Whiskey cocktails aren’t just relics from some dusty bar menu – they’ve earned their spot because they deliver. Smooth, strong, and versatile enough to fit any mood, they’re the kind of drinks that win people over even when they swear they “don’t like whiskey.” I’ve watched friends do a full 180 after one proper Whiskey …
By Richard Thomas Rating: A- In September 2025, Heaven Hill returned to its historic roots in Bardstown, Kentucky in grand style. Although the company never left Bardstown after the disaster of the 1996 fire that destroyed their distillery, the locus of Heaven Hill operations clearly shifted to Shively after the purchase of the Bernheim Distillery. …
This year marks the ninth time Four Roses Distillery has sponsored a clean-up effort of the Salt River in Kentucky. A tributary of the Ohio River that enters the Ohio west of Louisville, the Salt traditionally marks the boundary between Kentucky’s Pennyroyal and Bluegrass regions. For Four Roses, the annual Salt River clean-up campaign is …
Brother’s Bond, a small and independent NDP, has announced the launch of its newest expression: Brother’s Bond Regenerative Grain New Batch Bourbon. Crafted from grains grown using regenerative agriculture, this release builds on the brand’s commitment to producing bourbon that not only tastes exceptional but also restores soil health, promotes biodiversity, and supports farming communities. …
I’d like to thank the folks at Cedar Ridge and their PR team for providing this sample with no strings attached.
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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+ When I am offered the chance to write up a book published by my alma mater, the University of Kentucky, I’m always happy to oblige, which is how Classic Cocktail Revival found its way to my mailbox. Penned by Jennifer Brian, it positions itself as a work that instructs a novice on …
Earlier this week, Woodford Reserve unveiled its 2025 Master’s Collection release: Sweet Oak Bourbon. That title refers to its aging in Chinkapin oak barrels. Sweet Oak Bourbon also marks the 21st release in Woodford Reserve’s Master’s Collection. Chinkapin is a cousin of the conventional white oak species used to make bourbon barrels. Just as white …
Heaven Hill has announced the release of the 2025 installment of their Grain To Glass series, which focuses of the farms from which the grain is grown. This year’s whiskey is a wheated bourbon, featuring a mashbill with a higher secondary (flavoring) grain content than Heaven Hill’s traditional Wheated Bourbon mashbill, used in products like …
I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this sample with no strings attached.
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