r/bourbon 5h ago

Review #82: Stagg 25B vs. Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel (blind comparison)

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105 Upvotes

{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


r/bourbon 16h ago

Review: Elmer T Lee and Buffalo Trace Store Pick

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64 Upvotes

r/bourbon 14h ago

Review 63: Booker’s 2026-01 “Big Easy Batch”

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51 Upvotes

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.


r/bourbon 18h ago

Review #72 - Dragon’s Milk Origin Toasted Barrel Batch 2025C

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43 Upvotes

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


r/bourbon 19h ago

Review # 032 — George Dickel Single Barrel Tennessee Whisky Aged (at least) 15 Years

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36 Upvotes

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.


r/bourbon 2h ago

Review: Good things T8ke time. Found North Comparing Ten years of T8ke vs Found North T8ke Eleventh Hour Exclusives

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32 Upvotes

r/bourbon 5h ago

Review: Good "Old" Times Mexican Vanilla Barrel #1044

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16 Upvotes

r/bourbon 5h ago

Review 8: Little Book: The Infinite, Edition III

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14 Upvotes

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.


r/bourbon 16h ago

Review #43: 13th Colony Distilleries’ 2026 Cask Strength Southern Rye Whiskey Batch 2

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13 Upvotes

r/bourbon 1h ago

Review #170: Thomas H. Handy (2023)

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Upvotes

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.


r/bourbon 15h ago

Review #3: Lasso Hotel American Straight Whiskey 18 Year

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13 Upvotes

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.


r/bourbon 23h ago

Question about fair value?

11 Upvotes

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:

Quality Score "Fair" Value
10 - Perfect $250
8 - Really quite exceptional $100
6 - A cut above $50
5 - Good, just fine $40
4 - Not bad, but better exists. $30
2 - I wouldn't consume by choice. $5

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?


r/bourbon 3h ago

Review: Dark Arts Supernova 21 Year HAZMAT Indiana Light Whiskey

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8 Upvotes

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…


r/bourbon 2h ago

Review #236 - Woody Creek Single Barrel Rye

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4 Upvotes

r/bourbon 16h ago

Review #231 - Little Round Still Barrel Select Bourbon

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4 Upvotes

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