Drink the Bottles

  Jack Daniel’s Honors Military Service with 2025 Heroes Selection Single Barrel Barrel Proof Tennessee Whiskey  Selected by two veteran brothers who have worked at the Jack Daniel Distillery for decades, the third annual release is now available at military duty-free stores  Lynchburg, Tennessee (September 8 , 2025) – The Jack Daniel Distillery introduces the 2025 edition of its annual Heroes Selection – a limited release of Single Barrel Barrel Proof Tennessee Whiskey selected by heroes, for heroes. This year’s expression, chosen by U.S. Army veteran twin brothers and longtime Jack Daniel’s employees JB and LB McGowan, is now available exclusively at U.S. military outlets.  Jack Daniel’s Heroes Selection Barrel Proof Tennessee Whiskey is offered at proof points between 125 and 140 and features a bold, complex profile developed through aging in the highest reaches of barrelhouse in Lynchburg. The aroma opens with rich notes of sweet brown sugar, while the palate off...

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Heritage Barrel Tennessee Whiskey The new year-round offering, crafted with the help of a slow-toasting barrel technique, becomes a permanent extension to the Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel family of whiskeys  Lynchburg, Tennessee (August 21, 2025) – The Jack Daniel Distillery today announced Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Heritage Barrel Tennessee Whiskey will now be offered year-round as part of the Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Collection.  The permanent launch follows award-winning Heritage Barrel limited special releases in 2018 & 2019 that also utilized Jack Daniel’s distinct barrel toasting technique to create a unique and rich character.  “The way our barrels are built and our ability to experiment are two of the most important parts of the Jack Daniel’s whiskey-making tradition,” said Chris Fletcher, Master Distiller at the Jack Daniel Distillery. “It was exciting for us to see what our Heritage Barrels produced with previous limited rele...

Every so often, when the timing is right and the aging process is exactly  where they want it to be, Augusta Distillery releases their Buckner's Single Barrel 13 Year Bourbon.  There are two things you should know about this bourbon; it is delicious and it always sells out - quickly!  The bottle we are tasting today has a "bonus" to it if are a proof hound, because this one is just a tick away from being considered a hazmat bottle.  Let's get into it... Reddish brown with streaks of burgundy throughout the bottle and Glencairn.  The packaging is eye-catching (yes folks, that matters) and this is one of those bottles that makes your heart skip a half of a beat when you see it in the wild.   The nose gives vibes of an old dusty bookstore, damp country road, grilling spices and buttercream frosting.  Tasted neat, we uncovered flavors of roasted nuts, cigar smoke, pecan pie filling and a peppery goodness.  Underlying interests of homemade vanilla...

  We have been enjoying multiple bottles from Buzzard's Roost for a couple of years and we were recently introduced to the fan club - Ambuzzadors - that was started in 2022.   Twice a year these die hard fans are invited to Whiskey Row to the Buzzard's Roose headquarters for a barrel pick.  The cool thing about these bottles is that they are extremely exclusive; they do not go into distribution and they are available only online at at Whiskey Row. We recently received a 100mL sample bottle of the  Buzzard's Roost Ambuzzadors Select Single Barrel Rye 2025 to taste, and this one.... is a HIT!  Caramel-gingerbread in color, this has concentrated and defined aromas of peach, apricot, coffee bean, chocolate bits and dried earth.  For a bottle that has a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley, we were really taken back by the citrus flavors that held on from beginning to end along with rich, butter cream icing and toasted nuts.  The finish sticks ar...

  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...

  What do you think of when you picture Brooklyn, New York in your mind?  Do you think of diverse neighborhoods, amazing food and Coney Island?  Maybe.  But you might be surprised to know that there is a distillery with a rich history, creating inviting drams that should be on your radar during your next visit to the city.  Husband and wife owners Alex Clark and Amy Grindeland set out to create premium liquors and that is exactly what they are doing.  They bourbon, rye whiskey, vodka and gin, connecting the distillery's name to the historic Fort Hamilton Army Base, which was named after Alexander Hamilton. First up, we tasted the  Fort Hamilton Sinble Barrel Bourbon  with an inviting mash bill of 85% Corn, 10% Rye and 5% Malted Barley, all locally sourced from New York state!  We always have a soft spot for folks who source their grains locally, as it adds to the footpring of what that area of the world is doing in the whiskey world.  Th...

  We're suckers for farm-to-glass bourbons because you feel like you can really trust the process when everything is done in-house.  Sure, tons of folks are mashing, distilling, maturing and bottling their own product.  But at Broadslab Distillery in Benson, NC they are also growing  the grains on their farm.  While the farm-to-bottle process isn't completely unique, it is somewhat rare these days.  And what really sets this distillery apart from others is their flue-cured aging process.  Their patent pending process means that they actually age their whiskey alongside hanging/curing tobacco, providing a unique process that carries over into distinct North Carolina flavors.   Owner and master distiller Jeremy Norris insists on doing things the old way, or as he refers to, the right way.  The distillery cooks in a 500-pound copper pot still and the barrels are put aside until the whiskey has reached that familiar golden-brown color and ri...