Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky has been of my perennial favorites for years. I actually bought the bottle in the photo a while ago to write a proper review and, now that I found the time, I only have about a half of a shot left. Here’s the history: Maker’s Mark was introduced to the market in…
Category: Bourbon Reviews
Elijah Craig 12 Year Old Small Batch Review
Elijah Craig 12 Year Old Small Batch is named for the minister who discovered the defining method of making Kentucky Bourbon when he stored his drink in barrels that had been charred by a fire. It is bottled from parcels of 100 barrels or less, giving it small batch status. In the glass, Elijah Craig has a…
Jefferson’s Reserve Review
In addition to Jefferson’s Reserve, McLain & Kyne bottles several varieties of bourbon and rye including Jefferson’s, Jefferson’s Presidential Select, Jefferson’s Straight Rye Whiskey, Jefferson’s Ocean, and Jefferson’s Chef’s Collaboration. The bottle is fairly minimalistic with a script font that harkens to a colonial time and a small graphic of Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello, below. The labeling includes the…
W. L. Weller Special Reserve Bourbon Review
It’s hard to write a review of W. L. Weller without referencing it’s wildly hyped cousin, Pappy Van Winkle. Both are produced by the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky and both are made from the exact same wheated formula. Unlike Pappy, Weller is pretty easy to find and is sold at very reasonable price. A wheated bourbon…
Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon Review
Claiming production back to the 1860s, Four Roses has deep roots in bourbon making. During prohibition, the Frankfort Distilling Company (who owned and produced it at the time), was one of only six distilleries granted permission to produce Bourbon for medicinal purposes. Several different stories have been documented about where the name Four Roses comes…
PennyPacker Bourbon Whiskey Review
PennyPacker Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was the number one selling Bourbon in the European market in the 1970s, but was only introduced to the US market in the Spring of 2013. The whiskey itself is aged in white oak for at least three years, but the actual aging time is at the discretion of the distiller….
Wild Turkey Rare Breed Review
I recently stumbled upon a bottle of Wild Turkey Rare Breed bourbon at a friend’s house and had to ask for a sample. Rare Breed is a limited run made from a combination of 6, 8, and 12 year Wild Turkey batches. It’s dubbed ‘barrel proof’ meaning it goes straight from the barrel to the…
Bulleit Bourbon Review
Verdict: Unique, spicy, and flavorful. A nice treat. Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey has a uniqueness and complexity that makes it distinct. This is probably due to its relatively high rye content (at about 28% of the mash). Distilled in Kentucky limestone-filtered water and aged in charred American oak barrels, Bulleit (90 proof) claims it ages the…
Eagle Rare 10 Year
I wouldn’t think twice about recommending Eagle Rare Single Barrel as a gift this holiday season. The casual bourbon lover will definitely appreciate flavors while the bourbon aficionados will dig the complexity. A little back story – Eagle was introduced in 1975 by Charles Beam for Seagram’s and was apparently meant to compete with Wild Turkey…
Jim Beam Black Double Aged
Verdict: Warming, flavorful It’s hard to drink Jim Beam Black without comparing it to Jim Beam original which is probably what most of us cut our teeth on. Black is aged 8 years whereas white is aged 4 years (thus the “double aged” moniker on the label). Black carries a higher price, but carries more complex flavors and I…
Woodford Reserve Review
Verdict: Will not disappoint Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select has always been one of my favorites. This is straight-up good bourbon and worth every penny. I know the price is not completely outrageous, but a lot of folks opt for a more economical bourbon like Jack or Jim as an every day drink. I suggest to…
Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey
Verdict: Smooth, Crisp, Well-rounded My Irish friend never fails to interject his opinions about the superiority of Irish whiskey whenever the topic of whiskey comes up. I’m adding Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey to this blog as a nod to our brethren across the pond. They’ve been distilling whiskey (or ‘Water of Life’ as they call it)…
Jefferson’s Very Small Batch Bourbon
Verdict: Warm, robust, smooth I’m not sure why, but when I hear sound of the cork popping out of a bottle of bourbon my taste buds start to anticipate something great coming their way. Jefferson’s Very Small Batch Bourbon, from McLain & Kyne, did not disappoint them. Jefferson’s Small Batch is aged 8 years (vs. their Jefferson’s Reserve…
Jim Beam Rye
Verdict: Mellow, Peppery I hesitated a little bit adding a rye whiskey to this blog since someone is going to write to tell me that it’s not a bourbon, but this what I have in the cabinet at the moment so let’s roll with it. Rye is usually associated as the drink from the pre-prohibition days,…
Old Forester Classic 86 Proof
Verdict: Good value for the money Old Forester, like all great brands, has an interesting history. It has been on the market since 1873 and is touted as the longest continuously marketed bourbon. During Prohibition (1920 – 1933) it was one of the 10 brands that could legally produce liquor (for medicinal purposes only, of…