A bottle I am thankful to have. I was introduced to George T. Stagg on the 2019 release which was really impressive in it's own right. The first time I opened this 2020 bottle I was almost shocked and disappointed - it was too hot and weird. These are my notes from my 2nd open of this bottle which was a divine surprise & a complete change from the first open. Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (Low Rye < 10%) Proof: 130.4° Age: 15 years Further identification: 2020 Release Leather, cinnamon, cherry & tobacco. Perfection on nose. Candy vanilla, marshmallow. Beautiful char. Anise. Caramel. Pepper. Back to a smooth leather nose. Later nose turns to citrus, light bleached linen. Grass. Smells like sitting in a cool room on a warm summer day. Buttery. On palate there is a thick rising cherry, some citrus coming in early with a thick cream. Easily most complex, layered experience I've ever had. Cherry note is perfect. Caramel lights a fire under all the fruit notes that are perfectly balanced proof wise. All these notes explode up after a sip and rises in waves through the nose with absolutely no sting. Mouth coating is thick but not choking. Later in the glass things turn into thick, herbal chocolate. Raisin and figs. Oak really only shows up late for 15 years in a barrel. Easily the best bourbon I tasted in 2020. Rating: 5/5

The two favorite Irish whiskeys selected from St Patrick's Day 2021. My favorite on left, @amongsthefernsco's favorite on the right. We tasted quite a few in a bracket style competition to find the best ones from our collection. We will continue to enjoy them throughout the spring and summer! Red Spot Single Pot Still Company on Label: Midleton Distillery Whiskey Type: Irish Whiskey finished in American Bourbon casks, Spanish sherry butts and Sicilian Marsala wine casks Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 92° Age: 15 years Further identification: 2020 purchase Redbreast Lustau Edition Company on Label: Pernod Ricard Whiskey Type: Irish Whiskey finished in Oloroso Sherry casks Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed malted and un-malted barley Proof: 92° Age: NAS (~10 years) Further identification: 2020 purchase in a Redbreast trio sample pack Red Spot Flash Review: Smells like camping in a tent. Can smell the extra oak influence on this one for sure. A high rye bourbon profile was likely used for the aging process based on the notes present; allspice, pepper. Earthy now. Delicious caramel & wine palate. Marshmallow forever..... Expertly crafted. Yum. Redbreast Lustau Flash Review: Cherry forward; very strong/rich fruit nose. Bright, sweet creamy with some chocolate. Citrus fruits come out on nose now. Wow. Marshmallow. Back to caramel and some floral. Good! Final Ranking: Red Spot > Lustau for me! Both were exceptional Irish whiskeys. A couple of honorable mentions of the lineup were Blue Spot for it's rich robustness and the really surprising depth and character from Drumshanbo. Look out for further reviews of those pours to come!

Weller v Weller. I think everyone knows what order this should rank in... But will it? Weller Special Reserve Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Wheated Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Buffalo Trace "Wheated Mash Bill" Proof: 90° Age: NAS Further identification: One Stop Liquors store pick, 2020 purchase Weller Antique 107 Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Wheated Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Buffalo Trace "Wheated Mash Bill" Proof: 107° Age: NAS Further identification: 2020 purchase Special Reserve Flash Review: Dirt, specifically an earthy mulch note comes through on nose. Light caramel and cherry shine through early. Candy apple springs forward. Surprising proof imbalance at times. Slight pepper with a light oily mouth coating. Good. Antique 107 Flash Review: Beautiful caramel nose; butterscotch and oak. Spice that starts as cinnamon/allspice, but turns significantly more complex as it rests. Light pepper with a dense sweet cherry. Rich syrupy molasses mixed with dark chocolate. Great mouth feel. Cinnamon, cherry and molasses are the highlight of a finish that is faint in intensity but long lasting. Final Ranking: Antique 107 > Special Reserve (Store Pick) This store pick Special Reserve was definitely a bit of a cut above. I remember going around asking around some stores for more saying "This stuff tastes like dirt, I love it!" and getting funny reactions. It still definitely could not outclass the greatness of Antique 107 though!

This bottle is one of those ones that once you finally score one, you feel obligated to open. This is no exception for this Blanton's Straight from the Barrel. I have tried one pour of this before and was impressed enough to be excited to get this open. Company on Label: Blanton Distilling Company Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #2 (Higher Rye 12-15%) Proof: 128.5° Age: 6 years Further identification: Dumped 10-19-20 from Warehouse H, Rick 14, Barrel 58, Bottle 89. Nose: Similar mustiness to the ECBP B521 I warmed up with. Earthy caramel & burnt molasses. Chocolate & a medium weight leather note. Vanilla is baked-in and dry, almost like angel food cake, if it weren't tied to a darker black pepper bite. Dusty oak is just a tiny influence in the back. Definitely still contributes to the dark, old kind of scent vibe. Now the vanilla turned more of a Nilla wafers with a sugary side appearing. After a sip more of the earthy, dry garden herbal notes come out. What was before musty in would now call funky with allspice, walnuts and some dark, dry tobacco leaf. Certainly a bit of ethanol if you dig deep, but very approachable for 128.5 proof. The sweet stone fruits just finally broke through like a stampede. If also brought along a strange smell I'd call akin to beef jerky. Following that funky meatiness is a musty oak & dark chocolate. Lemongrass and something still vaguely spicy like paprika. Late in the glass features something unique like maple syrup and pine sap. Palate: Wow, palate is syrupy; instant prevalent plum and cherry mouth coating. As it thins there is a very intense spice that develops. The mouth coating does fade rather quickly on the first sip which leaves my tongue dry. More rich and thick than it is sweet, I'm presented with a lot of moody caramel. Things have finally opened up now where a suppressed citrus can now finally roam free. I get the sharp sour bite as if I sucked on a lemon wedge after a shot of tequila. Silky at first, then a thick caramel coating forms and finally a wave of delicious spice takes over on every sip. Fun, powerful & dynamic pour. Rating: 4/5

One of my favorite humans on earth @_lostnemo_ has sent me some fantastic @mayorpingreewhiskey samples from @valentinedistillingco for review. I've been meaning to try these releases for so long, but I don't have access to them very readily in MA. I blinded all these samples so I wouldn't know which was which during my review. I identified them all correctly and have simply listed the post-reveal bottles for clarity below. Mayor Pingree 6 Year Red Label Company on Label: Valentine Distilling Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: A MGP mash bill Proof: 124° Age: 6 years Further identification: Mug & Jug store pick; Cask No IND-71; Date 01.20.21; NCF Mayor Pingree 5 Year Red Label Single Barrel Company on Label: Valentine Distilling Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Valentine Blend (?) Proof: 120.2° Age: 5 years Further identification: Rainbow Liquor store pick; NCF Mayor Pingree 13 Year Black Label Company on Label: Valentine Distilling Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: MGP Blend Proof: 123° Age: 13 years Further identification: Barrel No 5 Mayor Pingree Red Label Small Batch Company on Label: Valentine Distilling Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Valentine Blend Proof: 94° Age: 4 years Further identification: Batch 010, NCF 13 Year Black Label Nose: - Mmm plum sweetness - Caramel - Pepper - Leather - Thick molasses - Spice in dry vanilla - Hint of very light pipe tobacco - Almost a buttery popped corn shell or kernel - Most complex 13 Year Black Label Palate: - Dark spice - Wow so rich - Tastes oldest - Wine soaked dark red oak - Powerful on a chew - Super thick plum, raisin and dark cherry - Biggest proof exposure 5 Year Red Label Single Barrel Nose: - Dusty and light - Pine bark - Herbal / spice - Something oily - Younger oak - Copper metallic - Lovely vanilla late 5 Year Red Label Single Barrel Palate: - Thin citrus - Bombs into a spicy pop - Caramel/molasses forward - Long mouth coating/linger - Spicy and zesty - Intense sweetness is dark stone fruits late 6 Year Red Label Nose: - Musty vanilla - Smooth oak - Dusty citrus - Chocolate - Thin marshmallow - Slightly tannic - Evolved into a rich delicious marshmallow momentarily - Devolved into young, fresh saw dust 6 Year Red Label Palate: - Syrupy, oak forward - Musty aspect of vanilla still present - Herbal funk all across tongue - Long linger of herbal spice - Thick vanilla char - Creamy red wine grape pool - Late turns too tannic Small Batch 010 Nose: - Citrus - Faint white pepper - Light dill - Herbal - Almost floral - Touch of copper - Tough proof imbalance leaves this outclassed Small Batch 010 Palate: - Very thin at start, no mouth coating - Slight cherry swings in late - Late dry molasses mouth coating forms - Rising lemon zest tumbles through the mouth & nose; most surprising improvement - Finish/mouth coating is almost impossible to shake - Low proof is actually kind of a nice break in this line Final Ranking: Black 13 Year > Red 5 Year Pick > Red 6 Year Pick > Red Label Batch 010

This @josamagnus Batch 100 triple cask was one of the first bottles in my bar on good recommendation from a friend. I am finally getting around to giving it a proper review. Let's see how it tastes! Company on Label: Jos. A. Magnus & Co Whiskey Type: Finished Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 100° Age: 12 years Further identification: Batch No 100, Bottle No 752/892 Nose: Sweet chocolate & unmistakable sherry. Light, airy spice is almost like an alluring perfume. Sweetness early on is thin in intensity, but delicious in character. Fig. Raisin. Definitely some flashes of dark earthy cognac which drums up more of the dark fruits. Smooth transition into a wonderful syrupy vanilla. Everything about this nose is intoxicating & I haven't even had a sip yet. Following my first taste things definitely turn more towards earthy tones. Dry, dark soil and tobacco swirl together. This gives me the feeling of being in a dark, foggy forest environment. Old broken acorns and chocolate powder are similarly themed. Suddenly things turned much lighter as a blood orange citrus ray of sun shines through. This settled very nicely into a profile that almost resembles Midwinter Nights Dram Act 8 Scene 4; very rye forward plus that tannic sweetness. Tobacco is a recurrent note throughout. Back to very herbal & floral with no more dark earth available to grow in, this glass has bloomed. Palate: Some citrus pop, followed by the delicious fruit medley I was met with on the nose. Slightly tannic & drying, the extra oak involved here has certainly left its mark. Herbal chocolate notes claw out from under a blanket of molasses & fig. Hints of allspice and pepper are well subdued by the syrupy sweets. Strangely both thick, viscous and coating while also drying; it's like the fruit and the oak are raging a vicious battle back and forth. Some raisin bread... maybe closer to an oatmeal raisin cookie. Very syrupy sweet at the end with heavy cherry and rich oak flavors pulsing through in a very low ethanol delivery. Flashes of tobacco are also present on the palate. Only thing I'd say is missing it a little more linger. Rating: 3/5

I am a big Booker's fan in general. I have every batch from 2017-02 up 'til present review date available to me. I really like tasting them next to each other to find the nuances of each batch. I'm excited to keep learning about previous batches as well as new. This is the latest and greatest as of now; let's find out if it's worth having on your bar while you can still find it in stores. 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 Nose: Smooth vanilla dryness lays over a well aged oak. Deep pulls of paper dry cherry. Raisins, including the box (thank you SunMaid). Some fun vegetal notes sneaking in now. Earthy like a potato skin. Wow, tart apricot swings in with big syrupy power, finally defeating the dryness present early on. The vanilla stays present but mixes with the stone fruit medium sweetness, so it noses differently now. Almost presents with some citrus, but I think it's more of an herbal artifact like rubbed sage and mint. These notes are very subtle though behind the vanilla and oak dominant profile. This also has some of the peanuts of Granny's Batch, but also maybe some hints of walnut and dry paper. Late/low in the glass things adopt a strong dark chocolate, orange peel zest and a lovely return of the first note: vanilla. Palate: Immediately a pool of sweet apricot & cherry forms & lingers impossibly long. Strong mouth coating is thick like cold molasses. Some cinnamon bite in the back, but waves of fruit, vanilla, toasted oak and burnt sugar power through. This might be close to one of my favorite Booker's profiles. I'm more inclined to sip and enjoy than sit and take notes, that's a sure sign of a good pour. Another taste produces a big pepper note that pops on a caramel bubble, releasing all of the slightly tannic plum and apricot. Each sip really follows that sizzle, pop and then waves of deliciousness behavior. This is exactly how tasting an uncut whiskey should go. Yum. As this opens more it does start to develop that peanut profile, which I like. Rating: 4/5

Another edition of Un-Gnome Whiskey is here! @_amongsttheferns picked me another sample from the ever growing drawer of 2oz goodness. What’s in the glass tonight? Could you guess it before the end? Bottle information will be posted after the glass reveal at the end. Scroll slow if you don't want spoilers! Nose: Some immediate unique fruit to my nose. Like peach? Citrus. Grapefruit kind of zesty twang. Caramel and something that wants to be vanilla but isn't comes out after that fruit bouquet. Honey sweetness. Nose has settled into a dusty, dry oak. Definitely smells like there is a barrel finish going on here. Maybe a wine? It's a unique one if so. Really unique pepper note. Feels like it is encrusted in some sweet cornbread. From here I can't find much more in the way of complexity; it's a nice profile, but doesn't have layers after hours. Palate: Spicy first sip on the tip of the tongue. That immediately melts into a cup of syrupy peaches. Surprising earthy rye spices compared to the fruity nose. Very herbal profile which says it is probably a rye. Big sour fruit note that falls out of a ball of sweet ethanol. This one is a nice change of pace from a traditional profile; it's uniqueness not a qualm by me. Good fruity, citrusy pour that has very manageable heat for me, but this feels like it might drink above it's proof. Fine by me, but may be a deal breaker for others. Slight chocolate on the finish. For those that like a proofy but sweet, rising finish: this will be a hit! I am truly stumped on what this might be today. Rating: 4/5 Guess: George Dickel Rye? Reveal: Alberta Premium Cask Strength Welp, I knew I was off on this one. I think I overthought it; but I also expect to get more of these wrong than right. I should have known this was a high proof offering by how I felt at the end of one glass! Company on Label: Alberta Distillers Limited Whiskey Type: Canadian Rye Whisky Mash Bill Percentages: 100% Rye Proof: 132° Age: 5 years Further identification: Early 2021 Limited Release

Time to pass the torch. Tonight we say goodbye to a great @russellsreservebourbon store pick and welcome the next. I went into these pours blinded/randomized for fairness. Will I be able to recognize my old flame? Will the new taste steal the show? Let’s find out! Left Glass Review: Nose: Delicious peanut and cherry forward. I could be smelling a Booker's batch here. Spice cut with a nice marshmallow. Rich syrupy plum and some herbal funk. Sweet confectionery sugar. Chocolate. Perfect puffy campfire marshmallow note in the back. Yum! Palate: Syrupy cherry with a big whiplash of citrus and spice. Cinnamon hots at the back of my mouth. Nice mouth feel of vanilla where some of that peanut profile can shine on the palate without being overpowering. Nice citrus proof rising well again here. A good balance somewhere between peanut and vanilla where everyone just gets along! Right Glass Review: Nose: More mellow than the left glass. Caramel and vanilla perfectly blended. Light dusty earth and oak. Citrusy proof that leaves a light sting in the nostrils. Nice clear raisin coming through. I'm reminded here of the smell of a cotton bed sheet, flapping on the clothes line on a breezy summer day. Caramel ties well to the herbal molasses blend. You never have to dig long for some nice notes here. Slight peanut late in the glass; maybe a wave hello from the left glass. A similar marshmallow says this bottle is ready to be kicked! Palate: Wow, rich citrus bite on the tongue. Beautiful caramel and molasses herbs work over much like the nose. Slightly metallic mouth coating; maybe attributed to a unique mix of citrus and anise. Definitely the easier sipper of the two, but that may be due in some part to oxidation. Final Ranking: Right Glass > Left Glass, but both are fantastic offerings Reveal: Left Glass = Liquor Junction Right Glass = Rapid Liquors Left Glass Company on Label: Wild Turkey Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 110° Age: 8 years Further identification: Liquor Junction store pick Barrel 20-0213. Distilled 11/22/11, dumped 04/02/20, bottled 04/29/20 from Warehouse G, Floor 4. Right Glass Company on Label: Wild Turkey Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 110° Age: 8 years Further identification: Rapid Liquors store pick Barrel 20-0164. Distilled 09/19/11, dumped 03/31/20, bottled 05/21/20 from Warehouse E, Floor 4.

This Un-Gnome Whiskey challenge came from an Instagram giveaway that @saxybourbon ran with @_lostnemo_. You can find the challenge post here, a list of the people who participated here, and the results of the giveaway here (spoilers). The goal of the challenge was to have 10 people taste the sample blind and try to identify the brand, and in the event of a brand tie, the person who guesses the proof closest to the real bottle proof would win a full bottle of the sample in question. This will go down as Un-Gnome Whiskey Blind Review #2! The sample in this review was provided to me at no cost. Bottle information will be posted after the glass reveal at the end. Scroll slow if you don't want spoilers! Color is dark; a dense caramel, almost turning mahogany. Nose: Big caramel. Pepper. So dank, dark and rich. Soft nose with no burn. Digging up a nice vanilla. Herbal, but light thanks to that thick caramel and molasses. Slight meatiness I definitely feel like I recognize from somewhere. Ooh yes, perfection of a pepper note; feel like I'm at a nice restaurant with this one! Smoothness that says maybe Smoke Wagon, but not Small Batch. I don't smell a barrel finish which rules out a lot of things. Floral funk that might be bringing me back to a Four Roses offering. Very little fruit which is interesting. A little smoke in this older oak; maybe 10-12 years. No rich leather to suggest it made it to 15 and beyond. Still a dusty, oldness is apparent. Coming back we now have a rich, rising cherry. This noses towards an ECBP batch, but not specifically like any I have. Slight anise. Back to creamy vanilla; graduates just barely into a smooth marshmallow. Palate: Lower proof than the nose suggested. Dusty, creamy caramel transferred well. Some great stinging florals on the tip of my tongue. Pepper is definitely still apparent. Chocolate. Smooth, long vanilla cream. Candy dessert flavors I adore! Palate is getting a little weathered here. Now things are turning herbal/floral like I got on the nose. High flying airy oak that wants to be citrusy, but is actually more like a proofy cotton ball. Ugh, this is something I haven't tried. It's good! But I have definitely not figured it out by the end of the glass. Thoroughly enjoyable pour. A unique citrus greets me and the creamy vanilla finish gives me a long hug goodbye. Rating: 4/5 Final Guess: Barrell Bourbon, 118 Proof Reveal: Correct, AND closest proof guess! I was floored to have won this giveaway. I actually found it quite challenging. In the end, the next day I had some morning clarity and realized that this definitely felt like a blended type of thing, and even the thought of it being a specific store pick crossed my mind - which it ended up being. I am going to enjoy the signed bottle that was sent to me for a long time Amongst the Whiskey! Company on Label: Barrell Craft Spirits Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 112.86° Age: 5 years (Blend of: 25% 5 year, 30% 10 year, 35% 14 year, and 10% 16 year... which would produce a weighted average of 10.75 years) Further identification: This Private Release B24A blend comes from Amelia Liquors, and was even signed by Joe Beatrice himself!

Company on Label: Nevada H&C Distilling Co Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Malted Barley Proof: 100° Age: NAS Further identification: Purchased early 2021 Nose: Spicy caramel and cherry come forth first pass. Great sign: there's a bourbon in this glass. Shiny vanilla that is slightly perfume-like. Ooh, plums & baking spice are next. Definitely some welcome complexity from the higher rye content in this mash bill. This really settles into a very mellow citrus and caramel that is easy on the senses. A little bit of black pepper here. Slight clove. The wood influence is light, which I enjoy. This definitely noses like a roller-coaster, slow building in the mellow ramp sections and then a spice bomb down hill can surprise you at any moment. Late in the glass things stay in the mellow out phase which is relaxing; a similar relief to when the sun finally goes down on a hot day. Palate: Immediate citrus and cherry punch that spreads out, leaving a nice caramel mouth coating. Spice on the second sip, reminiscent of some kind of lemon meringue dessert with a bit of bite to it. Something also a little like fresh sappy pine wood here too. Oh my the finish just had cinnamon hot candy written all over it. I could have definitely missed that; it was a very quick flash. Citrus notes could almost convert over to the dill/mint category here but I think the caramel creaminess is the glue that holds this glass together. The end result is a really enjoyable sipper of a pour. Rating: 4/5

Company on Label: Old Evan Williams Distillery Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 86.6° Age: 7 years Further identification: Barreled 11/21/12 in barrel no. 1484 and bottled on 9/15/20; it was put into my glass on 7/7/2021 Nose: Nice cherry forward start. Caramel with some slightly metallic spice. Sort of a copper pot kind of smell similar to an Irish whiskey presentation. Nice rye spice going on. Dry paper & vanilla. A very suppressed lemonade sweetness is really trying to escape the glass, but it's held down by the heavy salted caramel & molasses. Hmm, strange (very quick) soap note just came out, maybe an artifact of a unique mix of citrus, mint & that dry paper note from before. A few hints of chocolate throughout; like a floral, candy perfumed chocolate though. Kind of reminds me of a Valentine's day heart shaped assortment kind of smell. The final array of smells as the glass settles is both unremarkable and enjoyable. The empty glass is a thin salted caramel. Palate: Thin to start, but led by citrus & cherry. Mouth coating is sparse, but up around the gums a dry, sour molasses sticks around. Very drying with a paper and oak flavor being dominant. Hints of the citrus and mint are fleeting on the edges. The copper pot aromatics of the nose also factor into the molasses delivery. It does not have the oily/creamy texture of an actual copper pot whiskey however. Very mellow at its exceptionally low presentation proof, this is a pour many could relax to. Rating: 3/5 I think if I was really tired from a long day of exertion, this pour would be more of a hit. For my palate tonight however, I think I will use this as a hiking / camping / backpacking bring-along rather than a regular sipper.