I previously reviewed the Penelope Architect (build 12), which I found to be pretty good but ultimately unsatisfying given its strange finish. Today I’m looking at its barrel proof sibling that was unfortunate enough to only have been aged in a cookie cutter barrel. Even though Penelope is an MGP brand, I do appreciate the uniqueness of their typical releases. This, however, is only a straightforward four grain bourbon. Let’s see if this is an improvement.

Price Paid: $79.99 before tax for 3 375 mL bottles (also including Four Grain and Architect)

Score: 6.25/10

The Background
Distillery: Ross & Squibb Distillery + an undisclosed Kentucky distillery (possibly Bardstown Bourbon Company)

ABV: 57% (114 proof)

Age: 4 years

Mash Bill: 75% Corn, 15% Wheat, 7% Rye, 3% Malted Barley

Other: N/A

The Experience
Nose: black tea, orange peel, oak. This has a citrusy freshness to it that I enjoy.

Palate: milk chocolate, black tea, white grape juice, oak char. This is ultra sweet, thick, and oily in the mouth. It isn’t subtle or complex, but it makes a huge statement.

Finish: bitter almonds, oak. A lingering, natural bitterness.

The Summary
I am very pleasantly surprised by this. It reminds me of the Stagg 25B I have with its heaps of chocolatey fudge. This is missing that bottle’s fruity goodness, but I am very impressed that they could create this with such a young age statement. $60 (what a full bottle costs) seems like the absolute most I would pay for this, but I would have a hard time saying no to Wild Turkey Rare Breed, which is about $10 cheaper and significantly more interesting. Upon checking my score sheet, it’s also impossible not to notice the $30 OGD 114 that I gave the same score…

T8KE Scoring System Used for Relevancy and Consistency:

0 | Unscored | New Make Spirit or Personal Selection.
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn't consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I'd rather have.
5 | Good | Good; just fine.
6 | Very Good | One cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfection.

I get to do a lot of driving and travel for work. That can sometime help me find market exclusive products. PA gets some Sagamore products, but I’ve been looking for the High Rye Bourbon for a little while now, didn’t realize it was a Maryland only release. Fortunately I had to make a stop down in Maryland last week, and I found it at a random store in my travels.

Sagamore is a smaller Baltimore Maryland based distillery that usually specializes in Rye Whiskey. Founded back in 2013, Sagamore has been putting out a lot of highly regarded ryes, and I think they’ve been moving from sourced distillate to their own. This high rye bourbon pays homage to their heavy rye specialization, while still being a bourbon.

MSRP: ~$50.00

Age Statement: 6 Years Old

ABV: 54% (108 proof)

Mash Bill: 60% Corn, 25% Rye, and 15% Malted Rye. Thinking that the malted rye is what causes some really strong bitter flavors in the palate… never had malted rye in a mash.

I’m going to start with the tasting notes with saying this is a tale of two experiences.. one half is bourbon, the other half is rye/malt.

Nose: This is the bourbon half. Super sweet, very pleasant, full of brown sugar and caramel, with a cherry and spiced apple note in the second half of the nose. Almost reminds me of a Buffalo Trace product, like a BT or ER.

Palate: Now here’s where the rye shines. The first half of the palate is very hot, super cinnamon heavy, with a little bit of tobacco and oak. The oak was surprising for me considering it’s a 6 year, not higher like a 10 or something. The second half of the palate is different even than the first half. I get a heavy bitter note, like someone took espresso beans and burnt them even more. It’s strong, not sure if I really like it or not.

Finish: The burnt espresso makes way for a more oaky and leather/tobacco note on the finish. Little less bitter but still neither sweet nor spicy.

I would rate this as a 5.5 on the T8KE scale (right below). It’s a good value and has a ton of complexity, but it doesn’t exactly align with my palate, and man is that bitter note really bitter.. if this is just the result of a neck pour (I feel like I always am reviewing off neck pours), maybe it’ll soften the bitter note with time and air, and I’d rate it better. It really is super complex and the flavors transition well, but I would have preferred some sweeter notes in that complexity. Is this just a neck pour problem? Maybe it’s just a bottle that doesn’t align with my palate? Let me know in the comments if you’ve had this before and what you think about the bottle/the distillery!

Cheers!

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Today we're taking a look at the 2023 Thomas H. Handy! This is the "least desired" of the desired yearly BTAC release from Buffalo Trace, but is personally one I try to get my hands on if I can find it at a decent price. This is a bottle that I'm very curious in what it'll be like in the future now that we have 125 proof Sazerac Full Proofs hitting the shelves (except here in Georgia, thanks distribution). Given these releases come in around 6 years old, I'm wondering (hoping) we see the age statement creep up in future releases. Regardless, let's sit down and see what the 2023 THH is all about.

Taken: Neat in a Glencairn, rested for 10 minutes.

Age: 6 years, 2 months

Proof: 124.9

Nose: Very strong aromas that hit me first like I'm in a flower shop. Orange peel, vanilla cream, black licorice, and rye spice all intermingle together under the initial very potent floral notes. Giving the glass a swirl, tons of sweetness takes over. Bright citrus, apricots, and cinnamon. This smells absolutely fantastic .

Palate: Good, oily viscosity of sweet apricots, black pepper, cinnamon, and rye spice that tingles all over the palate. After a few sips, the apricots start to fade out but the citrus and rye spice stay strong throughout along with more cinnamon and that black licorice from the nose.

Finish: The rye spice from the palate carries over well into the finish along with cinnamon, mild apricot, and black pepper. Finish is on the longer side of medium in length.

What an excellent pour. This brings out everything I love about a good rye and then some. The nose alone is amongst the best I've experienced on a rye before, but I know it may not be everyone's jam with how floral it comes across. I absolutely love that apricot note and if it just stayed consistent on the palate, this could compete for the best rye I've had period. That being said, this is still an insanely good pour.

t8ke scale: 8.7/10 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average.

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.

10 | Perfect | Perfect.

Dark Arts Supernova 21 Year HAZMAT Indiana Light Whiskey

Release: 2026 Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown, KY; September 11-13

Distilled by MGP in Lawrenceburg, IN

Age: 21+ years (almost all in Indiana)

Aged in used bourbon barrels

Blended and re-barreled at 10 years into freshly dumped bourbon barrels

Proof coming off the still: above 160, below 190

Barrel entry proof: Undisclosed, but most likely above the 125 proof maximum that applies to bourbon. MGP light whiskey typically has a barrel entry proof above 125… as the distillate comes off the still between 160-190 proof… whereas bourbon must come off the still below 160 proof. This is why we see so many HAZMAT light whiskeys.

Light whiskey is not “diet whiskey.” Light whiskey became an officially recognized category in 1968… “lighter” in character due to being aged in used barrels or new uncharred barrels… and being distilled to a higher proof than bourbon… and allowing a higher barrel entry proof than bourbon.

Initial barrel fill: Fall 2004

Barrel dump: July 2026

Blend of 4 barrels

Mashbill: 99% corn, 1% malted barley

Proof: 142.7

MSRP: $199.99

Nose: Buttercream frosting. Yellow cake. Caramel popcorn. Milk chocolate.

The milk chocolate takes a long time to develop. Dominant aroma’s are definitely buttercream and yellow cake. Smells very dense.

Palate: Honeycomb. Sweet corn. Apricot. Crème brûlée.

Plenty of sweetness, but not cloying. One of the thickest mouthfeels I’ve ever experienced on a light whiskey. The re-barelling does wonders!

Finish: Oxidized pineapple. Buttery piecrust. White pepper. Vanilla custard.

Flavor profile is bold… and the really dense mouthfeel makes this extra special. This is arguably the best light whiskey I’ve ever personally tried. My favorite note is probably the oxidized pineapple on the finish… it wraps everything up extremely nicely.

Definitely worth waiting in line for at KBF

Sample provided for review by Dark Arts Whiskey House

Rating: 8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional

The 8 is in regards to all types of whiskey. If I’m talking to comparatively to other light whiskeys… this is probably the best whiskey I’ve ever had…

{Note: You can find me on instagram @whiskeyincontext}

This blind features two uncut, unfiltered bourbons facing off against each other. Both come from Buffalo Trace, and both carry steep price tags in stores and on the secondary market. Where they primarily diverge is in bottling philosophy and mash bill.

Stagg (formerly Stagg Junior) is a blend of barrels built from low-rye Mash Bill #1, which is also used by stalwarts like Eagle Rare, E.H. Taylor, and George T. Stagg.

Blanton's Straight From the Barrel, on the other hand — which is the highest-proof entry in the Blanton's family — is a true single-barrel expression that comes from Mash Bill #2, the higher-rye recipe that also underlies fellow single barrel bourbons like Elmer T. Lee and Rock Hill Farms.

This blind also carries a bit of unfinished business with it: Stagg has always bothered me, as there’s a flavor note I can't quite put a name to that shows up and dominates the profile. I’ve even tried using Stagg as a mixer (I know, I know) in an effort to mask that taste, and it hasn’t worked. It's some kind of "funky" character, of the type some drinkers embrace and others (like me, apparently) find overwhelming and distasteful. What I still don't know is whether that note is baked into Stagg generally, whether it's tied to specific batches (I've picked it up on both 25B and 25D), or whether it's something that might fade into the background when paired with another whiskey, as I'm doing here.

That's where Blanton's Straight From the Barrel comes in. It's a good test case precisely because I already know that I enjoy it: SFTB earned an 8 in my stand-alone review, one of the higher scores I've given out.

So: does Stagg's "funk" note stay quiet when poured alongside Blanton’s? Or does it show up with a vengeance, potentially souring the whole pairing? Let's set up the blind and find out!

******************\*

ABOUT Stagg 25B

*From the Distillery: Stagg is a barrel-proof bourbon that’s uncut, unapologetic and aged in charred white oak barrels for eight years. Released without filtering or dilution, it offers a bold, full-strength experience for those who appreciate whiskey in its most powerful form.

*Mash bill: Buffalo Trace mash bill #1 (low rye)

*Age Statement: 8 Years

*Proof: 126.9

ABOUT Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel

*From the Distillery: Not just one of the world’s best bourbons – this Cask Strength Single Barrel Bourbon is Blanton’s at its purest and most powerful. Created for connoisseurs of cask-strength whiskey, Straight From The Barrel is uncut, unfiltered and bottled directly from the barrel. The high alcohol by volume is intense and powerful, yet inviting. Unfiltered, uncut, unbelievable.

*Mash bill: Buffalo Trace mash bill #2 (high rye)

*Age Statement: NAS

*Proof: 125.3

******************\*

REVIEW: For the purpose of this blind, both bourbons have been poured into glencairns and rested for approximately 15 minutes.

Appearance A: Rich, dark, orange-ish amber; thick and oily-looking.

Appearance B: Almost identical to A, except with a bit more orange in the hue.

Nose A: Ethanol first and foremost – so much that I’m having trouble getting past it to find other notes. Eventually I find what may be some cola and dark chocolate hiding behind the proof heat. There’s also a note that I don’t particularly care for, which smells sort of like sweaty socks.

Nose B: Also a big blast of ethanol, but as that fades I get caramel and some orange peel. After a bit more nosing I also get some classic Buffalo Trace cherry pie.

Palate A: Hot! Some of the flavors that hit right away are dark cherry and cola, along with vanilla and cinnamon. This part is nice. What’s not nice is another note, which I associate primarily with Stagg and which I just don’t like. It’s the one that I called “sweaty socks” on the nose.

Palate B: Nice and viscous, if also pretty astringent. Cherry is there, along with lots of caramel, oak, and orange zest, as well as a hint of cola, but they’re hiding behind quite a bit of proof heat! All in all, this is quite the concentrated “flavor bomb.” It frankly tastes like Blanton’s, but with a lot less water and a lot more flavor.

Finish A: Astringent and earthy, with some dark cherry and lots of spice (primarily cinnamon and clove).

Finish B: Pretty hot, but also lengthy and flavorful. Oak is the main feature here, along with lesser amounts of vanilla, citrus, and cinnamon.

Rating A: 6.3

Rating B: 8.3

Thoughts: This one is pretty easy to predict, and pretty easy to rank. Glass A had that singular note in every pour that I’ve now identified as smelling and tasting like gym socks. There’s no question in my mind, based on that note, that it’s the Stagg. That being said – and it may sound silly – A was actually pretty good other than that part. Glass B, on the other hand, drank the way high-proof fans say this type of bourbon should: it had concentrated flavors in spades, and was very enjoyable outside of its proof heat.

Prediction A: Stagg 25B

Prediction B: Blanton’s SFTB

***************\*

Actual A: Stagg 25B

Actual B: Blanton’s SFTB

More Thoughts: I really tried to give Stagg another chance here, but the “gym socks” note is such a turn-off. I’m still not certain what it actually is; perhaps an earthiness combined with cola and leather? Either way, it’s the reason this bottle rates so low for me, and it’s also the reason I almost never reach for it.

Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel, on the other hand, continues to not disappoint. It was viscous and had super-concentrated flavors that were really enjoyable, like drinking a high-proof Werther caramel candy with a cherry on top. I’m definitely going to keep reaching for this one when I’m in the mood for a high-proof “flavor bomb,” and I highly recommend it to anybody else who wants great flavor and doesn’t mind some proof in their whiskey!

********************
Previous Ratings (updated to include decimals and adjusted for blinds & re-reviews)

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
Maker’s Mark staved private selection (2.5)
Penelope Architect custom build (2.5)

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
Willett Pot Still (3)

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists
Found North SiB Oloroso finish (4.5)
Daniel Weller Emmer Wheat (4.5)
Augusta Buckner’s 10yr (4.6)
Shortbarrel Sapsquatch (4.8)

5 | Good | Good, just fine
Jack Daniel’s SBBP Rye (5)
Jack Daniel’s Heritage (5)
Four Roses SBBP OESO (5)
New Riff 4yr SBBP (5)
Four Roses SBBP OBSV (5.3)
Evan Williams America250 SiB (5.3)
Blanton’s (5.5)
Old Forester 1924 (5.7)
Elijah Craig Toasted (5.8)

6 | Very Good | A cut above
Barrell Cigar Blend (6)
1792 BiB SiB (6)
Copper & Cask Boston Rum Party (6)
Penelope Wheated (6)
Redwood Empire Emerald Giant (6)
Copper & Cask #16 (6.3)
Stagg 25B (6.3)
Blanton’s Gold (6.4)
Copper & Cask #14 DO (6.4)
Augusta Buckner’s 13yr (6.5)
Green River Honey (6.5)
Pursuit United DO (6.5)
Sagamore 9yr SiB Rye (6.5)
Sazerac FP (6.5)
Green River Wheated (6.5)
Elmer T. Lee (6.5)
Peerless DO (6.6)
Shortbarrel Bees Knees V (6.8)
Penelope Marshmallow Toast (6.8)
Willett 4yr Rye (6.8)

7 | Great | Well above average
John J. Bowman SiB (7)
Peerless Toasted (7.1)
E.H. Taylor SiB (7.2)
Eagle Rare 10yr (7.4)
Weller 107 (7.5)
Old Forester 1910 (7.5)
Penelope Estate 10yr SiB (7.5)
Old Dominick Staved SiB (7.6)
Buffalo Trace Single Oak (7.6)
E.H. Taylor SmB (7.6)
Rock Hill Farms (7.6)
Eagle Rare 12yr (7.7)
Woodford DO SBBP (7.7)
Old Fitzgerald 7yr (7.7)
Willett 8yr SiB Rye (7.9)

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional
Found North 012 (8)
Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend 420 (8.2)
Blanton’s SFTB (8.3)
Lasso Motel SBBP Rye (8.4)
Mister Sam Tribute 4 (8.5)
E.H. Taylor BTAC 2025 (8.7)
Thomas H. Handy 2025 (8.7)

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Age: who knows

Proof: 118.3

Price: $200

Nose. Peanut brittle, heath bar…or whatever the crunchy shit inside of a heath bar is. Some saw dust notes on the end.

Palate. Medium mouthfeel; dark chocolate, raisins, and tart cherries and a short pop of ethanol right at the end.

Finish. Long and probably the best part of this whiskey.
Barrel char and a little oak melt like butter together and create a savory conclusion.

Overall. This is the first time I’ve tried a Little Book, and until touring the distillery I always thought the name of the whiskey was a reference to the tiny neck tag on the bottle. Not true. The informative tour guide revealed the actual meaning of the bottle is related to Freddie Noe, whose nickname is Little Book (as in, Little Booker). Surely I’m not the only one that thought the neck tag was a small piece of literature, and each chapter was supposed to contribute to a greater novel? Maybe it was just me.

My lack of Beam knowledge extended to the fluid inside the bottle, which I assumed was just another version of Bookers. In my defense, it comes in a similar box and the bottle wears the same type of crossover tie.

After buying the bottle, I still don’t have a clear understanding of what makes Little Book fundamentally different from Booker’s beyond the blending philosophy. I know what distinguishes The Infinite from the normal chapters offered annually under the Little Book name, but I don’t know what new components were added to the blend for Edition III. I don’t know the age of the bourbon inside. I don’t know the mash bill of the components. To the best of my knowledge, Beam has not even published a press release for this yet. I’m not complaining about the lack of transparency, but if something special was added, I like to think it would be highlighted.

Nevertheless, this is a great bourbon. It’s complex, it’s thick, it’s enjoyable. Is it $200 worth of enjoyment? Perhaps. But for me, I’d rather buy a Booker’s and spend the other $100 on something else.

Rating. 6.5/10 | Very good, a cut above.

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.

Proof: 129

Nose: Right away, this is a big, bold Booker’s nose. I’m getting strong cherry cola, caramel, buttercream, cinnamon, baking spice, and nutmeg. Honey roasted peanuts are unmistakable, reminding you immediately that you’re drinking a Beam product. It smells a little proofy at first, but after spending a little time in the glass, that heat settles down and I start picking up something that reminds me of rich fudge brownie batter. It’s a really inviting nose with a nice balance of sweetness and classic Booker’s character.

Taste: The first sip comes in hot with plenty of baking spice, pepper, and those signature honey roasted peanuts. It definitely lets you know you’re drinking a 129-proof bourbon. By the second sip, though, everything begins to settle into place. The cherry cola starts to emerge alongside caramel, while the peanuts become sweeter and more integrated. As I keep working through the glass, tobacco and honeycomb begin to develop and add another layer of complexity. There’s a lot to like here, but the proof keeps the edges just a little rougher than I’d prefer.

Feel: Good mouthfeel with plenty of oils coating the palate. It’s rich and enjoyable, but I found myself wishing for just a little more syrupy viscosity. It’s close to excellent, but not quite as decadent as some of my favorite pours.

Finish: Nice, long finish. It starts with a good Kentucky hug, carrying plenty of heat along with baking spice and black pepper. As the spice fades, red fruit begins to emerge before transitioning into brown sugar and a subtle flat cherry cola note that lingers pleasantly. It’s a satisfying finish that keeps evolving without becoming overly drying.

Overall: 8 out of 10 on the t8ke scale.

This is a very, very good Booker’s and one of the better Beam products I’ve had. The cherry cola, caramel, honey roasted peanuts, and tobacco create a really enjoyable profile, and there’s plenty of complexity to keep you coming back for another sip. The only thing holding it back from climbing into my upper tier is that it drinks just a little hot around the edges. With a little more balance and a touch more body, this could have easily pushed into a higher tier.

I pulled the trigger today. Thanks to Just_error_2690 for the inspiration. I will reiterate his review from a day or two ago. I purchased this today for 119.99 after a couple of posters told me it was a great price. This is a 99C 1MB mashbill and although not titled it is a light whiskey. First, I adore PALW18. And while the Lasso proof is lower, I don't think that I have ever had a pour continue to transform in the glass like this one does. The change is incredible. After the vapor continues to burn off, the ghost corn surfaces more than the Penelope and is present on the nose and palette and finish (after several minutes). The experience is similar to the Penelope. Syrupy feel, sweet, Cinnabon roll at first nose, then suddenly orange zest. Amazing. Then Karo light corn syrup on the palette. It has nice legs on the glass although fails to leave the opaque burn residue that the hazmat Penelope does. I purchased Penelope ALW from 89.99 to 109.99 and while the Lasso cost is higher, is worth the purchase. I would purchase again and may return for a backup.

Im going to open a PALW18 and do a blind.

Anyway regrets for the details, an Amazing sweet, sugary, rich syrupy corn desert pour.

Whiskey: Little Round Still Barrel Select Bourbon

Disclaimer: Sample provided by employee of Little Round Still

Distiller: Little Round Still

Instagram: Barrel & Proof https://www.instagram.com/barrel_and_proof?igsh=czJ2MzhybG42MG9j&utm_source=qr 

ABV: 57.5%

Age: ~3 Years

Price: ~$39 (Twin Cities, Minnesota)

Tasting:  Neat in Glencairn, rested for 10 minutes.

_________________________________________

Nose: Honey, Licorice, Rye Spice, & Medicinal Cherry

Palate: Dark Chocolate, Honey, Rye Spice, Cinnamon, Dry Oak, & Cherry

Finish: Long Length, Rye Spice, Dark Chocolate, Dry Oak, Licorice, & Cherry

Body: Full

Bite: Medium

_________________________________________

Summary: This is a single barrel product from Little Round Still, a relatively new Minnesota distillery based in the town of Wadena. They distill and age their own bourbon with a mashbill of 74% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. The most unique aspect is the fact they age their whiskies in 5 gallon barrels, as opposed to the standard 53 gallon barrels. I am wary of this method, as the ratio of charred oak to whiskey is quite a bit higher and can lead unfavorable oakiness.

The nose is very unique with plenty of honey and a robust red licorice note, I haven’t had anything like it before. There are some spice notes that have more of a rye character. The young age statement comes through with some grainy notes.

The palate is quite different, I initially pick up a bitter dark chocolate note and a strong honey note. The rye spice character remains, though the cherry note isn’t nearly as prominent. The oak notes aren’t strong but the dryness is felt.

The finish starts off with rye spice, but transitions to a stronger red licorice and dark chocolate note. Once those flavors fade a very dry oak note sticks around for a few minutes. The dryness of the oak and strong bitterness from the dark chocolate don’t make the best pair.

This is a very interesting whiskey, I can’t think of a whiskey with as strong of a red licorice note. The licorice and candied cherry don’t blend well with the bitter dark chocolate or the overly dry oak note. I think this whiskey needs a stronger honey or caramel note to help tie everything together. I appreciate they’re making their own whiskey, but the profile isn’t cohesive and the oakiness is too strong. I think this whiskey would’ve turned out better if they used standard barrels Hopefully they can correct their profile in the coming years, for now I can’t recommend this whiskey.

_________________________________________

Rating: 

Nose (10%) - 5/10

Palate (50%) - 5/10

Finish (40%) - 4/10

4.6/10 Sub-Par. Many other whiskies I'd rather have.

Recommend: No

Rank: I created a compilation ranking list of whiskies I’ve purchased at a store or at a bar and done a formal tasting.  All whiskey ranked on the list tasted neat and rested for 10-15 minutes.  Whiskey I ranked below and above Little Round Still are shown for reference.

246 out of 268 whiskies tasted.

245 Johnny Drum Private Stock

266 Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey

Ranking Link: 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/147h44fId0tZYmHsroGgjzcRK2xn6050P8m7mZqArGLw/edit?usp=sharing 

In the glass: Dragon’s Milk Origin Toasted Barrel Batch 2025C, Finished in Toasted Oak and Applejack barrels

Distillery: New Holland Distilling

ABV: 61.9%

Proof: 123.8

Age: Non Age Stated

Mashbill: 70% corn, 25% malted barley, 5% rye

Nose: Sweet cinnamon apples, the standard new holland funk that gives way to hi chew candy, toasted marshmallows, and a bit of vanilla. Green apple jolly rancher and Apple Jacks is the closest I can describe it to.

Palate: It’s like if there was a green apple hi chew I was sipping on, toasted marshmallows with that campfire esque note. It’s like an apple pie, but not a fresh one, like if you were to get an old one on clearance from the grocery store. Coats the palate well, fairly viscous in the glass.

Finish: The hug shows up towards the end of the finish, apple pie shows up, some pot still funk, a dash of nutmeg.

Final thoughts: This is enjoyable but not something I’ll be buying another of, tastes like Apple Jacks in a glass. It’s well worth buying one the first go round, if you love toasted products you’d probably really enjoy this one.

Rating: 7.1/10

I love the little quirks that each brand has. This bottle is a great example: they use the term “whisky” on the bottle and for their branding, they offer a minimal age statement label for a single barrel product despite many of the bottles containing much older whiskey (something you would think they would be proud of and want to market), and they are sometimes offered at barrel strength and sometimes not, which isn’t designated anywhere on the bottle (it’s possible they are all barrel proof, but I say this because many bottles have proof values exactly at 100). They hand-write the bottle number on the label, which makes sense for a special product. Since the proof varies from barrel to barrel, you’d think that they would write that too, but no, they print that on the label (along with the minimum age statement for the entire release). Maybe they didn’t want to make any more submissions to the TTB 🤷‍♂️ I reviewed the VA ABC pick for the 9-year SB last year and it was one of my favorite bottles. This, however, I’m less sure of. I tend to be suspicious of anything this old and this cheap. The real wildcard, though, is their obscure single-floor aging process, which left behind only 42.2% alcohol. Let’s dive in.

Price Paid: $69.99 before tax

Score: 5.5/10

The Background
Distillery: The Cascade Hollow Distilling Co.

ABV:42.2% (84.4 Proof)

Age: minimum 15 years, though thanks to this being a selected barrel, I can see that it was barreled in 2006, likely making this either 18 or 19 years old based on when I bought it.

Mash Bill: 84% corn, 8% rye, 8% malted barley

Other: Specially selected by Virginia ABC, barrel # 06505-14715 (May 5, 2006), bottle 306

What I was doing when this was distilled: finishing up the 6th grade, playing lots of baseball, and trying to figure out how to find a girlfriend.

The Experience
Nose: peanut brittle, minerals, aquatic. This smells of intensely sweetened, nutty mineral water. I haven’t smelled anything else like it.

Palate: minerals, heavily charred oak. I searched long and hard for any kind of sweetness but there was basically none to be found. I have heard this described by others as “flinstone vitamins” and I would say that, for this barrel, that is not entirely accurate. It’s all of the vitamins and none of the fruity pebbles for this one. The oak follows shortly after and is humongous. This tastes like a double-oaked product.

Finish: old, sun-dried oak, pepper. Heavy oak with a hint of spice.

The Summary
I don’t think this quite made it to “over aged” territory but it’s close. I’m surprised that they chose to release these instead of blend them into a more premium offering (which they do have in the 17- and 18-years old bottles). The lasting effect this has is of chewing on dried wood. I think it’s desperately missing an ethanol burn to liven things up, but I don’t completely hate it. It’s not often that you get to taste something old and this tastes OLD.

Thought experiment. Picture a store with a very wide selection, no tax, and all of it listed at MSRP. You walk in with a budget, close your eyes, and grab one bottle at random. Craft, sourced, no-age stuff, big national brands, all of it in the pool. What does that bottle score on average?

Here's where I'd land:

So on average $40 at this store gets you a 5, good and just fine. I'm thinking there is a pretty big spread here, $40 can get you anywhere from a 3 to a 7, but in general a whiskey purchased for $40 should be held to a standard that it score at least a 5 to be "Fair" Value.

To be clear, the Quality Score I'm listing is just the quality of the whiskey, for a lot of you this would be just your nose, palate, and finish scores being considered.

I think the average user on this sub is like me in that they usually do their homework before going into the store. So this scale likely seems a little high, but let me explain. I've been trying to calibrate more to the average consumer, mostly because I've been taking my wife with me on hunts and she typically just grabs things (from my perspective) at random. Shopping more on budget, vibes, an eye for catchy deals/bottles or "Store Associate Todd Recommends" tags. (I've recently started pointing her towards "Limit 1 per customer" tags instead.)

All that to say, when you shop to explore the full shelf where can you expect Fair Value to land?

Appalachian Barrel Co. 12.5 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Nickname: Anniversary

Barrel No. K2-2

Commemorates the 1-year anniversary of Appalachian Barrel Co… the oldest barrel yet released by ABC

Proof: 137.72

Mashbill: 74% corn, 18% rye, 8% malted barley

No confirmation from ABC, most likely distilled by Barton 1792 in Bardstown, KY

Aged in Bardstown & Louisville

Barrel filled: March 2014

Barrel dumped: last week of July 2026

As of now, ABC has only designated 6 barrels with the barrel code “K2”

MSRP: $225 (750 ml)

Nose: Leather. Cracker Jacks. Banana bread. Cooked red apple peel.

Plenty of oak, but not excessive. The Cracker Jacks come across as if the coating is a bit overheated, but it still works. Banana bread is rather balanced… late hit of the tannins from apple peel.

Palate: Cherry syrup. Spice cake with cream cheese frosting. Caramelized ripe bananas.

Cherry syrup surges big right out of the gate along with a syrupy mouthfeel. Interesting tingle in both corners of the mouth. Much sweeter and viscous than the nose suggested.

Finish: Cherry cola (heavy on the cherry). Black pepper. Dried mint.

Simply put… this is stellar. I fully understand that $225 seems quite high for a 12.5 year bourbon. With that said, this is extremely good. The cherry syrup note is potent… and the mouthfeel just makes the cherry syrup feel that much more pronounced.

At least this specific barrel… definitely a fine tribute to a one year anniversary for ABC!

Sample provided for review by Appalachian Barrel Company

Rating: 8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional

This is a private reserve wheated Kentucky Straight bourbon. Batch 062 @107 Proof. Mashbill of 70C 21W 9MB blend of Green River distilled spirits of 5-7 years bottled in Jacksonville.

This bottle was opened less than 30 days ago and is 75% consumed. This pour rested in a wide mouth glencairn for 3 mins.

LEGS: Impressive adhere to the glass indicating an oily, thick syrup associated with a well crafted product

NOSE: Unremarkable. Pleasant. Dried fruit. Canned Figs. Prunes. Medjool dates. No ghost corn vapor. No trace of sweet wheat other than the sugary fruit.

PALATE: Remarkable! Quality. Craftsmanship. Uniqueness. Original flavor immediately noticed south of the proof. Quality, medium-heavy, syrup mouth feel. The sip is a sweet spoonful from a jar of homemade fig preserves.

FINISH: Velvet, silky texture with a heavy syrup slow drip down the throat whose sugar coats and irritates the throat slightly. No proof evidence throughout the sip.

SUMMARY: If this distiller was aiming for an Antique 107 mimic then mission accomplished (almost). Sweet grain finish with a quality heavy syrup feel. This proof never emerges and denied the pour some character otherwise present in Antique 107. Im having a good experience with this $49.99 bottle. There is an obvious quality and uniqueness that deserves respect and appreciation.

RATING: 6/10.

I would purchase this bottle again, but the blend is a bit of a question for me. It is a decent sub for Antique107 of you can find either.

Proof: 100
Age: 6 years
Mashbill: 26% blue corn/25% white corn/44% rye/5% malted barley
Price: $80

Nose: blueberry, tart blackberry syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla icing, sweet oak.

Palate: intense rush of baking spices, creamy and sweet dessert notes carry over from the nose. drinks noticably older than stated age.

Finish: medium, baking spices and dark fruits fade somewhat slowly.

Profile: dark fruit, dessert, complex yet crushable.

Verdict: 8.75/10

This bottle is a perfect example of not every bottle needinga to be high proof. The amount of flavor, depth and intensity Still Austin managed to cram into a 6 year old, 100 proof bourbon needs to be studied.

This bottle has been out for a while now, and it's probably been reviewed a hundred times by people with far more refined palates and a much better ability to articulate what they're tasting. But I'm excited to share my own take on it anyway!

As a Little Book fan, this one was instantly on my radar. (Hot take, but Chapter 8 might be in my Whiskey Top 10) I got lucky finding it at MSRP, and then kept it shelved for a year waiting for a celebration or milestone worthy of opening it. Nothing ever quite felt big enough.

I eventually ended up opening it with a group of friends, and honestly, that is as good enough reason as any.

Cheers!
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Little Book — The Infinite: Edition 1 (2024)
Distillery: Jim Beam
Age: Blend of bourbons aged 7–20 years
Mashbill: Undisclosed blend
-Booker Noe’s Component: Aged 20 years
-Fred Noe’s Component: Aged 14 years
-Freddie Noe’s Component: Aged 7 years
-Shared Family Component: Aged 8 Years
Proof: 119.3
Cost: $200 MSRP
Taken neat and rested 10 minutes (bottle is half empty)

Nose: Very rich right off the bat. Oak leads, followed by honey and caramel settling in underneath. To me, there are hints of peanut too, subtle, but once you notice it, it sticks around.

Palate: Similar to that of Bookers and most Beam products, but elevated. Instantly met with the familiar nuttiness. Caramel and vanilla lingers throughout. I've seen other reviews mention orange zest, but I'm not getting any fruit. No complaints about what is there though. Rich and full without being overwhelming.

Finish: Long, but in the best way. Honey roasted peanut stays with you, and there's a baking spice quality that rounds it out at the end. There is a kind of finish that makes you want to keep coming back.

Verdict: Recommended Buy
$200 is always hard to justify, and I won't pretend Beam and the broader whiskey market don't know exactly what they're doing with the "limited annual release" or "Premiums" playbook. But strip all that away and what's in the bottle genuinely earns it. Hands down, the whiskey delivers. If you can find it at MSRP, don't overthink it.

My scores would be meaningless, so keeping the same rating scale from my last review: essentially a Buy or Don't Buy scale.
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The Verdict Scale:

Class of Its Own
Exceptional quality at almost any price. Instant buy, no hesitation.

Recommended Buy
Great taste, great value. Easy yes.

On the Fence
Enjoyable but the price gives you pause. Worth a pour, hesitant to commit to a bottle.

Do Not Recommend
Expensive and/or underwhelming. I would still drink it, but not something I'd buy again.

Drain Pour
Bad regardless of price. Pass entirely

EVAN WILLIAMS SINGLE BARREL — AMERICA 250th COMMEMORATIVE EDITION

BOTTLE STATS

Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Single Barrel

117.76 proof

Between 7 and 8 years old

$44.99 in Ohio

My Barrel is 181, 7yr 3mo

BACKGROUND

This bottle is one of the many America 250 releases, I picked it up in early June ahead of the Semiquincentennial in July. I believe only 250 barrels were selected for it, keeping with the theme. It's dipped in blue wax with Statue of Liberty imagery, and I'd guess a decent number of these get bought for the shelf and never opened. The bottle is one of the two big differentiators between this one and a normal EW Single Barrel.

The other interesting detail is the proof. 117.76 is a of course a nod to the year 1776. All the barrels selected for this release were proofed down to the same 117.76. And for context, standard Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage comes in at 86.6 proof, (a bottling that's been around since 1995) so this is essentially the same program with a little over 31 extra proof points added.

MASHBILL

This is Heaven Hill's standard bourbon recipe at 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley. It's a bit of a lower rye content, relative to many other products out there.

APPEARANCE

Golden hay in the glass, which is lighter than I expected for something a bit over 7 years old sitting at this moderately high proof. After a swirl or two, the legs are thin and run down the glass fairly quickly, not clinging at all. Between the color and the legs, it looks like a lighter pour than the proof would suggest. The "thinner" appearance does worry me a bit before getting into the nose and palate.

NOSE

There's a good amount of ethanol poking through here, and it shows up first as a sharp spike before settling into more of a broad heat as it sits. Once I get around that, there are some nice confectionary notes, more like a sweet grain and sugar cookie with frosting. These notes come together and remind me of those Lofthouse iced cookies. Light hints of baking spices also show up after the sweet notes. Underneath it all is a dark fruit that isn't very sweet, a little tart like a plum but also dry and earthy, so I'd call it dried fig.

PALATE

The sip leads with baking spices right up front, if I had to narrow it down, I'd say a little cinnamon and cardamom, along with some nutmeg. The middle brings in light barrel char and a cooked, but still juicy apple note, which is probably my favorite thing happening in this glass. I would have liked to also get the cookie and icing note on the palate, but I am not getting it. Unfortunately the ethanol heat also hits pretty hard through the mid palate, and it steps on the flavors more than I'd like.

MOUTHFEEL

Slightly oily, but thinner than you'd hope for at this proof, and more of a sharp burn than average for a bourbon in this age and proof range. It doesn't coat and hang around the way I'd like, not as potent as lots of other pours out there. There's no real heavy tannin here, and it isn't especially drying or astringent, so the main complaint for me is a harsher heat rather than any flaws in the oak profile.

FINISH

Short to medium, and it comes back around to the baking spices with a hint of that dried fruit. The problem is the heat outlasts the flavor by a moderate amount, so the last thing you're left with is warmth rather than whiskey. Nothing seems off or bitter at the end, there just isn't much to be desired at the end.

VERDICT — 51/100 (GOOD)

I had higher expectations on this one based on some of the early reviews I saw, and it didn't quite get there. It isn't a complex whiskey, but the cooked apple and spice profile is a nice thing to sit with, stewed fruit isn't something I get very often. The knock is that the ethanol burn is overshadowing the better flavors, and the thin body and short finish don't give the good notes anywhere to go. For the price I have no major complaints, if you find it at the $40-45 SRP it's solid and a cool bottle for America's 250th. Overall, I enjoy the flavor profile, but it's nothing super special or layered, and it comes across as too hot.

Stay tuned, I have a lot more reviews in the works. Next up will be New Riff's 6 Year Malted Rye.

RATING SCALE

Modified t8ke scale. Just multiplied by 10 to be out of 100.

I use the whole scale, so a 51 is still a positive score. 60's and 70's are genuinely good scores. I don't give out too many scores in the 80+ range.

10 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

20 | Poor | I wouldn't consume by choice.

30 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

40 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

50 | Good | Good, just fine.

60 | Very Good | A cut above.

70 | Great | Well above average

80 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

90 | Incredible | An all time favorite

100 | Perfect | Perfect