Tag: b- grade

  • 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: 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…

  • Green River Full Proof Scoresheet & Review

    Green River Full Proof Scoresheet & Review

    Green River might have one of the best comeback stories still in progress. Going from a highly publicized operation in its heyday to one of several defunct distilleries in the 20th century, only to be resurrected as a place producing rapid-aged whiskey (then called O.Z. Tyler), things appeared fuzzy for…

  • Talisker Distillers Edition 2023 Scoresheet & Review

    Talisker Distillers Edition 2023 Scoresheet & Review

    The idea of a “Distillers Edition” release is easy enough to grasp. A Master Distiller curates a release that effectively showcases their distillery at its most quintessential. Turning this concept into a regular release isn’t uncommon to the world of scotch, but it’s less common than I’d initially suspect (or…

  • Just the Sip: Rock Hill Farms Review

    Just the Sip: Rock Hill Farms Review

    Rock Hill Farms might be one of the trickiest bottles to track down information on; nevermind the fact it’s often a slog to simply find a bottle. The ornate mash bill #2 bourbon is highly coveted, even by Buffalo Trace standards. Part of that may have to do with on/off…

  • Elijah Craig Toasted Rye Scoresheet & Review

    Elijah Craig Toasted Rye Scoresheet & Review

    Whiskey and toasted barrels go hand-in-hand more than one might initially think. It’s not uncommon for casks to undergo both charring and toasting prior to being filled with new make. Yet the slight innovation to use a secondary vessel that emphasizes the toasting process for previously matured whiskey is a…

  • Jim Beam Black 7-Year Scoresheet & Review

    Jim Beam Black 7-Year Scoresheet & Review

    I probably speak for many people when I say that Jim Beam was instrumental to my formative whiskey drinking days. More specifically, the many options they offered at budget-friendly prices made it possible to explore variances of similar (if not identical) bourbons. This was the closest I could get to…

  • A Midwinter Night’s Dram (Act 10, Scene 4) Scoresheet & Review

    A Midwinter Night’s Dram (Act 10, Scene 4) Scoresheet & Review

    Many recent whiskey fans probably know High West as a pioneer of modern American craft distilleries. Considering their tenure and current production volume, however, labeling this Utah brand as “craft” feels a bit disingenuous. Take their pinnacle, recurring release, for example: A Midwinter Night’s Dram, which had a yield of…

  • Maker’s Mark 2023 Wood Finishing Series (BEP) Scoresheet & Review

    Maker’s Mark 2023 Wood Finishing Series (BEP) Scoresheet & Review

    Maker’s Mark needs no introduction to the ever-expanding bourbon community. They’ve long established a foothold as a distillery that excels in making a wheated bourbon the way they want. For a time, this meant sticking with the same whisky, shifting gears only to offer it at varying proof points. Then…

  • Blue Note r/bourbon Pick “Blackberry Sparkler” Scoresheet & Review

    Blue Note r/bourbon Pick “Blackberry Sparkler” Scoresheet & Review

    Blue Note is an amusingly and appropriately named brand, given its base of operations. The actual distillery is DSP-TN-21021 which, despite only being licensed in 2014, is still the oldest distillery license in Memphis, TN. B.R. Distilling began operations in 2018 by sourcing barrels from a variety of producers, ranging…

  • Jack Daniel’s Rye Scoresheet & Review

    Jack Daniel’s Rye Scoresheet & Review

    Rye whiskey has been enjoying something of a renaissance recently. Previously seen as little more than an ingredient for cocktails, drinkers are gunning for certain ryes with a fervor that can eclipse similar bourbon releases. And while rye whiskey still has a ways to go before coming close to recapturing…

  • Michter’s US1 Small Batch Scoresheet & Review

    Michter’s US1 Small Batch Scoresheet & Review

    Present-day bourbon has effectively flipped from where it was 10 or so years ago. Boastful age statements, modest pricing, and high availability once defined the unassuming landscape. Now? The scene has exploded with NDPs, cask finishes, ballooning prices, and limited releases. In many ways, Michter’s portfolio feels like a microcosm…