By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Town Branch 7 Year Old Single Malt (Credit: Richard Thomas) Lexington Brewing & Distilling’s Town Branch 7 Year Old Single Malt is a product of brewstilling synergy. Whether the whiskey was made with the distillery’s pot still is unknown, but what is known is that it was aged for seven-plus years in old Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale barrels. That drink, in its turn, is the brewery’s staple Kentucky Irish Red Ale aged in used bourbon barrels, and for years now at least some of those barrels have come from the distillery’s own bourbon output. The Kentucky single ..read more

Last Drop Distillers has unveiled their 2024 Collection of three sourced bottlings: a 40 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Auchentoshan Distillery (Release No. 34), a 22 Year Old Infinity Rum Blend (Release No. 35) and a 55 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Tomintoul Distillery (Release No. 36). Release No. 34, The Last Drop 40 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Auchentoshan Distillery Auchentoshan Distillery is renowned for its unique production processes, honed over two centuries of whisky making. It is the only extant distillery in Scotland to distill its spirit ..read more

By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ High West Bottled in Bond Rye (Credit: Richard Thomas) Utah’s High West earned its reputation as a fan favorite through their transparency. The company was among those that tried and proved the path of using sourced whiskey to develop a brand while mustering the resources and expertise to build a working distillery, develop whiskeys and mature them. What made them the darling of so many whiskey nerds a decade ago was that they were part of a small class that disclosed their sourcing, at least insofar as their contractual obligations allowed them to. Barrell Craft ..read more

The American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) today announces the election of Kelly Woodcock of Westward Whiskey (OR) as the President of the Board of Directors. She has served as a member of the organization’s Board of Directors since 2022, and as Vice President since 2023. Amber Pollock of Backwards Distilling Co. (WY) has also been elected as the organization’s Vice President, and Jeff Kanof of Copperworks Distilling Co. (WA) as Secretary/Treasurer. Pollock and Kanof have served on the board since 2018. Together, Woodcock, Pollock and Kanof and the current and newly-appointed Board of Direc ..read more

There is more to Japanese Whisky than just Nikka and Suntory, such as Hatozaki. Now available in the US is the Hatozaki Omakase Rye Third Edition Mizunara Cask Finish for a suggested retail price of $95 (750ml), the new limited-edition expression showcases the profound aging and finishing techniques of Kimio Yonezawa, 4th generation Master Distiller & Blender. This whisky is an American-inspired rye, not a Japanese malt, crafted in small batches of no more than 10 casks. The blend, consisting of at least 51% rye, is aged in new charred oak and then finished in traditional Mizunara casks. P ..read more

By Richard Thomas Rating: A- Bourbonola, a high strength bourbon and cola mixer (Credit: Richard Thomas) Bourbonola is a nod to the long history of the Lexington Brewing Company. By that, I don’t mean the modern company, which was established in 1999 and is very much a creation of the late period of the Craft Beer 1.0 era. There is an earlier Lexington Brewing Company, one that got its start in the 1890s. Like many breweries around the country, the company struggled to survive Prohibition. As part of its efforts, they introduced a cola called “Bourbonola.” One can see the ads painted on the ..read more

Milam & Greene Whiskey is introducing the second release of the 2024 Wildlife Collection: Mockingbird Single Barrel Bourbon, a limited-edition, cask-strength spirit. The theme of the Wildlife Collection draws on how extreme weather in the Texas Hill Country influences flavor development of aging bourbon and brings awareness to Texas Parks and Wildlife causes. Mockingbird Single Barrel Bourbon is part of this year’s collector theme which highlights the beautiful and intriguing birds of Texas. It will be available exclusively on the Milam & Greene Whiskey website and in the distille ..read more

By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A124 (Credit: Richard Thomas) When Heaven Hill finally took the 12 year age statement off Elijah Craig Barrel Proof last year, several years after taking the Elijah Craig Small Batch no age statement in 2016, it was an even noteworthy for just how little comment it attracted. Sure, some croaked, but compared to the outrage that similar transitions sparked during the middle 2010s, the response was relatively muted. It seems that the folks stoking the outrage in that bygone era have all either taken their ball and gone home or else otherwi ..read more

Overholt, founded in Pennsylvania and the longest continuously maintained brand in American whisky (it’s been around since 1810), has announced the release of A. Overholt. The whiskey is named for the brand founder, Abraham Overholt, and uses the same mash bill as the original Overholt whiskey: 80% rye grain and 20% soft malted barley. Owners Beam-Suntory have been giving the Overholt brand more attention in recent years, and A. Overholt marks a return to the brand’s roots. To date, Overholt rye whiskey expressions have been derived from Jim Beam’s rye stock, which is a Kentucky-style rye, mea ..read more

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association today announced Bargo 459 in Knox County is the newest member of the non-profit trade group that unites and leads Kentucky’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. Bargo 459 is led by Matthew Bargo II, his wife, Susie, and their son, Matthew Bargo III. Perched on Kentucky Highway 3041 overlooking the new Cumberland Run harness racing track, Bargo 459 is a small craft distillery where only a limited number of barrels are finished at a time. Its address is 133 Wes David Road in Corbin, Ky. Their whiskey is all pot-distilled straight Bourbon that ha ..read more