The ever lovely @_lostnemo_ has sent me another amazing @mayorpingreewhiskey release from @valentinedistillingco for review. This go around it's an infinity barrel contribution! So after this review (so long as it goes well) the rest of this bottle will be added to the infinity barrel, I'll pull a sample for her & Abby's will go on the contributor list! If you don't know 'Nemo' - go give her a follow and a shout... right now! Then come back and read the rest of this review... Despite the bottle being a lovely gift, I will try to review the whiskey without bias, which usually includes removing the bottle from my view as I sip neat from a glencairn. Let's see what this Michigan release is all about! Mayor Pingree 5 Year Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey Company on Label: Valentine Distilling Whiskey Type: Straight Bourbon Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Valentine Mash Bill Proof: 117.8° Age: 5 years Further identification: This single barrel is produced, bottled and aged by Valentine Distilling; the whiskey comes from barrel TR-10 Nose: Immediately I am overrun with thick maple syrup and molasses; I can tell this one is going to be a rich profile. I find thick Werther's caramel, rich oak, barbecue spices, and vintage marmalade. What an amazing cacophony of potent & delicious aromas! This one smells 'big' and delivers notes that swing well above this age and proof range. There's a thick and leathery nose feel that certainly tingles a bit on the way through. I find some dark plum, dates and fig once the proofy spice subsides slightly. Wow - on deep inhales I find rich earthy tones that come up alongside the light fruitiness and rich, dusty caramel backbone. Toffee tries to show itself upfront but is quickly overwhelmed by that dark treacle aroma that is so pervasive in this glass. I'm loving it so far, but it's time for a sip. Coming back I find a floral note that reminds me of petunias. The oak aromas have turned over a new leaf and are much more moist and earthy now. The floral tones mix well with a honey sweetness that exudes some elegance. The really thick maple and caramel notes are really where this whiskey shines on the nose. That medley keeps me savoring this glass which otherwise is very crushable on the palate. Wow... Letting is sit just keeps replenishing the magic. This is a great glass to sit with and slowly enjoy. Later in the glass I find savory, scrumptious cornbread. Near the bottom of the glass there's just an inkling of a cedar note that produces a faint citrus and herbaceous aroma... I like that. The empty glass smells of honeysuckle, light bread and plum skins. Palate: Upon first sip I find a big cherry hots bouquet which immediately gets followed by a huge wave of maple and oak. Wow. There's some big tea notes that hang around attached to the thick, maple-syrup-viscosity mouth feel. Another sip touts vanilla upfront as it touches my lips, followed by a marvelously creamy caramel, angostura bitters, faint sawdust, and a flash of cinnamon spice. I'm amazed at just how rich the flavors are on this. This would be up near my very top favorites if the spice factor was a little more toned down, but I know a ton of people are going to love this in-your-face flavor factory for sure! Oh yum! After a bit the cherry note has built up and there's now a layer of effervescence I'm really digging. This one is so interestingly tart, fruity, dark and brooding all at once. There's many facets that go into this profile, but the output is certainly an overall delicious whiskey. My last sip is an ever-expanding wave of crème brûlée, lemon caramel sauce and maple syrup bread. The linger is a touch shorter than what I would consider medium, but it leaves a lasting impression of delectable desserts. Rating: 4/5 I certainly will be keeping this one 'Amongst the Whiskey' as it will be living on possibly forever in my infinity barrel blend! Thank you again Abby & cheers to the Valentine Distilling team for another amazing release.

I'm finally getting around to sitting down for a longer sit with this Four Grain release. It did well on my first-thoughts post I dropped on Instagram closer to when it released. I actually also have a bottle of this that I split with my good friend @bourbondipity_ so hopefully it's good! My initial thoughts from the flight from the quick Instagram review night: I definitely get the high malt bourbon banana note that's prevalent on the single barrels that I've selected from that mash bill. Funny enough I tried my own version of this before I even knew this release was coming around. I mixed the @spiritanimalsociety bourbon barrel pick with the @massbourbonalliance wheated bourbon pick and it came out awesome. This one smells like it could almost have some red wine characteristics. Sipping I find the same banana as the nose. There's a great vanilla bean sweetness and a long linger. It's certainly malty and that Metze Malt special sticks to your taste buds fairly strongly. I'd like to thank @oldelkbourbon for sending this to me with no strings attached for an honest review. Let's see how this blend turned out! Company on Label: Old Elk Distillery Whiskey Type: Four Grain Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 51% Corn, 22.5% Wheat, 19% Malted Barley, 7.5% Rye Proof: 105.9° Age: 6 years (blend of 6-7 year whiskeys) Further identification: This is the recent 2022 release of this new product for Old Elk; it circulated in my area starting in May. It is a blend of 6-7 year high-malt bourbon and 6 year wheated bourbon Nose: Up front I find nice, crispy caramel corn right away. There's a lovely malty, funky rick house aroma that I love. There's troves of level oak sitting right at the perfect age where things round out. I'm so surprised about the caramel popcorn smell; it's slightly salty which comes off savory and delicious. A lovely dusty, dried shelled corn aroma keeps finding deep prevalence here. There's a savory barbecue note I'm digging. Wow, as I continue to take deep inhales off the surface of the glass I find incredibly rich malt notes starting to take over which is likely more of an artifact of that high malt bourbon. I'm surprised that I am not finding more of the banana note I tend to expect out of the high malt bourbons though. I mentioned the banana note in the Instagram review above. Later in the glass things haven't evolved drastically but it seems to have taken on some floral and cinnamon undertones. It continues to be very chocolate & malty all the way through for me. Time for a sip! After taking a drink off the glass, the nose intensity increases towards the absolute corn bomb. It smells like it could be significantly higher than 51% corn for some reason! It's so funky, but I really like it. It reminds me a bit of the aroma of the 8 year Willett high corn bourbon from barrel #6061. There's a lot of buttery pie crust characteristics hanging out late in the glass alongside just a touch of smoke. The empty glass smells of marbled rye, warm Indiana air, and cooked white rice. Palate: My first sip is dark, chocolatey and bam(!) there's the banana note I was expecting. It's paired well with a toasted vanilla note. Another sip really shows off the major league corn that I was finding on the nose. The linger is long and tingling up in the outside of my gums. There is a banana split feel that comes up in soft waves from the medium viscosity mouthfeel. There's soft cinnamon, crème brûlée, banana bread and a big baking spice sizzle. This doesn't have a ton of depth to it, but the flavors it does show off feel really well crafted. The best way I could summarize this would be that it's like a banana split covered in crushed caramel popcorn. My last sip is notably vanilla forward, there's a zesty candied banana pop and then a long, undulating wave of Little Debbie nutty bars. Yum! Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf.) This thing is a corn monster! Overall it's a very good blend that I think showcases the skill that Greg Metze and team has well. I wish it did just a touch more in the way of nuanced flavors, but it's also really hard to make a cohesive blend such as this, so kudos to the Old Elk team for that.

I love trying new things & this release is fresh off the truck! Many folks in the Instagram community got sent some samples of these fantastic releases - I got sent the Four Grain thanks to the wonderful folks at Old Elk, but knew I couldn't sleep on this Double Wheat release. I immediately headed over to Kappy's Liquors in Medford to grab one once I knew it was available. I did a short write up on this one as I tasted through a small sip flight recently, but I have been seeing a lot of demand for a review on this one so I figured I'd give it a deeper dive tonight. Company on Label: Old Elk Whiskey Type: Wheated Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 71.5% Wheat, 25% Corn, 3.5% Malted Barley Proof: 107.1° Age: 6 years (blend of 6-8 year whiskeys) Further identification: This is the recent 2022 release of this new product for Old Elk; it circulated in my area starting in May Nose: On the nose immediately there is a surprising caramelized corn aroma which is crazy given I'm used to drinking a lot of 51%+ bourbons that don't typically show this off this drastically. This does it quite powerfully at a mere 25%. There are sugary and savory notes well intertwined throughout this; I can tell already that this is going to take some picking apart to understand. I'm quite surprised by how dark the aromas in the glass are - not so much heavy, but more like a damp farm with their grain storage filled to the brims. There's a shiny copper metallic smell alongside muted stew spices. So far this nosing experience is just not up my alley. I think I'll go for a sip to see if I'm just stuck on the wrong things here. Coming back to the nose I find things have lightened significantly and a creamy banana bread has taken over. It definitely doesn't smell like any of your typical whiskey releases these days - testament to the fun experimental side that Greg Metze has really been flexing in his role there. There are some soft floral tones in the background I wasn't finding before as well. We're back to that dark, funky, musty leather aroma now. There's a hint of skunked pepper on the back end of deep inhales too. This thing smells absolutely wild! The empty glass smells of some kind of funky candle smell that you'd find at the Christmas Tree Shoppe or Yankee Candle; wow.... Palate: When the whiskey first hits my tongue I find hints of banana peel and a really syrupy, sugary mouth feel slowly makes its way around my taste buds. The mouth coating is quite thin with an airy caramel crisp being the predominant flavor. The linger hangs up in the gums for a little while without pushing out too much in the way of flavor. Ooh, now things are opening up a little better. I get some nice graham cracker flavor upon giving the whiskey a little air as I sip. Sipping again I find a funky, herbal chocolate note that just doesn't quite jive; it almost leans into the flavor of black coffee. As I get towards the bottom of the glass the creamy notes continue to build which I definitely like better than where the glass started. There is a slight proof imbalance on the linger that's definitely a surprise for me. My last sip finally touches on a few subtle stone fruit, but they fade quickly and leave me with that same light caramel and a fair bit of oak lingering. Rating: 3/5 (Decent. I can go either way on it.) I am quite surprised by this score tonight! I really liked it a lot more the other night when I was a bit more tired. I do think this is a bottle I will go back and forth on, which is why it perfectly exemplifies what my 3/5 score means! I can definitely go either way on this one. One night I really was digging it - tonight, not so much! Oh well - I do know I love their wheated bourbon mash bill specifically as I've personally picked 3 single barrels of it thus far and certainly plan to pick more in the future. I don't think the wheat whiskey did the wheated bourbon any favors here tonight. But, this might be the risk you take when you are doing stuff as experimental as Old Elk is doing - not all of your mixes are going to hit the mark. If you are a fan of mustier, darker flavors this release might actually be for you. I've definitely had more hits than misses personally though, and I look forward to jumping into the Four Grain release soon!

The Irish itch struck me tonight! My good friends Gloria and PJ recently gifted me a bottle of this so it was fresh on my mind. I gave the website a quick search for Irish and amazingly I haven't given this bottle the spotlight it deserves... so we will rectify this tonight. This has traditionally ranked fairly high on my Irish scale when I've done head to heads, but we'll give it a 'reset button' and a fair shake in a fresh glencairn (I had to switch from the glass I took home from Ireland, as the nose felt distinctly muted compared to what I am used to on a glencairn glass). Let's dive in. Company on Label: Pernod Ricard (Distilled at Midleton Distillery) Whiskey Type: Irish Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 100% Malted and Unmalted Barley Proof: 80° Age: 12 Years Further identification: This is a readily available flagship release from the Redbreast line; it's a traditional Midleton triple distilled Irish whiskey 'matured in the finest oak casks' Nose: Up front there's a silky traditional sugar cookie on the nose. There's big confectioner's sugar alongside vanilla and flashes of fun, funky oak. Light cherry skins dance on the surface of the liquid below. There's a chocolate-laden crispy wafer aroma that I'm really loving. Soft hints of caramel and toffee elegantly lift up on deeper inhales. There's a sweet floral perfume aroma that really draws my attention in. The lightness that the low proof gives off here is actually a positive for me; it's a bit tantalizing and it reminds me of the uncertainty of young love. It really embodies one of the most perfect Irish aroma whiskey profiles I think anyone could craft. As much as I love my high proof bourbons, this nosing experience delivers the perfect medley of soft almond, jackfruit, and lemon forward Fresca (the old recipe). It takes me back to big family backyard barbecues in the Summers when I was a kid. I think it's time for a sip. Coming back to the nose after having a few sips I find that the oak aromas are much more prevalent as they give off a soft level of refinement you typically will get out of this age statement region. I find small flashes of leather, black pepper and level, earthy undertones. I can't ignore the sweet fruit medley and floral notes in the background but they're rather non-descript or secretive as I may have alluded to earlier. There's a faint bourbon characteristic to the oak I find late in the glass, but it's not trying too hard to be something it's not. There's hints of smoke, mossy earth and a faint metallic characteristic near the bottom of the glass. The empty glass smells of rose petals, grenadine and faint charcoal. Palate: Immediately on the palate I find a lovely creamy texture that hits my tongue. Those beautiful pot stills produce such lovely oily, rich, viscous mouth feels. It carries hints of grapefruit, caramel butter bars and chocolate puff pastries. Another sip unlocks big flashes of sherry, ripe dark cherry, and an enrichment of the chocolate pastry-style dessert flavors. The linger feels short but I think that's more of a deceiving artifact of the low proof as the caramel, minty grapefruit and confectioners sugar continue to dance around on the taste buds for quite some time without any of the sensation indicating that you may be consuming alcohol here. I continue to find the feeling of being around loved ones as I sip through this glass. Perhaps it's just me being a touch nostalgic with the style of whiskey that first captured my attention, but I'm certainly not looking to get rid of this glass any time soon. The linger is incredibly long as the mouth coating sticks with you allowing for a little sip to really go a long way. As I get lower in the glass the creamy caramel and sugar cookie notes really ramp up in intensity and some of the more nuanced fruit fall by the wayside. This feels like a great glass to savor and share one of, but might not draw you in for a 2nd or 3rd pour necessarily. My last taste is a larger sip and swish. With that I find troves of caramel, bits of molasses, a soft sizzle of lemon, and a pervasive wave of vanilla toffee cookies. Lovely, lovely all the way through - this is an exceptionally crafted Irish whiskey. Rating: 5/5 This is one of my all time favorite Irish whiskeys. It is also just an unbelievable value and exudes marvelous elegance every step of the way. I have a Redbreast 21 I have yet to crack open and it's very clear that that bottle is going to have some really big shoes to fill. I want to thank Gloria and PJ again for gifting me a bottle of this! You chose damn well!

It's Starlight Sunday over here in the Amongst household again! I figured I'd combo that with a shared pour - this sample comes courtesy of my friend Ian (@barrelproofnerd) in a sample swap we did not too long ago. In looking for the barrel details I also discovered that the venerable Frank (@bourbyourenthusiasm) has also reviewed this barrel for Malt! I'm thrilled to be sipping on something that we have both tried and I look forward to comparing notes once I finish up putting down my own thoughts. This will probably be a shorter one for me tonight, but let's get into it! Company on Label: Starlight Distillery Whiskey Type: Finished Bourbon Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed if it's from Starlight's 3 or 4 grain mash Proof: 114.8° Age: 4 (and a half) years Further identification: This cigar batch is finished in Brazilian Amburana barrels; it is a @bourbonfinds pick that comes from barrel # FB113-1 Nose: Right up front on the nose I find a synthetic vanilla and insanely rich toffee note that comes off the glass like a Falcon 9 at full thrust. The smell of this almost makes me hungry in the same way a really sweet desert can reinvigorate your appetite when you previously thought you were stuffed. There's a rich blackberry jam, dark fig and a very clear & robust mincemeat pie aroma here. It feels incredibly dark, heavy and viscous in the nose. It comes across like tiramisu but cranked up to 11 in intensity with some kind of strange, eclectic cinnamon twist. It's incredibly, incredibly unique, but I can't quite tell if I'm into it just yet. Let's get into a sip. After a sip the nose softens considerably as light notes of those candy dots that come on the strip of paper appear. Lighter wood aromas begin to show up and I'm greeted with more orange tones. Palate: On my first sip I find a very similar story as the nose, but it actually turns out softer here compared to the intensity of the nose which I appreciate in this scenario. Gingerbread cookie, Moroccan oranges, and an ever prevalent mincemeat pie flavor coat the mouth well without being overpowering. There's a significant smokiness hiding out in the linger after waiting a while before another sip. After going for another I find more orange peel, funky mesquite wood, and something synthetic out of the 90s that I just can't quite place. The linger is nice on this being on the lighter side with cooler fruit tones bubbling off the surface of my tongue. Oh wow. I just figured out the synthetic note... It reminds me of camping out on a brand new portable air mattress; it's that new-plastic smell that is incredibly potent, so much so that it transfers to the palate here as well. Nearing the bottom of the glass I am finding that I'm oddly accepting of some of these incredibly strange flavors that seems to be coming together in the end. My last sip is certainly on the spicier side with clove and nutmeg as well as a flash of soft cherry. The finish is drying with a medium linger of plum and rich earth tones. Rating: 2/5 (Not good... Doesn't please my palate.) Overall, I can definitely appreciate a brand trying something as unique as this. At the same time this feels so different just for the sake of being different and overall I'd definitely say the typical flavors found throughout these Amburana barrel finished releases just might not be for my palate. I know some are crazy for this stuff and by all means I'm not saying this is a bad whiskey with a 2 score here; it just doesn't agree with my flavor interests personally. I will say this pick is significantly better than 1 of the previous Cigar Batch barrels that I've tried... Maybe they just need to be paired with the right cigar to properly unlock the right flavors; who knows! I do know I love Starlight distillate, so this miss won't put me off of them by any means. Cheers!

The Spirit Animal Society is back at it again - making picking whiskey barrels more accessible to the community! Thank you so much to the picking team that helped @_lostnemo_, @saxybourbon and me select this delectable whiskey treat. That's you @_yliejus_, @bourbonchick_6, @bustybourbonbatch, @dpmac1970, @filmandbarrel, @luckytimmy13, @trywhiskywithfitzy716, @thejameswells, @subourbon.appa, and @wafflesandbourbon! For those that don't know what Tokaji is (like me before this pick), it's a Hungarian sweet wine from the Tokaj wine region. This varietal is often made from grapes that experience 'noble rot' which is what creates such sweet flavors on these wines. It is pronounced like "toe-coy", but I think 'toe-kai' would work too, or maybe it's something in-between (I won't be picky either way). I just want to see how this whiskey tastes coming out of the bottle for now! Let's get into it. Company on Label: Barrell Craft Spirits Whiskey Type: Finished Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed blend of Indiana (MGP) and Kentucky (C&K) whiskeys Proof: 124.46° Age: NAS (main component is a 14 year Indiana whiskey) Further identification: Blend # CJ54; Bottle # 164 - This is the pick that a group of Spirit Animal Society members got to join the founders in picking! From the Barrell Craft Spirits website: CJ54 is a blend of Indiana and Kentucky Whiskeys, the largest component being 14-year-old Indiana whiskey, finished in a Tokaji barrel. Nose: Creamy vanilla bean ice cream right away on the nose as soon as I lift the glass. Potent lemon frosting, bright florals and intensely sweet crème brûlée jump out of the glass. There's a rich oak characteristic all throughout. The aromas tied to that oak also come across similarly to a sugar cookie with a dash of nutmeg. The nose is ever bright and pungent with a background linger of baking spice and leather which provides a nice contrast to all the sweetness. Time for a sip! After sipping that amazing creamy cheesecake aroma is definitely present. It's not overpoweringly sweet, but more of a complex, layered sweetness like a well crafted dessert. Wow. The vanilla frosting characteristics of this are just incredible. I remember why we picked this now. Yum! On deeper dives of the nose to the glass you can definitely pull out some strong baking spices from the base whiskey - a great sign that the finish hasn't overpowered the blend. As I move through the glass I find black pepper, white grape skins, and a warm tree bark nose-feel. Lemon tea evolves softly as you progress. The nose on this really is just a soft, dessert sweetness all around - you could sit with this for ages and never have your senses get weathered like some other cask strength releases can cause. The empty glass smells of sweet Spring florals, hints of smoky chocolate and funky, figgy jam. Palate: My first sip is extremely approachable for the high proof; I immediately find a rich, sweet grape varietal clearing showing itself off from the finish. The linger has heaps of sweet cherry cola, cheesecake and an airy fruit parfait. Another sip builds in punchy raspberry, raisin and a nice grape brandy flavor that reminds of some of the best Copper & Kings releases I've tried. Mmm, yeah! That honeysuckle sweetness is really bringing me down the brandy branch flavor wise; I'm really digging that as it's certainly a unique experience I've never had on a whiskey before. There's an absolutely incredible creamy caramel; it's like Werther's meets flan. Yum, later in the glass I'm finding an orange sherbert flavor. My last sip is caramel forward with spiced plum, exotic wine tannins, and it turns quite bready on the linger. Delicious! Rating: Two Thumbs Up! This might be my new go-to dessert pour; it feels exceptional for sharing after a good meal. It's light enough that it won't blow up your palate if you feel like moving on to something else after, but rich and sweet enough that you want to savor it for a long while. I definitely recommend that you give this one a try! It doesn't have infinite complexity but I certainly look forward to seeing how it evolves over time. I truly believe this is one that someone of any whiskey background could get into - which is surprising given the 124.46 proof point. This is one I will certainly enjoy sharing with friends and family all Summer long.

I am continuing the Starlight Sunday trend I started on my Instagram last week! The Indiana winery-turned-distillery is putting out some incredible spirits these days and on my last visit we got to sample our fair share of their offerings. That visit did not include any Cognac finishes so I'm excited to try this one! I may or may not have another bourbon and rye incoming from the same picking team... My previous review from the same distillery was an unfinished bourbon single barrel from a store out of CT. Company on Label: Starlight Distillery Whiskey Type: Finished Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: A blend of Starlight's 3 & 4 grain mash (51% Corn, 20% Rye, 9% Wheat, 20% Malted Barley) and (60% Corn, 20% rye, 20% Malted Barley) Proof: 111° Age: 4 (and a half) years is listed on the website Further identification: Barrel 21-2213-1 was selected by the Seelbach's team and is available on their website at time of writing Nose: Oooh. The nose feels immediately 'big'; it's big in the way of potency of aroma. Sweet earth is the best way I can describe what jumps out early on in the glass. Sharp vanilla bean, sugary cherry skins. stewed apricots and prunes are all very present, distinct and delectable on the nose. There's a dry leather that sits on the back end of a long inhale. There's definitely some distinct earthy funk that likely got imparted from the cognac barrel finish, but this is a prime example of finishing done right - not so long that it changes the base whiskey. I find a nice linen quality that comes along with the soft oak notes. The overall profile feels balanced and quite expressive. Time for a sip! After returning from a sip I find funky malt, orange marmalade and potent sweet sugars. I really love the smell of this. I'm finding myself spending much more time with this than going for sips. Nearing the bottom of the glass I continue to find the potent linen, hints of orange and red berry medley. Deeper inhales continue to drum up leather, earthy tones and funky fruit. The empty glass smells of honeysuckle, grenadine, charred oak and a faint savory lemon butter sauce. Lovely and fun all throughout the glass. Palate: My first sip is very fruit-forward with plum, raspberry and blackcurrant coming across much like the nose - earthy sweet. Further sipping shows off rich oak bark, soft black pepper, and a thick mouth coating of sweet grape and mixed berries. As the glass weathers on there is a floral softness that begins to take over; it's reminiscent of honey without as much sweetness. Nearing the bottom of the glass I find some creamy chocolate and confectioners sugar. While this one doesn't have infinite complexity like some may hope for, the handful of flavors it does produce are quite enjoyable. I feel this one would pair well with a cool night on the porch with a mild cigar. My last sip offers a big mouth coating of orange peel, hints of grapefruit and a nice zest that lightly tingles the gums. The linger is medium long and continues to simmer in the gums for quite some time while a faint caramel trails along with a slightly smoky undertone. Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf) Awesome pick! I didn't think I was going to enjoy this one as much as I did, but a fresh palate can do wonders for a whiskey. Starlight - keep up the great work! You make picking barrels so easy when everything you make is so good. Cheers to Blake & team for bringing this whiskey to the world for enjoyment!

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Starlight Distillery out of Indiana. The winery-turned-distillery is putting out some incredible spirits these days and we got to sample our fair share. As part of my due diligence for picking 4 barrels with them, I tasted through this single barrel coming out of a lovely little store in Connecticut called Liquor Depot ahead of time. This bottle went with me all the way as far as Ohio before coming back to MA. I've enjoyed quite a bit of it at this point and have really explored many of its layers. I figure it's about time to give it some proper tasting notes here so I can share the whiskey experience I think everyone in some of the states with shorter distribution availabilities are missing! Let's get into it (before it's gone!). Company on Label: Starlight Distillery Whiskey Type: Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Starlight's 4 grain mash: 51% Corn, 20% Rye, 9% Wheat, 20% Malted Barley Proof: 120.6° Age: 4 (and a half) years Further identification: Barrel 16415 was picked by Liquor Depot in CT; it was aged in a barrels from Spirit of Canton barrels charred to a level 3 char with a charred head - I'd like to give a shout to Andrew Jerdonek who somehow remembered all the details from this pick from memory (mash bill, cooperage, everything... that guy is a wizard) Nose: Creamy vanilla pudding upfront as I lift the glass to my nose. A light lemon peel and Earl Grey tea gently lift off the surface. A soft, oily, viscous nose-feel greets you until you dive really deep where a touch of worn leather, pepper and caramel begins to build in intensity. Time for a sip! Coming back after a few sips I find the glass has maintained the creamy vanilla profile while adding much more baking spice. Pepper and leather continue to add a nice level of complexity. I'm not overwhelmed by the volume of aromas at all, which makes this much easier to relax with and enjoy rather than spending a lot of time attempting to be analytical. The empty glass smells of grenadine, honey, brown sugar, and sweet barbecue smoke. Palate: My first sip is an explosion of lemon frosting and light, floral tea. Caramel comes in like a tidal wave right behind those initial flavors and produces a thick, rich mouth coating. As the wave of the first sip slowly fades I find great chocolate and baking spice tones. Another taste brings in a touch of tannin and a big tingly mouthful of cherry and faint cinnamon hots. Every sip feels like it carries a crescendo, or perhaps follows a bell curve; there's a slight sizzle, a dazzling, intense delivery and then a long off ramp that is just the right pace to not prove cloying. A subtle background note carries a touch of peanut brittle that could easily be missed if sipping through quickly. A larger sip and swish shows off lovely plum and raisin characteristics. Oooh, later in the glass there is a really funky fruity spice that has built up; it reminds me of a warm cinnamon, plum and walnut Dutch oven cobbler. Throughout this entire pour this sips are really easy, even up at 120.6 proof. The fruit medley is just sweet enough to fend off the more stinging effects of the background spices. Primarily this is a sweet and charismatic bourbon I'd love to keep on my shelf. The linger continues to be long and really quite straightforward which gives this whiskey an overall comforting feeling. There aren't too many surprises, just solid flavors at every corner. My last sip has almost a linen quality to the oak, something I've definitely found before in other whiskeys, but this one tastes a touch different. There's a long, simmering smolder of cinnamon and orange peel that I primarily feel up in my gums. Rating: 4/5 (Really good; I want one of these on my shelf) A lovely, lovely bourbon I'm impressed with more every day. I put it in blinds and head to heads and consistently this profile finds its way up near the top of my list. I'm really going to enjoy finishing off the last few ounces of this bottle. If you're local and want to try this before it's gone, you should hit me up sooner than later! I do think the bottle has definitely leveled out a bit with oxidation at this point, so take some of my points with that in mind. Have you tried any Starlight products? Let me know in the comments! Cheers all.

After my tasting with Booker's 2021-02 Tagalong Batch went as well as it did... I thought I'd try to compare it against one of my favorite batches of all time: Country Ham (2019-03). Let's see if it can hang! Tagalong Batch Company on Label: James B. Beam Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 127.9° Age: 6 years Further identification: 2021-02 Tagalong Batch comes bearing a light green label in a wooden box with a batch information card Country Ham Company on Label: James B. Beam Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 124.7° Age: 6 years Further identification: 2019-03 Country Ham comes bearing a light gray label in a wooden box with a batch information card Tagalong Nose: - Vanilla/marshmallow forward - Cinnamon - Oak - Citrus/mint - Chocolate - Fruity Country Ham Nose: - Caramel forward - Brown sugar - Pepper - Cinnamon - Big citrus/woody/Pinesol note Tagalong Palate: - Apricot syrup - Tannic - Vanilla - Dry oak - Big, thick mouth coating Country Ham Palate: - Cinnamon - Molasses - Maple syrup - Oak - Tannic - Peach Final Ranking: Country Ham > Tagalong Batch The old staple is hard to beat. I do think the Tagalong Batch is a return to a classic profile, but doesn’t have the same potent brown sugar ‘wow’ factor. I still thoroughly enjoy both pours.

The @SpiritAnimalSociety is back at it again! This pick is awesome. We had a great time getting together with some of our top friends and fans to taste through a handful of Ry3 offerings that Karthik sent us from Phenomenal Spirits. Brett @saxybourbon and Abby, @_LostNemo_ were joined by @luckytimmy13, @trywhiskeywithfitzy716, @bourbonchick_6, @ra1nmannn, and @bourbonman81. We collaborated with a great Massachusetts retailer in Liquor Junction who has picked an awesome Ry3 before as well. Not many people get to experience barrel picks; they are often extremely limited and exclusive... Well, that's not how we do things with the Spirit Animal Society. We've always tried to involve as many people as we possibly can on any barrel picking experience. This is still extremely challenging for us as there is usually only so much liquid that can be sent around for tasting before the barrels would all just run dry from thirsty barrel societies! We did the best we could with a few small flasks of the liquid gold that Phenomenal Spirits sent along. Thank you Karthik! You can read a little bit about his history in rum here. If you'd like to hear about the tasting experiences / nuances read on below! Ry3 Whiskey Rum Cask Finish Private Reserve - Spirit Animal Society Barrel Pick Company on Label: Phenomenal Spirits Whiskey Type: Finished Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed proportions of 3 mash bills: 95% Rye / 5% Malted Barley (MGP), 100% Rye (Alberta), and presumably a 99% Corn / 1% Malted Barley (presumably MGP) Proof: Varies per cask, all around 120 proof Age: Undisclosed proportions of 3.5 year MGP rye, 4 year Alberta rye, and 15 year Light Whiskey Further identification: These all come from batch PR#005 and are finished for a bit longer than usual due to it being Winter in the US; they spent 13.5 weeks in Ron Izalco rum casks (which are also ex-bourbon #4 char) that come from Independent Stave Company which supplies most of the big Kentucky distilleries Rum Cask #49 - 121 Proof Nose: Salt water taffy leads the way with soft metallic notes following. There's a rich black pepper note that's quite apparent here. There's quite a bit of lemon zest trying to escape the glass but a level dustiness seems to be holding it down for now. Swirling doesn't change much in the way that the troves of oak continue to bombard my nostrils. There's definitely some apparent heat to this and the back end of a big inhale exhibits a touch of bright banana. Vanilla swings back in and presents very mellow and enjoyable compared to #41. Oooh the citrus zest is the one I remember enjoying from this release; it almost tastes similar to the note I get out of Willett 4 year rye. The metallic note is back again with a slight oily nose-feel like a copper-pot distilled spirit often will have. Vanilla continues to be the most prominent note. The empty glass smells of very little, which is quite surprising. Palate: This leads punchy with tart, figgy jam. There's a prevalent cinnamon spice in every corner and a soft herbal undertone. Muddled, dark fruit presents quite mixed up and jumbled. Vanilla frosting and a faint coffee bean slide under the overall feel of citrus zest and light grassiness. My last sip is a lovely sweetness of creamy caramel, pear, fresh earth, and hints of chocolate. Rum Cask #20 - 119 Proof Nose: This glass immediately feels softer than #49 with sugar cookie jumping out first for me. White linen and vanilla are there and the aromas remind me of a clean, warm towel after a cold jump in a Maine lake. Wow! The fruit just showed up for the main event now. Candied cherry, raisin and lemon gumdrops show off nicely. A bit of cinnamon spiced pineapple can be found on the back end of deep inhales. The softness yet subtle complexity of this one makes me like it the most on the nose alone. There's a deep, herbal complexity to this that I can't quite place, but I know I enjoy it. I still firmly believe this one has the best nose. The empty glass smells of cranberry, raisin, funky fig and sweet cinnamon candy. Palate: Much more sweetness to this one compared to #49. Plum, peach preserves, and grape juice. This also carries a nice mouth coating and it lingers quite long. The lemon peel feeling of this is bright, breezy and floral. Yum yum yum. There's vanilla, silky Early Gray tea, a back end hint of pepper and all of it is neatly tied together in a sweet, creamy white wine bow. My last sip is punchy with the sweetest lemon squeeze of any of the samples. It lingers softly with tiny flashes of bubblegum, mint, tarragon, hints of sweet cilantro and the ever present sugary vanilla sweetness that ties this all in together. Rum Cask #41 - 120.2 Proof Nose: Lemon tea starts this glass off; I'm incredibly surprised at how varied these 3 are, all starting off on a different foot. This one is a nice medley of sweet and spice, but is the most non-descript for me. Quite hot on the nose after resting. This smells like it could be hazmat proof at times. I wondered if this was because my glasses were getting quite warm, but decreasing the temperature externally with ice around the glencairn really only mutes the spirit. Later in the glass I get an angostura bitters note. The empty glass smells of honey, tart wildflowers, and sawdust. Palate: Funky at first then it blooms into a really deep oak spice. This one has very little in the way of sweetness that I can find, but the linger eventually fades into a lemon hard candy which tastes lovely. Another sip is very herbal tea forward. While this is certainly the easiest to sip on of the 3, I find it doesn't do much outside of the normal profile. I taste much of the same of what I am finding in the other two glasses, but just in plainer clothes. My last sip is the best of the glass with orange peel and a slight mint note. Control Group: Liquor Junction Private Reserve Batch 003 - 122.8 Proof Nose: Honey sweetness leads the way. Slight chocolate tones flash up at times. Pepper and gingersnaps are similarly punchy to the samples we were provided. The empty glass smells of prunes, pineapple, and soft linen. Palate: Waves of lemongrass and honey pulse softly over the palate. This one is dangerously soft in every sense. The rum finish feels a bit more apparent on this one with that creamy characteristic really shining. Very cherry forward and a bit of barbecue grill smoke on the back end. My last sip is quite punchy, which makes me believe this would go absolutely fantastic in an old fashioned, which I think I'll also try tonight. Ranking: Unanimous #20 > #49 > #41 I was incredibly impressed that everyone was in complete agreement on which sample was the best. I reserved my opinion all the way until the end and was very pleased to see it agreed with the entire tasting group. Final bottling point of the cask #20 selection ended up at 119.4 proof! We believe this is a must-have for any whiskey enthusiast - even those who don't usually think they would like a rye... This is not your typical rye! If you'd like to potentially be a part of the next Spirit Animal Society pick - get involved with us on Instagram or join our Patreon! We have a couple other incredible offerings available in our store as well. Any of our other links can be found on the SAS linktree. Cheers folks! Hope to see you all and share some sips of this RY3 soon!

It's another Mass Bourbon Alliance pick coming at you hot! It's a blessing and a curse that this one took so long to make its way over to MA from CO that it arrived in close proximity to the NEBCo barrels. This is a brand and a pour that's been slept on for a while until some really good picks have started hitting shelves and groups last year. I think people are finally catching on to just how good this stuff is. This single barrel select is Mass Bourbon Alliance's third release. Derek Laverriere and I tasted through 3 samples and easily settled on this sweets factory. My notebook from the tasting night was testament to the quality of this sample above the others. We collaborated with Liquor Junction as our retail partner for this pick and are always grateful for their continued support of our barrel dreams! Let me know what you think of the bottle sticker and if you recognize any of the Easter eggs... Now, let's dive into the bottled product! Company on Label: Old Elk Whiskey Type: Wheated Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 51% Corn, 45% Wheat, 4% Malted Barley Proof: 112.4° Age: 6 years Further identification: This is the 'Prohibition' barrel pick from Mass Bourbon Alliance in collaboration with Liquor Junction (@LJWhiskeyFamily) out of Reading, MA; the pick can be purchased here (no shipping) Nose: The first thing that leaps out of the glass is a silky milk chocolate which smells delicious. It's creamy and sweet with cherry skin undertones. Bright vanilla greets me well. A yummy sweet tart aroma pops up early into the glass now. More chocolate shows itself but this time a bit more malt-forward while maintaining a confectionary sweetness. There's something like a bready waffle I really dig on the nose. There's also a nice vanilla forward linen note that flashes up in intense waves while a decent dusty oak shows off this whiskeys age. It smells like a vintage cabinet... and that reminds me of bygone traditions of actually making things by hand for some reason. There's a hint of smoke on the back end of deep inhales. After a brief lull back into sweet sugary vanilla, a big pepper note pops up in the center of the glass. The pre-sip nose finishes up with a splash of white lily florals. Caramel completes the overall aroma experience well. Time for a sip! After a sip the nose opens up to hints of leather, chocolate-laced oak and creamy stone fruit. Later in the glass the nose opens up wonderfully to a big bouquet of floral tones that feel like sitting next to an open window on a cool Spring day. Palate: My first sip starts with all candy sweets. The same sweet tarts from the nose transfers well. There's a tart pear, green apple and lovely caramel creaminess. Another sip builds in cherry hots, grape skins, plum pudding, and a soft banana bread. The palate is soft and easy to sip with smarties, lemon frosting, sweet plum, and apricot brandy tea. There's a long linger of smoldering cherry hots. Sipping further produces floral tones all while fruit builds strongly. I get a calm sugar cookie tone that doesn't quite say 'Irish whiskey' but certainly leans in that direction. As the glass weathers on there's more fruit that shows its slight tannic side - it reminds me of crushed grapes a bit. My last sip is very unique with how it presents the silky cherry flavors. The long, smoldering finish is satisfying and sweet! The real highlight of this pour is it's sweet cherry characteristic with a hint of orange peel on the back end; it presents like an old fashioned in all the right ways. Rating: 4/5 I am definitely a big fan of these wheated bourbons coming out of Old Elk these days... The highlight of this pour is really how easy it is to sip. Much like the Spirit Animal Society Old Elk bourbon single barrel pick, I'd call this one 'supremely crushable'. Savor this one neat or your bottle will disappear before you know it... Cheers MBA!

Have you seen my infinity barrel project on Instagram? I've posted quite a few bottle dump videos to my reels, but haven't done much in the way of updating the progress here. I thought I'd review how the barrel is tasting as of now - I've tasted it many times before, as that is how we are determining what goes in. I'm doing everything by taste, much like I have done my infinity bottle, just on a larger scale. I do have some co-founders that helped me get this project off the ground and have contributed a significant volume of whiskey to this 53 gallon barrel. If you would like to contribute to the barrel and get a taste for yourself please fill out the form on the Infinity Barrel tab of the website! The latest additions came from @barrettimbibes who sent along some Penelope Bourbon and Still Austin for the barrel. Thank you Barrett! Company on Label: Not Applicable! Whiskey Type: Four Grain Bourbon Blend Mash Bill Percentages: 72.18% Corn, 3.25% Wheat, 13.10% Rye, and 11.56% Malted Barley Proof: Average Theoretical Proof: 102.65° Measured Proof: 107° Age: Minimum age: 2 Years Average age: 9.29 Years Average age with barrel time added: 9.65 Years Further identification: This is a once-used Russell's Reserve single barrel store pick from Rapid Liquors that is being re-filled as an infinity barrel; the whiskey at the time of review is current to the bottle list up to 4/10/2022 Nose: Rich, lovely caramel greets my nose as I first raise the glass. There's a candy sweetness that is quite prevalent in the slowly warming glass. Really, really sweet forward here on the nose - I'm in love. It reminds me of a warm pool of skittles candy. There's cherry, candied apple, strawberry and a nice undercurrent of sweet florals. Penelope might be onto something with their four grain blends as this is reminding me of their barrel strength releases a lot. The oak aromas almost feel tied into the sweet cherry notes; I get very little in the way of the traditional dustiness, vanilla, or tannin that oak can typically impart; it all seems to be fruit forward thus far. Digging deeper I find a nice black pepper note. Ooh, now the proof of the barrel is starting to show a bit. I really am trying to keep this right around 107 so it's approachable no matter the circumstance and the proof point is definitely doing it for me so far. A deep inhale to my left nostril shows off buttercream frosting and a distinct tobacco aroma. My right nostril gives way to bright vanilla, angel food cake, and a light cinnamon spice. Time for a sip! Coming back to the nose I find an awesome return to a big cherry hots profile like I typically find on the higher proof Weller releases (which makes sense, there's a handful in there!). The sugary sweets I'm getting now remind me more of the airheads candy, specifically the cherry, which is making my mouth water remembering the flavors from years and years ago. Ahh - now we just transitioned into a creamy profile again with a Nikka coffee bean smell coming off the glass. I'm really quite thoroughly impressed with the quality and depth this pour is showing off. Coming back to the glass after a rest I am pleased to find a rich butterscotch, light pecan and creamy caramel once again. Nearing the end of the glass some dark, funky earth can be dug up if you really focus but it's quite faint in the background. The empty glass smells of honey, chocolate, Belgian waffles, and neat oak. Palate: Right off the bat this presents a lovely mellow caramel, toffee and light fruit parfait profile. I'm most impressed by the linger that carries bright maraschino cherry through and plops down for a long visit in the center of my tongue. Another sip allows me to explore further as I find great layers of chocolate, plum, cinnamon raisin bread, and a creamy pie crust. The mouth coating is viscous, creamy and buttery; it reminds me a lot of some really good MGP barrels that I have tried. A sip and swish releases the candied fruit sweetness I was experiencing on the nose. At times the floral sweetness and the cherry hots profiles clash and almost negate each other - which is a definite hallmark of what whiskey blends tend to do. The end result is still an incredibly easy sipping experience and I haven't found a single offensive note in this glass yet. Coming back from a short rest reveals more peppery oak tones alongside strawberry shortbread. My last sip is incredibly pleasant with cherry juice, candied plum, and strawberry marmalade dancing on the tongue. The linger is long with a vanilla-forward tea making my gums tingle lightly. The pour finishes with a long, simmering array of sweet patisserie ingredients. Rating: 4/5 This barrel is tasting really damn good. I think I'd like to see it a little higher in proof/intensity before I'd consider upgrading it to a 5. There's plenty of headspace left in the barrel though - let's add some good stuff in so we can get really good stuff out!