After trying the Blue Run 13 Year Bourbon in a sample from @SaxyBourbon, I couldn't wait to get my hands on their next release. If you have never tried a Blue Run product before, I hope this review can help you decide if you want to pick one up! Company on Label: Blue Run Spirits Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 113° Age: 14 years Further identification: On the neck of the bottle there are markings for batch (Summer), date (5/26/21), bottle (R-0525) and R-1100 Nose: Rich caramel and pepper punch forward on first smell. Wow, so much rye spice popping out of this; reminds me of one of my first high rye experiences. Reminds me a little bit of a good Booker's batch aroma. Super chocolatey and that lovely earthy funk, layered over well oiled leather. You can definitely tell this one is getting up there in age. I thought the 13 year was complex, this is powerful and potent. There are all the great oak barrel characteristics, without that saturation point where it actually turns into the wood. Crème brûlée vanilla, but airing on the side of something more bready. Buttery and dark, almost like a mincemeat pie. More of that high rising baking spice that dances on the nose. Post sip the nose really turns kind of meaty and spicy which is very interesting. It's similar to the experience many find later on in a Booker's Country Ham where things take on that salted, oily roast meat character. I know there have already been a lot of comparisons, but this just has so many fun layers to it it's hard not to draw parallels. With a bit of air blown over the glass and a swirl to elicit some new whiskey vapor under my nose I start to find more of a smooth vanilla and dry paper on the right nose. Left nose continues to be very caramel forward. Chocolate and cloves balance each other out very well. I almost get a beef jerky vibe to this. Some slight smokiness is forming late in the glass; as if you left something in the pan a little too long and it formed a light crust. Palate: First sip is all a rich cherry mouth coating, melting into a cinnamon hot candy. Rich, syrupy wave of sweetness. That rich spiced cherry really reminds me of a great Weller Full Proof pick. The thick caramel and pepper also layer into another part of the mouth coating that is slightly drying. Oh, some new fruit are here to play now. I get a plum and some light apricot. A little more proof now than previous sips, this is definitely one that builds with you as you keep sipping. The sweetness lingers long. Almost none of the intense spice I found early on the nose is present on the palate, except for the pang of a spicy peppercorn on the tip of the tongue. The cherry and caramel feel like they fall over each other in waves on subsequent sips; lovely undulations that give fairly straightforward flavors a unique character. Intense but also fleeting - I feel like this is a butterfly you could chase for quite some time. The last sip of the glass feels so complete, and easily the longest linger of the pour. The front half of my mouth is tingling with flashes and pops of the last of that pepper laced caramel. Fading slowly ever farther away, but never quite gone; this feels like a great pour to enjoy as dusk turns to dark. Rating: 4/5 The nose on this was incredibly complex and fun. I have to appreciate the craftsmanship on this one; It stood up incredibly well as a first pour of the day. I am glad to have shared a few pours of this already with some friends. I'm afraid this one won't last long on my shelf now!

Another one of the more highly regarded Booker's batches of recent, tonight we reached for Beaten Biscuits. I fought for a long time with where I'd land on a pour for tonight and eventually Booker's was the only thing I suggested to myself and didn't immediately find a reason to change my mind. So here we are - let's get this tasted! Company on Label: James B. Beam Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 126.1° Age: 6 years Further identification: 2019-04 Beaten Biscuits comes bearing a light pink rose label in a wooden box with a batch information card Nose: First smell is a lemon forward oak note. Slightly astringent vanilla and allspice. Dark cacao powder and coriander. Really heavy, dry paper note I usually attribute to Heaven Hill, but this glass deceives me. The oak has something to it that makes it feel slightly muted; almost like it's been painted over on one side. Maybe that's a unique artifact about this batch's char. Warm, steamed linen - like a sheet that has spent a good amount of time under an iron. Now a thick plum note settled in post-sip. It is layered in, much like the palate, with a mix of dried nuts. Some lightly buttered scone aromas dance up from deeper pulls. More baking spice coming along later. Light pepper, a stainless steel that reminds me of a soup ladle for some reason... Maybe an interaction with some soup spices hitting my nose alongside it. More paper and linen follow along and round out the nose. Lemon and butter return. A very circular experience. The empty glass highlights a zesty citrus that definitely can explain some of the heat to this one. Palate: Wow, punchy stone fruit I did not at all find on the nose. Very proofy start, but the cherry note is so syrupy and feels encrusted in some light nuttiness. Walnut and hazelnut are the two that jump out at me. Mouth coating is thick but slightly drying, this is very much an all-at-once wave of intense flavors on each sip. It passes slowly though from front to back and gives a looong and large chest hug. Definitely a barrel proof lover's dream here. The linger is powerfully sweet but doesn't evolve much from the plum and cherry flavors. The fruit is intensely sweet. It almost reminds me of some kind of over-sugared slushy flavor you'd find in a 7-eleven in the 90s (in that way that you remember it better than it really was). Amazing mouth feel to this. It's the same intense wave of sweet, dark, red fruit every time, but unfortunately doesn't seem to evolve into anything else. Definitely drinks a little hot (at least for me tonight). My final sip both introduces and bids farewell to a hint of milk chocolate alongside the cherry. Rating: 4/5

This sample comes again courtesy of @bourbon_fiend_and_finder on what apparently is a larger sample swap than I remember! I just keep pulling things out from this guy. Good problems to have I guess. Sticking with rye tonight on this lovely July evening; this will be a shorter 2nd pour review. Banyuls is a French appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) for a fortified apéritif or dessert wine made from old vines cultivated in terraces on the slopes of the Catalan Pyrenees in the Roussillon county of France, bordering, to the south, the Empordà wine region in Catalonia in Spain. High West is never afraid to try something new with their store pick program - and neither is Ryan Maloney from Julio's Liquors. Let's dig into this pick and see what it's all about. Company on Label: High West Whiskey Type: A Blend of Straight Rye Whiskeys Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 95.8° Age: 2 year (blended with a corn heavy 16 year) Further identification: MGP sourced; this limited edition was finished for 8 months in Banyuls barrel #17755 and bottled for The Loch and K(e)y Society Nose: Syrupy sangria fruit. Earthy greens. Citrus zest. Light oak. Something light like an earthiness I've never experienced; almost feels slightly tropical. Shiny, polished copper. I smell wooden casks that feel like they've been out in the sun too long, or maybe adrift on a boat too long. There is some kind of nautical quality to this I can't quite place. Smoky charcoal now later in the pour after a few sips. A swirl reveals dusty vanilla and allspice. Things settled back into mellow fruit after a few moments. Palate: Hm, I immediately say with a smirk. That's definitely unique. A high rising citrus that drinks way over it's proof is first and foremost. This is followed by mellow, drying, sweet wine. Finish is short, but at last linger a light buttery texture melts in. Again the rye spice feels like it's adrift somewhere out stranded on a wooden boat off the coast of a dark island - threatened by an approaching storm. This glass just feels kind of moody. The finish on this I think did well to improve the profile of this, but it also detracted something from the rye experience I am missing now that it's not there. The fruit is something closest to a date, but also resembles raisin, or a dark raspberry jam. Rating: 3/5 What a fun experience with this pour. This really took me on a journey... Definitely one for the adventurous type who likes to try new things, I don't think you'll taste anything like this again!

Don't you love when something new comes to town? Recently Wilderness Trail started distribution to MA. This was a newer label I had already heard some things about. The rye came recommended out of the line of 4 releases that hit shelves. With the barrel proof label, a sweet mash indication on the side label and a barrel number that suggests the rye inside is 4-5 years old I decided to pull the trigger. Let's see if it's any good! Company on Label: Wilderness Trail Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 33% Corn, 56% Rye, 11% Malted Barley Proof: 106° Age: 4 years Further identification: Barrel No. 16B21U, Bottle 179 of 250; NCF stated Nose: Immediately smells woodsy. Lovely mossy earth draped in creamy caramel. Saw dust. Maple cherry - almost smoked. Damp smelling. Like a verdant forest floor in a dreamy cool summer morning after a rain. Very fleeting chocolate, taken over by a dry bark note. Chocolate is flashy and also tied to something funky. Lemon peel is as light as if it brushed up against a grainy piece of oak that took off a little bit of the skin between the splinters. This nose is both delicious, fun and layered - everything I could ask for out of a rye. Definitely has a bit of sweetness that is great for those that don't do the heavy, punchy spices some other ryes are known for. Post sip there is a bit of baking spice coming through now with nutmeg shining forward first, followed by white pepper, allspice and finally a light cardamom. Maybe I spoke a little too soon about the spices! A bit of candied ginger, raw cinnamon stick and some other concoction that reminds me a bit of pumpkin pie. Dry vanilla starts to overpower the nose late in the glass. A swirl kicks up a dry paper note, followed by a unique rye grain and finally a smooth caramel brittle. Lovely, lovely nose. I could sit and smell this for hours. Empty glass is a smoky oak and raisin. Palate: First sip is intensely citrus sweet forward, with a dark cherry rolling across the tongue and settling right down into a thin maple syrup. Creamy vanilla and lemon intertwine almost magically on the linger. Slightly proofy cherries are the dominant introduction in subsequent sips. Spices are definitely here to stay now on both the palate and the post sip nose. A long swish in the mouth reveals not much else than the flavors already stated. The nose on this one really outclasses the palate in complexity, but I will say the mixture of flavors here are really enjoyable. Some dark raisin present now late in the glass. Very faintly tannic at times. Mainly fruit forward on the palate - definitely highly recommend this for the wine lover or sweet tooth! Rating: 4/5 A really impressive pour that is a highlight reel of a rye nose with a solid delivery on sips. This is one of those cases where I think they bottled this at the perfect time. I am glad to have this one!

Did you know, these signature labels on the neck of Michter's bottles are a fun identifier for where your whiskey came from? The first two numbers are the year it was bottled, the letter represents a month of bottling and the ending numbers are Michter's unique identifiers for that particular batch, or in this case, barrel. Through some conversations with the wonderful folks at Michter's I've learned that the months are listed and paired to the letter that is alphabetically in the same order! So: Michter's Letter - Month A – January B – February C – March D – April E – May F – June G – July H – August I – September J – October K – November L – December I was embarrassed I didn't have the shelfer version of the Michter's rye profile at my bar, after already reviewing the 10 year, the toasted barrel and the barrel strength ryes... I went out and rectified my oversight right away! I've definitely had a bottle of this in years past, it was probably part of the reason I got into drinking Michter's in the first place. Let's see how it holds up to my current standards! Company on Label: Michter's Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 84.8° Age: NAS Further identification: Single Barrel - Barrel No 21C986 Nose: Fig, raisin, and candy cherry. A sweetness I've found in almost every offering from Michter's. It's both powdery sugar like smarties and syrupy like cherry juice. Dull oak falls a little flat on the nose. Now post-sip some of the oak has opened up & shows a bit of dry, bleached paper. Not my favorite nose on a rye, but I also like more spice & intensity, whereas this is mellow & sweet. On a deep inhale there is something like clean floors on a bright spring day, with clothes hanging outside on the clothesline. Younger oak, but florals starting to bud and sprout around. Palate: Thin, but very coating. Hmm. Light milk chocolate and a funny citrus. Like the nose, there is both a creamy & chalky characteristic to the mouth coating. Some freshly bloomed floral characteristics. Also almost feels 'wet'; as if it has been watered down a bit too far for my preference tonight. We may have to go for a barrel strength rye as a follow up pour to this one... Definitely a relaxing experience and enjoyable flavors that do show up, but definitely not going to knock your socks off in the complexity department. Rating: 3/5 As I sit and type this up, enjoying a barrel strength rye now, I can certainly see how I was missing the richness of this creamy molasses and sugar cookie note that is only present on something at a higher proof point. The intensity of barrel strength is definitely more of what I was craving tonight. I will continue to say that the Michter's Bourbon, Rye, Sour Mash and American Whiskey are all my go-to recommendations for people who are new to whiskey and want to experience a palatable array of fun flavors. Someone more experienced surely isn't going to be begging for more of this rye, but as a staple introduction to the genre, I have no negative remarks to make.

Knob Creek 12 was a big surprise for me one day. I had unintentionally turned myself away from these for a while, not expecting much, until I was offered a pour at a friends bar. I think I had a bottle in my possession the next day. Let’s see if it’s any good tonight. Company on Label: James B. Beam Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 100° Age: 12 years Further identification: The blue label on Knob Creek is unique to the 12 year offerings as far as I know; this was purchased early 2021 Nose: Earthy caramel spice on first impression. Allspice & cloves are heavy on this humid day. Definitely balanced by an expressive and enjoyable squeezed lemon juice. Pepper & a dry cacao-tinged molasses. Loaded with dark herbals and spices. Light vanilla presents dry on deep inhales. Some light paper notes; like the smell of the inside of a brown paper grocery bag. Citrus, vanilla and the dark baking spices are the highlights of this poor. Some light toasted bread and cinnamon; the combination eliciting a similar experience to French toast. Later as I continue to dig through the layers a hint of maple syrup crowns this experience. This one is top notch at it’s price point. If it were as balanced & complex with all of these layers from the very start I’d give it an easy five, but there are definitely some subtle sharp pain points with the proof showing a little too strong from time to time. Departing note from the glass is a faint peanut shell. Palate: Syrupy start on the front palate with caramel & vanilla. As soon as it passes to the back of my tongue there is a big flash of metallic molasses and the same dark allspice of the nose. Really nice, unique profile to this. It leaves a long linger of creamy coffee bean and a synthetic marshmallow. Subsequent sips definitely build into the spice department but also in the creaminess. They do well together, but the tingling sensation on my tongue definitely tells me the spice is winning. Some light graham cracker starts to form as a reprieve later in the glass. It is accompanied by brown sugar & more vanilla whipped cream. 20-ish minutes into the pour I’ve almost completely forgot about the experience with the spice from earlier as this has mellowed into a sweet base that reads best as a vanilla sundae with all the fixin's. Nearing the bottom there is a slight savory note that has formed alongside the caramel. Yummy finish it at the end of the glass with the undying sweet/salty caramel that is aged to perfection. Rating: 4/5 This is peak Jim Beam product at a wonderful price point. Color me impressed with this one. I definitely don't think it's for everyone given the high spice content and it presenting slightly above it's proof at 100°. But if you are someone who enjoys a higher proof pour on the right night like me, this is a solid hit I would recommend for any occasion. It stood up very well in a recent bourbon flight I did with some family. As such, I will be keeping this one Amongst The Whiskey.

Oh boy... This one is getting low... When I look at a new Booker's batch, I usually use this one as my reference point to determine if a new batch is good. This to me is the wonderful presentation of all the flavors I think Booker's can be and does well. Realizing I have used this as a head to head reference point without actually giving this a full review led me to reach for this tonight! Let's see if it really is my favorite batch currently or not! 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 grey label in a wooden box with a batch information card Nose: Starts out with a light brown sugar presenting alongside some dry saltiness. Creamy cherry floats up alongside what I can best describe as salted butter. Some nice allspice and clove sit atop a level vanilla. Peeling back the vanilla reveals the oak which is aged well but not the least bit overpowering. Some light citrus layers mingle around. This glass just has so much to it and I haven't even thought about going for a sip yet. Suddenly the allspice mixes with a bit of zest, tied up in a thick caramel stickiness that finally packs some intensity that shows off the barrel strength of this pour. There are some dull metallic patina notes that are an interesting addition at this stage. Some light leafy greens... This is the kind of experience that made me fall in love with the world of bourbon. I think this glass is finally ready for a sip. Post sip, things maintain a cool temper with vanilla and a maple sugar sweetness carrying most of the aroma. Cinnamon spice. Oh my, a wonderful unmixed hot cocoa powder is now identifiable that I think has eluded me, but has been present from the start. Really delectable notes here. Later in the glass some of the proof starts to show between the cracks of the smooth vanilla as oak starts to take over. My acute senses are starting to get a little overloaded by this proof, but I am definitely left with a lovely light citrus feeling on the nose as I go in for my final sip. Empty glass is all caramel goodness. Palate: Definitely intense on a non-warmed up palate. I let this first sip coat my tongue a long time to get over the uncomfortable acclimation to 124.7 proof. The end result on swallowing this sip is a wonderful array of cherry sweetness, a slightly sour caramel, and herbal greens that remind me of a New England hardwood forest in the peak of summer growth. Cherry is definitely the dominant palate note coming through here. There is a fantastic mouth coating consistency to this which I definitely regard as highly important to the level of enjoyment I can extract from a glass. This has a similar coating to the likes of a really good Weller Full Proof store pick or my favorite Russell's Reserve pick to date... Along with the cherry sweetness there is definitely a bit of maple syrup, but sprinkled with a little cinnamon and nutmeg... It's a really unique mix that definitely elicits the feeling of some kind of glaze which may be where this batch name drew it's inspiration. This one is definitely one that builds in intensity and complexity the more you sip and let it coat your mouth. A rinse of water can be a helpful reset if things start to turn too dark on the palate. The caramel is slightly effervescent and rising through the palate. Again, part of that mouth coating experience that really sets a good bourbon apart from a great bourbon. Last sip of the glass highlights the slightly savory notes that were present more-so on the nose; with a salty molasses presenting thick and dark. As usual, I am sad to see the bottom of an empty glass with this one. This is another one of those 'bourbon clinic' bottles for me. Rating: 5/5

Having tried the Small Batch and Straight Bourbon offerings from Smoke Wagon already, it was high time to get into some of this Uncut Unfiltered I keep seeing Aaron sampling with his ladle over a giant vat. I love the blending work this guy is doing and hope he can continue to hone his skills. I'm going into this one with a little bit of high expectations so let's see if this one can hang Amongst the Whiskey. Company on Label: Nevada H&C Distilling Co Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Malted Barley Proof: 113.8° Age: NAS (Blend of 4 to 12 year old bourbons) Further identification: Batch 49, bottled March 13, 2021 Nose: Chocolate and caramel kind of resembling a milk dud. Light spiciness mixed well with vanilla forward sweetness. Peppery oak. Dust and orange peel zest. Slightly bitter like the pith of the orange too. Definitely mostly a powerful citrus that settles well into a base woody platform. Almost grapefruit but not quite. Some rosemary spice kisses the edges of the fragrant glass. Definitely smells older with some great earthy, rich cigar wrapper notes coming through. A tight grain dark wood note comes with it. Chocolate continues to swirl. Turning a bit creamy later in the glass, some lighter fruit sits well atop a dry pie crust note. Definitely feels like there is some heavy char to the oak now. Can almost smell the floating charcoal fragments I'm sure grace these vats of liquid. The longer this one sits the more apparent the oak influence has become. Turns very floral late in the glass - this one certainly benefitting from some air time. Some funk and pepper adds to the floral bouquet well. Really has a nice complexity to it late in the glass that I can appreciate. Just a touch of a copper metallic note shines through when I really dig. Empty glass is all chocolate and caramel. Palate: First sip is a lovely dive into the land of syrupy cherry. A swirling spice takes a tour of the inside of my closed mouth. Plum stews into the lemon bite. Some light mint presents kind of like a mint chocolate chip (no ice cream). Woah now... Some larger sips are quite intense and you are certainly reminded this is up there in proof a bit. Really intense for only 113.8 proof, I'd have expected that last sip to be near 130. But with that came tons of great flavors... crushed cherry skins, a rich caramel, brown sugar, light vanilla bean, and the ever present twang of some citrus zest. Drinks a little hot at times I think when a dry cinnamon flashes into existence and pushes out through your nostrils. By the end of the pour things have certainly mellowed out a bit with the citrus melting into the caramel for a lovely combination. The cherry comes back around well and presents much sweeter than the tannic skins note from earlier in the glass. At the start of this pour I wasn't certain I was going to love this, but by the end of the glass I sure do! This is definitely one I see myself sipping slow on an evening when I get home a little later than usual from a hard days work. The caramel and citrus combination are the highlight of this pour. Rating: 4/5

A new blind sample is in the glass tonight. @amongstthefernsco picked me another sample from the ever growing drawer of 2oz goodness; it now contains way too many things for me to have any idea what is in there. A blind guess would be a 1 in 60 chance. Let's see if my nose knows... Bottle information will be posted after the glass reveal at the end. Scroll slow if you don't want spoilers! Nose: Citrus caramel funk... This has got to be a high rye or a rye. Leaning towards high rye as the next note is a red berry layered onto fruity oak. Light pepper & allspice. Vanilla & some light cleaning agent aroma. Turning herbal now as everything starts to seep between the cracks into the base layer of a just-old-enough oak. I am thinking around 4 years on this... Maybe MGP. Post sip nose is much more peppery. This is such a recognizable smell, I'm ashamed I don't already know what it is. But if it is MGP, that could be a lot of labels and this guessing game just got a lot harder. Some meaty chocolate notes later in the glass. Definite returning back to that funky caramel. Near the bottom a strong vanilla forms which is nice. A savory smoked meat aroma that really reminds me of Tennessee (sorry Kentucky, I haven't been yet) is present near the bottom of the glass. Empty glass is pure cocoa powder and funky herbal spice. Palate: Creamy lemon frosting & a caramel so gentle & delicate for a first sip. Along with some light shocks of spice, second sip elicits a rolling wave of younger cherry wood. Almost tastes like a 3-4 year MGP on the palate too with a lot of citrus and spice. An exuberant thin caramel that tries to cover up a faint mint. The mint is only identifiable after the caramel coating quickly passes and the light cooling feeling of air spearmint is felt on the inside of my cheek. Palate reminds me a lot of Smoke Wagon Small Batch. Good creaminess, but on the rise into the nose more of that mint can be found. It gained in intensity through here, but then I realized the pour was almost out. This drank fast and easy. Definitely feels lower in proof. Ohh, some interesting coffee bean creaminess shows up late. Kind of has a feeling similar to Nikka Coffey malt whisky. Pleasant, and certainly an easy drinker, I'm leaning towards something I actually don't think I've tried which makes this guess hard. Rating: 4/5 Guess: MGP... ~92 Proof... High West Double Rye?? Reveal: New Riff Single Barrel Bourbon - Bourbon Eye Bunker Group Pick Welp, I can't know what I don't know! I've never actually had any New Riff offerings, so I definitely would not have tried to guess that. I think the confidence got me killed here. I'm really impressed with how well it drank below it's proof though. I really had this pegged at 90 and it actually comes in at 105.5°. I did have a high(er) rye mash bill well identified, for some pity points! I will also say my tasting notes follow the ones they list on their bottle well too. I am thankful to @bruns_bourbon, who swapped samples with me for some Barrell offerings recently and provided this one for review. This was a fun tasting! Company on Label: New Riff Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 65% Corn, 30% Rye, 5% Barley Proof: 105.5° Age: 4 years Further identification: Distilled 10.28.16, Bottled 12.23.20; Barrel number 16-2716; this is a pick for Bourbon Eye Bunker

Bit of a late post on this one, I wrote notes for this head to head yesterday (Sunday, July 11th). I still like to write reviews by hand before transcribing them to digital text for some reason... Call me old fashioned, but it just has a different focus and flow to it. Anyway, I've been meaning to do this rye face-off for a little while. I love a budget bottle that can still hit the spot. Let's see if either of these fit that bill! Pikesville Company on Label: Heaven Hill Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 35% Corn, 51% Rye, 14% Barley Proof: 110° Age: 6 years Further identification: Unique "D" bottle shape, purchased early 2020 Sazerac Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Buffalo Trace Rye Mash Bill Proof: 90° Age: NAS (~4 years) Further identification: Purchased early 2020 Pikesville Nose: Citrus Pepper Allspice Herbal funk Vanilla Robust Oak Palate: Herbal caramel Dusty oak Spicy mouth coating Big lemon peel zest Long linger Layers, complexity & intensity Touches of sour molasses Yum! Sazerac Nose: Apricot / green apple Floral Light / airy Very light stone fruit Touches of citrus & vanilla Fresh sawn pine Palate: Syrupy, sweet Fresh, juicy apple Slight medicinal cherry Light milk chocolate Silky smooth, goes down easy with a light creamy linger Final Ranking: Situational, see below! I went into this thinking there has to be a clear winner between these two. There is extra age and proof to the Pikesville, surely that will outclass the younger buck? I came out not so sure. I think both have their time & place and I will highlight which stood out for this tasting in particular on a muggy New England Sunday in July. Overall the Pikesville is far more robust, intense and flavorful. I dream of the beginning of Fall when I taste this … but then a bead of sweat forms on my forehead as the more intense proof and spice works it's way out of my pores. I find myself gravitating towards finishing the Sazerac first. Then I find myself pouring a follow up Sazerac once both the glasses are empty... While I think on any cool day, or under a bit of air conditioning, the Pikesville would get the nod; today the lower proof and sweetness of the Sazerac is more enjoyable. Both are really solid rye offerings I will be keeping on my shelf. Cheers!

Barrell Craft Spirits has been doing wonderous and remarkable things. From my most recent experience with Barrell Seagrass, to Dovetail, to the fun batches of bourbon & rye, there hasn't been anything from them that I've been able to turn down a pour of yet. I even won a signed bottle from Joe Beatrice in a blind tasting competition! That said, I go into every pour with a challenging and inquisitive mind. I generally try to disregard label and price once the liquor hits the glass and just evaluate on my reception to the experience. Company on Label: Barrell Craft Spirits Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 119.54° Age: 7 years Further identification: Distilled in Kentucky, USA is listed on the back of this bottle; Barrel # Z2F4, bottle # 161. This is a store pick from Kappy's in MA for the 1940 Barrel Society called "Kappy Endings". I purchased this bottle in June of 2021 Nose: Wow, lovely spicy cherry; not hot in the sense of pepper spicy... not herbal... but a zesty hot tamale candy cherry. Really nice introduction smell. Caramel funk and citrus tied marvelously to the oak. It has that hallmark Pinesol note I've come to know very well. This has the makings of something that really reminds me of Willett distillate. Lightly dusty but mainly that sweet cinnamon is shining through on the nose pre-sip. Now some herbal chocolate mixes in. A bite of pepper. This has to be fairly high in rye content with what I'm smelling so far. I love it, but it definitely does not nose like a bourbon at the start! Introducing some air on a swirl brings out some light vanilla, white pepper and more of that funky citrus. The pre-sip nose seems to have run it's course, so let's give this a taste. Post sip, some of the intensity of the spice has mellowed which is a nice reprieve for the nostrils. It's more of a cardamom spice now with a slightly burnt oak. Caramelized sugar totally decimates the spice and now there is just a silky base of sweetness. A touch of mint can be found now that the aromas have turned more delicate late in the glass. A bit of dark, bready graham cracker can be found on deep inhales. I have zero complaints about this nose. Empty glass is a bit of floral vanilla and light molasses. Palate: Woah! That cherry explosion! It instantly fades into the cinnamon hot tamale candy profile I was also getting on the nose. The delivery of this is intense on a fresh palate. The linger is ridiculous. Alcohol soaked oak carries the same funky Pinesol-esque citrus forward. Molasses and chocolate are found left on my tongue on an exhale. The citrus feel has transitioned a bit to something that resembles a cooked or poached orange. Spearmint presents late as if the glass just turned over a new page. Some light chamomile tea flavors dance along late in the pour, as some lemon juice and honey drizzle their way into the finish. Some extra dark fruit and brown sugar is incredibly subtle but there. The last sip leaves me yearning for another glass, which is pretty rare for me. The light sting of lemon zest is so enjoyable to me at this proof. Rating: 5/5 This flavor is exactly why I love Willett family estate offerings. I obviously have no way of confirming if this indeed came from Willett, but my palate is about 95% confident it is... and I'm 100% confident that I love this bourbon. Thinking through this a bit more, it is definitely capable of being from Willett, given distillation resumed in 2012 and this is a 7 year age statement; it also shares a similar cask strength proof to some other Willett 7 year offerings I found online near 120°... Now does this mean Willett thought this wasn't good enough to be bottled under their label, or was Kappy's just lucky enough to select a fantastic barrel before it could go into the un-obtain-o-sphere? Thanks to Blake over at Bourbonr for some of the information that led me to this conclusion. I claim no accuracy to the information in this post, this is just my humble opinion on what I am tasting tonight. Let me know if you have tried this and what you think of it. Am I crazy? Definitely possible. Cheers!

A very special bottle celebrating Jimmy Russell's 60th year of making whiskey with Wild Turkey, this blend was selected by his son, Eddie, who sought out barrels fitting for the occasion. The result is this Diamond Anniversary edition featuring a blend of 13 and 16 year bourbons. "It was about doing something different", says Eddie, commenting about the profile chosen for this bourbon. I've been excited to get this one open and I am immediately sharing a few samples with some folks who need to try this! Company on Label: Wild Turkey Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 91° Age: Blend of 13 year and 16 year bourbons Further identification: The Diamond Anniversary comes in a dark oak box with sliding covers, the card that comes in the box has the label of Batch No. B14-0035 Nose: Explosive cherry. Lovely citrus zest. A flash of amaretto & creamy cocoa. Noses a bit above its proof, which is a good thing here with waves of powerful flavors wafting out of the glass. The oak is well aged & exudes some light lemongrass. Smells like a bright sun-shining Spring day. Some fresh field florals. Slight dustiness but presents smooth like a silky vanilla. The strawberry goodness can be found after a sip. Woah. I would definitely recommend giving this a light swirl from time to time. The citrus zest rises like a fireball carrying all kinds of new, potent floral notes. I'm not too sharp on my flower species smells, but the aromas I'm getting give off a vibe of yellow or white flower petals and natural tan undergrowth. Fun one to nose, it develops well and evolves over time. Nearing the end of the glass I get a few flashes of anise, light, dried leather and the continued dominance of the fantastic citrus and floral base profile. Empty glass is a lovely herbal chocolate & caramel. Palate: First taste is just wonderful sweetness. A flash of strawberry vanilla smoothie, then a wave of citrus, a quick nod & a handshake from the oak, then it returns to a dry strawberry. Carries a bit of sour plum in the aftertaste as well. After things open up the citrus side of things takes over, coating under my tongue with little nibbles of lemon frosting. So silky & smooth to start with some rising sweetness & a lingering thin caramel. Eventually develops into a bit of smooth leather & the dark old oak let's you know where all the flavor came from. Some corn and dried peanuts rise up on the longer lingers. Yum! Rating: 5/5 This was a really lovely surprise. The profile was not at all what I was expecting going into a Wild Turkey offering. Eddie did a fantastic job of 'doing something different' as he intended to do. I thoroughly enjoyed nosing this one. As much as I wish the palate was closer to 100 proof than 90, I still have to give credit where credit is due, as this is a really solid pour.