• Just the Sip: Blood Oath Pact 8 Review

    Just the Sip: Blood Oath Pact 8 Review

    Lux Row’s Blood Oath line all but invites scrutiny. Introduced in 2015, right around the time bourbon took off in popularity, Blood Oath feels like a product of its time while also being a clever outlier. The former aspect can largely be attributed to the bottling strength: 49.3% ABV, or…

  • Just the Sip: Glengoyne Legacy Series Chapter Two Review

    Just the Sip: Glengoyne Legacy Series Chapter Two Review

    I gave Glengoyne a quick overview in my review of their standard 12-Year expression, touching on the significance of their location and slow production process. My introduction to their whisky continues today with Legacy Series: Chapter Two, which was included in their Time Capsule tasting set. The Legacy Series is…

  • Just the Sip: Glengoyne 12-Year Review

    Just the Sip: Glengoyne 12-Year Review

    Baseline scotches have something of an uphill battle when it comes to standing out, especially to prospecting newcomers. This goes even further when discussing single malts, which almost always command a premium compared to popular blended brands like Johnnie Walker, Chivas Regal, and Dewar’s. After trying a number of these…

  • Just the Sip: Smokeye Hill Barrel Proof Review

    Just the Sip: Smokeye Hill Barrel Proof Review

    In my experience, “[insert blank] killer” is a cheap term used to glamorize the flagrantly mediocre as something remarkable. My first exposure to this was through the 2004 videogame Killzone, which some touted as Sony’s “Halo killer” prior to release. Now don’t get me wrong, I have a soft spot…

  • Just the Sip: Booker’s 2022-02 “Lumberyard Batch” Review

    Just the Sip: Booker’s 2022-02 “Lumberyard Batch” Review

    Is it better or worse for a brand to be set in its ways? I ponder this question whenever on the topic of Booker’s. Other than its release schedule (going from six to four times per year, except 2020) and typical age statement (six to eight years), the Booker’s brand…

  • Just the Sip: Mary Dowling Toasted Double Oak

    Just the Sip: Mary Dowling Toasted Double Oak

    Bourbon is nothing if not ripe with stories. Part of the industry’s appeal is how certain individuals influenced it over the years, with the impacts spanning anywhere from years to centuries. Admittedly, some brands will find a good story and exploit the life out of it for the sake of…

  • Russell’s Reserve 10-Year (LL/ME) Scoresheet & Review

    Russell’s Reserve 10-Year (LL/ME) Scoresheet & Review

    Here’s a little peek behind the scenes of my blog: Russell’s Reserve 10-Year bourbon is by far my most popular review, and by a significant margin. As of writing, it has around 23K views. The next highest individual review? Four Roses Single Barrel with roughly 12K. I’ve occasionally pondered why…

  • Wild Turkey 101 8-Year Scoresheet & Review

    Wild Turkey 101 8-Year Scoresheet & Review

    We’re barely halfway through 2025 and it’s already turning into the year of budget-minded, age-stated bourbons. Heaven Hill is poising Old Fitzgerald 7-Year as an available alternative to their Decanter series; Buffalo Trace dropped Eagle Rare 12-Year at the distillery gift shop for Father’s Day; and Wild Turkey’s domestic revival…

  • Just the Sip: 13th Colony 15th Anniversary Review

    Just the Sip: 13th Colony 15th Anniversary Review

    13th Colony has become one of the most talked about fresh faces in the American whiskey scene. Founded in Americus, GA, the distillery’s namesake refers to the Province of Georgia between 1732 and 1782, the last of the British colonies that supported the American Revolution. Although 13th Colony as a…

  • 45th Parallel Red Fife Wheat Whiskey Scoresheet & Review

    45th Parallel Red Fife Wheat Whiskey Scoresheet & Review

    There’s a growing sentiment in the American whiskey community that craft distilleries drive most of the industry innovation. Although legacy brands don’t outright resist experiments, it can often manifest as highly limited releases at eyeroll-inducing price points. For example, wheat whiskey remains a largely untapped category, with the only two…

  • 45th Parallel R100 Rye Whiskey Scoresheet & Review

    45th Parallel R100 Rye Whiskey Scoresheet & Review

    For many whiskey fans who begin their journey with bourbon, rye whiskey is something of a hurdle. Case in point: yours truly. I tried a handful of ryes during what I’d consider my transition from whiskey hobbyist to enthusiast—although I still don’t like referring to myself as one. To say…

  • Heaven’s Door Redbreast Master Blenders’ Edition Scoresheet & Review

    Heaven’s Door Redbreast Master Blenders’ Edition Scoresheet & Review

    Heaven’s Door is one of the few celebrity spirit brands that doesn’t feel like a blatant cash grab. Most celebrity spirits have one bottle or a handful of core expressions that typically pique interest during launch only to cool off like an IPO. By comparison, Heaven’s Door has gone through…