Tag: straight whiskey

  • Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye Batch 2 Scoresheet & Review

    Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye Batch 2 Scoresheet & Review

    Jim Beam had no shortage of new products to entice drinkers between 2019 and 2020. On top of several permanent and limited bourbon releases, the Clermont-based distillery also brought a slew of rye whiskey releases under the Knob Creek and Old Overholt labels. In the case of Knob Creek, consumers…

  • Four Roses Single Barrel Barrel Strength OESO Orlando Whiskey Society Pick Scoresheet & Review

    Four Roses Single Barrel Barrel Strength OESO Orlando Whiskey Society Pick Scoresheet & Review

    Four Roses is a unique distillery. Despite being a household name, they only have four core expressions. Beyond that? They only put out one annual limited edition small batch, occasionally an extra one-time release, and some barrel picks. Those picks are probably the biggest reason the Lawrenceburg distillery has such…

  • Penelope Four Grain Scoresheet & Review

    Penelope Four Grain Scoresheet & Review

    Most of us know the experience of getting used to an entry-level item, transitioning to something upscale, and then struggling to go back. Whether we’re talking 480p to 1080p resolution, 30 to 60 frames per second, or low-proof whiskey versus barrel proof offerings, it’s often difficult to readjust after enjoying…

  • 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…

  • Maker’s Mark Private Selection “Sweet Bourbon Dreams” Scoresheet & Review

    Maker’s Mark Private Selection “Sweet Bourbon Dreams” Scoresheet & Review

    It’s no secret that I’m a Maker’s Mark fan. Even when the brand frustrates me, they still find a way to win me over, whether with a stellar new product or a cute ambassador gift in time for the holidays. Being a reliable, available, affordable producer of solid wheated bourbon…

  • Old Overholt 114 Scoresheet & Review

    Old Overholt 114 Scoresheet & Review

    Beam Suntory’s general reluctance to do much of anything with their three “The Olds” brands is one of the more puzzling realities for whiskey enthusiasts. Of the trio, Old Overholt has technically received the most attention from the parent company, but even it exists in the shadow of the brand’s…

  • Wilderness Trail Single Barrel Rye Scoresheet & Review

    Wilderness Trail Single Barrel Rye Scoresheet & Review

    When news broke that Campari was acquiring Wilderness Trail for a healthy $420 million (plus another $180 million for complete ownership by 2031), it sent quite a ripple through the industry. The combination is curious, given that Campari isn’t known for its robust whiskey portfolio, and Wilderness Trail is helping…

  • Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Scoresheet & Review

    Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Scoresheet & Review

    Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit has had a couple of interesting moments in an otherwise mostly uneventful journey thus far. The product launched in 1994, sporting a somewhat divisive fantail bottle design. Many consider Kentucky Spirit the second single barrel bourbon from a big-name distillery after Blanton’s from Buffalo Trace, with…

  • Michter’s Toasted Barrel Strength Rye (2020) Scoresheet & Review

    Michter’s Toasted Barrel Strength Rye (2020) Scoresheet & Review

    I consider myself a pretty big Michter’s fan. Although their lineup is tragically lopsided in favor of limited releases — many of which are aggressively priced, I usually gravitate toward their profiles. The last few times I covered Michter’s were fairly positive, with the standard US1 bourbon leaving a surprisingly…

  • Pursuit United Rye Scoresheet & Review

    Pursuit United Rye Scoresheet & Review

    Bourbon Pursuit is one of the most established names in contemporary bourbon journalism. Hosted by Kenny Coleman, Ryan Cecil, and Fred Minnick, Bourbon Pursuit is the self-proclaimed “official podcast of bourbon”. They provide weekly episodes every Thursday, including Whiskey Quickie reviews on Tuesdays and recent news on Fridays through This…

  • Maker’s Mark 2022 Wood Finishing Series (BRT-02) Scoresheet & Review

    Maker’s Mark 2022 Wood Finishing Series (BRT-02) Scoresheet & Review

    I’ve grown increasingly jaded towards finished whisky over time. In theory, it’s an interesting—even exciting—idea: Take a mature whisky and dump it into a different, secondary cask for a few weeks, granting it more flavor, dimension, and complexity. However, the sheer volume of bottles using finishing casks has exploded to…

  • Old Forester 1920 Scoresheet & Review

    Old Forester 1920 Scoresheet & Review

    Old Forester’s Whisky Row line is nothing if not homage-filled. Introduced in 2014, the series includes four bottles that offer consumers a more upscale (but still available and affordable) way to enjoy Old Forester bourbon. Each expression takes its identify from a key year in Brown-Forman’s brand history and, in…