I tasted this alongside an Heaven Hill BiB 7 year as a bit of a bottled in bond battle. I had tasted the E.H. Taylor many more times before the Heaven Hill offering. I will include a note on my preference between the two after the rating. See the Heaven Hill review here. Company on Label: Old Fashioned Copper (Buffalo Trace) Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (Low Rye < 10%) Proof: 100° Age: 4 years Further identification: Late 2019 purchase Nose: Chocolate & molasses. Brown sugar that layers into a sweet silky cherry. Slight spice when you dig through the caramel. Light cinnamon that isn't biting. Vanilla here is sweet... cake or dessert-like. An orange zest and slight tannin forming later in the nose. After sipping, some light oak can be found. No ethanol to be found here, deep inhales are exceptionally sweet & satisfying. The chocolate & molasses sweetness is indomitable. Palate: Mmm. Explosive candy sweets. Sugary molasses melts into liquid strawberry, apple and cherry. Drinks in a wave from front to back, and lingers most near the very back of the tongue. Some pepper and a hint of deep, dark red grape. A touch of citrus gives this a complexity that turns this from a candy novelty to an exceptional (relatively) accessible sipper. Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf.) Due to the lower age producing a more explosive and complex experience I have to give a nod to the @buffalotrace offering over the Heaven Hill tonight. Both pours were thoroughly enjoyable and I would recommend having each on your shelf.

People from all walks of whiskey life have likely heard of the brand and distillery Buffalo Trace. Known for now also housing some of the most coveted whiskeys including the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, Pappy Van Winkle, Eagle Rare, and Weller - this is a distillery that definitely does not have a demand problem in today's markets. But you, the savvy drinker, might want to know if their flagship release might a suitable cost effective alternative to chasing their rarer releases? How do single barrel picks compare? Well you've come to the right place if you're interested in either of those questions. I've enjoyed the abundance of availability of these bottles that comes with living in a competitive Massachusetts market. We have a lot of great retailers who do a ton of business across this brand. As such, I've never had to struggle to find these releases - whether it be the flagship release or a retailer store pick (single barrel). I know this isn't true of all states, so apologies if your level of access is different to mine! For some deeper brand history and information I'd recommend jumping over to Buffalo Trace's website or Whiskey.Rocks. Now let's dive in on the whiskey. Are these worth chasing? Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (Low Rye < 10%) Proof: 90° Age: NAS, but commonly discussed to be around 6-8 years old; though the only legal requirement being over 4 years here Further identification: Below is a review of the flagship release of Buffalo Trace that was released in 2021 based on the laser code; I discuss single barrel picks further down if you are interested in that! Nose: Immediately sugary tones begin to bubble out of the glass. Subtle oak soaks into the nostrils as crème fraîche, apricot and toasted almonds billow out in a thick fog. Light green apple dances atop a raw pie crust being smoothed out over a bed of flour. A swirl of the glass reveals black pepper, softened gently by a wave of vanilla. Creamy red wine like cabernet sauvignon can be smelled from a distance. It takes a bit of a keen nose to pull out they layers here. Let's jump over to the tasting notes before returning to the nose. Coming back from a sip I find the caramel and butterscotch to be more pronounced. Level oak continues to serve as a solid base to the glass. Freshly baked focaccia bread and lovely barrel funk meet to create a calming, warm and inviting medley of aromas. Vanilla softens into a buttery cake frosting texture near the bottom of the glass. The empty glass smells of brown sugar, savory barbecue, and a fig newton bar. Palate: Woah... where the nose was soft this is quite punchy! Cherry hots, orange peel, grapefruit and bubblegum all dance on the palate in a dazzling and sizzling array. A squeeze of lime juice and can be found in the thin, oily linger. Another sip shows off caramel, biscotti and candied apple. Impressively sweet without venturing into cloying territory, I forgot how good this bottle is. I have definitely had more than a few bottles since I began my journey as a whiskey enthusiast & this sip is a great regrounding to where I started. Cherry seems to be the dominant fruit as the glass settles out some of its excitable start. Yogurt mixes in late to form an interesting strawberry parfait profile that I'm enjoying. As the glass gets lower more tannic styled fruits begin to layer in. Plum, blackberry, raisin and stewed apricot form an old fashioned fruit compote that is both simple and enjoyable. My last sip is fruity, balanced and thoroughly enjoyable. There's heft in the linger that drinks above its proof without becoming too hot. Ultimately the sweetness here makes this a classic bourbon profile that will be remembered for ages. Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf.) This is a fine example where blending skill can be better than identifying unique barrels. The flagship release soared with layers upon layers of delicious flavors that most single barrels can't keep up with. While not an overly exceptional whiskey, it's a classic profile that I think even the most seasoned whiskey drinkers can return to and find something they love. The best part of the flagship releases is the consistency. When you go for another bottle of this you can expect to find much the same as the last bottle you enjoyed. Single Barrel Pick Comparisons and Discussion Where the flagship release is a blend of barrels working together to make a cohesive and consistent flavor profile, single barrels are just single components of what is normally a blend. At Buffalo Trace today, just 40 barrels make up each small batch blend. The tasters and master distiller stay hard at work making sure they are achieving a consistent and tasty flavor profile. As for the single barrels, sometimes there are ones that just don't fit the traditional profile or maybe they are deemed exceptional by the tasters. Those barrels go to the loyal retailers who have supported the brand for a long time and they get to choose from an array of barrels which one happens to be their favorite. All it takes is a good palate and solid intuition and you'll find the type of barrel that people want to enjoy. I've been helping retailers pick barrels for some time now and not only is it an incredibly fun experience, I think it offers an opportunity for stores to connect on a deeper level with their customers. This is an opportunity for them to trust you to make the best decision you can make and ultimately bring home what is likely going to be a sizeable number of bottles exclusively for that store location. I've seen retailers jump headfirst into this kind of picking program for it to ultimately fall flat in the marketplace because customers either don't know, don't trust, or don't already have a relationship with the folks involved with the picking. Barrel picking is penultimate; you need an established base of good customers & a trustworthy set of palates (yes plural) in order to make this work. The two groups I help run, Mass Bourbon Alliance and Spirit Animal Society, have mastered this type of collaborative relationship. Other stores have done it incredibly well, even without that help. Below are a few of my favorite stores I have recently visited that have either well-established or up-and-coming whiskey single barrel programs. I'll also discuss how these single barrel offerings vary from the flagship release we reviewed above. If you want to read the full review of each single barrel, click the link at each title! Dion's Single Barrel #491 Where the flagship was consistent, this one was flashy. Fun, realistic candy flavors jumped out at me at every corner from sweet tarts to skittles and apple pie to mulled wine this was an exceptional barrel that showed off unique characteristics that were more buried on the blend. This is a great example of a single barrel reaching new highs compared to the flagship release. This shared the most similarities with the flagship release and yet it was still distinctly different. Plaza Package Single Barrel #226 This pick had much more caramel, butterscotch and bready tones. It lost some of the fruit complexity of the blend for a more straightforward set of cherry and strawberry flavors. I'd call this one a touch simpler than the flagship, while still maintaining the same level of incredible approachability that both exemplify. I'd call this one a solid replacement to the flagship. Kappy's Single Barrel #021 This is a great example of a single barrel that ended up falling short compared to the flagship release (yes that's possible). For whatever reason this one just didn't land with me. I ended up giving it a lower score than the flagship because it had a bit too much spice and heat for my preference on this style of bourbon (a low proof sipper). I did end up finding some old fashioned cocktail flavors that pushed it to a point where it certainly was not bad, I just thought there were better examples of this distillate out there, and this tasting chronicle highlights that possibility. No offense to Kappy's whatsoever here, I know they can still pick good whiskey. If I were picking a barrel of Buffalo Trace and you presented me with these three options, I'd definitely personally pick the Dion's barrel #491. It was exactly what I look for when I pick barrels - exceptional flavors, complexity and a level of approachability that I think a majority of whiskey drinkers can enjoy. That's it! What do you think of these findings? Are you a Buffalo Trace fan? Let me know what's on your mind in the comments. Cheers!

If you read my last two Buffalo Trace single barrel reviews feel free to skip this section! Before we get into another one of these - I'd like to say the usefulness of most single barrel reviews really ends at the lengths of the distribution channels for the source of the pick. Your mileage may vary significantly barrel to barrel, but one thing is for certain - if you are a local customer to a store who does great picks - you are in for a good time. I'm taking some time this season to highlight a few of the stores I have visited who I think do exceptional picks. I will be utilizing a reasonably accessible brand like Buffalo Trace to kickstart that conversation. I also thought this was a good medium because of its lower proof; this serves as a level playing field for approachability of whiskey drinkers of all calibers, and also keeps me level headed as I taste through several releases. As I weave together a few store pick reviews over my next few posts, either look at this as an opportunity to get to learn the picking team at the store being reviewed (if it is anywhere near you), or look for high level trends to see if chasing single barrels of this release are worth it to you. You might find some interesting info here! Now let's get into the whiskey! The fun part! Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (Low Rye < 10%) Proof: 90° Age: NAS, but commonly discussed to be around 6-8 years old; though the only TTB requirement has it being over 4 years Further identification: Barrel #021 comes from Kappy's - a great chain in Massachusetts Nose: Light, herbaceous and floral on the nose! What a funky change of pace here. Oak dominates this early glass. Bright linen and dry vanilla permeate the senses. Floral tones like white lily and bright Spring daffodils continue to jump out at me. Let's have a taste. Funky earth and leather sneak into the glass after returning from a sip. This pour continues to emanate dark, funky tones all throughout. I find a chest full of anise, clove and metallic black pepper. The empty glass smells of cardboard, dark oak bark and damp soil. Palate: Zesty lemon peel hits the back of the throat sharply at the start. Angostura bitters, level oak and allspice clash strangely. Thin cherry syrup comes across slightly oily but laced with an overtly spicy cinnamon backbone. I find this a little imbalanced and slightly proofy which feels a bit comical given the ABV number listed on the label. Another sip and swish levels this out into an enjoyable profile that closely resembles an old fashioned. Orange peel clearly layers in and I am comforted by familiar flavors again. The linger is fairly long, propped up by a thick mouth coating of orange blossom honey. Quite a bit of red wine flashes up at times in tannic waves. My last sip is clove forward with a searing drop of magma that flows through my chest. I can't believe a 90 proof like this can drink this hot! Rating: 3/5 (Decent. I can go either way on it.) Overall this release didn't really jive with me. I think I prefer the sweeter barrels of this and this one had too many funky layers of spice. While this particular release didn't land, a majority of them do from the 1940 Barrel Society which I'm glad to be a member of. Check out your local Kappy's for single barrel picks and let them know I sent you! I'd recommend the Blueberry Port finished bourbon from Starlight & grab an Old Soul Tintype while you are there too.

Before we get into another review - I'd like to say the usefulness of most single barrel reviews really ends at the lengths of the distribution channels for the source of the pick. Your mileage may vary significantly barrel to barrel, but one thing is for certain - if you are a local customer to a store who does great picks - you are in for a good time. I'm taking some time this season to highlight a few of the stores I have visited who I think do exceptional picks. I will be utilizing a reasonably accessible brand like Buffalo Trace to kickstart that conversation. I also thought this was a good medium because of its lower proof; this serves as a level playing field for approachability of whiskey drinkers of all calibers, and also keeps me level headed as I taste through several releases. As I weave together a few store pick reviews over my next few posts, either look at this as an opportunity to get to learn the picking team at the store being reviewed (if it is anywhere near you), or look for high level trends to see if chasing single barrels of this release are worth it to you. You might find some interesting info here! Now let's get into the whiskey! The fun part! Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (Low Rye < 10%) Proof: 90° Age: NAS, but commonly discussed to be around 6-8 years old; though the only TTB requirement has it being over 4 years Further identification: Barrel #226 was picked by Plaza Package out of Great Barrington, MA Nose: Oh wow - the caramel and butterscotch is pervasive on this glass. The creamy nose-feel opens up to toffee, buttered dinner rolls and prevalent candied apple. I'm reminded of sour apple airheads here. There's an inherent softness here that works. It feels like there is a pile of confectioners sugar not far away. Light graham cracker tones fill the glass. Let's dive in on a sip! Returning to the glass I find hints of leather, vanilla and faint cigar smoke. The nose has significantly more complexity than the palate and I find myself savoring the aromas of caramel, popcorn and warm salted pretzels. The empty glass smells of coarse linen, honeysuckle and grenadine. Palate: Gobs of cherry lead the way on this. Hints of strawberry and the lightest sprinkle of nutmeg hang along the edges. This drinks impossibly soft. Another sip and swish reveals hints of cardamom and honey sweetness. There's less in the way of fruit here than usual but more bakery or coffee shop style treats showing up. As the glass weathers on I do start to find some more cherry tones returning which is nice. Marshmallow layers in nicely with strawberries and cream. My last sip is a lovely citrus medley of zested lemon, Earl gray tea, and just a hint of cherry following through. Yum! Rating: 4/5 (Really good. I want one of these on my shelf.) This one has a clear winner of a nose, but less in the flavor department. I think overall approachability makes this one a great choice for newer whiskey drinkers. This is a solid pick and having tried some of the other barrels that Jen has picked, I know that Plaza is the place to stop in for whiskey single barrel picks out in the Berkshires. Cheers!

Before we get into this - I'd like to say the usefulness of most single barrel reviews really ends at the lengths of the distribution channels for the source of the pick. Your mileage may vary significantly barrel to barrel, but one thing is for certain - if you are a local customer to a store who does great picks - you are in for a good time. I'm taking some time this season to highlight a few of the stores I have visited who I think do exceptional picks. I will be utilizing a reasonably accessible brand like Buffalo Trace to kickstart that conversation. I also thought this was a good medium because of its lower proof; this serves as a level playing field for approachability of whiskey drinkers of all calibers, and also keeps me level headed as I taste through several releases. As I weave together a few store pick reviews over my next few posts, either look at this as an opportunity to get to learn the picking team at the store being reviewed (if it is anywhere near you), or look for high level trends to see if chasing single barrels of this release are worth it to you. You might find some interesting info here! Now let's get into the whiskey! The fun part! Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (Low Rye < 10%) Proof: 90° Age: 8 years Further identification: Barrel #491 was selected by Dion's - a family run group of liquor stores out of Massachusetts; it came from Warehouse I, Floor 6, and it was barreled on 8/26/2014 Nose: Decadent baked apple aromas can be smelled from several inches away from the glass. As I inch closer buttery pie crust joins the syrupy apple alongside hints of cinnamon - culminating in a deliciously complete apple pie profile. Longer inhales on my left nostril produce subtle hints of sweet cherry and peach cobbler. Bright oak is surprisingly prevalent. Let's jump into a sip now. A great volume of funky barrel influence can be dug up returning from a sip. It feels oily and soft in the nose; any inhale is devoid of sharp edges. Caramel builds well near the bottom of the glass. The empty glass smells of smoked apple cider and soft mulled wine. Palate: Green apple sweet tarts and red strawberry skittles crash onto the palate with abundant candied sweetness. Hints of anise propagate across the tongue in a shimmering dance. Orange peel and pound cake are a delicious treat here; everything is coming across as liquid dessert to me. Hints of Lindt excellence intense orange dark chocolate bars pulse in the linger. Another sip is again quite sweet with stewed plum, raisin and raspberry cheesecake. My last sip is a sweet return to the sweet tart beginnings though now I find even more sugary delights with a layer of strawberry pixie stick coating my mouth. The linger is medium and I'm fairly impressed with the volume of flavor on this glass despite this being well below my desired proof point. I find myself yearning to go in for a second glass. Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf.) This one was a real treat. I appreciate the traditional apple forward notes I have come to expect out of Buffalo Trace, but the candy store layers that unfolded were quite a surprise. The picking team at Dion's seems to know what they're about with this one delivering above-norm complexity and a fun layer of barrel funk I recognize from another one of their releases. Cheers!

I don't know why I've stared at this bottle for so long. I just never seemed to get the urge to want to drink it (knowing how Lot "B" tastes already thanks to friends with bottles). Today I looked at it and I had that urge for the first time, so I went for it. Today isn't any special day - it just felt right! I will be revisiting this a few more times and will update this review if anything changes, but I'm going against one of my own rules and reviewing a single glass here that has been opening up on my desk for the last hour and a half. For the uninitiated, the Van Winkle line is the lower age tier of the Pappy Van Winkle lineup. Don't get it confused either or the crazed enthusiasts of this stuff might chew your head off. I am not one such enthusiast and I've long believed that modern Pappy is so very clearly not the same stuff that created the hype around this brand in the first place. Modern drinkers of post-Stitzel-Weller distillate should approach these pours - and the prices they fetch - with a healthy dose of intellectual honesty. I know these are great special occasion bottles to share with your closest friends and family, but try them in a blind sometime and see how they really stack up against other much more readily available whiskeys today. You might save yourself a lot of time, headaches and dollars if you do! Now - let's see how this one drinks for me today. Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Wheated Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Wheated Mash Bill Proof: 90.4° Age: 12 years Further identification: This is a 2021 release (laser code L21xxx...) that I purchased in December of that year Nose: Up front there is marvelous candied sweetness. It's very reminiscent of E.H. Taylor Single Barrel or Weller 12 with that liquid candy aroma pervasively emanating from the glass. Cherry is the dominant smell, but alongside it notes of saffron, lemongrass, and rich earthy caramel invade the senses. It's surprisingly potent for a lower proof such as this. It's a fun medley of sweets; strawberry, orange peel, raspberry and plum all kind of meld in a somewhat forced blend. It's like a mashup of all the different skittles in one. Time for a sip! Blueberry port wine shows up after coming back from a sip. The glass is creamy and soft in every way. A good volume of oak is really noticeable now too, its vague weaving aromas not quite conjuring up full memories. A swirl of the glass reveals much more dark oak with the bark, the damp dirt beneath its roots, and the fallen leaves around its base all culminating in a distinctly Fall aroma. When I think of oak influence & how much is just right before becoming too much - this is about where I would draw the line. Normally I find this level of oak in releases 12-15 years old out of Kentucky so this one is spot on with that trend. As the glass gets lower the leather tones I found on the palate form in the glass well. The empty glass smells of orange sherbert, graham cracker and wrought iron fencing. Palate: Mmm, soft cherry wood hits my palate first. The linger and drop that follows is a creamy mudslide of vanilla that delivers cinnamon hots directly to my stomach in a swift swoop. The mouth feel is on the thinner side, though its candied sweetness is still noticeable in a lower volume than the nose let on. Another sip reveals slightly tannic plum, raspberry jam and a bag full of skittles sitting in a pouch of leather. Where the nose was like Fall - the palate brings Spring. The fruit starts bright on the palate with a kiss of sugar before it pops and melts into creamy rivers of dark, syrupy cherry pie filling. Another sip and swish reveals hints of brown sugar, vanilla biscotti and pie crust. Cherry continues to be the mainstay flavor hitting my palate. Subsequent sips towards the bottom of the glass don't turn over any new complexities. My last sip is a simple sweet treat with strawberry honey and berry forward cereal tones lingering softly. Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf) This is good but certainly not the best bourbon out there! I'd put this about on par with Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year and today's Weller 12. 2019 Weller 12 had some significantly better volume of flavor that I think this lacks a bit. It's simple, but certainly delicious and for that it earns my 4/5 score! If you can't find this, go buy a Maker's Mark 46 Cask Strength and thank me later. Hope you enjoyed this one. Let me know if you have tried this pour in the comments & if you agree with my findings or not! Cheers.

I love a good single barrel collaboration! Liquor Junction was kind enough to loop @MassBourbonAlliance in on this as well as a Knob Creek, Blanton's and Weller Full Proof barrel pick that should be hitting this Winter. When I saw this 36% rye on the tasting table I was immediately excited for what it might be! I wish we tasted this earlier in the flight, but we had our work cut out for us on the other barrel picks as well. Do you have a favorite MGP release you've tried? If so let me know in the comments! Company on Label: Bardstown Bourbon Company - this will be bottled under the "Hirsch" label (Distilled in Indiana) Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Malted Barley Proof: 114.40° (subject to change before bottling approval) Age: 8 years Further identification: Lot # 13L21 was sampled on 7/14/2022 for Liquor Junction to consider for a single barrel pick; collaborating with Derek (@Bourbondipity_) and myself - the @MassBourbonAlliance tasting group was in agreement that this was a resounding yes! Nose: Up front this starts with a soft, unassuming creamy caramel profile. A bit deeper of a dive and the nose flourishes with floral sweetness like vanilla orchids and hints of jasmine. The oak is tame and level. Tiramisu drifts slowly into the nostrils. Longer inhales show off toffee. Overall the nose feels very well put together and will certainly offer an approachable yet satisfying softness to whiskey enthusiasts new and old. Soft flashes of linen introduce thin strands of cinnamon that give just a touch of spice in the nose-feel. Subdued orange peel is trying to come out of the glass but likely needs a friendly sip to really open up. Mmm. The nose certainly open up after a sip. I find lovely barrel funk, leather and black pepper. The unique floral characteristics are again comforting and delicious in the nose. Wow - late in the glass the vanilla characteristics evolve incredibly well. The empty glass smells of honey, rose petals, chocolate, fresh-sawn lumber, and lavender. Palate: From the first sip I find an incredibly different palate than the early nose let on. There's a marvelous fruit sweetness that flashes up front that then leads to a beautiful creamy caramel viscous mouth coating that lingers infinitely long in warm bourbon waves that rise through the chest. Wow. What was a rather lackluster early nose in intensity turned out to be a wallop of a first sip. Another sip reveals the aforementioned fruit sweetness to be made up of orange marmalade, ripe red cherries, plum and a dash of Angostura bitters. Sweet and spicy red grapes bubble up to the surface at times in sweet surprises. Overall this has a great balance and manages to deliver a really unique bourbon profile that is not often achieved out of the 36% rye mash bill. Nearing the bottom of the glass some more citrus characteristics come to the foreground with lemon peel hanging out of a cup of chamomile tea loaded with honey. My last sip is a doozy of a delicious wave with orange sherbert, cornbread and a rich drizzle of warm caramel pleading for me to pour another glass. The linger is exceptionally long with sweet molasses, white pepper-laced oak, and a creamy angel food cake that tapers off slowly. Rating: Two Thumbs Up What a unique barrel! When we first tasted it (after a round of Blanton's, Weller Full Proof, and Knob Creek) I think there was definitely not enough time to see just how exceptional this barrel really is, and perhaps a bit of proof-blindness that had already set in. I am so glad I got to revisit this one as the notes just felt so easy to find here. While this definitely didn't feel like it chartered into completely new territory or set a new bar for what whiskey can be, I will say it's incredibly crushable & also incredibly nuanced if you want to take your time with it too. I love a good versatile pour like this and will often find myself sharing something like this when I am in a group setting and we are chatting about things that maybe aren't whiskey at that time. It's easy to enjoy for everyone, and if you take the time to notice - it really is a great whiskey. I'll be sure to revisit this one once it is bottled!

A highly sought after new release from Wild Turkey is up for review today! This release is another Eddie Russell special which was crafted as a new age stated Wild Turkey product. This one should be easier to find than the only older age stated release, 16 year old Russell's Reserve 2003. It has recently started distributing nationally, but in fairly low quantities. Because of that, there has been a lot of clamoring to acquire this one for many whiskey enthusiasts. A lot of excitement goes into something of this caliber and pedigree. I found myself getting caught up in it as well. I'm hoping to be able to let folks who don't have one yet know what they are (or are not) missing with this review and maybe convince a few people who are hoarding them to get them open and shared. I was astounded to find and purchase my own bottle which I knew would make for a great tasting. I am just recently coming off the heels of one of the best Russell's Reserve Single Barrel store picks I've tasted to date, and I have even higher hopes for this. But hopes are not in a whiskey reviewers best interest.... So I tried this a few times to get past the new bottle jitters and let it air a bit before finally getting prepared to sit down and review it fairly. Well about a week after opening, I'm ready to do just that. Here goes! Company on Label: Wild Turkey Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 114.8° Age: 13 years Further identification: Russell's 13 comes with a white top label and a blue bottom label; it is NCF stated; update as of 3-Sep-2022: this is the LL/JD laser code original batch 1 release that came out in April of 2021 Nose: Dark chocolate nibs on the first introduction freshen to the glass. Prevalent sweetness throughout. Lovely strawberry and fig. Strawberry smell is almost fuzzy in my nostrils. Well-aged oak is certainly present from the start. Creamy citrus is riding on the back of the fig note. Feels like a spicy cowboy has rode into town ready for a gun fight. A little bit of dusty funk I'd attribute to a fairly standard Russell's aroma. Nose is actually incredibly light/airy. Time for a sip. Nose turns much more towards caramel now but also carries a slight astringency like wet paint for a moment. After that passes there is a definitive light nuttiness to this; like a bag of mixed nuts, but smelled from a far. It’s mellow & easy on the senses. The oak finally has returned & brought with it a little of vanilla bean. A bit of proof is evident later in the nose. I almost could mistake this for some kind of wine barrel finish honestly. I wish I could keep going on how this had infinite layers, but the complexity seems to have mainly ended here. Empty glass of chocolate, red grape & funky fig. Palate: Instant sweetness with rich layers of cherry, molasses, and a smoky strawberry with a heavily charred texture. I almost envision a strawberry dump cobbler in a Dutch oven over a bed of coals & a little ash/charcoal has fallen in after moving the lid too quickly. Lovely fruity mouth coating that spreads to every corner of the palate. Slight wine tannin on the linger, but a great sizzle & pop of chocolate & cinnamon. Beautiful sweet layers to this. Very much desert pour level of sweetness for me; I’d pick this over pie. When I first opened this I was getting much more nuttiness. Now the sweet red fruits are almost overwhelming. I’m really glad I didn’t do this bottle the disservice of reviewing the neck poor as it has evolved dramatically after the first open (this is actually my third open now). Very creamy mouth feel, but drying in the cheeks with the heavier oak. Back of the tongue sizzles with a pop rocks spice. Level, well-balanced & delicious. Rating: 5/5 As good of a score as this got - so did my last Russell's Single Barrel store pick... To me, this doesn’t have a significant difference and feel compared to that. If you are really banging your head against the wall trying to find one of these - just go for a single barrel pick. I just so happen to have another one of those single barrel picks open… Maybe a head to head next?

I previously reviewed the LL/JD laser code batch 1 release and it earned my top marks as well as the 'Keep Amongst the Whiskey' distinction. When I finally saw another bottle on a shelf I knew I had to have it again. If the laser code situation makes you head spin: here is a great resource from rarebird101. My bottle of batch 1 is low enough that I'll be opening this one to fill that void in my heart anyway so I'm happy to also possible do a quick head to head to offer my thoughts on in if this a different batch or what if any variants I can find between them. Other than the fact that one will be distinctly more oxidized than the other making the comparison really not worth much in the end. Regardless, I'm expecting another great release here from the Russell's line. The hype around this one still boggles my mind a little bit because I have had single barrel picks that come incredibly close to this release too, so don't feel too bad if you can't find this one. Keep in mind this review is going to be a fresh crack of this bottle. Let's get into it! Company on Label: Wild Turkey Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 114.8° Age: 13 years Further identification: Russell's 13 comes with a white top label and a blue bottom label; it is NCF stated; this has the LL/JL laser code which is known as batch 2 amongst the people keeping track of such things and it was released in December of 2021 Nose: Decadent vanilla up front on the nose. Cherry skins and peanut brittle. Bright pepper, plum and fig sit atop a drying oak aroma. The dry peanut shells I'm finding on the nose are balanced well by the soft fruity characteristics. There doesn't seem to be much else going on so I'm going to head in for a sip now! Coming back I find that more traditional bourbon notes like caramel and well-aged oak have cropped up alongside an orange peel aroma. As the glass gets lower I find that the body and heft hasn't subsided or really evolved - it's just been consistently good throughout with sweet vanilla bean and soft spurts of butterscotch that are delectable treats. The empty glass smells of honey, campfire ash, and sweet caramel. Palate: Yum, that rich, sweet plum! It's instantly pervasive in a sweeping wave of strawberry sweetness. The mouth feel is creamy and slightly tannic like a good cabernet sauvignon will leave. Another sip and swish produces a fair bit of cinnamon on the tip of my tongue with a follow-through of cherry skins and trail mix. I love the creamy mouthfeel but I find a small flash of sandalwood in the linger sometimes which scares me a little bit. Another sip relaxes a lot of those fears with a beautiful bouquet of tart fruit. Orange wine dances on the palate well in a whirlwind of zesty effervescence. My last sip is vanilla forward with nutmeg, sandalwood and cinnamon sweeping in late. Rating: 5/5 As a bonus here are some of my thoughts about the comparison to the batch 1 release: I thought the sandalwood note was unique to batch 2, but I do find it hidden in little corners now even on batch 1. I don't find any meaningful differences between the two here, so maybe we can relax and assume any of these laser codes are delicious. It's incredible how similar the tasting notes ended up on this one when I look back at batch 1 now. I think these might be all from the same tanked batch. I don't find any negative effects of oxidation on my batch 1 either, though I will certainly start to think about killing off this bottle sooner than later. I'm intrigued by that sandalwood note though. It seems odd to me and might be something about my experiences that I had today that is changing the whiskey a bit. Read into that what you will, I'm just here to share my thoughts, as crazy as they may be. I've also noticed today that both corks on the Russell's 13 releases are running a little looser than normal. Bonus bonus... If you asked me to rank again the Rapid 2020 E/4 pick against the Russell's 13 pair tonight, I'd tell you that the Rapid pick is better. Fulfilling the July of 2021 prophecy that I could "go either way on the rank". "I had these identified correctly. Having come off the 13 year tasting I knew it had some intense figgy. & jammy sweetness that bordered on a wine profile which definitely gave it away. There also are some slight nuances in the level of the oak intensity that gave away the age difference. I honestly could go either way on these pours rank-wise. At times the 13 year is almost too sweet for my preferences, but I'm sure many will enjoy that. I think this pick from Rapid Liquors is just an exceptional example of where Russell's picks can get to in terms of quality and will likely not represent the entirety of their line, as is expected with single barrel offerings." Cheers!

I previously reviewed the LL/JD laser code batch 1 release as well as the LL/JL batch 2 release and they both earned my top marks as well as the 'Keep Amongst the Whiskey' distinction. When batch 3 came around I knew it would be a no brainer to at least try it since I was lucky enough to find one thanks to a great friend who sent me to a local store who had it. I will again link this great resource from rarebird101 on reading Turkey laser codes. Hopefully I can shed some light on the batch 1 vs 2 vs 3 debate by the end of this; my previous finding was that 1 was roughly equal to 2. It was so close in fact I went out and stated: I don't find any meaningful differences between the two here, so maybe we can relax and assume any of these laser codes are delicious. It's incredible how similar the tasting notes ended up on this one when I look back at batch 1 now. I think these might be all from the same tanked batch. Well, now that batch 3 is out I want to make sure that statement is still fundamentally roughly accurate. I have heard that batch 3 ended up being a different barrel blend makeup so the 'same tank' theory is definitely out here. Once again rarebird101 is the authority in all this and he states: December is batch 2 and is pretty much the same as batch 1, but with some barrels from higher floors. Batch 3 has 20-year whiskey in it, but in similar ratio to batch 1 and 2. So let's dig in and see what we get! Company on Label: Wild Turkey Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 114.8° Age: 13 years Further identification: Russell's 13 comes with a white top label and a blue bottom label; it is NCF stated; this has the LL/KE laser code which is known as batch 3 amongst the people keeping track of such things Nose: Up front I find stewed plums, brown sugar, walnuts and a touch of fig. It feels dense, heavy and bold. There's an great barrel influence definitely teetering into hyper-aged territory as leather and tobacco tones begin to ooze out of the glass. Bright grape tones rise up with good heft from deep inhales. Warm printer paper, hazelnut and fresh earth cover scent present softly. There's a nice vanilla aroma here but the glass falls off a bit at this point in intensity. Time for a sip. Returning I find molasses, hints of black pepper and a touch of clove has developed in the glass. Mmm the nose has developed marvelously now that the glass is warming up and getting a little lower. I begin to find balsam fir and more leather - though now it's laced with something sweeter. An incredibly traditional / classic Wild Turkey caramel, butterscotch, and funky nuttiness begins to pervade the glass. Mmm mmm mm. Emphasis on the butterscotch. The funk returns late in the glass. There's a pleasant consistency in this two-act show that started slow but built into a real treat. The empty glass smells of gummy peach rings, smoked vanilla ice cream and leather. Palate: Spice forward for certain on the first sip. Cherry skins, raisin, plum and tart strawberry flavors fill my mouth. There's a heft to this despite the mouth coating being a touch drying. It feels weighty in gaseous terms, but little in the way of a liquid linger. Another sip produces distinct herbaceous molasses, clove and prunes. Patience between sips is rewarding here as I find much sweeter tones beginning to flourish - strawberry vanilla smoothies come to mind. Tannic notes build near the bottom of the glass similar to the bright grape aromas of the early nose. The linger is much longer & more consistent after a few sips warm this pour up. I find peanut brittle and ciabatta bread in the slow wave that follows taking a small gulp. My last sip is enjoyable with cinnamon, tobacco and balsam fir incense. Rating: 5/5 Wow, that one started slow but really came into its own by the end. Do not write this batch off at one sip! This leans heavily on classic Wild Turkey notes that fans of the brand will know and love. I personally prefer some of the sweeter tones that tend to be more rare in these barrels, though some warehouses (like Warehouse E) produce them more consistently for me. I am glad this pour eventually reached those same heights - so I am glad to call this one another favorite of mine! As a quick confirmation I will have a small sip of batch 1 and 2 alongside and see if I notice anything different, as I did when I reviewed batch 2. Comparing them I find batch 1 (easily the lowest fill level / most oxidized mind you) has more orange peel and something bordering on bubblegum going on which I didn't find on batch 3. Otherwise it is very similar overall and certainly on the same quality level. Batch 2 has some light perfume-like floral tones that I didn't have on 3 but again nothing exceptionally different here either. Revisiting batch 3 for good measure shows off its own unique highlight: tobacco funk. So if you stuck me up at gunpoint and told me to rank them I'd still give them all an honest overall equivalency. My personal preference and how my palate is working today prefers the orange peel citrus sweetness of batch 1 just a touch. They're all exceptional and that is all that matters! Some may try to rank them differently, but for me the only difference is the one main one-liners from the above paragraph. The rest of the whiskey is really built up from the same parts. As for the barrel blending information I did dig up some info that I was not able to confirm the accuracy of so do with this as you please: Batch 1: 135 barrels of 13 year and 35 barrels of 19 year whiskey Batch 2: Similar blend to batch 1 Batch 3: 41 barrels of 20 year, 17 barrels of 18 year, and the rest being 15 year and 14 year barrels from warehouses CNA, CND, CNE I'm not surprised to see CNE amongst the list of warehouses given the flavors this release has been producing... I hope this was helpful! Cheers!

Old Soul is out with another cool bottle! The origin of the title 'tintype' comes from the style of photography observed on the front label. The Mississippi distillery honors the art of the photograph taken as a positive on a thin tin plate usually coated with a dark lacquer to make the subtleties pop. This sourced MGP is bursting with flavor, rich color, a fantastic history, and a decent price point. I was able to find this at Kappy's in MA. Time to get into a deep dive of the whiskey I fell in love with at first sip! Company on Label: Cathead Distillery (Distilled in Indiana) Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley Proof: 122.3° Age: 7 years Further identification: Series #1 from 2022 features Capt. Luke Mayer, a blues legend, captured on the tintype image by Timothy Duffy Nose: Decadent, bright fruit immediately leap into the nose. The sweet aromas are pervasive and they stick in the nose immediately with a creamy molasses consistency. The air above this glass becomes thick, decadent and rich. Butterscotch and caramel are the dominant notes that leap out at me upon diving back in. Dusty oak, black pepper and orange sherbert intermingle with some heft. Tart plum, raspberry jam and toffee dance around a warm campfire. John Mellencamp is dancing in a field of flowers. This smells so damn good. It's fruity, floral, and distinctly high quality bourbon. This is one of those exceptional examples of the heights that MGP distillate can achieve. Let's dive into a sip and see how things evolve. Returning from a sip yields lovely toasted marshmallow notes. There's bright linen characteristics that make me want to sneeze. Exceptionally soft black pepper perfectly blends with vanilla sweetness to produce an approachable level of complexity that few whiskeys achieve with this kind of ease. Mmm. Late in the glass the creamy tones are all there are to find - vanilla frosting, tiramisu and marshmallow through and through. Squawks of butterscotch and molasses ring out from time to time. Deep inhales continue to be delectable blends of honeysuckle and confectioners sugar. The empty glass smells of toasted almonds, brick oven pizza crust, and soft leather that inspires a level of elegance that might not befit the individual parts described here. Palate: Right away I get a solid punch of sweet frosted orange cookies. The sip shimmers and shakes with a beautiful sweet & spicy blend of effervescence. Chocolate, molasses and a creamy tiramisu texture coats the mouth. Another sip shows off raspberry trifle, cinnamon and a spritz of lemon peel zest. The linger is distinctly fruit forward and it carries on in an endless undulating wave. Diving even deeper on a larger sip and swish shows this does have some spice to it, but every time I find it... it seems like this soft plum and icing flavor wraps itself around what I was experiencing. The sharper flavors just try to peek their heads out before the sweetness envelops the intruding spice in a total eclipse. In a way I'd say the sweet creaminess acts as a delicious form of a palate coolant system and it totally works to the sips advantage here. As the glass begins to get lower I find myself savoring it longer each sip. The spicier tones of the beginning of the glass are beginning to fade away leaving only the sweetest orange cake and slightly boozy peach flambé for me to pick through. The mouth feel being on the thicker end of the viscosity spectrum results in a deep coating of demerara syrup, angostura bitters and concentrated cherry juice. My last sip is a real treat with an orange peel dominating an old fashioned flavor profile I can't live without. Yum. Rating: 5/5 (Just wow. One of my favorites.) This is exceptional whiskey from exceptional folks. I've turned heads on two of my friends at this point who have tried this and they both asked 'where can I get this?' immediately. You will not want to miss this release if it's available in your market! Cheers friends!

This twice-barreled bourbon comes to us from the legendary lineup of Old Forester 'Whiskey Row' bourbons. I've long wondered how I'd rank this up against 1920 - a whiskey I know and love. I've always thought this to be the more tannic sister to that release, but never ventured into a writing anything down on this bottle. Old Forester's website describes the history behind this release, saying: On October 22nd. 1910, a fire on the bottling line halted production of Old Forester. Mature whisky ready to be bottled, instead was stored in a secondary barrel. What emerged was a delightful whisky, remarkable enough to become an entirely new expressions – Old Fine Whisky. Today mimicking this historic bottling, this unique expression of Old Forester has undergone a second barreling, granting it exceptional character, a smooth and sweet flavor and a clean, crisp finish. Entering the second barrel at a low 100 proof allows more of the sweet wood sugars to dissolve into the whiskey. 1910 Old Fine Whiskey is the fourth and final expression of the Whiskey Row Series, presented at 93 proof. A cult favorite experiment is to mix this in equal parts with 1920 to create '1915'; let me know if the comments if you have ever tried that & if I should give it a go too! Company on Label: Old Forester Distilling Company (owned by Brown-Forman) Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 72% Corn, 18% Rye, 10% Barley Proof: 93° Age: NAS Further identification: This is the old style label 1910 that had the words 'Old Fine Whisky' overlayed with the explanation body of text Nose: I can smell the candy sweetness coming off this glass from quite a distance. Port wine ladened oak and marshmallow jump out at me first. Leather, plum and raspberry sit in the nostrils strongly with a hint of something synthetic tying everything together. A swirl of the glass releases a huge wave of black pepper, chocolate and allspice. Nutmeg settles back in quickly after the explosive effects of the perturbations of the glass subside. A glutton for punishment, I swirl again... This time drying vanilla and heavy charcoal char jump out at me. It is so drying it stings the back of my throat slightly, forcing a sip of water before even getting into tasting. Light, tranquil raspberry continues to be the dominant fruit. Let's jump down into a sip now. Returning I continue to find a lot of wood tones. A dusty funk forces me to sneeze. Herbal green tea with just a hint of lemon begins to sit in the low glass. The empty glass smells metallic alongside honey and overnight oats. Palate: This is incredibly fruit forward on first sip. I get creamy plum, raspberry and dried cherries. The linger is short and drying as the nose was also eliciting. Another sip is quite tannic with dark jams interlacing with herbal notes now. A slight raisin flavor introduces a new found spice I wasn't prepared for. Nutmeg meets butter... oddly. Again I return to a plum, raspberry and cherry medley as the glass starts to get lower. My last sip is all wine tannins and chocolate. Dry cornbread, plum and molasses mix nicely in the linger which is still short despite having a handful of sips to build up some backbone. Rating: 3/5 (Decent. I can go either way on it.) While there is great volume of flavors on this pour and a nice array of different characteristics a whiskey drinker can pull out of this pour, I don't think the overall storyline of this glass is quite cohesive. It seems to just throw things at you at any given moment and never feels like it has a true purpose. I think whiskey drinkers new and old can find something to love in this glass, but I couldn't see it as my personal daily sipper (hence why I am still drinking the old label before they updated their artwork!). Let me know below if you agree or disagree with my rating. Cheers!