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Sample Roulette: Feeling Frugal

In September, I am going to be foregoing my ann…

IMAGE: Three blind sample bottles waiting for tasting.

In September, I am going to be foregoing my annual September trip to Kentucky for the first time since 2013. It’s been almost ten years since I last skipped the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, but, in my opinion, last year was such a flop that I just don’t feel like spending a lot of money to do something that I didn’t particularly enjoy. Plus, in September, it will be our 25th wedding anniversary. It seemed like too big of a milestone to spend doing the “same ol’ thing.”

And so we will be going somewhere we haven’t been before. Yosemite, Sequoia, and the wine country of Northern California. I’m sure we will have tons of fun, but I also know the trip will cost a lot more than our usual Kentucky trip. And yes, I’m including the bourbon shopping I tend to do in that total. So yeah, I’m feeling pretty frugal at the moment. So, I’m going to jump into another edition of Sample Roulette.

These samples were all laid down between 2011 and 2017. The labels were covered up in September of 2020. And they have lived in a box untouched since, except for the occasional adventuresome sip now and then. In June, I guessed terribly. Didn’t get a single one even close. I was even in the wrong continent at one point. Let’s see if I do any better this time.

Blind Whiskey Sample # 1:

Nose: Spearmint, cedar, pencil shavings, and butterscotch.

Mouth: Tingly and a tad delicate. Spearmint, almond, and baking spice.

Finish: Gentle and a little bitter. Notes of bubble gum, mint, and a hint of baking spice.

Pre-Reveal Thoughts: This is tasty. Very soft. It feels Canadian. That bubblegum on the finish makes me lean to Wiser's.

Reveal: Cedar Ridge Iowa Bourbon.

Post-Reveal Thoughts: Well. Shit. So far, my streak of not even being remotely close is still intact from the last time we did this. I do not remember this being as soft as it is. But then, I am getting old, and I didn't have the best memory to begin with (just ask my wife).

Blind Whiskey Sample # 2:

Nose: Oak is the most prominent note. Followed by caramel, vanilla, and baking spice.

Mouth: Spicy, dry oat notes followed by vanilla, red fruit, and baking spice.

Finish: Warm and longish. More oak, fruit, and baking spice with just a hint of a mineral note.

Pre-Reveal Thoughts: My first thought with the heat and dry oak notes was that this could be what's left of one of my early bottles of Elijah Craig 12-year-old. But I don’t remember EC12 having a fruit note. The mineral note on the finish brought me a hint of Dickel. But honestly, I'm kinda stumped on this one. I'm positive this is a bourbon from one of the big guys in Kentucky. I'm going to say Wild Turkey.

Reveal: Old Grand-Dad 114.

Post-Reveal Thoughts: Hey! I got the style and state correct! I see this as an absolute win. Sadly, what this means is that Old Grand-Dad 114 has gone way downhill since I put this away back in 2012-2014. Today's Old Grand-Dad 114 is much more dusty-grain forward. This is very rich and oaky.

Blind Whiskey Sample # 3:

Nose: Oh wow! That's a lot of smoke and fruit.

Mouth: Sweet and spicy. Pears, baking spice, and a touch of smoke.

Finish: Medium in both warmth and length. Notes of smoke and pears.

Pre-Reveal Thoughts: Sooo... Big caveat on this one. I actively dislike smoky whiskey. This is a big reason why I could never get into Scotch. So for that reason, I can narrow this down to a few craft distilleries. I haven’t purchased smoky whisky from many places due to my aversion to it. One of those distilleries happens to be my friends at MB Roland. And I haven't bought one of those since they were putting out experimental smoked whiskies. So that is what I am guessing.

Reveal: MB Roland Experimental Aged Black Dog (used barrels)

Post-Reveal Thoughts: Ha! Take that! I had to get one eventually. This is actually the very first thing I reviewed on the site. And boy, I do not like it. I mean, it might be good for fans of smoky whiskey. But as I said, I am absolutely not one of them. I do feel pretty good about guessing it, though. Might just finish the pour in... celebration?

Hmm... if you shoot this, you get a sweet barbeque note. Come to think of it. I think I remember that about it. But we've already discussed my memory so take that how you will.

IMAGE: Three empty sample bottles. Cedar Ridge Iowa Bourbon, Old Grand-Dad 114 proof, and MB Roland Experimental aged Black Dog

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Old Pepper Single Barrel Rye

James E. Pepper was a pre-Prohibition whiskey m…

James E. Pepper was a pre-Prohibition whiskey man with quite the whiskey pedigree, at least if you define pedigree as the people he was associated with. His father, Oscar Pepper started a distillery near Versailles, Kentucky that is today’s Woodford Reserve Distillery, hired James Crow as his distiller and by all accounts made some pretty good whiskey. Very probably because James Crow (of Old Crow Bourbon fame) was the developer, or at least the popularizer, of the sour mash fermentation method that is used in making most American Whiskey to this day. After Oscar died, James inherited his distillery but was deemed too young to run it so it was managed by his court-appointed guardian Col. E.H. Taylor (of Old Taylor fame). Taylor did the young Pepper the favor securing money to expand the distillery, but then also ended up losing it in bankruptcy proceedings. The distillery was then sold to Misters Labrot and Graham, whose name still graced bottles of Woodford Reserve up until pretty recently.

Now this is speculation on my part based solely on hindsight of the eventual outcome, but I’d say that the court may have misjudged who should be running the distillery as going bankrupt and losing the business might just be the worst outcome that could have happened to a business. Of course those were turbulent financial times in the US so James Pepper might have faired even worse. Hard to tell from almost 150 years away.

But, regardless, it seems that James may have learned a thing or two about making whiskey through all of this as he, along with a business partner, decided to try again. This time in nearby Lexington, Kentucky. That distillery lasted beyond James’ death in 1906 until Prohibition shut it down. The James E. Pepper brand and distillery passed to Schenley and then to United Distillers during various mergers and acquisitions. According to bourbon historian Michael Veach, the James E. Pepper distillery was shut down in the late 1960s and the brand “disappeared from the market by the end of the 1970s” only to briefly reemerge in the early 1990s as an export-only brand before being abandoned for good.

Which takes us out of the past and brings us to tonight’s whiskey. In 2008, the abandoned trademark for the James E. Pepper brand was acquired by Amir Peay. He and his team started by bottling MGP juice under the 1776 brand name while they got a new James E. Pepper distillery going on the site of the historical James E. Pepper distillery. Here is what the company has to say:

The Story
In 2017 we completed the multi-year project to rebuild the historic Pepper Distillery, which had been abandoned in 1967 for over 50 years. This label is a celebration of that project and where we showcase our single barrel picks, small-batch bottlings, or limited specialty finishes.
Technical
Age statements and bottling proofs are on the labels. Bottled by hand at the Historic James E. Pepper Distillery, using water from the historic limestone well to cut whiskeys to proof. Distilled at various distilleries, including ours (DSP-KY-5), the Lawrenceburg Distillery in Indiana (DSP-IN-15023), and the Bardstown Bourbon Co. in Kentucky (DSP-KY-20037); relevant details can be found on the labels.

My bottle was distilled in Indiana and is 4 years old. Let’s see how it tastes.

Old Pepper Single Barrel Rye

Purchase Info: So, I lost the receipt for this. No idea what I spent on it. But Total Wine sells it for about $40 in Michigan and $53 in Kentucky. So it was probably in that range somewhere.

Price per Drink (50 mL): (based on the figures above) $2.67 - $3.53

Details: 4 years old. Cask 1126. 55% ABV. Distilled at DSP IN - 15023. Bottled at DSP KY-5.

Nose: Cinnamon candies, spearmint, and brown sugar.

Mouth: Very hot. Lots of cinnamon candy right off the bat. following that are notes of cedar, mint, and nutmeg.

Finish: Warm and of medium length. Lingering notes of spearmint, cedar, and cinnamon.

IMAGE: I like it so it gets a smiley face

Thoughts: This is a very tasty rye. Very cinnamon forward until it gets to the finish when the mint takes over. It is very hot, but takes water well. A little water brings out a sweet malt note. All in all, I like this one. Tastes good neat and works really nicely in a Sazerac cocktail as well.

Sources:
bourbonveach.com: Brand History – James E. Pepper
bourbonveach.com: Lexington Kentucky Distilleries – James E. Pepper
Those Pre-Pro Whiskey Men: James E. Pepper: Was His Whiskey Revolutionary?
JamesEPepper.com: Old Pepper - Single Barrel & Small Batch

WhistlePig 10-Year-Old Small Batch Rye Whiskey

So. Depression. It’s something I’ve been strugg…

IMAGE: A 50 ml bottle of WhistlePig 10 year old rye

So. Depression. It’s something I’ve been struggling with lately. I’ve been on depression and anxiety meds for close to a decade now. And most days are great. I’m generally a happy person. But every so often something happens and the familiar spiral of nothingness threatens to rise up and overwhelm me. Thankfully I am medicated, and my dosages are pretty well dialed in at this point, so my bouts don’t last too long. Usually, it’s just an afternoon of listlessness and a lack of motivation to do even the littlest thing. Which, if ignored can go further. Because the worst part of these bouts is that I know that I should be doing the things that need to get done, but I can’t quite bring myself to do it. And then I get upset with myself for not doing what needs to be done. I question my self-worth. It’s like “if you can’t even vacuum the giant ball of hair on the floor when you see it there, why are you even here?” It’s…not fun. And it takes time to get through.

Luckily for me, I have a job that allows for self-care. Sometimes my job even forces it upon me whether I want it or not. As was the case on Tuesday of this week. There is a German Shepard that I watch named Doug. I’ve watched him since he was three months old. Usually, he is overwhelmingly excited. As he was on Tuesday. But as I was feeling that spiral of depression and nothingness start to overwhelm me, he intervened. I was laying on the sofa, trying hard to figure out why I couldn’t just vacuum and do the dishes—spoiler alert: it was a depressive episode, I’m a little slow on the uptake when they start—when he just crawled up and laid on top of me. And he didn't take no for an answer. He noticed that his Uncle Eric wasn’t right even before I did. And that kind of love tripped something that allowed me to start to climb out. I still wasn’t motivated to do anything, but I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. The emotions were on their way back. I’m grateful for Doug.

I’m not sharing this for sympathy. But I do think we need to start normalizing mental illness. So I’m letting you know what happened to me this week. Why I didn’t write anything on my regular day. And who knows, maybe it’ll help someone else if they are in a similar spiral.

But you aren’t here for that, you are here because you saw a photo of a tiny bottle of WhistlePig Rye. so let’s get into it. I’ve never purchased anything from WhistlePig before. And to be honest, I probably won’t again as most of their stuff costs more than I want to pay for sourced Canadian Whisky. But as I was wandering through Total Wine last weekend looking for something that I could write about, I saw this little three-pack of miniature bottles for $27. So while $27 for 150 mL of whiskey is very expensive, it was a lot less expensive than the $85 that a 750 of just one of the bottles would have cost. Plus, I like to reward producers for making these sampler packs. I think they are a great way to experience various whiskeys when you are on a budget.

And I’m always on a budget. I mean, I’m frugal. Just look at the tagline at the top of the page. And in my mind being frugal is different than being cheap because it isn’t that I won’t spend money. I just like to make sure that I’m spending it smartly on things that will be good, interesting, or both. And in this case, I get content for three posts for $27 which is probably less than I’d have spent for content for a single post usually.

So, is WhistlePig Rye good? Or interesting? Is it by chance both? Or neither? Let’s find out.

WhistlePig 10-Year Small Batch Rye Whiskey

Purchase Info: $26.99 for the WhistlePig Rye Whiskey Piglets multipack of three 50mL bottles at Total Wine, Burnsville, MN.

Price per Drink (50ml): $9.00

Details: 50% ABV. 10-years-old. Canadian Whiskey, blended and bottled in Vermont.

Nose: Cedar, mint, cherry, and a touch of barbecue smoke.

Mouth: Cedar, mint, cherry, cinnamon, and a hint of dill.

Finish: On the shorter side of medium length and of medium warmth. Spicy with notes of cedar, dill, cherry, and cinnamon.

I like this so it gets a smile. But I wouldn't buy it again.

Thoughts: This is pretty tasty, but I'd never pay the $85 that Total Wine is asking for a bottle. To me, it just isn't $85 good. It was more of a $30 good. It's a fairly unassuming rye whiskey. I'm glad I got to try this in a small bottle. It's not bad, just way too expensive. So final verdict: good, but not interesting.

(and now cue the people who love and covet WhistlePig to leave comments about how I'm just an idiot, and an admittedly crazy one at that, in 3... 2... 1.)

Bourbon Companies Help Yellowstone Recover

I’d like to thank Wyoming Whiskey for providing the review sample of National Parks No. 2 for this story. It was provided at no charge with no strings attached.

…

I’d like to thank Wyoming Whiskey for providing the review sample of National Parks No. 2 for this story. It was provided at no charge with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Landscape shot of Yellowstone National Park. Two geysers are in the foreground with tree-covered mountains in the distance.

As I’m sure you have probably heard, Yellowstone National Park and the communities that surround it are in the process of recovering from devastating floods. And bourbon makers with ties to the park are not standing still in helping out.

Limestone Branch Distillery Donates $50,000 to Help With Flood Recovery

Limestone Branch Distillery, makers of Yellowstone Bourbon, and long-time supporters of Yellowstone National Park have stepped up to help the park and the surrounding communities recover from this month’s devastating floods. Quoting from the press release that landed in my email this morning:

In response to the devastating floods impacting Yellowstone National Park and surrounding areas, Lebanon, Kentucky-based Limestone Branch Distillery – makers of Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – has donated $25,000 each to the National Park Service (NPS) and to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) for long-term support of flood-relief efforts.

Additionally, Limestone Branch distillery has agreed to match up to $50,000 in donations made in conjunction with a fundraising event benefiting the Southwest Montana Flood Relief Fund – a joint effort between the Park County Community Foundation (PCCF) and Greater Gallatin United Way – and the Red Lodge Area Community Foundation. The event, hosted by National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), will be held June 28 at the Rialto in Bozeman, Montana.

“We were saddened to learn of the devastation caused by flooding at and around Yellowstone National Park. Our Yellowstone Bourbon brand shares a long, storied history with the park, and our master distiller Stephen Beam has been an avid supporter of – and visitor to – our country’s national parks for many years,” said Limestone Branch Distillery Brand Manager Caitlin Palmieri Jackson.

Yellowstone Bourbon also has set up a website (www.limestonebranch.com/about/yellowstone-gives-back) to provide additional information about fundraising efforts as well as links to vetted support organizations, where consumers can learn more about donating and other ways to help. For more information regarding the fundraiser in Bozeman, Montana, visit https://e.givesmart.com/events/rJK/.

On a personal note, a good percentage of my own annual charitable donations go to the National Parks Conservation Association. I’m glad to see them putting my money to good use.

Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Join us in giving back. Scan the code to donate.

Wyoming Whiskey Releases National Parks No. 2 to Support Yellowstone Forever

Now, this particular bourbon was announced prior to the Yellowstone Floods. The bottle was released to celebrate the 150th birthday of Yellowstone National Park. But as the organization that the bottle supports, Yellowstone Forever, is in the thick of things in the recovery efforts I thought it would be good to include it here. Quoting from the press release:

Wyoming Whiskey announces the release of its limited edition National Parks No. 2 straight bourbon whiskey in tandem with the brand's continuing partnership with Yellowstone Forever, the official nonprofit partner of Yellowstone National Park. The collaboration was born in celebration of Yellowstone National Park's 150th anniversary. The Wyoming Whiskey National Parks No. 2 bottle is the second collectible Limited Edition release in an annual National Park series which debuted in April 2021. It is now available in Yellowstone National Park and throughout Wyoming. It is also available in select U.S. markets and online from ReserveBar, Flaviar and Caskers.

The inaugural release of Wyoming Whiskey's National Parks series contributed over $120,000 to the National Park Foundation in 2021. Wyoming Whiskey continues on a steadfast mission to support our nation's sacred outdoor spaces with this year's initiative and has committed to donating $150,000 to Yellowstone Forever in the park's historic 150th year.

Let’s see how it tastes.

Wyoming Whiskey National Parks No. 2

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $69.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.67

Details: 52.5% ABV. 5 years old. Mash bill: 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley. Made from non-GMO Wyoming-grown grains and water.

Nose: Strong oak notes followed by caramel, vanilla, and baking spice.

Mouth: Nicely spicy. Cinnamon, dark chocolate, and ginger.

Finish: Medium to long and spicy. follows the month with notes of dark chocolate, cinnamon, ginger, and almond.

IMAGE: This is delicious, it gets a smile.

Thoughts: This is absolutely delicious. I really like it. If you have the opportunity. pick this one up. It's delicious and helps a good cause.

Rittenhouse Rye Bottled-in-Bond: Revisited

It has been two thousand, nine hundred and fort…

IMAGE: The front label of Rittenhouse Rye Bottled in Bond above the word "Revisited."

It has been two thousand, nine hundred and forty-one days since I last reviewed Rittenhouse Rye. Just over eight years. At the time, it was being contract-distilled by Brown-Forman as Heaven Hill waited for their distillate to come of age after the distillery fire in the late 1990’s. About 9 months later, I reviewed the Brown-Forman and the Heaven Hill versions side-by-side.

Here are my thoughts from that head-to-head 2015 review:

Thoughts: Meh. This is hot, as is to be expected from a 100 proof whiskey, but the flavor and nose seem sort of muted.

And that’s pretty much my relationship with Rittenhouse. I pick it up occasionally but never seek it out. If I want a rye, I’m looking for one that has more rye in the mash bill. I don’t pick up many of the Kentucky-Style 51% “Barely Legal” ryes these days. If I see a Sazerac Rye, I might just pick it up because it has a pretty bottle but otherwise I have my rye go-tos. Old Forester Rye at about 70% rye is one I really enjoy. New Riff Rye at 95% rye grain in the mash bill is delicious. And heck, an MGP rye always hits the spot.

So let’s take a look at this forgotten rye and see if I’ve been missing anything over the last 7+ years.

Rittenhouse Rye Bottled-in-Bond: Revisited

Purchase Info: $23.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Viking Liquor Barrel, Prior Lake, MN.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $1.60

Details: 50% ABV. Distilled at D. S.P. KY-1. Bottled at D. S. P. KY-31.

Nose: Mint, caramel, cedar, and a hint of dill.

Mouth: Has a nice zip to it. Notes of mint, cedar, ginger, and caramel.

Finish: Medium length and warmth. Notes of cedar, cinnamon, and mint.

IMAGE: I like this one so it has earned a smile.

Thoughts: Big fan. This has a reputation as a cocktail rye (partially perpetuated by yours truly). But honestly, I like it neat as well. Being a Kentucky-style "Barely Legal" rye, this does taste more like a bourbon than a rye with a higher percentage of rye grain in the mash bill would. But for some people—my wife included—that is a benefit. It's quite tasty.

Well, I know that in the intervening 7 years, my palate has changed drastically. I’ve become a much bigger fan of high-proof/high-burn whiskeys. So this doesn’t feel nearly as warm as it did to me in 2015. But even back then I said I liked it in cocktails. And I still do. But I’ve had a couple pours of this neat since I cracked it open and I like it that way as well. Plus to top it off, it is still under $25.

Good enough to enjoy neat, but inexpensive enough to use in a cocktail. I’ve upgraded this one to a like.

My Wandering Eye: Hendrick’s Orbium Gin

My Wandering Eye is an ongoing series reacting to the rising prices in the bourbon world. We’ve reached a place where even average products have hit the range where they compete price-wise with other types of aged spirits. If I’m going be asked to drop $40 to $70 on a mid-range bourbon, I might as well see what else I can get for that money. My hope is to see if another spirits category offers something that is downright tasty in that price range. The goal isn’t to find cheap spirits, but to maximize the quality, I’m getting at a particular price point. And one thing to remember is that these reviews will all be written from the perspective of a bourbon drinker.

IMAGE: The pretty blue bottle of Hendrick's Orbium Gin

It is summer time here at the ol’ Burke household and in my mind, summer means gin. And since I saw this very interesting gin sitting on the shelf of my closest Total Wine, I decided to revive my favorite series on the site: My Wandering Eye. Now, this isn’t the type of spirit that my eye usually wanders to. In the past I’ve stuck pretty close to the brown spirits of Rum, Brandy, Tequila, etc. Though there was that one time that I compared every gin in my house.

But regardless, this is the very definition of a wandering eye. I was standing next to the gin aisle waiting for a response from my wife regarding a text I’d sent to her. As I was standing there, the bottles of Hendrick’s Gin caught my eye. There were three of them. And while I am not a huge fan of the original, I’m always intrigued by new takes on the gin flavor profile.

I love flavor. It’s why I love to cook and one of the reasons I found spirits so interesting in the first place. I love how flavors can combine to create something better than the sum of it’s parts. So when I saw three different Limited Releases of Hendrick’s sitting side by side, I decided to take a closer look to see which I was going to pick up.

And yes, I knew I was only going to get one, I already have 10 or so other gins in my cocktail cart.

I ended up getting Orbium, a version that is flavored with wormwood, quinine, and Lotus Blossom. I don’t care for Gin and Tonic’s because I find tonic water to be too sweet, but I like the bitterness that tonic water provides. My hope was that when used in a Gin Rickey, this would kinda split the difference between your normal Rickey and a G&T. So before we jump into what I thought of Orbium, let’s see what the distillery has to say about it:

Hendrick’s Gin reimagined with additional extracts of Quinine, Wormwood and Lotus Blossom. Deeply and dazzlingly complex, Orbium combines surprising sweetness with a distinct lingering finish that spirals from zesty to floral, moving onto an altogether unexpected alluringly bitter climax.

Hendrick's Orbium Gin

Purchase Info: $38.49 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Burnsville, MN

Price per Drink: (50 mL): $2.57

Details: 43.4% ABV.

Nose: : Floral botanical notes that include sage, mint, and lemon zest among others.

Mouth: Sage, ginger, mint, lemon.

Finish: Spicy and warm, lemony, and after everything else fades, bitter.

IMAGE: I really like this so it gets a smile.

Thoughts: Ok. So this isn't something I would just sit down and sip out of a glencairn. But that said, out of the 10 or so gins in the cocktail closet, this is the closest I've found to one that I'd sip neat. I'm a much bigger a fan of gin cocktails than I am of sipping gin neat. So let's try it in my favorite gin drink, the Gin Rickey and then in a ginger ale highball as recommended on the back of a different Hendrick's gin that I almost picked up instead.

Gin Rickey: This pairs very well with the lime juice in the Rickey. I usually use Beefeater for it's assertiveness in the cocktail, but with the quinine in the gin, this is halfway between a Rickey and a Gin & Tonic. Very tasty.

Highball: This is sweeter than I'd like, but that is the fault of the ginger ale, not the gin. The gin and ginger ale play very nicely together. The floral gin notes meld perfectly with the Seagram's ginger ale.

I am so glad that I picked this one up. It is delicious. I love the bitterness that it brings to the drinks. The lemon citrus notes play very nicely with both the citrus notes in the ginger ale and the actual citrus in the Rickey. Big fan. I think this will be my go to until it is gone and I head back to Beefeater.

Calumet Farm 14-Year-Old Single Rack Black Bourbon

About four years ago, I did the first-ever site…

IMAGE: Front label of Calumet Farms 14-year old Single Rack Black. 96.2 proof.

About four years ago, I did the first-ever site redesign for BourbonGuy.com. It was mostly cosmetic improvements that would improve the mobile reading experience. I’m an old fogey and read stuff on either my desktop or my tablet. I almost never read on my phone. But I knew that I was in the minority so one day, on a whim, I redesigned the entire site and relaunched it. When I did so, I trusted that most people would want to view the most recent posts. I mean the vast majority came to the site from a Google search and then bounced.

But after a request from a reader this week, I was forced to wonder if most of the people that Google in and bounce do that not because they don’t want to read more, but because I’ve really given them no option to explore further than the page they came in on. It was an interesting thought and honestly, after 10 years of not really paying attention to that, I didn’t have a good way of incorporating it. But, if I really didn't take exploration of the site all that seriously back when I started it, I did always tag each post with its subject matter.

So as of today, you can go into the navigation bar (or menu if you are on mobile) and click on the drop-down menus for reviews and for articles. There you will find links to all articles on recipes, history, projects, reviews, etc. The reviews can be viewed either by producer, rating, or spirit type. There will be some overlap as I tag most posts with multiple tags, and some tags will produce pages and pages of content. But it is something I can do to help you, the reader, get more out of the site. Of course if you are looking for something specific, you can always try the search function at the bottom of each page, but since the Squarespace search function is almost useless, you are probably better off using an outside search engine. It’s what I do.

Well, that was fun. Now with that out of the way, let’s get down to tonight’s whiskey. I recently noticed a bottle of 14-year-old Bourbon from Calumet Farms. I’ve had a bottle of the 15-year-old on the fancy shelf since I reviewed it last July. The fancy shelf is out of the way and behind something so I often forget to look there when I look for a pour. It helps to keep me from finishing the delicious, expensive, stuff too quickly. And in this case, it did its job well. As I really, really enjoyed that one, I decided to make a splurge and pick up its younger brother as well.

Calumet Farms’ 14-year-old Single Rack Black Bourbon is a product of Western Spirits Beverage Company. Much like the 10-year-old Bourbon I reviewed back in 2018, and the previously mentioned 15-year old from 2021, each 19-barrel batch is created from the barrels aging on one rack in the aging warehouse. It is non-chill filtered and barreled at 96.2° proof. The mash bill is 74% Corn, 18% Rye, and 8% Malted Barley. It is bottled by Three Springs Bottling Company in Bowling Green, Kentucky. You can read more about the bourbon on their website.

So how does it taste?

Calumet Farm 14-Year-Old Single Rack Black

Purchase Info: $119.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Viking Liquor Barrel, Prior Lake, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $8.00

Details: 48.1% ABV. Rack# S3319.07. Batch Size: 19 Barrels. Mash Bill: 74% Corn, 18% Rye, 8% Malted Barley.

Nose: Oak and mint with caramel notes underneath.

Mouth: Caramel, almond, oak, and baking spices like cinnamon, anise, nutmeg, etc.

Finish: Warm and of medium length. Notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, almond, caramel, and tobacco.

Thoughts: Beautiful mouthfeel. thick and very rich. Good "Bourbon" flavors. Lots of oak and caramel with spices make it interesting. This one is going to sit on the fancy shelf to be doled out a drink at a time on special occasions.

Speaking of Calumet Bourbons that have sat on the fancy shelf for a while, let’s see how this compares to the 15-year-old version we did last year. The 15-year-old has more oak on the nose, which is impressive considering that the 14-year-old had a lot already. In the mouth, both have a very nice mouthfeel-The 14-year- old is sweeter and smoother while the 15-year- old is much spicier. At the end of the day, both are delicious and if you are lucky enough to have the choice you can't go wrong either way. You just have to decide if you want sweet or spice more. For me, I think I like the 15-year- old just a hair more, but it's really too close to make a firm judgment on that.

What’s With All the Weird Faces? Why I Don’t Rate Whiskeys Like the Usual Whiskey Person

What the hell is with all the funny faces? Why …

IMAGE: The four images I use for Ratings. A Heart means I love it. A smile means I like it. A Neutral face means I can see why others might like it, but it's not for me. A Frown means this is bad and I really do not like it.

What the hell is with all the funny faces? Why can’t you do something useful like give a whiskey a number score? You know, even a 1-10 would help us know if this whiskey is better than another whiskey.

This is just a small sampling of the sentiments I get in my email now and then. Don’t get me wrong, I love the passion that it takes to take the time to write to me. Hell, I just like to know that people are reading this. But as it has been…five years (?!? where has the time gone?) since I last wrote a post like this, I thought it might be time to explain my silliness to all of you who are new.

By the way, if you arrived in the last five years, WELCOME! The bar is in the corner, please pour yourself something nice from the fancy shelf.

So. Why don’t I use numerical scores? Well, everyone who writes about whiskey approaches things differently. Some reviewers like to use numbers. Numbers make a review feel scientific because you've done some math. Some reviewers like to use stars. Stars are easy to visualize and are familiar to Amazon shoppers everywhere. I like to use various cartoon faces and hearts because I'm silly. Probably too silly for my own good. The point is that any and/or all of these are correct. They all adequately represent how much or how little a reviewer liked any given whiskey. But no matter how a writer presents it, we as readers need to remember that the rating is still just a subjective opinion. Whiskey is subjective. There is no objectively bad whiskey. Someone out there likes everything that has been produced and they should not be shamed for that, even if you don’t agree with them.

It probably goes without saying, but I like Bourbon, Rye, Canadian whisky, craft whiskey, Irish whiskey, Gin, and a lot of cocktails. As a general rule, I don’t really like Scotch Whisky, though there are exceptions. Am I wrong that I don’t care for Scotch? No. My taste buds apply only to me. This is what I mean when I say there is no objectively bad whiskey, just whiskey that I don’t like. I’m not here to tell you if you should like a whiskey, only if I do or don’t. I judge whiskey, not people.

So, I like bourbon. I enjoy it in many different ways. Sometimes I enjoy thoughtfully tasting bourbon. I pour it into a nosing glass, sit down, concentrate, and try to tease out all the little smells and tastes that are hidden inside the glass. And if it is interesting, I'll probably like it. Other times, I want to enjoy bourbon in a rocks glass while playing cards or watching tv or conversing with friends. I'm not paying a lot of attention to it, but if it tastes good and it's acting as a social lubricant, I'll probably like it. Sometimes I enjoy it in a cocktail. Even if it isn't great neat, if it makes a killer Manhattan, I'll probably like it. And if I like it, then I'll tell you I like it. And then I'll put a little smiley face next to my thoughts on it.

Sometimes I find a bourbon that doesn't taste good and isn't all that interesting. Needless to say, I don't like these. I've gotten pretty good at knowing what I like, and since I buy a good percentage of the whiskey reviewed on the site, the odds are that I'm not buying too many duds. But occasionally one slips through, or I buy one specifically for research purposes. When that happens, I'll tell you I dislike it and put a little frowny face next to my thoughts.

Of course, some whiskeys are just...meh. There is nothing offensive about them. They don't taste bad. I don't dislike it, but I don't like it either. I can see why others might like it, but it's just sort of in the middle there for me. Just not to my tastes. In such a case I'll just drop a neutral face on it.

Very occasionally I'll drop a heart on something. This means I love it. No ifs, ands, or buts. I'd take this whiskey over almost any other.

So to recap:

IMAGE: The heart I use to show I love a whiskey.

A heart means I loved this whiskey. I'd have to pause and think (briefly) if forced to choose between it and my wife. (shhhh... don't tell her)

IMAGE: A Smile that I use to say i like something.

A smiley face means I liked the whiskey or I found it interesting while tasting it. Or I enjoyed myself while drinking it. Or I enjoyed the company I drank it with. Or I was having fun. Most bourbons and ryes will be in this category because, on at least some level, I like most bourbons and ryes I've tasted.

IMAGE: A neutral face I use to show that this whiskey is kinda meh.

A neutral face means meh. I didn't particularly like this whiskey, but I didn't hate it either. It wasn't for me. But you might like it.

IMAGE: A Frown with it's tongue out and x'd out eyes means I disliked this whiskey.

A frowny face means I really disliked this. I probably dumped it out or at least thought about dumping it out.

We all have different life experiences that color our perceptions. If you drink moonshine exclusively and you age it to a young age, that young whiskey may taste amazing to you. If however, you gave that very same whiskey to a person who exclusively drinks 12-year-old bourbon, they will probably vehemently disagree. The same thing goes for tasting notes. They are each informed by our own life experiences. I taste JuicyFruit gum when I taste Four Roses. Other people might taste Jackfruit, but I've never had a Jackfruit, so I say JuicyFruit. Some people might taste almond in a whiskey. I'm allergic to nuts, so I only have an academic idea of what almonds taste like. If I use it as a tasting note, it will have come from my wife (we do the notes together). The point is that everyone will like different things and has had different experiences to inform their tastes. And that's ok. In fact, it’s pretty cool. It gives us whiskey lovers something to talk about aside from the weather.

Gooderham and Worts 49 Wellington

Gooderham and Worts. That’s quite the name, isn…

Gooderham and Worts. That’s quite the name, isn’t it? And if you aren’t familiar with whisky history, you might be forgiven for thinking that this is just one more non-distiller producer who is bringing back an old brand in order to make a quick buck. When you dig into the backstories of the brands on US shelves, it feels like about half the brands on the shelf are of this variety.

But while Gooderham and Worts is an old brand, having had many owners over the years, this is not some fly-by-night operation to make a quick buck. No the story for Gooderham and Worts starts back in the 1830s in a town that would one day grow up to be Toronto. It all started with two brothers-in-law (I bet you can’t guess their names) and a flour mill on the banks of Lake Ontario. Over the years, that flour mill would grow into the largest distillery in Canada (and, by some reports, the world). The story includes hardships, entrepreneurs, business dealings, and more than one interesting character. Today the brand resides in the care of Pernod Ricard by way of Corby Spirit and Wine Ltd.

But I’m not going to tell you any more of that story. Everything I know of the story came from Canadian Whisky’s foremost expert, Davin De Kergommeaux via his wonderful book on the history of Canadian Whisky: Canadian Whiskey, the New Portable Expert (Second Edition). It would be a shame for me to steal Davin’s thunder on this. If you want to know more, I highly encourage you to pick up a copy of Davin’s book. I read the book initially when the first edition came out back in 2012. That copy still sits on a shelf in my office for easy reference. And I’ve referenced it enough over the years that I made sure to get the second edition when it was released back in 2017. It is a fantastic read.

Of course, if you just want to know about tonight’s whisky instead of the history—first, how dare you? and second—let’s dig into that next. Gooderham and Worts 49 Wellington is a 19-year-old four-grain whisky. As is the case with most Canadian Whiskies, each grain was distilled and aged individually, and blended after the fact. It was produced by Dr. Don Livermore, the Master Blender of Hiram Walker & Sons Limited in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He’s the guy who brought us Lot 40, Pike Creek, the Wiser’s line-up, and of course, the standard Gooderham and Worts Four Grain. It was released back in 2019 and I may have gotten lucky in finding a bottle just sitting on the shelf at Total Wine.

According to our friends at Whisky.buzz:

“Gooderham & Worts 49 Wellington is a tribute to the historic flat iron building on Wellington Street in Toronto that was built by the Gooderham family. Red oak inserts (they provide an intense spicy cedar note) are used in homage to the signature red bricks of the building. The 49% ABV comes from the address (49 Wellington Street). The blend is primarily J.P. Wiser’s Red Letter whisky that was discontinued a few years ago. While Gooderham & Worts Four Grain is available all-year-around, 49 Wellington is a unique blend available as part of the Northern Border Collection in the 2019 Edition.”

I was a massive fan of the Wiser’s Red Letter, so this is an exciting find for me personally. Let's dig in and see how it tastes.

Gooderham & Worts 49 Wellington

Purchase Info: $85.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Burnsville, MN

Price per Drink: $5.73

Details: 49% ABV. 19 years old.

Nose: Floral mint, almond, light cinnamon, and cotton candy.

Mouth: Delicate at first with a blossoming of spice after a few moments. Almond and cotton candy notes arrive first and then transition to notes of cinnamon red hots and caramel.

Finish: On the shorter side of medium length with notes of almond, cotton candy, baking spice, and oak.

IMAGE: I really like this one. It earned a smile.

Thoughts: This is a delicious Canadian Whisky. It has a very nice, silky mouthfeel that plays very nicely with the spicy notes. I enjoy the cherry/almond notes and cotton candy sweetness as well. It's a splurge at $90, but one that is probably worth it if you like a good Canadian Whisky as I do. In fact, I enjoy it enough that I may have to see if Total Wine has another bottle. There are days that I only want a really good Canadian Whiskey. And this is certainly that.

Jack Daniel’s Bonded

I did it again. I went looking for beer at my l…

I did it again. I went looking for beer at my local liquor store and walked out with two bottles of whiskey.

Don’t judge me!

Though come to think of it, my wife may be to blame for this. Ultimately after 10 years of writing for this site, she should know better than to send me to the liquor store unattended.

See? It’s really her fault. I feel better now, how ‘bout you?

Anyway as I was taking the long way round the store to buy some beer, I saw one of the employees putting product on the shelf and asked if there was anything new. It turns out that there were a couple of new items from Jack Daniel’s. One of which was tonight’s whiskey, the newly released Jack Daniel’s Bonded.

As you might have gathered from the name, Jack Daniel's Bonded is a Bottled-in-Bond whiskey from Jack Daniel’s. It is at least four years old, was distilled during at least one distilling season, and is bottled at exactly 100 proof. Oh and due to new regulations allowing for more bottle sizes, this is also the first bottle of whiskey that I’ve bought in the US that is the world-standard size of 700 mL. (So one pour less in the bottle, but they don’t need to make one size for in the US and one size for outside the US.) Let’s see what the distillery has to say about the new release:

Jack Daniel’s Bonded is Jack’s time-honored recipe of 80% corn, 12% malted barley, and 8% rye. Barrels were hand selected for their unique and particular characteristics of deeper color, flavor, and aroma, which bring a darker, richer, and more oak-forward character to Jack Daniel’s Bonded. It is a big, bold Tennessee Whiskey at 100 proof with layered notes of caramel, rich oak, and spice giving way to a pleasantly lingering finish.

Sounds good to me, let’s see how it tastes.

Jack Daniel's Bonded

Purchase Price: $34.99 for a 700 mL bottle at Viking Liquor Barrel, Prior Lake, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.50

Details: 50% ABV.

Nose: Corn flakes, cinnamon, ginger, and mint.

Mouth: Cinnamon, ginger, mint, caramel, and oak.

Finish: Medium length and spicy. Notes of mint, cinnamon and ginger.

Image: I like this so I gave it a smile rating.

Thoughts: Sometimes I think that all Jack Daniel's needs to be really good is enough proof. This is a prime example. 100 proof, four years old. And it is delicious. This is a very tasty, affordable whiskey. Even if it is 700mL instead of 750.