By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Baker’s was first introduced as part of the seminal Jim Beam Small Batch Collection of the 1990s, but was the last of the four brands to receive a 21st Century, Bourbon Boom makeover and marketing push. Booker’s was revised so individual batches of the brand got their own sub title, …
By Richard Thomas Rating: C+ Another entry in Bulleit’s line of bottled, ready-to-drink (RTD) classic whiskey cocktails is the Whiskey Sour, readily identifiable from its bright yellow bottle. This one is such a recent addition that Bulleit had not updated their website to include it at time of writing. It’s made with real lemon juice, …
By Randall H. Borkus Rating: B Hazelburn Distillery was a prominent Campbeltown whisky producer in Scotland which was once known as the largest distillery in the Campbeltown region. It operated from 1825 until its closure in 1925 and was demolished in 1926. It was truly a casualty of the broader decline in the Campbeltown whisky, …
By Richard Thomas Autumn is the hottest season of the year for annualized, limited edition whiskeys in the United States, the time when most of the releases passionately sought by enthusiasts and collectors come out. For Heaven Hill, the second largest distiller in Kentucky bourbon, their main entry to Fall releases has been Parker’s Heritage. …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Sometimes I find it hard to believe that Baltimore’s Sagamore Spirits has been around for a dozen years now, while their distillery has been operational since 2017. During that time, Sagamore has made the full transition from being a non-distillery producer (NDP), relying on whiskeys sourced from other distillers (Indiana’s …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ The longer I have been acquainted with it, the more I have come to believe that Michter’s Sour Mash Whiskey is neither bourbon nor rye not just in a categorical sense, but on the senses as well. Despite its mash bill being kept in the shadows, it is known that …
By Richard Thomas Rating: A- If you really are a whiskey enthusiast, Dave Broom should need no introduction. But on the off-chance that you’ve found your way to this review looking for books for an enthusiast loved one, here goes: he started writing about music, but ventured into scribbling about spirits while working as a …
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 Douglas Fraser Grade: A Proper 12 was co-founded by Irishman and former UFC Champion Connor MacGregor, but the brand is now owned by Proximo Spirits. Following scandal, MacGregor is no longer the public face of the brand. The 13 Year Limited release is the first of the 13 Year series of single malt whiskeys, …
By Richard Thomas Rating: A I just finished the manuscript on a new book about Buffalo Trace, and a feature of Buffalo Trace nerdom is knowing all the details of their esoteric collection of warehouses found on their main property. The immediate climate for these buildings are all the same, but they come in so …
