whiskey reviews

15 Stars Three Ports Bourbon Review

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By Richard Thomas Rating: A- The Non-Distiller Producer (NDP) called 15 Stars is a post-Pandemic foundation. Started in 2021 by a father and son team, Rick and Ricky Johnson, their first bottlings came out in late 2022. The Johnsons are a Columbus, Indiana family that is best known for their ownership of Black Jewell Popcorn, …

Cedar Ridge Port Cask Finished Bourbon Review (2025)

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By Richard Thomas Rating: B My first acquaintance with Iowa’s Cedar Ridge Distillery was 7 1/2 years ago, one of those things that serves to remind me just how long I have been writing about whiskey. I had traveled to Iowa to visit a different distillery, invited for the bottling and launch of a different …

Fanged Pursuit 17 Year Old Bourbon Review

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By Richard Thomas Rating: A- In the latest release from its Orphan Barrel series, drink conglomerate Diageo returns the series to its roots by delivering an ultra-aged bourbon in the form of Fanged Pursuit 17 Year Old. The word about how Diageo sourced this is obscure, but the company says it came from two separate …

Sagamore 9 Year Old Rye Reserve Series Review (Batch 1A)

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By Douglas Fraser Rating: A Sagamore Spirits is known for making its rye whiskey in Baltimore. Time and time again, Sagamore aims to outdo themselves and create something better than what they have done before. This latest expression is no different. This Maryland rye whiskey distillery sets the standard for rye whiskey everywhere. Sagamore Spirits …

Book Review: Whiskey Stories

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By Randall H. Borkus Rating: A Richard Thomas, is my friend, managing editor and the owner of the online magazine The Whiskey Reviewer.  He released a book last month called Whiskey Stories: The True Spirit Behind the Labels.  This is not Thomas’ first book, so here we have a seasoned, or shall I say well-aged …

Samuel Maverick Texas Straight Bourbon Review (Batch 24E)

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By Douglas Fraser Rating: C The Samuel Maverick Distillery is named after Samuel Augustus Maverick (1803 – 1870), a lawyer and signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. He is therefore one of those founders of a First Family of Texas. Just a few steps away from the historic Alamo site, the distillery is located …

Kanosuke Double Distillery Japanese Whisky Review

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By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Although the world’s whisky boom seems to be coming to an end, it lasted long enough to finally bring Japanese whisky into the spotlight and spawn an expansion of their whisky-making industry. Although growth in Japan was not nearly as explosive as in, say, Ireland, it saw more new distillery …

Bomberger’s Precision Fine Grain Bourbon (2025)

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Updated April 29, 2025 By Richard Thomas Average Rating: A- The thing about Michter’s Legacy Series is one could be forgiven for forgetting it exists. This is because from its inception, the series has consisted of two brands: Bomberger’s and Shenk’s. Both of those have been around for years, with the pair being spins on …

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