Drink the Bottles

  Frankfort, KY (July 25, 2025)  - Buffalo Trace Distillery is thrilled to announce two super-premium wheat whiskey innovations from the Original Wheated Bourbon brand, including the second edition of Weller Millennium , comprising a new blend of ultra-aged wheat whiskeys; and Weller 18 Year Old , the brand's oldest age statement to date.  Meticulously crafted to push the boundaries of maturation and blending, these releases boldly demonstrate the exceptional aging potential and versatility of wheat in American whiskey production. Produced at The World's Most Award-Winning Distillery, both innovations celebrate the original wheated bourbon reciped pioneered by William Larue Weller in 1847.  At a time when rye and corn dominated the market, Weller's use of the more delicate wheat grain - primarily a food crop - resulted in a smoother, sweeter whiskey that set his whiskeys apart.  These latest expressions honor Weller's legacy of innovation as Buffalo Trace Distil...

  Ocean City, Maryland is a huge tourist town during the summer months and also the home of Seacrets Distilling Company.  Seacrets Distilling is the first distillery in Ocean City since Prohibition and it has become a destination spot for locals and out-of-towners alike.  The state-of-the-art distillery features antiques as part of the structure and features from 1933 (or earlier), which is the year when Prohibition ended.  They are currently producing handcrafted gin, vodkas, rums, whiskeys and today's selection, the Seacrets Distilling Company Bourbon Whiskey . Every part of this bourbon is created in house - mash bill, fermentation and distillation.  The grains are locally sourced (MD and DE) and the mash bill of GMO-free corn, rye and barley helps create a uniquely flavored whiskey that is aged four years.   The color is more harvest gold than your traditional amber and you immediately catch aromas of charred oak, grilling spices, dry wheat toast a...

  Due north of Boulder, Colorado sits a small town of about 2200 residents and an unsuspecting distillery, born out of the reamins of and old motorcycle repair shop.  Head distiller and co-founder CraigEngelhorn (aka Hair of the Dog) had a dream to take his home-brewed beer hobby to the next level.  With the help of some like-minded friends, Spirit Hound Distillers was born. Today we're tasting two expressions from Spirit Hound.  The first up is the Barrel Project Bourbon, a single barrel bourbon finished in Amercan single malt whiskey barrels.  We should first start by pointing out that every time SHD (Spirit Hound Distillers) refers to WHISKEY, the use the alternative, sans "e".  We don't.  We are "E" people through and through.  But we all have the same love for the stuff in the bottle. This is a really nice lower entry proof bourbon that is as laid back as a Coloradan on a holiday weekend.  Light to medium brown, full of buttery maple sy...

  In a quaint house-turned-distillery (or world headquarters as the sign states) is a local Sewickley, Pennsylvania distiller who is producing local craft bourbon, whiskey and flavored moonshines.  Owner Kim McLaughlin follows his family's distilling traditions and pours his heart and soul into each barrel.  McLaughlin Distillery  will tell you up front that they aren't the biggest and they don't have the fanciest machinery.  But what they do have is a passion for making distilled spirits that represent this southwest Pennsylvania borough while using oak from the North to age their spirits. The 3799 Bourbon has a beautiful dense chestnut-orange color.  While we don't know the age statement of this bourbon, it is the distillery's most popular offering.  The nose presents chocolate covered almonds, green earth, vanilla and dark tea.  Swirling really opens this up and we tasted this neat.  In the mouth was almond crunch, hayloft earthiness, hint...

Town Branch Distillery is Lexington, Kentucky's first new distillery built post-Prohibition.  Located on the banks of the Elkhorn Creek, the area's limestone water is rivaled to be some of the best in the world for distilled spirits.  Town Branch is part of the Lexington Brewing and Distilling Co and they make one of our favorite beers, which we tasted many years ago - Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.  We will fight anyone who thinks that isn't one of the best bourbon aged beers on the market! This is the  Town Branch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey  and one of their first released distilled products.  Pleasant dark honey color with aromas of caramelized sugar, biscuits, dry earth and bright fruits.  You get a really warm Kentucky hug from this bourbon and flavors of cedar box, cherry preserves, green chiles with a semi-sweet and long caramel finish, including a hint of orchard fruits.  Tasted neat, as always.  This is a solid daily drinker and...

If you don't have the three of four minutes to read our entire review of this whiskey, we will cut to the chase.   This is quite possibly the best single malt whiskey we have tasted in 2024.  Now, if you want to know why then keep reading.  The  Westward Single Malt Whiskey  is what they call their original whiskey.  It is 100% malted barley from the Pacific Northwest and aged in heavy and light charred oak barrels.  The great northwest is known for exceptional barley crops and that is evident in what we are tasting today.   Medium to dark copper in color, this single malt whiskey carries distintive aromas and flavors that represent the waters of the Pacific Northwest, which is the foundation for what Westward produces.  Aromas include a basket of fresh picked peaches, orange bitters, maple candy, roasted nuts, lemon-lime soda and tree bark.  There is a lot going on here!  In the mouth is a mesmerizing and colorful palate ...

  Tucked away in a brick building in the bustling city of Huntsville, Alabama is a small craft distillery that is doing things the old-fashioned way and creating a product that may just blow your mind.  Owner and distiller Jeff Irons is nearly a one-man show, using only the help of his CTO (Chief Tasting Officer) and wife, Vicki Irons.  Irons One Distillery produces about 30 gallons of bourbon per week, give or take.  In fact, when he sent us a bottle for review, he was temporarily out of stock because he just can't keep it on the shelf.  Now we understand why! The philosophy that Jeff Irons uses is to oversee literally every aspect of every batch of bourbon personally, from start to finish, ensuring only the highest quality product.  His "from my hands to yours" business model and the fact that every bottle has his name on it resonates with everyone who has ever tasted his incredible craft.  You won't find a team of seasonal workers or any cut corner...

  We could keep this short and sweet by stating, "We really like this", but that's not our style.  Today we tasted the  Westward Single Malt Whiskey Pinot Noir Cask from Oregon and if you're a finished whiskey fan, read on! Whether or not you're familiar with Westward Whiskey, you need to pay attention to their history and their philosophies.  This award-winning distillery has been around for 20 years, back when craft distilling wasn't "a thing" and they helped pave the way for the now more than 2200 craft brands in the US.  Head distiller Miles Munroe approaches each offering with critical care, always conscious of the footprint that the northwest United States will leave on each bottle. This single malt whiskey is finished in French Oak Pinot Noir barrels, after first starting off the aging process in American Oak.  For finished whiskey enthusiasts, this one is hitting on all cylinders.  You start with a cherry pie, sweet tobacco, leather and vani...

  Everyone probably knows by now that bourbon is distilled in all 50 states in the US.  One perk we have with this passion project is discovering new-to-us distilleries and connecting with the folks who truly love what they do.  We accidentally ran across Watershed Distillery and now they are popping up everywhere we look online.  A fifteen minute phone call with a representative from Watershed made us instantly feel like part of the family and we couldn't be more excited to talk about this bottle. The Watershed Distillery Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a 4 year-old offering, coming in at 90 proof.  Yes, of course most distilleries offer a lower proof bourbon, but let us share with you what makes this bottle one to put on your radar.  This mash bill is 72% corn, 21% rye and 7% malt, showing the sweeter nose and cookie taste with just a touch of peppery goodness on the finish.  Brunette liquid in the bottle with a boquet of sweet butter, ginger, cinnamon ...

  What does a country music superstar and one of the world's most famous distilleries have in common?  Well, let's find out!  Right out of the gate, we're going to tell you that we were surprised that this wasn't a marriage between the 8-time Grammy winner and Jack Daniel's, but we'll get to that later. Chris Stapleton has teamed up with Buffalo Trace Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley to offer this first-of-a-kind blended whiskey with a celebrity association from the Frankfort, KY landmark.  Gimmick?  Genius marketing?  When this bottle was released just a few weeks ago we heard comments all over the board.  Most whiskey enthusiasts were skeptical, but admittedly, they "had" to have that bottle.....or three.  Some people cried foul and said this was all a poor attempt at boosting sales for both the country crooner and the distillery. If you know anything about either one, you quickly realize that they don't need to boost their sales.  Both par...