Tag: straight whiskey

  • Buffalo Trace Scoresheet & Review

    Buffalo Trace Scoresheet & Review

    These days it’s nearly impossible to discuss bourbon at large without mentioning Buffalo Trace. If not the brand name itself, then certainly any of their multiple bottlings. The Frankfort distillery’s more coveted expressions (Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, Van Winkle) might be what some enthusiasts go nuts for, but even their…

  • Heaven’s Door Decade Series 10-Year Scoresheet & Review

    Heaven’s Door Decade Series 10-Year Scoresheet & Review

    Of all the celebrity-sponsored whiskey brands out there, Heaven’s Door might be one of the more respected. Initial responses to the core lineup may have amounted to a resounding shrug, but the brand has gone on to offer a slew of other releases, including barrel picks and at least one…

  • Maker’s Mark 2021 Wood Finishing Series (FAE-02) Scoresheet & Review

    Maker’s Mark 2021 Wood Finishing Series (FAE-02) Scoresheet & Review

    Maker’s Mark is one of my favorite distilleries. That’s not exactly an unpopular opinion, given the brand’s iconic look and penchant for consistency. However, my appreciation for Maker’s Mark largely comes from their uniquely finished products, namely the Private Selections and Wood Finishing Series. Rather than taking their whisky and…

  • Milam & Greene Triple Cask Scoresheet & Review

    Milam & Greene Triple Cask Scoresheet & Review

    If you’ve seen the popular Epicurious video Whiskey Expert Guesses Cheap vs Expensive Whiskey, then you might be familiar with Milam & Greene. The second name comes from Heather Greene, the brand’s CEO. Greene was the first American woman to serve on the Scotch Malt Whiskey Society in Edinburgh and,…

  • Knob Creek Single Barrel Norman’s Liquors Pick Scoresheet & Review

    Knob Creek Single Barrel Norman’s Liquors Pick Scoresheet & Review

    Nostalgia and hindsight make for one hell of a combination. It wasn’t long ago that folks were singing praise for Knob Creek Single Barrel picks sitting on shelves, some of them as old as 16 years. Yet bourbon continues to boom, and it was only a matter of time before…

  • Wilderness Trail Yellow Label Scoresheet & Review

    Wilderness Trail Yellow Label Scoresheet & Review

    Out of all the distilleries I visited in Kentucky last year, Wilderness Trail had the most je ne sais quoi to it. Their grounds are a bit out of the way on the Bourbon Trail, with the most immediately eye-catching part being just how much land they occupy. Yet the…

  • Driftless Glen Single Barrel Rye Scoresheet & Review

    Driftless Glen Single Barrel Rye Scoresheet & Review

    Craft and otherwise newer whiskey producers are going through something of a transformation. Where these fresh faces were previously dismissed by most, oftentimes for being minimally aged while commanding high prices, they’re now being accepted and even sought-after in some cases. Among the more recent examples are producers outside of…

  • Knob Creek Small Batch 9-Year Scoresheet & Review

    Knob Creek Small Batch 9-Year Scoresheet & Review

    Many casual drinkers probably don’t realize just how prolific brands like Jim Beam actually are. Bottles bearing the Clermont distillery’s name are easy enough to discern, but Jim Beam plays host to many others as well. Consider their parent company, Beam Suntory, and Jim Beam’s prominence becomes that much more…

  • Four Roses Small Batch Select Scoresheet & Review

    Four Roses Small Batch Select Scoresheet & Review

    My previous (also first) Four Roses review practically slipped into gush territory. I remarked that, unlike most bottles I bestow with the Daily Drinker verdict, Four Roses Single Barrel could actually hold up as a sole daily and not eventually bore me. This is only aided by the variation that…

  • Maker’s Mark 101 Scoresheet & Review

    Maker’s Mark 101 Scoresheet & Review

    When Maker’s Mark refer to their Loretto distillery as “little,” it honestly feels disingenuous.  Sure, they’re not the biggest bourbon brand out there, but they aren’t far off as far as cases sold. And that level of volume practically necessitates a sizeable facility to meet demand. Not to mention the…

  • Maker’s Mark 2021 Wood Finishing Series (FAE-01) Scoresheet & Review

    Maker’s Mark 2021 Wood Finishing Series (FAE-01) Scoresheet & Review

    Being a Maker’s Mark fan can sometimes feel like being in a romantic relationship. Most of the time it’s great; they’re there for you when you need them and every so often, they’ll spice things up for good measure. Eventually, however, it gets to a point where things start to…

  • Russell’s Reserve 10-Year Scoresheet & Review

    Russell’s Reserve 10-Year Scoresheet & Review

    Stop me if you’ve heard this one: I’ve always wanted to try [insert bottle name], but just never got around to it. Bourbon’s ongoing popularity continues to grant an overwhelming amount of selection to shoppers, both at the liquor store and online. All these options make likelihood of exploring as…