The classic Old Kirk... Rumored to be Willett barrels. I've always loved this bottle shape and topper style. I previously reviewed a sample of Old Kirk that did not stand up against my current favorite possible incognito: Hirsch. I'm looking forward to trying another here and giving this one a fair shake in a standalone review as that Hirsch pick is a really high bar to get to when you put them side by side. Company on Label: Hotaling & Co Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 72% Corn, 13% Rye and 15% Barley Proof: 119.2° Age: 6 years (6 months) Further identification: This is single barrel number 8196; bottle 130 of 236 Nose: Lovely candied cherry wafts off the glass. Faint nutmeg and level oak jump out first at me on what is a surprisingly light and airy nose. Bright white pepper and leather tingle my left nostril while orange rind and grapefruit dance on the right. Overall this glass feels incredibly oak forward for a 6 year bourbon. I'm going in for an early sip. Yum, a lovely barrel funk got unlocked by the sip. It's delectable, creamy oak now with toffee, butterscotch and deep caramel. Strawberry vanilla smoothie sweetness builds well. There's a bright balance between floral and spice. Cinnamon coffee cake smells lovely. Molasses hangs heavy in the dank, moist air atop the glass. When the silky vanilla notes seep into the other aromas is when this glass really shines. Fresh fruits bubble up best near the bottom of the glass. The empty glass smells of soft German bread. Palate: Whew! Those cherry hots certainly make themselves known right away. It reminds me of the Barrell bourbon "Kappy Endings" pick I reviewed. A larger sip and swish produces huge waves of marjoram, nutmeg and parsley. The overall mouth feel is thick and the flavor is a funky wave of oak, spice and thick molasses. Plum, blackcurrant and fig come across heavy and tart. The finish is long and smoldering with a slightly drying cherry skin and tart grape jam. My last sip is sweet with blackberry cobbler, raisin, sawdust, and cranberry bread flavors all throughout. Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf.) This one is solid. Overall I am still not completely enamoured with the Old Kirk releases so far. I think the Hirsch picks are leagues better from my limited experiences with both. Let me know if you've had one that has sounded better than this - I'd love to try it! Definitely solid whiskey that certainly has a Willett profile.

Alright! I'm finally digging into another community sample. This Russell's pick basically jumped into my hand so I thought it was meant to be. This sample comes courtesy of Vin (@bourbonspirits) and I thank him for his generosity and kindness in the whiskey community! I'm no stranger to Russell's picks... Let's see how this one tastes! Company on Label: Wild Turkey Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 110° Age: Not listed, but likely somewhere near 9 years Further identification: This West Islip Wine & Liquors store pick Barrel 20-0945 that came with a neck tag from Warehouse G, Floor 4 Nose: Dusty & bright upfront. Hints of peanut brittle come up and greet me. Floral perfumes and vanilla tangle together. Time for a sip! After coming back from taking a drink I find the candy tones from the palate transfer well. Creamy caramel and black treacle build on deep inhales. The empty glass smells of lovely tiramisu and noble oak. Palate: My first sip puts off a beautiful cherry sweetness. The soft wave of florals and candy that follow are a delectable treat. Strawberry cereal and nerdz candy do well here. It drinks just a touch hot for 110 which is surprising, but not unwelcome. As the glass gets lower the creamier tones begin to take over. There's a lovely buttery mouth coating on this. My last sip is another sweet treat of black pepper, raisin, maraschino cherry and mixed berry pie. Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf.) And that is the truest use of that rating I can imagine! My shelf is chock full of Russell's picks and I could easily see this one being amongst some of my favorites.

There's a new Bushmills release coming out now (middle of 2022 at time of writing) and sweeping across the country like the swift hand of prohibition over 100 years ago. The Bushmill's website states that this release "is made true to the way we did things back when the Shelby family ran the streets. Intense, complex, and bold - the taste of Prohibition". They also mention that this release is "closest you can get to the Bushmills that would've sat behind the bar at the Shelby's legendary Small Heath pub". I give it my first impression thoughts here. I'm interested to know if bourbon barrel aging was commonplace for Irish whiskey during prohibition... If anyone knows drop me a comment at the bottom of the page or shoot me a message! Let's get into it! Company on Label: Bushmills Whiskey Type: Irish Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 100% Malted Barley Proof: 92° Age: It's labeled as aged a minimum of 3 years on the back of the bottle Further identification: This is a 2022 release in collaboration with the Peaky Blinders TV show highlighting Thomas Shelby & the 'Shelby Company Ltd' Nose: Soft, buttery. Light, white florals. Nilla wafers. Bright pepper and a bit of oak funk comes in late. Early on I smell a bit of youthful grain. Blue corn chips are an interesting find as well. Hints of smoke can be found on long inhales. Overall it's a delectably smooth nose-feel with soft honey and bready butterscotch. Otherwise incredibly light in aroma intensity. The empty glass smells of white linen, bright florals and hints of peach preserves. Palate: Bready caramel. Zesty orange peel pop. Very approachable yet still bursting with good volume of flavor. Definitely leans back on a lot of bread, a touch of spice and loads of caramel. Flashes of black pepper give this good depth without sacrificing drinkability. Dark butterscotch and oily strawberry rhubarb pie with a heavy crust give this a great mouthfeel. The finish is short, but it feels natural here. This is just the right blend of both sippable and crushable. Definitely not overly exciting in complexity but definitely something I could enjoy sipping in good company perhaps sitting by a fire. There's a good honey flavor that doesn't come across overly sweet. Overall it's very traditionally Irish despite the bourbon cask aging. The last sip is a confectioner's dream of caramel, buttered dinner rolls, sugar cookies and nice nutty vanilla. I taste incredible value here as a daily sipper. Rating: 4/5 This may be my new favorite Bushmills pour. It's always been Black Bush for me as my go to, but this has some nice heft to it that does well. I'd definitely recommend you give this one a try for yourself if you like Irish whiskey! I'd rank it just below Green Spot due to the sharpness.

We are going to keep the Willett train rolling today! I had enough of a break for my palate to reset for this review. I mentioned in my previous OG mash bill review that high corn has not typically been my jam... I'll try my best to put that preconception away as I walk into this one so I can give it a fair shake. I will be tasting this out of a Willett taster glass (kenzie style). Anyway - this is another great pour courtesy of Matt - appreciate you sharing my friend. Let's review! Company on Label: Willett Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 79% Corn, 7% Rye, 14% Malted Barley Proof: 125° Age: 7 years Further identification: This is a Bob's Lake City Liquors single barrel #2015 that was sample swapped to me from @rarewhiskeynomad; Based on the Blake's Willett mash bill breakdown this is a high corn + high entry proof mash; this barrel yielded 213 bottles Nose: Upfront I find a lot of breadiness and a touch of caramel on the nose. Soft hints of cherry are there but barely perceptible. Longer inhales start to build floral spices in waves. It comes off very bright without any of the nose-sting that usually comes with spices. I get an old warship metal aroma that reminds me of Battleship Cove (a maritime museum and war memorial in MA). Light white chocolate and oak bark aromas are nice here but I get the feeling like there almost isn't even any alcohol in this glass with how light the nose is. The most consistent aroma I find is a dark rye bread. Time for a sip - I'm hoping for some more intensity here! The nose feels relatively unchanged from the first sip aside from perhaps a little bit of the orange sweetness now being apparent atop the bready base. I certainly like the nose, I just wish it had a volume knob I could turn up past the manufacturers recommended settings. The empty glass smells of vanilla frosting. Palate: My first sip shows off a nice burst of flavor with sweet orange peel backdropped by a minty caramel concoction. Another sip shows off Angostura bitters, grape skins and tart, tannic raisins. The mouth feel is thick and sticky with a long linger of that dark red berry characteristic with a nutty undertone. I am surprised with how fruit forward the palate is with how muted the early nose felt. Small flashes of peanut butter can be drummed up from the depths of this glass. Cherry hots and peach preserves sitting atop Thanksgiving herbs and spices give this a really unique profile that I am really digging. Sage, rosemary and black pepper are the few that come to mind from that experience. Yum. I get a lot of old fashioned cocktail vibes from this on the palate now. I love a neat pour that can do that. The linger is long yet nondescript, but overall incredibly satisfying. The fruitiness continues to stick around as the syrupy cherry sweetness fades into an array of almonds, dates and pie crust. My last sip is just the right amount of sweet balanced by very light oak and a black pepper laden molasses. When I think about where this barrel takes me I envision it is one that was stored peacefully on a low floor of one of the Willett rick houses. Rating: 4/5 This was so much less funky than the other high corn bourbon I have and it was such a welcome change! I am willing to look past a very lackluster nosing experience because of how good the palate was. I was skeptical on my first sip when the minty note came out, but I am glad to have tried this one for sure, but also I'm not kicking myself for not having the rest of a bottle to enjoy personally. Remember to share the good stuff when you can! Cheers. Oh also... I found a really interesting read about the smell of warships if you'd care to hear a much better story than my visit to a maritime museum.

I got that purple top itch today thinking about my favorite Wednesday alliterations... I'll be tasting today with my 'TWC' kenzie glass for this one - shout out to the Coalition for keeping this whiskey community fun and incredibly generous. These purple foils are notoriously hard to acquire, but I'm starting to broaden my horizons little by little being able to swap samples of the 9 year OG mash bourbon that I picked at Willett in May of 2022. It's been a blast learning their distillate and beyond; I've really gravitated towards the magic that happens in their rye distillate. The 4 year is what hooked me in the first place. I'm excited to keep exploring more single barrels whenever possible. I've been turned away a bit by the high corn, though that preconception was shattered by Josh who let us taste a high corn barrel that I did enjoy. Anyway - today is a great pour courtesy of Matt - cheers to one of the best in the community. Photo cred for the bottle pics goes to him. Let's get into it! Company on Label: Willett Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 72% Corn, 13% Rye, 15% Malted Barley Proof: 127.8° Age: 6 years Further identification: This is a Bottles Beverage Superstore single barrel #6605 that was sample swapped to me from @rarewhiskeynomad; Based on Blake's WFE pocket app this is an OG mash bill; this barrel yielded 159 bottles Nose: Mmm. Immediately I find that syrupy plum and candied cherry that I've loved finding on previous releases. Skittles, starburst, and nerdz candy culminate in one of the sweetest noses without turning too cloying. It's balanced by noble oak and graham cracker. It noses well below the heat you might expect out of 127.8 proof but that may be an artifact of the kenzie glass. Soft vanilla cornbread muffins and floral-tinged molasses build a nice cushioned floor for the nose-feel. Heavier digging on the nose reveals sweet lemon drop candy, hints of leather and biscotti dipped in hot chocolate. Overall this pour is very light on the pre-sip nose with flavors coming off in whispering waves. Time to give it a taste. After returning to the glass I find the volume has certainly been turned up and the nose is more easily enjoyable. Caramel is now taking center stage with an impressive heft as some of the barrel influence begins to make itself known. Sweetly frothed cappuccino and crème brûlée aromas build well in the later stages of the glass. The empty glass smells of sweet fig, funky raspberry / vanilla compote touched with crème fraîche, and fluffy pastry bread. Palate: Right off the bat there is incredible balance. Sweet maraschino cherry and a small dash of bitters flash up first and foremost. There's an awesome cherry hots sizzle that slowly works through a beautiful Kentucky hug - this must be where all the proof was hiding. The finish is on the shorter side, but the linger itself is impossibly long with nectarines and candied plum. Another sip leads me to another wave of that awesome cherry flavor followed by a soft tingle of spice. Light pepper, coriander and allspice tingle the gums slightly. Tarragon gives off a slightly earthy vibe before being wiped out by the citrus power of coriander. Oh wow. Another sip proves why these pours are really exceptional; a big wave of red raspberry, strawberry and redcurrant jelly washed over me on this sip and lingered there forever. My last sip is delicate and delicious with creamy caramel, bright red cherry sweetness, and a long linger of stewed plums, brown sugar and just a touch of cinnamon. Rating: 4/5 This is an exceptional pour for me to sit and enjoy as it was really delectable and gave many opportunities for picking apart layers. I do think that it lacks a bit of wow factor for me to be able to give it a 5, but it's an exceptionally delicious pour that I think is very deserving of my 'Keep Amongst the Whiskey' label. I think this would be a very approachable pour for people of all whiskey knowledge levels. I thoroughly enjoyed it and really appreciate getting to try it via sample!

Jack Daniel's surprised us with a few things in 2022 and this Triple Mash release certainly caught a lot of buzz. I'm finally getting around to jumping into a fresh crack of a bottle here myself so this will be more of a first-impressions than a full review. Company on Label: Jack Daniel Whiskey Type: Blended Straight Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: A blend of rye, bourbon and American malt that works out to about 26.8% corn, 44.4% rye, and 28.8% malted barley Proof: 100° Age: At least 4 years Further identification: This unique blend first released in 2022 as a bottled in bond product Nose: Herbal forward then caramel Zesty, bright Punchy lemon peel Dusty oak, pepper - noses more like sawdust after a sip Dark earthiness Hints of mint Corn sweetness towards the back end Empty glass smells of plum and chocolate pudding Palate: Chocolate laced rye spice; really unique First sip is slightly off-putting with shiny metallic notes being very present Tangy breadiness with touches of vinegar On subsequent sips molasses opens up a light banana bread characteristic There's a malty beer characteristic in the linger that is interesting After a few sips it feels like everything is enveloped in that malt profile Banana pancakes start to show up late in the linger Cornbread with an oddly overpowering savory sweetness Lemongrass Rating: 3/5 While this pour definitely impressed me with its level of uniqueness; it unfortunately didn't do it in a way that I personally enjoy. Jack Daniel's 10 year and the special release rye from 2020 really set a high bar for me for Jack Daniel's, and this unfortunately doesn't even come close to either of those releases. I feel like if the rye proportion was even higher it could shine further but it feels like the 100% malted barley proportion is sticking out like a sore thumb on this, at least to my palate. It's not a blend that is jiving for me tonight. I look forward to giving it another go soon and updating if my sentiments change!

Here comes another single barrel collaboration! Liquor Junction was kind enough to loop @MassBourbonAlliance in on this as well as a Knob Creek, Blanton's and the Hirsch barrel pick that should be hitting this Winter. This was a truly exceptional barrel from the first taste and everyone in our group let out a loud "WOW" when we took our first sips. I'm excited to be revisiting it to form some better tasting notes for those who may be interested in seeing if this one will be worth tracking down! I've got a good bit of Weller Full Proof store pick experience at this point - we are incredibly blessed with great distribution in Massachusetts it seems. I already know this ranks amongst the top 2 or 3 picks that I have tried from the first tasting we did as a group, but I'll see if it holds up to another tasting tonight. Let's get into it! Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Wheated Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Buffalo Trace "Wheated Mash Bill" Proof: 114° Age: NAS Further identification: This is a future single barrel (Barrel #020) coming to Liquor Junction in MA hopefully by this Winter 2022 Nose: Decadent caramel is most apparent immediately on the nose. Older barrel funk hangs out softly in the background. A lovely array of baking spices present themselves in a rich yet creamy & soft way. I find nutmeg, cardamom, vanilla and hints of anise. This has such a distinct character that really separates it from the typical cherry profile you might find on Weller Antique or Special Reserve; this feels like a whole different animal. A lightly smoked cocktail aroma meets plum, molasses and dusty oak as I continue to dig. Okay, the oak really feels older here. It has that 'dusty' characteristic I know and love here; I really think this is an older-than-usual barrel on display. The cardamom aroma from earlier does well to elicit some other lemon citrus, bright green apple, and cinnamon spiced tea smells as the glass evolves. There is some marvelous effervescence in the nose feel without moving to a spicy or ethanol forward experience. There's great balance here alongside impressive heft which more typically inversely proportional rather than mutually beneficial. The nose reminds me a lot of the 2021 William Larue Weller with maybe a nod more towards the barrel influence characteristic more than the individual flavors. Time for a sip! Wow, I didn't think the nose could get any better but it sure did after coming back from a sip. There's a beautiful butterscotch aroma that has formed that I've only ever experienced like this before on a Weller Single Barrel. I could nose this forever. It undulates between butterscotch, caramel and a creamy cappuccino perpetually now about halfway through the pour which is where I find myself savoring the nose the most. The background creamy coffee note is not to be understated as it's a really impressive aroma I don't often find. The nose seems to have leveled off in its evolution by now, but I'm incredibly pleased with where it has landed. The empty glass smells of dark orange peel, dense earth, red starbursts, and toasted oak. Palate: Wow. The heft of that cherry explosion that happens on the first sip is just unreal. It's immediately followed by a wave of heavy, creamy caramel that coats the whole mouth from front to back. I find touches of strawberry, plum and apricot as the first sip smolders on a long linger. There's a nice nod to the oak prevalence from the nose without drifting into overaged territory. Another sip shows off blackberry, dark raisin and black currant. I find a distinctly jammy mouth feel that just sticks to the roof of your mouth and never lets go. It's very reminiscent of raspberry jam on toast. As the glass gets lower the cherry flavors really start to perk up - it's bright and decadent like a maraschino cherry here. Another sip builds in a touch of extra cinnamon spice in a nuanced ripple. Wow suddenly a big drop of flavor just burst forth with skittles sweetness and a cherry characteristic that is much richer and darker than before. I'm loving the depth of flavors here. My last sip is again a decadent bouquet of complex sweetness. Plum, cherry skins and a zesty tingle of nutmeg are a lovely farewell to the glass. The linger is medium long with endless caramel desserts. Rating: Two Thumbs Way Up I love that this has so much depth compared to other Weller releases that I have tried. Knowing how much I love the Weller profile in the Winter in general, the arrival time of this barrel couldn't be slated any more perfectly for peak enjoyment. Make sure to stock up on your punches - maybe with some MassBourbonAlliance picks - so you can get a shot at grabbing one of these!

Weller Full Proof is the first sample up on the #12DaysofWhiskeyExchange that @bourbondipity_ coordinated. I'm glad to be a part of this, tasting one new sample every night from now til Christmas Eve! No promises all the reviews end up here, but I'll try to keep up! This pick comes courtesy of Viren from Liquor Junction. Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Wheated Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Buffalo Trace "Wheated Mash Bill" Proof: 114° Age: NAS Further identification: 2021 release from Liquor Junction in MA Nose: Immediate cherry hots that reminds me of Antique 107! Sweet with baking spice and syrupy cinnamon pound cake. Bright pepper, slightly herbal which is surprising for Weller, and sharp vanilla are prevalent characteristics. Copper, molasses, allspice and some sweet funk. After a sip there is more bright, white spices. Letting this rest a while reveals some really nice butterscotch which smells a lot like a Weller Single Barrel I've tried. The vanilla turns softer and sweeter with time too, bordering on marshmallow now. Deeper pulls rekindle the cherry hot fire! Swirling the glass causes a big wave of rich oak to come flying out at you. Caramel saturated cloth follows. That sweet cherry returns once again with vengeance; I love that about this pour. The glass leans back heavily on a heavy charred oak vanilla now. The empty glass smells of cardamom, vanilla pipe tobacco, and faint cherry-laced oak. Palate: Whew! That sweet and spicy cherry is definitely back on the palate. It coats the top of the tongue in a nice lingering wave. Vanilla toasted oak. Black pepper spice. Letting this rest a little longer I start to get more sweet fruit like plum, apricot and a hint of pear. There is a slight cooling sensation that is reminiscent of a minty mouth coating. A larger sip and swish is intense with raisin, slight sandalwood and the ever-present cherry linger. This one is an easier sipping barrel of Full Proof for sure, but there's still a long linger that says it's here to party. My last sip is mellow with vanilla frosting, chai spice, and cinnamon. Rating: 4/5 Solid pick! Unfortunately it looks like the rest of the bottles have all been claimed from the LJ Whiskey Family hold system at this time. Enjoy!

I've had plenty of Booker's batches by now... I think I have everything back to the beginning of 2016 on my shelf at this point, but I still get excited when a new one drops. Ronnie's Batch was no exception to that; the first of 2022 had some pretty big shoes to fill as Bardstown Batch was a really killer whiskey from last year. I had a strange hankering for distinctly nutty flavors from the moment I woke up this morning. I used this opportunity to crosscheck with the website to see which new Booker's batch I hadn't reviewed yet and sure enough this one hasn't had a proper sit down yet! I did do a quick flight that included it on my Instagram where you will find a comment with my first impressions. I will wait to revisit those thoughts until I am done tasting here so they don't influence my review today. First impressions: Smells fantastic - heavy charred vanilla upfront. Nuanced floral fruit, leather, malt and smoke are layered all through. Sipping I find this release to be incredibly approachable for the proof. It's toffee and caramel forward with just hints of nuttiness floating in the background. The linger is surprisingly long and it carries heavy funky molasses. Something about it tastes fairly old. Now let's get into another Amongst the Whiskey review! Company on Label: James B. Beam Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 124.3° Age: 6 years (11 months, 22 days) Further identification: 2022-01 Ronnie's Batch comes bearing a tan label in a wooden box with a batch information card Nose: Mmm. Vanilla sugar cookies right away when I lift the glass to my nose. Just a touch of soft yet sweet spice rises to the occasion. Such big, beautiful oak tones are so well balanced here you'd think this batch was 12 plus years old. There's a background hint of confectioners sugar and incredibly light and approachable cinnamon that comes off like an apple cider doughnut - yum! Deeper inhales pull apart doughy molasses, earthy old growth forest, and sharp vanilla aromas. It gives me the feeling of being in the deep woods of Maine in the Summer with the hope of finding a hidden waterfall somewhere around the next corner to take a dip at. As the verdant forest vibe starts to fade I find an incredible volume of baking spices - nutmeg leans towards a soft apple pie and black pepper is soft and silky in the nose-feel. Time for a sip! I love where this has gone after coming back from sipping the whiskey. I get the hints of cherry, the fiery cinnamon hots reminiscent of Stagg Jr Batch 14, and lovely lychee sweetness. Damn; it just has something nostalgic of 'just getting hooked on bourbon' for me personally too, but your mileage my vary here. Surprisingly I am not finding any nuttiness here and that was what I set out to try to find. Yum! After a bit of resting time in the glass the chocolate and cinnamon aromas have built up in great intensity. I love a pour that surreptitiously delivers such potent smells when you least expect them. Late in the glass I find a nice drizzle of honey, rose petals, and the slight iron metallic tinge I mention in the early tasting notes. Oh! The empty glass finally delivers some nuttiness with almonds and pistachios coming up to the surface for me. It's also intensely chocolatey with hints of cherry skins and grapes. Palate: From the get-go I find a juicy plum that splashes into a dry cacao bed before rolling over into a tannic handful of Sun-Maid raisins. What an intriguingly delicious first sip! There's definitely a bit of heat here that will satisfy the barrel proof lovers. A subsequent sip builds upon the red stone fruit medley while adding in a touch more of the baking spice I was finding on the nose. There's just a hint of an iron metallic note somewhere in the middle of the sip that is interesting. Oh wow. Third time's the charm. Orange peel jumps out at me as a soft vanilla bean cream begins to warm itself across my taste buds. The mouth feel gives me the experience of a fleeting, melting concoction like a chocolate truffle. As the glass weathers on, so do my taste buds. I do find that I am starting to go a bit 'proof-blind' as some barrel strength offerings will do. I will take a short break to have a glass of water here. Towards the bottom of the glass I begin to find some linen characteristics that seem to be in some way tied to the Beam yeast as post-fire Heaven Hill distillate seems to consistently deliver the same flavor. To a lesser extent the older Buffalo Trace releases (i.e. George T Stagg) also do to a lesser extent so it may also have some relation to oak barreling too. In this glass I also find dark, malted caramel, touches of leather, and a soft breadiness throughout. Small flashes of angostura bitters can be picked out at times. My last sip is not quite savor worthy with a quick flash of chocolate covered cherries, molasses and vanilla biscotti followed by a short linger of low intensity bread flavors. Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf.) Another fantastic Booker's batch I am stoked to have on my shelf. I do think this pour experienced an early crescendo and did not stand up to my long-term pick-apart. It certainly satisfies the barrel proof lover early on but may not be a two-glass kind of bourbon necessarily if that punchy profile is what you are after. If you have tamer taste buds this is an exceptional introduction to uncut, unfiltered whiskies. Let me know what you think of this batch! I definitely dig it overall.

The pinnacle of "Weller Wednesday"... This is the top of the Weller food chain and only comes but once a year as part of Buffalo Trace's "Antique Collection" aka BTAC. This is the first bottle I have owned personally but I have tried it on a few other occasions with friends. Historically I have preferred George T Stagg to this release personally, but I'm ready to give this one a fair shake on a full review tonight. I have had two glasses from this bottle prior to get to know it a little bit and make sure my tasting tonight isn't too far of an anomaly. Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Wheated Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Buffalo Trace "Wheated Mash Bill" (likely ~15% wheat; no rye) Proof: 125.3° Age: 12 years Further identification: This 2021 release came with a NFC circuit under the cap foil and is proudly stated as being uncut and unfiltered. 64% of the initial distilled whiskey was lost to barrel evaporation from this batch. More batch information can be found in the PDF below. Nose: Oh wow, the cherry that exudes from this glass is rich and inviting right up front. It reminds me a lot of the Weller Antique cherry that carries that touch of cinnamon hot spice. Immediately that folds into a nice leather base that shows off some exceptional age. Searing heat will greet your nose if you dive a little too deep, but before the flames devour your senses an intense crème brulée can be found. There's a bit of chocolate mixed well into the oak here as the nose returns to a sweet cherry forward feel. Raisin comes across almost dusty in texture as I inhale the vapours from the glass deeply. Rich red wine bubbles up and leans a touch more tannic than sweet here. Fig, graham cracker and dark grape brandy aromas do well as some extra complexity makes itself known. Hints of citrus interweave themselves with the cherry. Though the citrus fruit presents subtly, it comes across predominantly leaning like a navel orange. Black pepper nudges its way past the leather aromas at times and it shows up in bright firecracker flashes in the nostrils when it materializes. There is certainly a soft, oak base to this release suggesting some mellower low floor rickhouse aging years. Mmm, I'm back to that sweet candied cherry aroma. Time for a sip. Wow, after going for a sip the oak has gotten so much richer and darker and is now laced with a heavy molasses note. I find buttered popcorn on deep inhales. There are some herbal tones that balance out nicely with the cinnamon spiced fruitiness; it reminds me of a late Fall hike among the crunchy leaves. Mmm. The toasted vanilla and graham cracker notes have evolved marvelously. I feel like this would pair so well with hot chocolate. The bright vanilla definitely is the catalyst for an incredibly well balanced nose feel. Oh my! Blackberry cobbler just jumped onto the scene in a huge way. Incredibly syrupy and jammy in the nose-feel I find myself diving back into the glass to try to find more, but it softly fades into the crème brulée base I've come to expect out of every inhale. Yum. It borderlines on a sugary cream similar to the inside of a cow tale. The empty glass smells of rich oak, chocolate funk, and beautiful ripe cherries. Palate: I expected my first sip to be a doozy, but this actually came across incredibly well balanced with the candied cherry (think E.H. Taylor Single Barrel) and then a big drop of cinnamon hots that expands from the center of my tongue outward through my whole being. This feels a lot like Weller Antique 107 cranked up a few notches. Another sip and swish reveals cardamom behind the cherry wave this time. It continues to have a bit of proof imbalance on the linger for me tonight. Pressing on I continue to find the same profile delivering each time. There's a sweet cherry pop, a short sizzle of a vanilla bean fuse before the cinnamon hots bomb goes off. It's a lovely series of events and flavors but I would have expected something to have been a bit more nuanced or varied by now on a barrel proof pour such as this. Now we're getting somewhere about halfway through the glass the heat has settled some and I begin to find some new nuances. Raspberry pie is a nice surprise! The delivery now though is much shorter and doesn't give me that wave of excellence that barrel proof pours should deliver. The mouth coating is on the thinner side which is surprising for an unfiltered release such as this. Oooh a longer seat on the tongue delivers delicious cherry cola. I'm suddenly really digging this. I fear this release may be one that requires some significant air time to really shine, so I'd urge you to practice patience with this pour if you have one of these bottles. The flavors here continue to be quite subtle on their delivery. My last sip brings about vanilla soaked oak, orange peel, and plenty of cherry hots that linger on the longest. Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf.) An exceptionally delectable nose here was definitely the highlight of the glass. The palate, while delicious, definitely did not deliver enough to earn my top mark. I'm certainly still very grateful to have a bottle of this and I look forward to seeing how it evolves over time. If the current trend continues, I think this bottle gets significantly better with time and more oxygen as my first pour was definitely a let down (for a unicorn caliber bottle) and tonight's tasting was an incremental improvement from there. I may make an update later on as the bottle gets lower over time! Cheers & thanks for reading! Bonus follow up: I did a few micro-sips of some other Weller products to re-ground myself. This William Larue release is certainly significantly better than the flagship Antique release, but I think I have a Full Proof pick that I'd prefer for a more complex, delicious pour (at least on the palate; no other Weller I've had can live up to this nose).

Image from the Old Forester website. I have not found a single bottle of this release nor have I tried it before! When @luckytimmy13 said he had some for me I was incredibly excited. I finally have a day where the thought struck me that I still had this 2 oz jar waiting for me so it's finally time for a review! This will be a one-time tasting, which I typically try not to do, but I wanted the thoughts to have a home. Here goes! Thank you Tim for sharing this pour! Company on Label: Old Forester Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey (though Old Forester decides to leave the 'e' off when they spell whisky) Mash Bill Percentages: 15% Corn, 65% Rye, 20% Malted Barley Proof: 126.9° Age: NAS Further identification: Warehouse G, Floor 3; this is all the info that came on the sample bottle from @luckytimmy13 Nose: Immediately I find caramelized sugars and baking spices as I dip my nose to the rim of my Glencairn. The high proof point on this is apparent from the get go as a foolishly deep inhale punishes my nostrils. Soft, tannic stone fruit are sitting there in the glass but I can't seem to pull enough volume to really chew on them. Early on in the glass I'm struggling to pull a lot of aromas. If I try to swirl the glass a bit I drum up too much proof. I'll take an earlier sip than I usually do here. Coming back I do find much more going on now. There's a dark, dusty black pepper note, hints of peach, and a lovely caramel barrel funk that has settled in now. Charcoal tones seep in near the bottom of the glass. The empty glass smells of a beautifully well crafted rye old fashioned (which this might actually do really well in), soft rubber and oak bark. Palate: Upon first sipping this... wow! It's so punchy. I find a similar profile to the 2019 Thomas H. Handy but with a bit less of the pervasive clove that the THH release demonstrates almost exclusively. Another sip brings in plum, dark stewed apricots and a cinnamon-spiced cherry preserve. This is quite fruit forward, but it comes off like a blended medley more than any one distinct flavor. The linger is definitely reminiscent of a good smoothie. As I get further along on this pour I start to find that the fruit is turning heavier and quite pungent. Strawberry, black tea and well-worn leather mix well, but fall off quickly. The finish is short with light turmeric earthiness & just a touch of lemon peel. My last sip is underwhelmingly short but I do find the cinnamon and cherry that was going on earlier. This drank much more like a bourbon than a rye for me after the first flashes at the start of the pour. Rating: 3/5 Well, that's a bit unfortunate! Overall I thought this pour was just kind of 'messy'. There never felt like a cohesive theme throughout and I was left with short bursts of enjoyment rather than a well-orchestrated symphony that good whiskey of this caliber should be. It still gets a few style points; there is certainly nothing bad about it. It's just not my favorite rye and I will be glad to know that maybe this one doesn't need to be hunted to the end of the earth. Maybe another single barrel will do better if I ever luck into trying a different warehouse or floor. Who knows. I love the whiskey community though and want to thank @luckytimmy13 again here for letting me try this one. Cheers!

Barrell Craft Spirits is a wonderful, wonderful brand. I have really come to love and respect their blending abilities. This happens to be the bottle that I won in @SaxyBourbon's blind tasting competition! I actually just remembered that I technically reviewed this already - in the form of the sample that Brett sent to me as part of his original giveaway. You can see my blind review of it here. Company on Label: Barrell Craft Spirits Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed blend of TN, KY, and IN mash bills Proof: 112.86° Age: A blend of 25% 5 year, 30% 10 year, 35% 14 year, and 10% 16 year bourbons, therefore it's a '5 year' bourbon Further identification: The B24A blend is a store pick from Amelia Island, Florida at a store called Amelia Liquors; it happens to be from the store that Brett (@saxybourbon) met Joe Beatrice and got this bottled signed for me! Nose: I am instantly aware of some significant barrel aging here as I raise the glass to my nose. I find that wonderous caramel funk on top of a sturdy bed of level oak. Soft raisin, plum and fig are tantalizing on the edges. There's a touch of that dry, bright paper note that sometimes shows up alongside some older oak. It's reminiscent of good Heaven Hill bourbon. Alongside these aromas I dig up in small flashes bits of black pepper, leather and soft herbal tones. I really like the soft fruity tones that come off this glass; they are dark in character, but light in intensity. Oh wow, sticking my nose well into the glass I'm greeted by a very distinct licorice smell. Time for a sip! After having a few sips and coming back to the nose I find that the darker tones have built well. I get rich molasses, leather and a beautiful vanilla. It's almost like the vanilla you might get off of a rich red wine. I absolutely adore that aroma. This continues to have just the perfect barrel aging on full display all throughout the nose. At the very end of the glass the aroma intensity falls off a bit, but it is overall still an awesome nosing experience from start to finish. The empty glass smells of floral funk, dark chocolate, and light berries. Palate: The moment this whiskey hit my lips I knew this one was going to be a sweet factory. I immediately got that tooth-shock that you get when your mouth knows you're about to eat something really sugary sweet! I find a lot of the fruit notes that were more subtle on the nose, but those plum, fig and raisin flavors are in the forefront with a new layer of salted caramel and maraschino cherry added on top. The mouth feel is incredibly satisfying and this is where the caramel creaminess sets this pour up on a well-founded stage. I also get a little bit of the fickle nature of blends where there are some characteristics that seem so uniquely distinct from each other that they couldn't possibly have been aged from one cohesive barrel, but that's also the beauty of this pour. I think this is a fine example of blending done right where I go on this amazing whiskey journey from the sweet candied cherry as I sip and swish to the pepper-laced molasses as the whiskey slowly hugs its way into a warm spot in my chest. The linger and finish let the subtle proof wave breath in and out of you on subsequent breaths which is a hallmark of some of the other perfectly aged products I also enjoy. Later in the glass the spice starts to build well as a touch of cinnamon, cardamom, and anise begins to stick in the molasses-thick mouth coating. As I near the bottom of the glass I begin to find a bit of tannic grape and tart prune sweetness. My last sip is starting to show a little bit of the proof now with the tannic grape notes coming off a touch sharp, but the big, ultra-aged caramel balancing it well. Rating: 4/5 This was so damn close to earning a 5 for me, but the end of the glass did taper off a bit. Honestly this release reminded me a lot of 2020 George T Stagg at the start. This is a really well crafted blend that I am sure glad I have a bottle of! The empty glass smells really almost got me to bring it back to a 5, but that category is really hard to get into for good reason for me! Whiskeys should really follow a bell curve in quality distribution, but too often I see review scales go into sub-fractions all near the top of the scale. This isn't how the world works and I'd like to keep this as honest as I can!