By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Several years ago, Kirin stablemates Four Roses Bourbon and Asheville, North Carolina’s New Belgium Brewing announced they were doing a collaboration brew: Four Roses bourbon barrels would be sent to New Belgium and used to make a bourbon barrel ale. The twist is that New Belgium reportedly used their own …
By Randall H. Borkus Rating: B Bushmills’ Distillery began in 1608 with a royal distillery license granted to Sir Thomas Phillips, which serves as the basis for the brand’s claim as the world’s oldest licensed distillery. However, the actual and direct lineage of the distillery was founded in 1784 by Hugh Anderson. Bushmills is best …
By Randall H. Borkus Rating: B+ Rabbit Hole Distillery Series Regallier begins with a good Kentucky Straight Bourbon and uses French oak casks to create something special. They use a high rye, double malt bourbon mash bill that begins resting in #3 wood-fired, toasted and charred new American Oak barrels and is finally tempered in French …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B Yellowstone Bourbon was revived at the Lebanon, Kentucky’s Limestone Branch Distillery, which is now part of the MGP drinks empire, First Luxco acquired the Yellowstone brand, then they bought half of Limestone Branch and gave Yellowstone to them, and then MGP buying Luxco in turn. In August, Limestone/Luxco/MGP announced they …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B- The new First West line from 15 Stars has three bourbons, with the Toasted Oak Finish positioned as the middle expression, between the normal bourbon (the Small Batch) and the “extra aged” eight year old. The company started in a well-tested fashion, releasing older whiskeys sourced through Kentucky, Tennessee and …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ “Single barrel heritage barrel.” Try saying that one three times fast. The phrasing is a mouthful to be sure, but I was happy to receive this bottle of Jack Daniel’s for review. My book Whiskey Stories delved into Mr. Jack, his contemporaries and heirs, and I have another book wholly …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B Sazerac Rye is the entry level rye whiskey from Buffalo Trace, named for the parent company and cocktail whose histories are so intertwined. Introduced in 2000, the rye stock behind it is the core rye whiskey for Buffalo Trace exceptions, but not the only one. Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Last month, newcomer whiskey company 15 Stars announced a line extension, meaning they added a new line to the brand: First West. Briefly, 15 Stars was started by the Columbus, Ohio-based, father and son team of Rick and Ricky Johnson. A negociant/non-distiller producer (NDP), 15 Stars released their first bottlings just …
By Douglas Fraser Rating: B+ Nestled in the former whisky capital of the world, Campbeltown, Scotland, lies the small distillery of Glen Scotia. Campbeltown is recognized as one of the Scotch Whisky Regions, even though it is home to only three distilleries today. Known for promoting its heritage, much of the original equipment designs are …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Nevada’s Frey Ranch checks off a number of categories one often finds in the craft sector, but rarely all in the same basket. Their standard bourbon is made with a four grain mash bill, while their rye whiskey is 100% rye. They have bonded and single barrel whiskeys; in the …
