Category: bar

Uncle Nearest 777 Anniversary Blend Barrel Strength Whiskey Review

On the palate, it’s straight-up whiskey goodness: toasted oak, rich butterscotch, graham cracker, citrus and roasted grain. Tropical fruits and Demerara syrup make the already glossy mouthfeel even richer.

Uncle Nearest 777 Anniversary Blend Barrel Strength Whiskey Review

BOTTLE DETAILS

  • DISTILLER: Not disclosed
  • MASH BILL: Not disclosed
  • AGE: 7 years
  • YEAR: 2024
  • PROOF: 121 (60.5% ABV) Though as single barrels, they range from 110-120 (55%-65% ABV)
  • MSRP: $139
  • BUY ONLINE: Reserve Bar

STEVE'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Any American whiskey fans, as well as Scotch fans, interested in this category.

WORTH THE PRICE: It's quite delicious, but $139 is too high.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar.

OVERALL: The nose is nicely simple: grain–especially biscuity malted barley–cooked corn, oak, light caramel and lemon balm. On the palate, it's straight-up whiskey goodness: toasted oak, rich butterscotch, graham cracker, citrus and roasted grain. Tropical fruits and Demerara syrup make the already glossy mouthfeel even richer. The finish is warm, flavorful and lingering. This is a terrific whiskey, one I'd love to say, "Buy it now!"

However, the $139 price is at least $50 too high compared to similar bottles at the 7-year mark. Hardcore Uncle Nearest fans will likely ignore the steep cost, and if so, I guarantee they'll not regret it.

According to a news release, there's at least there's a bonus: "Those who purchase ‘Lost Chapter 1 - 777’–which will be available at Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville, TN–in select markets throughout the U.S., and online via Reservebar.com, will receive a copy of Love & Whiskey and an exclusive link to download the first Lost Chapter."

So, get a bottle of whiskey (there are 7,000 in total in this release) and a book. Those are two of my favorite things.

BRAND NOTES

The palate unfolds with bittersweet chocolate, black pepper, tobacco, dried orange peel, and vanilla. The finish is long and smooth, leaving a lasting impression of baking spices and caramel.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.


J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery Double Staved Classic Bourbon Review

On the nose comes ripe apple, fresh raspberries, cooked cherries, pipe tobacco, dried roses and charred oak. Cinnamon stick, clove and espresso join forces to deliver complexity. Collectively, the aroma is that of a cool, and humid rickhouse; heavenly.

J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery Double Staved Classic Bourbon Review

BOTTLE DETAILS

STEVE'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Any American whiskey fan, especially those who love depth and complexity.

WORTH THE PRICE: Yeah, you could argue that. It's thoroughly original and highly flavorful.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar, just to be sure you want to spend $120 on a bottle.

OVERALL: On the nose comes ripe apple, fresh raspberries, cooked cherries, pipe tobacco, dried roses and charred oak. Cinnamon stick, clove and espresso join forces to deliver complexity. Collectively, the aroma is that of a cool, and humid rickhouse; heavenly.

Stone fruit and toasted oak ride a wave of cinnamon red hots front to back palate and down the chute, leaving a trail of tingling warmth. The brand describes the whiskey as "double staved" without defining specifically what that means. What's clear is the extra wood influence creates dark notes, some dryness and complexity that, on a second sip, forces the fruit flavor toward cabernet sauvignon, tobacco and espresso noted on the nose. Eventually those flavors emerge as a delicious melange of vanilla icing, ginger and chocolate-cherry finish that beg for a dessert featuring all those ingredients.

BRAND NOTES

NOSE: Apple skin and baking spices up front with hints of pie crust and buttery chocolate. Some lingering red fruits and medium oak in the background.

PALATE: Thick and glossy texture upon entry that leads to a good oak middle that carries to the finish. Fruit and baking spices are immediate followed by the oak that carries the baking spices. Lingering buttery chocolate and pie crust secondaries. Complex sip to take your time with.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.


Whiskey Jypsi Legacy Batch 002 Review

The first Legacy Series release stood out as a rare example of a celebrity brand that was more than marketing and a shiny bottle. This latest Jypsi Legacy Series release is equally impressive and will likely find lots of fans. It’s an entirely different animal, however, from Batch 001.

Whiskey Jypsi Legacy Batch 002 Review

BOTTLE DETAILS

  • DISTILLER: Finished, bottled and blended by Whiskey JYPSI in Tennesse. Whiskeys used in the finished product are sourced from Tennessee, Canada, and India (you read that right).
  • MASH BILL: A blend of three whiskeys:
    • 60%: 11-year-old Tennessee whiskey (84% Corn | 8% Rye | 8% Malted barley)
    • 36%: 18+ year-old Canadian rye finished in either port, sherry, or vermouth casks (53% Rye | 47% Corn)
    • 4%: 10-year-old Indian single malt (100% Malted Barley)
  • AGE: A blend of whiskeys 10-18+ years old
  • YEAR: 2024
  • PROOF: 114.3
  • MSRP: $199.99
  • BUY ONLINE: Via brand website

DREW'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Friends that are skeptical of celebrity whiskey brands and those that appreciate a unique and bold barrel-forward blend.

WORTH THE PRICE: First, props to Eric Church and his Whiskey Jypsi for launching the impressive and affordable Explorer Series earlier this year. It means those interested in the brand can at least kick the tires on it at a more entry-level price point before investing in the luxury Legacy offerings. $200 is still a steep ask, but with Batch 001unlike a lot of things on the market right now. I highly recommend test-driving, the juice was damn near worth the squeeze. The same could be said of this latest release.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar first. You could easily fall in love with this one, but it's a pretty unique whiskey unlike a lot of things on the market right now. I highly recommend test-driving a pour at a bar before you add it to the collection.

OVERALL: The first Legacy Series release stood out as a rare example of a celebrity brand that was more than marketing and a shiny bottle. It was a well-built blend from head to toe that almost any whiskey fan could appreciate. This latest Jypsi Legacy Series release is equally impressive and will likely find lots of fans. It's an entirely different animal, however, from Batch 001.

The base is Tennessee whiskey instead of Indiana bourbon, and the Canadian rye component is a higher corn recipe finished in three different types of fortified wine casks. As if that already didn't make for a complex blend, there's a top dressing of unusually old Indian single malt. Dubbed "The Alchemist," it proves maybe even better than Batch 001, the kind of skill blender Ari Sussman is bringing to the table with this brand.

You notice the contrast immediately on the nose, where the foundation of Tennessee whiskey delivers extensive notes of brown sugar, molasses, and peanut butter pie reinforced by a dark, oxidized wine character and a healthy layer of slightly smoky barrel char. Everything comes together with a bit of time to open, settling on notes of toasted marshmallow, toffee, and chocolate-covered cherries.

The palate is a bit bolder and spicier than Batch 001, even though the proof is slightly softer, with early notes of peanut brittle, maple candies, and char that give way on the midpalate to a display of finishing whiskeys: layers of roasted nuts, fig jam, and a gently tart and herbaceous element, likely a product of the vermouth cask. Laced throughout all of that is a concentrated, but somehow minimally astringent, oak character that delivers black licorice, coffee bean, and clove. It's a flavor roller coaster that eventually finds impressive balance on a long, warm finish highlighted by baking chocolate and orange oil. You can shorten that journey with a few drops of water, but I recommend just buckling up and enjoying the ride. Batch 001 was a droptop cruiser, but this thing is all muscle car.

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Discover our complete collection of Wiskey Jypsi reviews and brand release information.

BRAND NOTES

"The Alchemist” builds on Batch 001’s award-winning approach of cross-category blending to create reconstructed mash bills, with 3 whiskeys – each over 10 years old – from 3 different countries, and the added element of an inspired triple-barrel finish for the rye. All reconstructed into a 114.3 proof high-rye mash bill, the result is pure alchemy indeed.

“We called Whiskey Jypsi’s Legacy 002 ‘The Alchemist,’ because Alchemists took unexpected elements and tried to change them into gold – turn them into something greater,” says Outsiders Spirits whiskey maker Ari Sussman. “That’s the job of a good whiskey blender. You start with high-quality ingredients and hopefully create something that’s even greater – more than just the components.”

60% of the blend is an 11-year-old corn whiskey from Tennessee aged in re-charred American oak barrels for sweetness. With fewer tannins thanks to the re-charring, this whiskey is smoother and rounder than most from Tennessee.

36% of the blend is a Canadian rye aged in ex-bourbon casks for 18 years. The liquid is then segmented into thirds and finished for 6 months in either Port, Spanish vermouth, or sherry barrels for added layers of dark red fruit, raisins, and oxidized wine. The final product is a rye whose spice is brilliantly countered by deep cherry, prune, and fig notes.

The last 4% of the blend is a rare, 10-year-old 100% Indian single malt matured in India’s high temperatures and humidity. This is some of the finest Indian single malt available, with a Double Gold award at the San Francisco International Spirits Competition of its own to prove it.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.


El Negocio Joven Tequila Review

On the nose comes a load of roasted agave, agave nectar, minerality, fresh herb bouquet, white pepper and butterscotch. If too closely nosed, it becomes shrill. So swirl vigorously and let breathe a bit to release those harsher notes–or just pull back from it some.

El Negocio Joven Tequila Review

BOTTLE DETAILS

  • DISTILLER: El Negocio Tequila, (Tequila Cascahuín, NOM 1123)
  • MASH BILL: 100 percent blue Weber agave
  • AGE: 2 months or less
  • YEAR: 2024
  • PROOF: 80 (40% ABV)
  • MSRP: $200
  • BUY ONLINE: Wine Searcher

STEVE'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Tequila fans who like lots of minerality and dry finishes.

WORTH THE PRICE: Not at $200. Especially when compared with Cascahuin Tahona Blanco, its $95 sibling from the same distillery.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar

OVERALL: For anyone unfamiliar with the term joven, it literally means young. Most jovens are a blend of mostly blanco and some reposado (in El Negocio's case, the split is 90/10) to retain some fruitiness of the blanco while tempering any harsh edges with some barrel-mellowed spirit.

The maker of this brand, Tequila Cascahuín, is a place where concrete and stone are used liberally with agave roasting (stone ovens), crushing (tahona wheel) and fermenting (cement tanks). Some exceptions with the El Negocio Joven is fermented in stainless steel.

Despite one less point of contact with stone, it's highly mineral, which immediately translates to dryness. Some love a dry and tight presentation, but it's not my favorite since the compromise is fruiter cooked agave notes pushed too far back. In this case, they're indiscernible on the palate.

For what it's worth, the reposado used in this joven was aged in French oak Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. Those barrels' influence on just the reposado alone is prominent, but not detectable to me in the joven.

That said, it's still an interesting pour. On the nose comes a load of roasted agave, agave nectar, minerality, fresh herb bouquet, white pepper and butterscotch. If too closely nosed, it becomes shrill. So swirl vigorously and let breathe a bit to release those harsher notes–or just pull back from it some.

As mentioned, on the palate, minerality rings loud and proud. Some days I tasted peppercorn and a bit of cinnamon, but on most others, not a lot else. I found the trick to extracting deeper flavors was to hold it in my mouth and exhale through my nose to illuminate some sweet notes. That's when Sprite/7-Up show up with black pepper, rye bread (of all things) and a new and more powerful push of minerality.

Just as a subset of American whiskey drinkers seek out oaky-dry releases, there are tequila drinkers who like this super-dry presentation. There are 7.5 billion palates in this world, so not surprisingly, everyone's is different. Cheers to those folks. I'll happily share my sample bottle with them.

BRAND NOTES

At first sip, bright and crisp notes of pitted fruit and flowers greet you, coupled with hints of cooked agave. The smooth, velvety texture caresses the palate, leaving a long-lasting, pleasantly warm green apple finish and smooth mouthfeel.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.


Barrell Bourbon Ice Wine Cask Finished Bourbon Review

If Grace Kelly could come back as an elegant whiskey, this would be it. If you could liquify gold and consume it, this is how it should taste. It’s 14 karat color backs my strained metaphor.

Barrell Bourbon Ice Wine Cask Finished Bourbon Review

BOTTLE DETAILS

  • DISTILLER: Unnamed sources from Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee and Wyoming.
  • MASH BILL: Barrell has computed a "derived mash bill " for all 11 whiskies, which is 71% Corn, 24% Rye, 4% Malted Barley, and 1% Wheat.
  • AGE: 5 years, though whiskies as old as 15 years are in the blend
  • YEAR: 2024
  • PROOF: 106.52 (53.25% ABV)
  • MSRP: $89.99
  • BUY ONLINE: Barrell Bourbon Store Locator

STEVE'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Any whiskey lover, especially those who will enjoy the surprise of a 106 proof sipper that drinks much softer. Share also with anyone who might enjoy a bang-up example of smart cask finishing.

WORTH THE PRICE: Seeing as I've tasted nothing else like it on the market, I'll say yes.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar since $90 might make you wince, but you'd not be mad if you bought it. Seeing as my press sample will surely disappear, I'll be happy to find it for $90.

OVERALL: This liquid was created either with amazing precision or incredible luck. Knowing the skill level of the team members at Barrell, I'll credit them. In the blend are six whiskies from Indiana (5-11 years), two from Kentucky (5 and 8 years), two from Tennessee (9 and 15 years) and one from Wyoming (9 years). The opportunity to create a muddied mess of fractionalized flavors was certainly there, but the opposite is what this bottle delivers.

This is a terrific pour, a first-rate example of blenders demonstrating how well they understand the components of many individual whiskies and then blending them to a degree that benefits the whole immensely–and using a unique ice wine barrel.

If Grace Kelly could come back as an elegant whiskey, this would be it. If you could liquify gold and consume it, this is how it should taste. It's 14 karat color backs my strained metaphor.

It's not immediately arresting on the nose. You have to wait to detect softer aromas of golden raisin, pastry cream and baked pastry. But don't wait on it. It's safe to really stick that proboscis into the glass. Immediately, you'll be rewarded with sparkling Riesling, fresh pineapple, lemon oil and spring flowers.

I've had good ice wine only a handful of times, and I've never forgotten that vivid grape character created by letting grapes remain on the vine until they're nearly frozen. That rarity and richness of such concentrated flavors are front and center here, so much so that I forget about the bourbons that make this warming and comforting. That sweetness and silken texture given by the barrel are welcome distractions from the whiskey.

The ice wine cask delivers up more goodies than expected–far more than so many used and underwhelming casks contribute–to create a delicious, fully rounded whole. I expected subtlety and instead got weighty mouthfeel, buoyant fruit and beautiful acidity on the finish. With all the whiskies in this mix, I'm astonished that it retains so much ice wine fruit character.

BRAND NOTES

Making an exceptional ice wine requires optimal conditions and great care throughout the entire winemaking process. The BCS blending team took the same meticulous approach in carefully selecting barrels and creating a blend of mashbills and ages to harmonize with the intense sweetness, rich texture, and lively acidity of the ice wine. The resulting bourbon is bright and complex, with a rich body, and notes of stone fruit and white chocolate.

The whiskey opens with a bouquet of fresh flowers and a fruit cocktail of strawberry, melon and white peach. The freshness is met with rich notes of iced caramel latte, white chocolate and honey toast, then evolves into sweeter and more savory profile with beeswax, kettle corn, ginger and hazelnut.

Nose: Opens with a bouquet of fresh flowers and a fruit cocktail of strawberry, melon and white peach. The freshness is met with rich notes of iced caramel latte, white chocolate and honey toast, then evolves into sweeter and more savory profile with beeswax, kettle corn, ginger and hazelnut

Palate: The palate instantly coats your mouth with sweet honey notes integrated with savory white pepper and toasted baguette. Golden raisin, apricot and white chocolate macadamia cookies permeate the midpalate with a richness that unites with notes of affogato, ginger, Brazil nuts and coconut

Finish: White pepper, beeswax, hazelnut, ginger, apricot and coconut.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.


Parker’s Heritage Collection Malt Whiskey Finished in Heavy Toast Cognac Barrels Review

Cognac finishing like this is somewhat unique for an American whiskey, but it really sings with this well-aged malt, delivering a bright, silky aroma of ripe apricot, flamed orange peel, and soft wood smoke alongside the expected roasted and dark tones of the toasted oak.

Parker's Heritage Collection Malt Whiskey Finished in Heavy Toast Cognac Barrels Review

BOTTLE DETAILS

  • DISTILLER: Heaven Hill Distillery
  • MASH BILL: 65% Malted Barley | 35% Corn
  • AGE: 14 Years Old
  • YEAR: 2024
  • PROOF: 107 (53.5% ABV)
  • MSRP: $170

DREW'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Parker's Heritage Collection super fans, especially those who didn't love the first malt whiskey release. Your friends who are getting into American Single Malt (note: this isn't a single malt but a malt whiskey, which is even rarer).

WORTH THE PRICE: The MSRP is reasonable for a limited edition whiskey this unique, but I wouldn't pay much more for it. And we all know how hard it is to find a Parker's Heritage Collection release priced anywhere near the suggested retail.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar first. It's a big upgrade from the 2015 Parker's Heritage malt whiskey release, but it's still an entirely unique profile, even for fans of other malt whiskeys or American Single Malt. Best to kick the tires on it at your local well-stocked watering hole before contemplating a potential second mortgage to add one to the collection.

OVERALL: Like I'm sure a few of you out there, I was pretty excited when Heaven Hill released the first Parker's Heritage Collection malt whiskey back in 2015. It seemed to be widely available and was priced under $100 (never again!), but because it was comparatively young (only 8 years old) and an untested style from Heaven Hill, wary collectors left them on the shelf. It was the last Parker's I ever acquired without knowing a store owner or trading a shelf trophy.

But there was another reason that whiskey was easy to get. It wasn't very good.

So, it was with some trepidation that I sampled this latest malt whiskey effort from Heaven Hill. And I'm happy to report that it's lightyears ahead of that 2015 release, owing certainly to additional time in the barrel but also to four months of finishing time in heavy toast Cognac casks.

Cognac finishing like this is somewhat unique for an American whiskey, but it really sings with this well-aged malt, delivering a bright, silky aroma of ripe apricot, flamed orange peel, and soft wood smoke alongside the expected roasted and dark tones of the toasted oak. At first, the finishing really seems to overpower the malt whiskey, but with time to open the base spirit comes more alive with layers of vanilla pudding, nougatine, and buttery cinnamon toast.

On the palate, there's an even better harmony of malt and Cognac-influence with initial notes of grilled peaches and golden raisins giving way seamlessly to dark chocolate and cigar wrapper on the midpalate before a return on the long, warming finish to brighter, sweeter flavors of Linzer cookies and Sauternes, all laced with just the right amount of toasty oak and tannins.

The 2015 malt whiskey release may have left some Parker's fans scratching their heads, but this latest return to the style is a triumph worthy of any traditional bourbon fan's attention.

BRAND NOTES

Each year as part of the Parker's Heritage Collection, we select a special Whiskey to be released in the name of our late Master Distiller Parker Beam. The barrels selected for this series include Bourbon, Rye, and Wheat Whiskeys, among others, and are some of the finest and most diverse American Whiskeys ever produced. They are a fitting tribute to the expertise of Parker Beam.

The 18th edition of the Parker's Heritage Collection® consists of 14-year-old Malt Whiskey aged in the upper floors of Rickhouses O and Q. Then, barrels that previously held Cognac were reconstructed to include a handful of new heavy toast staves. The Malt Whiskey was then rebarreled in the reconstructed barrels and aged for almost four months. Bottled at 107 proof without chill filtration, the rebarreling transforms the Malt Whiskey's earthy, herbal characteristics into complex notes of molasses, dark chocolate, and dried summer fruit.

Tasting Notes

  • Color: Polished Teak
  • Nose: Oranges and summer fruit at first, then black, herbal tea. Dark chocolate and caramel.
  • Taste: Rich and velvety, like fine port. Molasses and bittersweet chocolate followed by cloves and nutmeg.
  • Finish: The molasses and chocolate notes fade to dried figs and apricots with a peppery tingle right at the end.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.


Bomberger’s Declaration Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review

The nose is a simple pleasure and delicate in every respect: nicely floral and tropical fruity, a little honeyed, a splash of rosewater and candied violets.

Bomberger's Declaration Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review

BOTTLE DETAILS

  • DISTILLER: Not disclosed, though bottled by Michter's Distillery
  • MASH BILL: Not disclosed
  • AGE: Not disclosed, but judging by its deep copper hue, circa 6 years
  • YEAR: 2024
  • PROOF: 108 (54% ABV)
  • MSRP: $120
  • BUY ONLINE: Wine-Searcher

STEVE'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Any whiskey fan.

WORTH THE PRICE: Maybe. It would be a terrific bottle to buy for a special occasion or gift.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar before bottle.

OVERALL: According to the company, this year's release of Bomberger's, like the 2023 bottling, has some malted rye in its grain recipe and Chinquapin (Quercus muehlenbergii) oak (dried for 36 months, then toasted and charred) was used to accentuate dark chocolate and stewed fruit notes, along with spice notes to provide balanced complexity.

The nose is a simple pleasure and delicate in every respect: nicely floral and tropical fruity, a little honeyed, a splash of rosewater and candied violets.

It's more assertive on the palate, striking swiftly and brightly with prickly white pepper, baking spice and a load of toasted oak that's neither tannic nor dry. The mouthfeel falls just short of weighty, but it's lush and well-rounded, like an old school California chardonnay. Its elegance bears no pretension; it's svelte, haute couture that's confidently eye catching beside Michter's better-known and more Saville Row siblings.

BRAND NOTES

In 1753, Swiss Mennonite farmer John Shenk founded Shenk's distillery in Pennsylvania. This distillery was later renamed Bomberger's Distillery in the 1800s before its name changed again to Michter's Distillery in the mid-20th Century. It is this heritage that the Michter's Legacy Series honors.

  • APPEARANCE: Rich mahogany
  • NOSE: Dark fruit accompanied by nuts and maple
  • PALATE: An exceptional whiskey that opens with deep rich molasses giving way to layers of jammy fruit and transitioning into rich chocolate and baking spice
  • FINISH: Lingering and complex

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.


Doc Holliday 7-Year Bourbon Review: Cask Strength, Bold Flavor

In the crowded world of single-barrel, cask-strength bourbons distilled in Indiana, this one is notable for its complexity and depth of flavor.

Doc Holliday 7-Year Bourbon Review: Cask Strength, Bold Flavor

BOTTLE DETAILS

  • DISTILLER: Produced by the World Whiskey Society. Sourced from an undisclosed distillery in Indiana.
  • MASH BILL: 75% Corn | 21% Rye | 4% Malted Barley
  • AGE: 7 Years Old
  • YEAR: 2024
  • PROOF: 118
  • MSRP: $134
  • BUY ONLINE: Buy at World Whiskey Society

DREW'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: People who can't get enough cask strength, single barrel MGP in their life. Your dentist. And this time I'm being serious. Doc Holliday was an actual dentist!

WORTH THE PRICE: Any bourbon under 10 years old but over a $100 needs to be pretty special. While this is very good cask strength, single barrel bourbon, the MSRP is a bit steep. But hey, how many bourbons do you have on the shelf with gold longhorn skulls on the label and toppers that look just like revolver cylinders? Each bullet is even stamped with "Straight Bourbon." Those details don't come cheap, people.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar. In the crowded world of single barrel, cask strength bourbons distilled in Indiana, this one is notable for its complexity and depth of flavor. If you don't already have something like this in the bar at home, pick it up. But chances are good that you do.

OVERALL: What is the World Whiskey Society (WWS)? It may sound like a brown water club you'd love to join (and you can, if you like getting emails), but at the end of the day this group, which started in 2020, is just another independent bottler of sourced whiskey. To their credit, the portfolio extends beyond everyday drinkers from recognizable sources to include unique finishings and even some ridiculously rare (and exorbitantly-priced) single malts.

The bread and butter of the WWS offerings appears to be their western-themed Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp lines, and this 7-year-old single barrel sits somewhere toward the premium end of those. It's wrapped in one of the cooler labels I've come across with a great vintage look and raised type, reminiscent of some Compass Box packaging. And I've already mentioned the extravagant ornamentation, which is a hallmark of every WWS bottling. While well-executed and certainly on-theme, it does make me even more curious about the quality of the bourbon inside.

Luckily - for this 7-year-old Doc Holliday single barrel, at least - the whiskey tastes as good as the bottle looks. The aroma is burly with oak, char, and wood spice but a layer of darker sugars and baking chocolate help to lightly sweeten those savory elements, becoming almost mesquite barbecue as things open in the glass. On the palate, that same balance appears, perhaps skewing toward the sweeter side of the flavor wheel as it develops in the glass. An initial rush of cinnamon sugar and toasted coconut gives way to vanilla and torched sugar on the midpalate, all laced with black pepper and a bit of pie spice. It's soothing and even a touch creamy with a balanced warmth that carries across the sip, eroding into a lively finish of black cherry and Almond Joys. Single barrels will vary, but if you're in the market for another cask strength, MGP option, barrel #175 is what you're hunting.

BRAND NOTES

Long before John Henry Holliday became known throughout these United States as "Doc" – and also "the slickest gunslinger in the west" – he was a darn good… dentist. Classically educated in Humanities and Mathematics, by 20, he graduated with a Doctor of Dental Surgery (hence the nickname) from one of the top schools in the nation.

Today we know him as the symbol of loyalty in the Wild West and the hero of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Despite all the perils of the Frontier, he remained an even-tempered, well-mannered Southern gentleman until his untimely end at 36 years of age.

We salute Doc Holliday as the epitome of a true friend and a loyal companion.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.


Buzzard’s Roost Char #1 Rye Whiskey Review

The nose finds soft aromas of fresh plums and peaches before brighter aromatics such as citrus and cedar move in. The expected rye guys–dill and spearmint–arrive later.

Buzzard's Roost Char #1 Rye Whiskey Review

BOTTLE DETAILS

STEVE'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: American whiskey fans.

WORTH THE PRICE: Even in today's market, $60 seems a bit steep for a 3-year-old product.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: It's undeniably tasty, but try a pour at the bar before you commit to a full bottle.

OVERALL: When you live in Louisville, Ky., you learn that it's arguably the biggest small town in the country. If you're even halfway sociable, you'll make friends and know them for decades.

A good example is when I met Buzzard's Roost cofounder Jason Brauner 34 years ago when he owned a great deep-dish pizzeria and bar called Cliftons. That spot shared the same neighborhood as Bourbons Bistro, a terrific restaurant he founded two decades ago and which bourbon lovers have visited forever on their pilgrimages to Kentucky.

At lunch several years ago, he shared his itch to leave the restaurant business and "do something with all this experience and knowledge I have of bourbon." Apparently my suggestions found no purchase in his brain, and then next thing I knew, he was working on launching a whiskey brand.

He eventually sold Bourbons Bistro to focus fully on Buzzard's Roost, which he created with his business partner, Judith Hollis Jones, who lives about a quarter mile from me. That's Louisville in a nutshell.

Buzzard's Roost is a whiskey company which, since it sources and contracts its whiskies, makes them distinct with cooperage and blending. As this bottle's label mentions, the barrels in this batch are Char #1: three char levels lighter than Wild Turkey, two less than Heaven Hill, if you want a comparison. All Buzzard's Roost barrels are toasted prior to charring.

The nose finds soft aromas of fresh plums and peaches before brighter aromatics such as citrus and cedar move in. The expected rye guys–dill and spearmint–arrive later. To find toasted bread with honey butter and baking spice, you have to hunt around the margins of some potent ethanol. If you leave it alone in the glass for a bit, you'll return to find surprises like leather, clove and strawberry taffy.

When I first tasted it one evening, there was modest amount of stone fruit, Demerara, oak, black pepper and baking spice, but not a lot more. A day later, its spice and pepper characters not only intensified, they brought notes of orange, caramel, creamed corn and bruleed brown sugar to the party.

I've had the good fortune of helping pick a 5-year-old single barrel of this same whiskey and barrel combo, and the complexity evident in that is much more apparent than in this younger version. Still, this is a solid pour even at 3 years old. It's a reliable call if you see it on a bar somewhere.

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Check out our other Buzzard's Roost reviews and stories.

BRAND NOTES

Our very first product to hit the shelves and on-premise superstar. This whiskey was designed to deliver a plethora of different flavors. When making this blend, we sometimes use up to 4 or 5 different types of flavor-specific barrels which yields an incredibly complex product that holds up to a cocktail. On its own, you will find that our Small Batch Rye always leads with a sweet and spicy nose complemented with notes of toasted oak. The palate is spice forward and the finish is long.

All of our Buzzards Roost Products have been aged in proprietary barrels that we create with our cooperage partner. Each barrel has a unique individual flavor that is used somewhat like a spice rack to complement our whiskeys. We pride ourselves on delivering new and interesting profiles for each release. Our products evolve and change but one thing is for certain, they are always delicious.

• Nose: Pleasant notes of wood, sweetness and citrus. Upon further examination, there are deeper notes of dark chocolate and dark fruit.

• Palate: Warm and full of confection and caramel goodness.

• Finish: Long with a bouquet of sweetness and spice, finishing with some notes of toasted oak.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.


Cream of Kentucky Cask Strength Bourbon Review: Is It Worth $95?

It finishes warm and hangs around a long time. Judging by its light color and lean mouthfeel, it’s about 5 years old, which would explain its lack of complexity.

Cream of Kentucky Cask Strength Bourbon Review: Is It Worth $95?

BOTTLE DETAILS

  • DISTILLER: Not disclosed, but possibly Brown-Forman given the mashbill
  • MASH BILL: 72% Corn | 18% Rye | 10% Malt
  • AGE: Not disclosed
  • YEAR: 2024
  • PROOF: 106.4 (53.2% ABV)
  • MSRP: $95
  • BUY ONLINE: Available online at just a handful of retailers

STEVE'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Any bourbon fan.

WORTH THE PRICE: No.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar.

OVERALL: The nose is simple: oak, baking spice, a little jam cake and that's about it. On the palate it leads with toffee, baking spice, black pepper, dark stone fruit, some dried fig, a little pipe tobacco and some charred oak. It finishes warm and hangs around a long time. Judging by its light color and lean mouthfeel, I'm guessing it's about 5 years old, which would explain its lack of complexity.

It's good, sturdy Kentucky whiskey, and based on its likely Old Forester mashbill, that'll give you a hint at some of its flavor, but it lacks the boldness and depth of earlier CoK releases. That it's trading on legendary Four Roses master distiller Jim Rutledge's fine name likely explains the high MSRP. Yet despite my respect for him and his work, I'm not reaching that deeply into my pocket to purchase this.

BRAND NOTES

The 2024 Cask Strength Bourbon The 2024 Cask Strength Bourbon features a bold proof of 106.2, offering a rich, uncut flavor profile. This bourbon highlights the deep, caramelized notes of toffee, oak, and vanilla. The intense flavor and warming finish make this a standout choice for aficionados and collectors.

Aroma: Vanilla wafers blend with mincemeat pie and cashews.

Taste: Pleasing notes of black tea with a whisper of coconut, and dark berries.

Finish: Soft cola fades into a light nutty oak.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.