By Richard Thomas Rating: B- Templeton Fortitude Bourbon (Credit: Richard Thomas) For good or for ill, Templeton is one of the most storied names to come out of the American whiskey boom of the 21st Century. Getting their start as a sourced brand in the 2000s, they spun a story of being inspired by Iowa bootleggers who supplied rye whiskey to Chicago gangsters. The gaps between Templeton’s marketing tales and its reality as a sourced-and-bottled whiskey originating from MGP in Indiana were hardly unique, but by the early 2010s a chunk of the American whiskey blogosphere had become fanatical ..read more

Barrell Bourbon has earned its place in the hearts of enthusiasts as much for its blending skills and cask strength products as for its praised transparency. Now they’ve taken the former in a new direction with the third installment of their Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series with a Mizunara-finished whiskey. For the newest expression, the BCS blending team created a blend of Indiana (6, 7, and 9-year), Kentucky (8-year) and Tennessee (8 & 14-year) bourbon whiskeys featuring multiple mash bills. The blend was then further matured in Mizunara casks for one and a half years and bottled at ca ..read more

When Shelter Distilling planted their flag at the base of Mammoth Mountain in California, they did so with passion for adventure. For the last seven years they have been attracting like-minded individuals, coming together to share stories and a well-crafted beverage. With the growing popularity of Shelter Distilling spirits, the team knew they needed to expand. Looking to continue their adventure and staying true to their values and fanbase, they landed in Montrose, Colorado. Now, adventure has another starting point and a distillery there to serve all visiting thrill-seekers. “For Shelter Dis ..read more

Lux Row has reached a special anniversary this year with its 10th release in the Blood Oath series of Kentucky bourbon, this one double finished in Cabernet Franc and Merlot casks. A limited supply of 17,000 cases will arrive at retail this month at a suggested price of $129.99 per 750 ml bottle. As with all of Rempe’s pacts, Blood Oath Pact 10 is offered at 98.6 proof (49.3% ABV). Blood Oath Pact 10 combines some of the finest rare bourbons Master Distiller John Rempe could find, including two well-bred ryed bourbons and one finished bourbon each complementing the others. In honor of Blood Oa ..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

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

Lux Row Distillers announced the latest addition to the Ezra Brooks brand family: Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish. Finished in port casks from Portugal for six months, Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish delivers the great spicy ryed bourbon taste and smooth finish Ezra Brooks is known for in its already bold 99 proof bourbon, with additional flavor notes. The new variant will start shipping to retailers later this month at a suggested retail price of $34.99 per 750 ml bottle. With a mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malt, Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish is distilled using the ..read more

Ole Smoky Distillery, best known as the Gatlinburg, Tennessee moonshine-maker and tourist destination, has announced the nation-wide distribution of its Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The distillery is already well-known outside of Tennessee, and is the most prominent of the legal moonshine brands. Now it is staking out a place in the bourbon market with this four year old, Tennessee-made bourbon. “The American Whiskey category is continuing to grow, and as one of the fastest growing spirits companies in the country, Ole Smoky is excited to offer consumers a straight whiskey from a distil ..read more