pour, I do find the flavors begin to build on the palate. Buttercream frosting and graham cracker begin to undulate in waves of intensity. As I get near the bottom of the glass more cereal tones indicative of grains not yet matured away begin to surface. They are subtle, and only a seasoned palate will probably pick up on them. If you'd call yourself more of an average whiskey drinker, I think you'll find this pour to be unequivocally smooth. My last sip is again fairly straight forward with hints of raisin, caramel and oily coffee bean. The linger is short and sweet. Rating: 3/5 (Decent. I can go either way on it.) Hirsch has created a fantastic crowd-pleasing blend with this one, and ultimately pulled off a miracle with the input liquid specifications presented. It's ultimately not going to wow any whiskey connoisseurs, but the price-point should have been a good indication of that. I'm certainly not disappointed to own a bottle, and I'd like to remind everyone that a 3 is not a bad score on my rating scale. Ultimately scores should follow a bell curve, and this is a solid middle-of-the-road whiskey that I think many folks will enjoy.

This is a special sample that was shared with me thanks to my good friend Barrett. One of these days I'll be remotely caught up on all the great stuff folks have shared with me through the years. Nulu seems to be gaining more and more buzz these days, so I had to do some tasting for myself to see what the talk is about. Let's dive in on this straight bourbon! Company on Label: Prohibition Craft Spirits Whiskey Type: Straight Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley Proof: 119° Age: 5 years Further identification: This was a Justin's House of Bourbon single barrel selection; it was distilled in Indiana and comes from cask B157 which was selected in 2021 Nose: My goodness, you could tell me this is honey finished and I’d believe you. Black bread, molasses and browned butter sizzle softly. Suddenly the nose turns quite bright with black pepper and sharp oak. Late in the glass linen, vanilla and nondescript baking spice tickles the buzzing nose-feel. Finally subtle fruit merges with cold coffee. Palate: My first sip is zesty with bright cherry, raspberry and expressed lemon peel. The background texture is silky and oily. Another sip builds in good heft behind the same creamy fruit parfait. Simple, easy, awesome. My last sip is right in line with raisin, plum and lemon zest. Yum! Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf.) How could you go wrong with this? This barrel is a shining example of sweet MGP distillate. This tasting confirmed my suspicion that PCS is sourcing some of the best out there. Cheers!

There's a new wheated bourbon on the scene. This distillery was previously an unknown to me until Heather from Southern Distilling Company reached out wondering if I'd like to try one of their most exciting offerings. I wandered through the pedigree listed for the whiskey mentioned and saw 'cask strength' and 'wheated bourbon' and knew I didn't really need to read any further. I still persisted & was happy to see that it didn't come with some embarrassingly low age statement (kudos!), and was also delighted to learn about a growing award list that this had already garnered. Heather told me this expression "just won double gold at the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition 2022 for Best in Class and Best Overall, and was recently named one of the Best Bourbon Whiskeys of 2022 by Uproxx. The bottle also recently won gold at the ‘22 SIP awards, and platinum at the ‘22 Ascot Awards." Now let's see where I'd rank it! Company on Label: Southern Distilling Company Whiskey Type: Wheated Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 70% Corn, 16% Wheat, 14% Malted Barley Proof: 113.3° Age: NAS (minimum 4 years) Further identification: Barrel No 00360, distilled in Statesville, North Carolina Nose: Toasted marshmallow, molasses and brown sugar jump out of the glass first. Dusty oak and peach flambé introduce a trove of baking spice; cinnamon, brown sugar and allspice are the most dominant aromas. Overall it’s a warm nose-feel reminiscent of browned butter and bright, rustic French bread. Candied cherry tried to push through a solid wall of oak unsuccessfully. Oooh - late in the glass an espresso infused butterscotch cookie graces my nostrils. Sweetness persists through to the end. There are subtle layers of chocolate alongside the coffee aromas. Palate: On first sip I find a big, swinging sweetness. At 113.3 proof it’s quite potent with cherry skins, cinnamon and hearty black bread encrusted in caraway. Another sip shows off lovely vanilla barrel influence. This sweetness meets in a confluence of black coffee and molasses. As I work through this glass I find more to love. Late in the glass caramel swings in almost creamy, if it weren’t a little proofy. My last sip is quite delicious with raisin, plum, apricot jelly, and gingerbread. The finish is medium with toasted oak nuances. Bold but not spicy. Creamy, but not quite dessert. This hangs in the balance between two worlds. Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf.) This is a solid sipping bourbon. My only complaint is that the proof delivers a little too potent to really let the nuance of the glass shine; the big flavors hit hard though, and as such I think many folks will be able to taste along to these notes well - no expert taste buds needed. I’d like to thank Southern Distilling for providing this bottle for review with no strings attached. Cheers!

The Exceptional Series from Rare Character will be sweeping across the whiskey world like wildfire here soon. Based on what I am seeing in the community, I'd expect demand to far exceed the limited supply available on these. With barrels ranging from 8-14 years getting ready to hit glasses across the US, I can't help but be thankful for the time spent picking barrels with Pablo Moix and Peter Nevenglosky where we locked down 5 incredible barrels for Mass Bourbon Alliance & Liquor Junction. Two of those barrels came from the Exceptional Series - hand selected barrels of exceeding quality that Pete and Pablo want to share with the world. The 95/5 rye that preceded this release is completely sold through, further testament to the growing hype and demand around this brand. Partnering and picking barrels with Rare Character was a no-brainer for Mass Bourbon Alliance; our mission statement is to bring exceptional whiskey to our friends here in Massachusetts. The Exceptional Series completely embodies that mission, so when two 14 year malt whiskeys presented as 'Staggy' first hit our palates, I don't think we could cough out 'yes' fast enough. Rare Character self describes these releases on their website, saying: The Exceptional Series from Rare Character exemplifies the driving mission of our brand: to release the most distinguished and highest quality whiskeys we can possibly source. While our Single Barrel Series is focused on customization and creativity, this new series is focused on curation and exceptional craftsmanship. These spirits are truly unique; they’re even older and more scarcely available than the rest of our offerings. Every bottle released through this series is at least 9 years old, and is of exceptionally Rare Character. You may have actually already seen some incredible reviews of this barrel. This was in fact the exact barrel that ranked up at #2 on the UPROXX 30 best American whiskeys list for 2022, only getting beat out by the 4 thousand dollar Drew Mayville Last Drop blend. This really is an incredible feat in an interesting new market as an insatiable horde of whiskey enthusiasts continue to want to explore new flavors, but take with them incredibly high expectations from the bourbon world. I'm sure the bourbon purists may turn their nose at the idea of trying a 65% malt, but I have to say this really does drink a lot like a bourbon. Perhaps it is the barrel of choice as well as aging location, or Pablo is just the great filter that only lets high quality through to end glasses. More on that later... I know details are incredibly important for the analytical types like myself. I'm always searching for correlations and knowledge that help inform in future reviews. Rare Character has been amazing on that front, being as transparent as they can with barrel details. As for the source of this whiskey - we may never know. As the bottle only says distilled and aged in Kentucky we can't narrow down by town or county and I'm sure there are agreements or NDAs in place that disallow the sharing of certain information which is fairly commonplace in the whiskey sourcing business. As an enthusiast with a yearning for being absolutely complete in everything that I do, I took a look around for this interesting 65% malt, 35% corn mash bill. The only thing I could turn up happened to be the Parker's Heritage Malt whiskey mash bill. Since I never got to try that 2015 release I'll only be able to speculate myself, but it's an interesting parallel. Heaven Hill is located in Kentucky... and those timelines roughly add up (2015 release 8 year malt would have had to be distilled in 2007, just one year prior to the barrel before us today). Regardless of the source, Rare Character manages to bring a little bit of Portugal sunshine to snowy Massachusetts at a time when I'm daily dreaming of my next trip to Kentucky. Despite having picked this barrel myself, I will always try to speak honestly about whiskey and my experiences with it. Now let's stop rambling and start tasting already! Company on Label: Rare Character Whiskey Co. Whiskey Type: Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 65% Malt, 35% Corn Proof: 134.88° Age: 14 years Further identification: Barrel E-M14-54 has a distilled in Kentucky age statement, an aged in Kentucky statement, an aged in new charred oak statement (important for bourbon drinkers), and Rare Character is listed as the bottling company; this whiskey was distilled in May of 2008 and bottled in December of 2022; expect this to land at Liquor Junction in very limited numbers soon as most of the barrel was presold Nose: Prevalent sweetness could be smelled from afar as I carried this glass to my desk. Upon first dipping my nose into the glencairn before me I find beautiful, crystal clear, creamy tiramisu. I instantly am aware of a new hunger in my stomach because of this aroma. Graham cracker, baker's chocolate and gourmet patisserie notes come through clear and delicious. Molasses, caramel and butterscotch all blend mercilessly in the chef's mixing bowl ready to cast its golden glow over some rich dessert. I'm tortured by the delicate confections at work these aromas; everything presented thus far has exuded elegance and delectability. A hint of linen among all the creamy, buttery tones reminds me of 2020 George T Stagg. Disturbing the well-rested glass with a light swirl unleashes lovely new tones of baking spice: black pepper, crushed cinnamon stick and a spike of clove poked into tart, fleeting plum. A funky floral bouquet blooms in the background. The markings of plain oak are nowhere to be found, though the byproducts of exceptional age are there in leather and marshmallow. The continuous undertone present all throughout is an incredibly creamy and fluffy vanilla frosting. Let's jump into a sip. Returning from a sip adds some further complexity to the chocolate tones from earlier. I now find some darker ground coffee bean and earthy tones like macadamia nut and patchouli. The earthy tones start steering things a little more savory than before; the tiramisu evolving into something more like sea salt modjeskas. It's still quite delicious all throughout and I again am keenly aware of a strong hunger brewing. The indomitable will of this glass never lets the volume knob slip here as delicious aromas continue to pour out of the opening of my glencairn. At times this slightly woody, slightly earthy creamy marshmallow seems to be a 'one trick pony' as it often settles back on this profile, but I'd be remiss if I allowed myself to understate just how delicious and unique that aroma is. Deep inhales show off sharper and darker notes of cola as the glass begins to wane towards empty. The now whiskey-less glass smells like a charcoal barbecue from afar, honey mousse, gingersnap cookie, gunmetal, and rich cheesecake. Palate: My first sip is an incredible explosion of zesty fruit that were completely hidden on the early nose. Juicy plum and raspberry tart set the stage before orange peel crashes through into cherry skins in a cacophony of beauty and might. Cinnamon sizzles on the top of the tongue as sultry red wine soaks up any possible discomfort. Another sip amplifies the red fruit, increasing the stock of crushed red grapes and building in darker fig notes. A longer sip and swish produces lovely vanilla flavors up front before a berry parfait settles comfortably on the tongue. As the glass sits longer an exceptional evolution occurs as nuances of some ultra-aged Armagnac sneak onto my senses. Pecan and praline ebb in at times. Every sip hangs on the tongue like a full feature film. Lemondrops show off a really interesting citrus side that although seems out of place with the other flavors, ultimately come in at a welcome time as this evolves like a steeping and cooling cup of tea. I could sit with this glass all day. Later in the pour the sinusoidal undulations of a complete evolution swing me back to a world of baking spice as tarragon, caraway, nutmeg and allspice culminate in an excellently layered medley carried off by fluffy pound cake. My last sip is right in line with the rest of the glass: penultimately delicious. Both thoroughly worthy of savoring and impossibly approachable given the proof... I'm sent off with a beautiful array of stone fruit and honey that lingers long into overtime leaving me longing for more. Rating: Drool-worthy This is just divine. 'Staggy' is somehow an understatement for this barrel as I find more unique yet exceptional characteristics than even that release can produce. I really hope you get the chance to try this one for yourself. Rare Character manages to bring an eclectic energy to the table here and ultimately delivers a whiskey for the record books. Tasting back through this I am even more impressed than when I first sipped the sample with Pete and Pablo. This one is definitely going to leave an indelible mark on the whiskey world for a long time. For those who may be new to the site, I try my best to never let bias creep into my reviews. In an effort to stay on top of that I elect to not give my typical numerical score to anything that I personally had a hand in selecting. For scoring this release in particular, I'll let other experts chime in... Though you can probably imagine what my score might be! @bourbonboot mentions in his review: There is no world where this does not make my top whiskey list for 2023. It could very well be the number one spot, and it's only April. If you like to explore the world of whiskey and what different flavor profiles are out there, you need to have this on your shelf. A snippet from the UPROXX article by Zach Johnston is pictured above. https://uproxx.com/life/30-best-american-whiskey-2022-ranked/ I hope this review captured some amount of information that you were looking for. If it did, make sure to drop me a comment down below as I always look forward to connecting with folks in the whiskey world. Cheers!