Taylor bottled-in-bond expression , which is extra-aged to 15 years and 4 months and bottled at 100 proof Batch 6: 128.1° (2017) Batch 7: 129.7° (2018) Batch 8: 129.3° (2019) Batch 9 : 130.3° (2020) Batch 10 doesn't quite reach as high as some of the older batches that I really enjoyed, like batch 9 and batch 10

years is listed on the front label) Further identification: This is barrel MAP-R-02 which was distilled 10 -31-2016 and bottled in February of 2024; it is available now at Liquor Junction at an MSRP of $109.99

If you're confused between batch 10 and batch 13, don't worry, I'll teach you how to identify which batch Batches 9 and 10 were both lovely. Batch 6: 128.1° (2017) Batch 7: 129.7° (2018) Batch 8: 129.3° (2019) Batch 9 : 130.3° (2020) Batch 10 Which Batch You Have Now for the tricky bit when the proofs are the same, as is the case between batch 10 If your bottle reads L21, you've got a batch 10 on your hands.

Hints of graham cracker and marshmallow give me that classic aroma akin to some of Michter's earliest

Whiskey drinkers everywhere: rejoice. Rare Character has added a pull tab under the thick wax of their latest project—the batch 01 limited release of Chad Watson's rye blend. This inaugural batch combines 7-8 year barrels from both Indiana and Kentucky, slant-dunked in blue-green wax with a sticky strip that will keep your fingers safe this fall. The hot knife can take a break for a bit as we get to peel strips off of limited releases and tear foil off of Brook Hill bottlings—at least until the Rare Character team cooks up something new. Innovation seems to be constant with this brand. I happened to bump into Pablo Moix in Louisville last weekend, where he handed me a bottle of this release to take to a tasting I was doing in Bardstown later on. Despite having a table full of dusties , this bottle definitely got a lot of attention. Anyone doing modern whiskey right is worth celebrating, and I've got more than a few favorites from this era. It's because of this serendipitous meeting of the minds that I've got a review waiting for you today. As with all my full whiskey reviews, I've tasted this three times —a bit of a testament to what's really worth sipping these days, if you ask me. You ready for a review? Let's get into it. Company on Label:  Rare Character Whiskey Co., Lexington, Kentucky Whiskey Type:  A blend of straight rye whiskeys Mash Bill Percentages:  Undisclosed rye mash bill distilled in KY & IN Proof:  117.9 ° Age:  A blend of 7-8 year barrels Further identification:  The bottle under review is bottle 83/1300 from batch 01, which is the first rye release first available in 2024 at an MSRP of $129.99 Nose:  Old-school barrel funk leads the way, something that classic bourbon drinkers will immediately appreciate. I find a wonderfully aromatic medley with little effort; sage, saffron, leather, allspice, black pepper, and linen present beautifully in the nose. Deep inhales produce notes of gardenia, rose, and jasmine as this well-integrated blend blooms in the glass. It's tender in the nose and a touch icy—like stepping out into frigid winter air after a long swim in a steamy heated pool. Aromas of crunchy fall leaves, seasoned firewood, and a kiss of cinnamon give this pour exquisite depth. Despite the slow and continuous evolution, I find myself ready for a taste. Coming back from a sip, I find my nose transfixed. Oily cedar, fluffy vanilla, and Walkers Nonsuch English creamy toffee candy come zipping into the forefront of my mind as an exceptional nose continues to develop in the glass. There continues to be some of the leather, allspice, and linen tones from early on, though they have taken on a new creaminess that I think most whiskey drinkers can appreciate. Late in the glass, things turn a touch simpler as the cold night air shudders windows, but it opens the mind to a clarity that is rarely achieved in comfort. Tomorrow's bread is set to bake, a rose is left unappreciated, and the pavement is being swept of the refuse of a hurried world. Great whiskey has the power to transport you, and this pour does just that. The empty glass smells like a root beer float in a styrofoam cup. Palate:  Right away this shimmers across the tongue. It's lively like a cartoon character; it's got the swagger of Popeye and the suave elegance of Pink Panther rolled into one. Ginger ale, prune, and apricot lead the way in the mouth before a wave of raspberry, white pepper, and pecan swing through on the linger. It's got a bit of effervescent crème soda at the start before it transitions into a silky spoonful of vanilla custard. The mouthfeel is on the thicker side, reminding me a bit of the squish of an untoasted marshmallow. Pinenut, currant, and blood orange culminate in a wonderful array of flavors with each passing sip. As the glass nears empty, I find a profile that continues to be incredibly crushable yet fully captivating, with orange marmalade and buckwheat pancake tones just singing their wonderful whiskey lullaby. My last sip is like a fond farewell to a friend, carrying lemon lollipop, a kiss of pine nut, and citron green tea. The finish is medium, but noticeably sweet and balanced, as honey, grenadine, and saffron round out a rye whiskey well worth exploring. TL;DR: Balanced yet flavorful rye whiskey that is sure to satisfy even the most looney enthusiast Rating:  4.5/5 ( Absolutely delicious. Enthusiast grade pour. ) This is Johnny Bravo in a glass—you can bet your booty he's going to make a move on you. While it's no Brook Hill rye , this bottle is sure to make you a few new friends at your next bottle share. Kudos to Chad for continuing to raise the bar on quality and continuing to flex his blending ability. I'm certainly glad to see the brand doing more than single barrels and finding utmost success in every endeavor they seem to take on. WRITTEN BY: NICK ANDERSON With nearly a decade of sipping experience, Nick Anderson brings a well-calibrated palate to his profound passion for the whiskey industry. Beginning in Irish whiskey before expanding into bourbon, rye, and beyond, he has long been taking the ephemeral observation of unspoken enjoyment and translating it into meaningful words. He is the owner and primary long-winded whiskey writer for AmongstTheWhiskey.com , and he hopes you find resonance in the patient conveyance of an honest whiskey review.

(Buffalo Trace) Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (Low Rye < 10% ) Proof: 127.3° Age: NAS (supposedly 6-8 years) Further identification: Batch 10 is the 2021 release Oooh, things immediately opened up to the lighter side after my first sip; it feels like a river that

I've been a big fan of Cathead Distillery for a while now. Their 7 year Tintype Series # 1 really blew me away, and I've enjoyed many wonderful single barrel selections that Kappy's in Massachusetts has brought to the state in years past. When this new release dropped in the fall of 2023, I rushed out to buy one despite the higher cost this time around. I chalked it up to the 9 year age statement. Yet after a few tastes, this bottle has languished for an entire year on my to-do shelf. If that isn't telling enough, I'll honor my self-prescribed review obligation by finally getting around to a full write-up a full 365 days after I bought this bottle. You might be surprised by the rating below. The shelf will be glad to be rid of its tired companion. Why the long face with an expensive bottle, you might ask? Let's consult some of the internet's opinions before we get into things here. /u/mudsock_Indiana on Reddit  warns of the variation in the Tintype (TT) series, saying: Just be cautious when finding a TT Series 1 on the shelf. Series 1 first came out in 2021 with less than 1,100 cases. The second release of Series 1 came out in 2022 with a different proof, and MUCH better than the first batch in 2021. You could find the second batches on store shelves until about the Spring or early Summer of 2023. Then, in Fall of 2023, Cathead released a third batch of Series 1 with a different proof, and it’s still not as good or near the same as that second batch. Of course, the TT Series 2 was also released in Fall of 2023 and although it’s a 9 year, it doesn’t even hold up near as well as that second batch of TT Series 1. I’m quite the whack job for the TT series, so I do consider myself a bit of an enthusiast for that TT product only. I hadn't really known about the subtle label obfuscation with reality being three bottlings under the guise of Tintype 1 nomenclature. At the minimum, that's pretty deceitful and definitely not a practice I'd recommend modern whiskey bottlers attempt with a very well-educated whiskey drinking base championing the market. I dug in a little further and was able to find the three proofs, which was actually not that simple of a task, since the proof is tucked away on the back label on these, which nearly nobody ever takes a picture of unfortunately. Except for Brad Drell and myself, apparently. The first release of Tintype Series 1 was in 2021, bottled at 119.2 proof, according to the photo on Whiskey Jar Blog . I tried a sample of this bottling and remember enjoying it quite a bit, but not as much as the second bottling from 2022. Mark Pringle seems to have enjoyed it as well. The second release, and this is the one you'll want to hunt for if my review sounds up your alley , was bottled in 2022 at 122.3 proof. This was Cathead's claim to fame. It should celebrated, revered, and cherished—not used as a marketing crutch for future releases. Cathead currently lists a Tintype Series 1 on their website , which I have to assume is that third batch, released in 2023 at 119.5 proof. This is the one we saw show up at a higher cost than the 2022 bottling. I have not reviewed this bottle. Now that we've done our research, let's taste some new whiskey, shall we? Will Tintype Series 2 live up to the legend of the 2022 bottling of old? In accordance with my editorial policy , this whiskey was torturously tasted three times before I offered my well-triangulated opinion. On to the notes! Company on Label: Bottled by Cathead Distillery (distilled in Indiana) Whiskey Type: Straight Bourbon Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley Proof: 122.2 ° Age: 9 years Further identification: Tintype Series # 2 features blues artist Hermon Hitson with a tintype done by Timothy Duffy, it is still readily available at an MSRP of $159.99 (below the cost Cathead has it listed for ) Nose:  On first lifting the glass to my nose, I find a flat, muted profile that offers just hints of dry paper, corn husks, and musty cardboard boxes. Deep inhales produce little pleasure as dry vanilla and crushed-up alka-seltzer slowly drift into focus. Try as I might, there's just not much to find here. Time for a sip. Returning from a sip makes the nose even less enjoyable as things have turned towards a synthetic perfume aroma. Late in the glass, I struggle to pull meaningful enjoyment from the glass as my attention shifts immediately to thousands of other pours I'd rather have than this. The saving grace at the bottom of the glass are some marshmallow characteristics that can't be argued with. The empty glass smells of root beer barrel candy. Palate:  A touch of creamed corn leads the way on first taste before dry toffee, and just a flash of molasses registers on the linger. Subsequent sips are medicinal in character, with cherry cough syrup coming across as tannic and sharp. Late in the glass, more flavors do develop, such as oversteeped tea, ginger molasses cookies, and dry breadcrumbs. Overall the pour comes across a bit stale, like a baker trying to make one last pastry out of all the scraps from the previous projects. My last sip offers a profile akin to skim milk and almond butter; it does not sip like any whiskey I would expect to pour again. The finish is medium in duration at the end of the glass, offering hints of graham cracker and bland paper characteristics that remind me of accidentally eating part of your candy packaging. TL;DR: This is an upset stomach in a bottle; gas station sushi at Michelin pricing Rating:  2/5 ( Poor showing. Doesn't please my palate. ) I'm not the least bit surprised that this has been sitting on shelves everywhere I look, alongside the newly overpriced re-release of Tintype Series #1 . In a pretty egregious turn of events that likely transpired due to a glowing review of their second bottling of the 7 year Tintype bourbon , we saw Cathead re-release more Tintype series 1 at a different proof—pretty clearly a different blend, which is made clear with a release year on the back label as well. Myself, like many other enthusiasts took notice when this came back around. I rushed to pick up the new Series 2 because of the strong belief I had in the brand following that pinnacle whiskey I tasted before. Did they think we weren't going to notice? Does Cathead assume the average person won't be able to tell the difference? Are the palates on their team not able to differentiate what is high quality whiskey versus swill? Do you think they just get lucky with series 1? I think these are all fair questions, ones that should clearly shake any confidence one has for this brand. I'm certainly going to be looking at Cathead with pretty severe skepticism from here on out. NICK ANDERSON With nearly a decade of sipping experience, Nick Anderson brings a well-calibrated palate to his profound passion for the whiskey industry. Beginning in Irish whiskey before expanding into bourbon, rye, and beyond, he has long been taking the ephemeral observation of unspoken enjoyment and translating it into meaningful words. He is the owner and primary long-winded whiskey writer for AmongstTheWhiskey.com , and he hopes you find resonance in the patient conveyance of an honest whiskey review.

036 is blended from whiskey distilled in IN, KY & TN; the blend composition is made up of 7.5, 8 & 10

Company on Label: Heaven Hill Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 120° Age: 10 years Further identification: 2020 raffle win Nose: Malt & chocolate.

corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley Proof:  112.4° Age:  NAS, though it's supposedly comprised of all 10 To me, it doesn't drink all that far off from Wild Turkey 101, a staple bourbon in the whiskey world. means a bad bottle of whiskey, I fail to see a good justification for its existence when Russell's 10

Nashville Barrel Company, located In Nashville, Tennessee, has quickly made waves in the whiskey market since its founding in 2018. How, you may be wondering? Well, a bit unconventionally. You see, they store and age whiskey—barrels and barrels upon barrels—so much so that they opened their own distillery in 2021. With a tasting room for visitors to sample their various single barrels, in addition to their blended small batch cask strength bourbons and ryes, Nashville Barrel Company isn't a traditional distillery. Their primary focus is on barrel aging and custom barrel projects rather than distilling their own spirits. On their website , they go into more detail: We bought our first batch of barrels in 2018, quite honestly, we did it so that we could continue the tradition of picking through good whiskey with our friends.  Little did we know what would happen next.  Well, the word got out... fast. People started talking about our barrels. It became so popular that friends were asking if they could pick a barrel of our stuff. February of 2020, we released our first single barrel rye - and people on social media made sure the rest was history. Soon, groups from all over the country were calling to ask to come pick a barrel for themselves.  Crafting unique flavor profiles through aging and collaborating with other distilleries and brands is basically their bread and butter. Does that mean you should immediately walk away and look elsewhere for your next favorite bottle? Nope. The beauty of whiskey is the open-mindedness we, the ones sipping and enjoying said whiskey, inherently bring to the glencairn. Sourced whiskey is simply a process of vetting, as I see it anyway, and, at the end of the day, good whiskey is good whiskey, no matter how it makes it to the bottle. The bottle up for review had a meticulous picking team behind its discovery. No, really, those two smirking above went through many barrel samples (with a decently filled spittoon by the end) before finding this one. When it comes to trying new brands, leaning into palates that align with yours can absolutely reduce regrets. Having not tried Nashville Barrel Company yet myself and given the team behind the pick, I felt comfortable enough to buy this bottle before trying it. So, will this one align, or will it just be "fine"? Let's find out! Company on Label:  Nashville Barrel Company Whiskey Type:  Straight rye whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 95% rye, 5% malted barley Proof:  116.46 ° Age:  8 years Further identification:  Barrel # 7595 is a single barrel pick selected by Nick from Amongst the Whiskey in collaboration with Liquor Junction  with an MSRP of $99.99 Nose: Whoa, the smells wafting out of my glass seem determined to fill my entire house with their scent. Lightly toasted rye bread with melted butter and a tiny bowl of whipping cream leads the way. This pour seems to ask, "Why not pair an everyday basic with a fluff of happiness?" The answer comes as a whisper of creamy orange before fresh earth takes hold. Soft and subtle, I'm tickled by velvety young pine needles inside the palm of my hands, or so I imagine when whiskey sometimes takes me away to another time and place. Deeper inhales transform the woodland hike into a well-earned meal of grilled ribs dripping in homemade brown sugar barbeque sauce. There is no eagerness inside this glen, nor is there one thing here that wants to hold my attention too tightly, which allows me to rock along with the ebb and flow of this nose. I feel remarkably relaxed with this pour, yet totally in tune with what I'm experiencing. Time to elevate this moment with a taste! After a few sips, I return to a cozy kitchen with freshly sliced oranges and crumpled wax paper from a pan of freshly baked cinnamon bread. Nearing the end of the glass, I find lemon-lime soda, long since forgotten, on a picnic table. The empty glencairn smells of damp campfire soot and dried wildflowers. Palate:  The mouthfeel is giving me all the swoons, but holy crap, the flavors melting across my tongue are awe-inspiring. As someone who usually steers away from citrus notes, especially those leaning toward orange, I am having a moment with this glass and this tricky note for me. It's clearly here but so well integrated that it tastes absolutely fantastic. Take me away! And find me wrapped in a soft sweater, rocking in a chair on a covered porch, where the light is golden, the air is brisk, and the warm spice cookie in my hand is about to be bitten into. This sip is total bliss—a rye I know will rise as a fast favorite after just one sip. Further sips usher in soft and puffy sweet bread dough and a nostalgic undertone, like a tin of coffee cake from the local grocery store. Goodness, the flow of flavors, and the way they mingle with one another effortlessly, like long-time friends vacationing together. The linger is long and equally complex, with a warming wood spice that encourages both patience and anticipation. As I take my final sips, I'm drifting away, unanchored, without a care to be had. TL;DR: a true delight; the burnout on mediocre sourced whiskey ends here Rating:  5/5 ( Pinnacle whiskey. A true rarity in quality. ) When you know, you know, and this rye left me with no doubts about its intentions. It soared into heights unthinkable, thanks in part to the passion of Nashville Barrel Company and the patience of the picking team for this barrel. It's a rarity that a 95/5 MGP rye can illicit such a response in me, yet here I am, sipping with stars in my eyes and giggles in my belly. WRITTEN BY: JES SMYTH W ith what started as a genuine curiosity for the “water of life,” fiction writer and published author Jes Smyth has nurtured her enthusiasm for whiskey ever since. From learning the vast history of whiskey making to celebrating the passion of the industry, she tastes each sip with intention and purpose while expressing the intricacies of whiskey in a relatable and heartfelt way. She is thrilled to be a contributing writer for AmongstTheWhiskey.com  and hopes her words will resonate with those ready to explore the beautiful world of whiskey.

Batch 24A placing way down in 10th place on my power ranking of all the batches I have tried makes me