Tag: straight whiskey

  • Just the Sip: Remus Repeal Reserve VII Review

    Just the Sip: Remus Repeal Reserve VII Review

    Whiskey brands named after criminal acts and individuals are nothing new. Likewise, it’s hardly uncommon to find a considerable number of bottles on store shelves that say some variation of “distilled in Lawrenceburg, IN.” Perhaps the most apt case of these two examples converging is with George Remus and, more…

  • 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…

  • Just the Sip: Thomas H. Handy 2022 Review

    Just the Sip: Thomas H. Handy 2022 Review

    The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC) is largely considered the peak American whiskey product line. Although the Van Winkle expressions (also from Buffalo Trace) are often considered more valuable, in part due to their rarity, BTAC is arguably more comprehensive and even desired in some circles. As with many bottles…

  • Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch Scoresheet & Review

    Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch Scoresheet & Review

    Facelifts are nothing new in the world of whiskey. Most distilleries make adjustments, big or small, to their bottles every few years. Even the same producer may make a drastic change to some of their bottles, but subtle changes to others (Wild Turkey and Old Forester come to mind). Heaven…

  • Larceny Barrel Proof C922 Scoresheet & Review

    Larceny Barrel Proof C922 Scoresheet & Review

    Naming a whiskey brand after a type of crime is a curious—if not terribly surprising—branding choice. Case in point: Prohibition, a watershed moment in whiskey history where production of distilled spirits was effectively outlawed. And if whiskey branding is motivated by anything, it’s a fun story. The lore behind Larceny,…

  • Just the Sip: Four Roses 2019 Limited Edition Small Batch Review

    Just the Sip: Four Roses 2019 Limited Edition Small Batch Review

    Anyone who knows me knows that Four Roses is my favorite distillery. When I say that, it has less to do with the selection of core products and more to do with the core profile, which itself can be highly variable. That last part is almost exclusively uncovered through their…

  • Just the Sip: Little Book Chapter 7: In Retrospect Review

    Just the Sip: Little Book Chapter 7: In Retrospect Review

    Blended whiskey is slowly gaining newfound respect. Once seen as little more than a whiskey and neutral grain spirit (NGS) combination—no doubt thanks to whiskey’s downturn roughly between the 60s to the 80s, blenders and distillers alike are fostering a new look for a once frowned upon category. Now if…

  • Just the Sip: Blood Oath Pact 9 Review

    Just the Sip: Blood Oath Pact 9 Review

    Blood Oath is effectively Lux Row’s most premium product. Although keen-eyed Kentucky natives and visitors alike may point to the brand’s 12-Year Double Barrel, it’s a pipedream for most folks outside of the Bluegrass state. This isn’t to suggest that Blood Oath is easy to come by, but the chances…

  • Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series Rye Whiskey Scoresheet & Review

    Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series Rye Whiskey Scoresheet & Review

    “Adventurous” is one of the last words I’d use to describe Kentucky rye whiskey. Historically speaking, this style has clung closely to its bigger, corn-dominant sibling. The reason is simple: Kentucky ryes often utilize barely legal or just past barely legal rye mash bills, meaning the dominant grain is only…

  • Wild Turkey 101 (2024) Scoresheet & Review

    Wild Turkey 101 (2024) Scoresheet & Review

    Your average long-time whiskey consumer is no doubt accustomed to their favorite bottle receiving slight facelifts over the years. Sometimes, this invites little to no attention; other times, it spawns conspiracy-level scrutiny from the more fervent among us. A couple of recent examples include Early Times Bottled in Bond, Old…

  • Just the Sip: Elijah Craig Small Batch Review

    Just the Sip: Elijah Craig Small Batch Review

    If there’s one thing whiskey marketers love, it’s a good story. And when it comes to bourbon, few stories feel as pertinent as the individual who created the beloved brown spirit in the first place. Even if said tale could be utterly fabricated. The supposed story of Reverend Elijah Craig,…

  • Just the Sip: Four Roses Small Batch Review

    Just the Sip: Four Roses Small Batch Review

    Four Roses has long been near to my heart. More specifically, Four Roses Small Batch was what I considered my first “splurge” bottle when first sipping whiskey neat. What specifically drew me to it? The bottle design, for starters. I loved the logo embossed onto the glass and thought the…