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: Purchased early 2020 Great caramel forward nose for a rye, definitely suggests that this must be a "barely legal" rye. Dust and some kind of floral note that kind of reminds me of a retirement home (in a good/nostalgic way). Peppery citrus. The herbal notes are unique for me; I can't quite nail it down. It is kind of earthy like perhaps a spring garden that is just getting started but not in full growth phase. Sweet flavors are present but sitting in the background on the nose. Palate is also very unique. Chocolate covered raisins and medicinal... pear? Great tobacco note is now present on the nose as this opens. Okay we are settling into a more reasonable profile now. Really everything has come together well so far. Cherry is settling in with a slight cinnamon spice that is like a dark cola without the sugar. A light spice and lingering vanilla produce a more than satisfying finish. Rating: 4/5

Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (Low Rye < 10%) Proof: 131.1° Age: NAS (~8 years) Further identification: Batch 15 (Winter 2020) Buttery, creamy, textured nose. Musty and chocolatey leather. Funky pepper. Fresh linens. Really creamy/sweet. Instant prevalent mouth coating kissed with a light, sweet strawberry. Caramel carries the proof through. Wow. Explosive flavors. Very sharp vanilla/marshmallow. Cloves & pepper. Pungent strawberry is laced into the leather. Spicy late in the glass. Solid. Kind of reminds me of a strawberry cereal that is sprinkled with a light cinnamon. Finish is shorter than previous batches but this is way more approachable. I have a feeling this batch is going to be a crowd pleaser, but I don't think it is my top (batch 14 is, as of right now). Rating: 4/5

Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (Low Rye < 10%) Proof: 90° Age: 10 years Further identification: Standard offering, ~2020 purchase Nose: That wonderful @buffalotrace sweet candied apple I know and love leads the way. Immediately followed by the syrupy cherry & slight cinnamon spice that really noses similar to a Stagg Jr early on here. An absolute clinic of bourbon scent presentation; a well-aged oak carries a sweet, sugary caramel forward on it's latest layer. Some very faint spices appear as a foreshadowing to the continued evolution of this pour. Some evidence of a faint lemon cake is starting to present post-sip. Vanilla helps the cake feel along further. A swirl unleashes more of the cherry sweetness that overpowers the apple & caramel notes. It has also lost its rich intensity it started with, revealing that this may well fall short in a Stagg Jr head to head. Some dryness like clay under hot sun now. A hint of funky dark chocolate. Now that some of the other flavors have subsided I can really appreciate the quality of the oak note here, which is stronger than I may have let on. Some buttery silky characteristics do well to tie this whole glass together. Empty glass is peppery vanilla. Palate: Big first sip (whoops) presents a very light maraschino cherry forward profile. If you blinded me you might be able to convince me this is a light old fashioned. Unbelievably approachable; despite my large sip there is zero ethanol to uncover. At the same time a thick syrupy mouth coating doesn't actually carry much in the way of flavor. Another sip is just the perfect viscosity and approaches some molasses and a touch of earthy oak. The oak is almost muddy in a way. I envision a wet barrel sitting outside on a well-trodden path surrounded by a rainy day like today. Flashes of spice can be pulled from the depths of this dark oak. I do love the quality of the mouth coating on this that sets it apart from BT for me. The after taste has a nice lemon meringue pie feeling to it. I thoroughly enjoy this as a sipper, but not enough to give it a 5 in my book; this is a very solid 4/5. Rating: 4/5

Company on Label: Willett Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Blended Willett High and Low Rye Mash Bills Proof: 110.2° Age: 4 years Further identification: Only identified by proof, this was purchased from a NHLO store in late 2019 / early 2020 Nose: Explosive citrusy Pinesol note that I absolutely adore. It smells like coming downstairs for Sunday morning cartoons as a kid, jumping from dry spot to dry spot to get to the TV as my dad washed the floors. Nose also features a milk chocolate and some baking spice. Cloves. Bread. Unique dark fruit that doesn't want to reveal its secrets. Palate: Very unique dark fruit, graham cracker, chocolate, char, and caramel are an intense experience. If you aren't ready for a proofy rye, steer clear, but if this is your mood it's hard to find a replacement that can do what this glass does. Thick caramel and citrus wood hang around long. Yum! Rating: 5/5

I tasted this in close succession with a Michter's Toasted Barrel Rye, so there are a few comparisons throughout, but not enough to be considered a true head-to-head. Company on Label: Michter's Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 111° Age: NAS Further identification: Barrel No 21B376 Nose: Traditional rye baking spices and a creamy cherry. Oak note is recognizable. Similar leather to the Michter's Toasted Barrel Rye. A touch of extra ethanol that the toasted did not have, but the vanilla balancing act is more prevalent from the start. Definitely feels like it starts sweeter. Smells like fresh sheets next to an open summer window; some florals just barely wafting in. Caramel is always there to reset you. This has a touch of smoke deep in the back. This nose is perfectly inoffensive. Tiny bit of anise. Bold but well done. Palate: Plenty of cinnamon for this showing. Citrus very light on the forefront allowing the more complex leather and tobacco to show up. More of an inner leaf robustness than the smell of a cigar wrap. Brown sugar piles onto a peppered bread. Explosive, but not a 'hot' experience. Powdered candy cherry. Like a pixie stick level sugar rush comes along with this one; a favorite grandma memory of mine no doubt. Ooooh, a great light mint is effervescent now. Rising its way through me I get a ton of thick molasses stuck to the edges of my tongue. I could see this being a regular Sunday pour for me this summer. It just has a sit, relax, and take me on a journey feel to it. It makes me want to turn off my analytical brain, which I think I am about due for at this point! Rating: 4/5

The hilarious label for this pick was created by the private group Boston Barrel Society. It is a play on the Old Rip Van Winkle Lot "B" label in the hazy background of this image. I chose to let this barrel shine on it's own and not try a head to head at this time! @northsidedistillingco said on this post it was one of their "most enjoyable projects to date". This pick also came with a small jar of the honey that was used, which is delicious! Company on Label: Northside Distilling Co Whiskey Type: Finished Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Barley Proof: 99.8° (proofed down by the honey barrel from 108°) Age: 6 years Further identification: Boston Barrel Society pick 2020 Buttery barbecue savory sweetness immediately on nose. Super robust; proof is apparent, but welcome to me. The rye notes (36% of mash bill) are spectacular. The rye spice is kept in line by the sweet, creamy mouth coating likely from the honey barrel finish, but also could be a slight marshmallow note from the char. Without that balance I think this might drink pretty hot. Through the whole glass the most apparent note is a syrupy cherry. Some extra oak is level and fresh, not tannic or charred. The finish shows the spice that couldn't be subdued. When the glass gets empty the honey barrel really takes over in the glass coating. Overall a very nice experience. Rating: 4/5 I have shared this one with quite a few people at this point. I wish I had another bottle to enjoy myself on hot summer days, but I'd be content sampling out the rest of this bottle for others to get to experience this really unique presentation!

This was the review I started my Instagram page with! I recently took stock of the short list of folks who helped me get started back near that first post. It's a fun moment of nostalgia and I'd like to thank everyone who helped me grow over these last ~13 weeks from a guy with a spreadsheet to a guy with an Instagram, to a guy with a website! Cheers to you all. Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (Low Rye < 10%) Proof: 90° Age: 8 years Further identification: NHLO store pick - Barrel 123 Definitely feels different to the standard flagship flavor profile. Cherry wine nose beats out the usual candy apple I was expecting. Rich peppery caramel. Palate is very light still but a syrupy cherry note melts into a brown sugar and leather base. Touch of marshmallow comes through. Late in the glass some vanilla cream, cloves and BBQ notes are present (maple, slight char/smoke). If you ramped this up from 90 proof to 130... It would be divine. Rating: 4/5 Brief shoutout to some folks from Instagram who were great supporters early on: @saxybourbon @_lostnemo_ @8ourbon @bourbon_fiend_and_finder @bourbondipity_ @thewhiskeynoobs @barrelproofnerd @chasingbourbon @egilbert09

Weller Full Proof hitting a Glencairn glass is like music to my ears. This pick is among one of the better picks coming out of MA from 2020. Prior to this bottle, I had finished a bottle of Weller Full Proof from Total Wine which was not a good offering at all. Let's see how this pick tastes! Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Wheated Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Buffalo Trace "Wheated Mash Bill" Proof: 114° Age: NAS Further identification: 2020 release from Kappy's - Barrel 294 Appearance is a robust caramel; a tilt or swirl reveals thick, long legs on the glass. Nose: Sweet pepper. Creamy leather. Smooth cinnamon without the typical bite on your nostrils. Cherry and butterscotch. Brown sugar comes in like a dusting sitting atop a strip of oiled leather. Some orange citrus zest is what feels like is keeping the ethanol of the proof at bay and doing it very well. Palate: Super rich caramel & brown sugar. Mouth coating feels akin to experience of real thick maple syrup. Chewy cinnamon balanced perfectly by the cherry note. On heftier sips smooth flames can be felt exiting your nostrils. They are not painful but creamy and flavorful. Finish is an impossibly long mouth coating, but the rising creamy/zesty finish cuts off a little too short, forcing more delicious sips. As the glass opens up longer, so does the finish. Let this one rest. Rating: 5/5

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