Drink the Bottles

Bardstown, KY ( May 26, 2026) - Instead of leaving annual volume loss to the angels, Bardstown Bourbon Company has found a way to fill the empty space in its latest Distillery Reserve.  Distillery Reserve Mars Single Malt Japanese Blend , is a pioneering release that bridges Kentucky bourbon and Japanese whisky traditions in an entirely new way.  It is available in extremely limited quantities beginning May 29, 2026.   Developed in collaboration with Japan's Mars disilleries, this limited release represents a first-of-its kind co-aging proces, uniting two distinct whisky cultures within a single barrel. Japanese single malt whisky from Mars Komagatake and Tsunuki distilleries was shipped to Bardstown, Kentucky, where it was introduced into barrels containing mature bourbon.  Rather than a traditional finishing approach, the Japanese whisky and Kentucky bourbon were aged together in-barrel.  This allowed the spirits to fully integrate and evolve, emerging tw...

Some bottles earn attention because of age statements. Others because of rarity or allocated status. Then there are bottles like Charbay Doubled & Twisted — a whiskey that immediately makes you stop and ask, "Wait… they made this from what?" Charbay has built a reputation around doing things differently, and this bottle might be one of the clearest examples of that mindset. While many distilleries spend years refining a traditional formula, Charbay seems perfectly comfortable stepping outside the lines and creating something that doesn't fit neatly into familiar categories.  And after learning the story behind the distillery itself, that approach starts making a lot more sense. Charbay isn't a new craft distillery chasing trends. The Karakasevic family traces its winemaking and distilling roots back to 1751 in Europe. Multiple generations were involved in the family trade long before Charbay ever existed in California. Founder Miles Karakasevic eventually brought ...

  There’s a growing category of whiskey that refuses to stay inside traditional boundaries — and Koopers Whiskey has quietly become one of the more interesting names leading that movement. Founded in Texas, Koopers Whiskey built its reputation around blending and finishing American whiskey with a more culinary mindset. Rather than relying solely on age statements or proof points, the brand focuses heavily on secondary maturation — taking already mature whiskey and layering in additional complexity through carefully selected finishing casks. And that philosophy is on full display with the Koopers Cognac Cask Finished Rye. This bottle begins with a 7-year-old straight rye whiskey distilled in Indiana, built on a high-rye profile known for structure, spice, and intensity. The mash bill is Corn (45%), Rye (51%) and Barley (4%).   After aging in new American oak barrels, the whiskey undergoes an additional 11-week finishing period inside French Cognac casks. Unlike many wine o...

HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY UNVEILS RITTENHOUSE UNITED STATES 250TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE EDITION STRAIGHT RYE WHISKY A Limited-Edition, 10-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond Release Honors America’s Semiquincentennial and Pennsylvania Heritage Bardstown, Ky. (May 21, 2026) –  Heaven Hill Distillery proudly announces the release of the Rittenhouse United States 250th Anniversary Commemorative Edition, a 10-year-old Bottled-in-Bond Rye Whiskey crafted to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence.  Launcing in May 2026, this special-edition product celebrates Rittenhouse's Pennsylvania heritage with commemorative Libety Bell packaging and will be allocated across select US markets and at the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience. Rooted in Pennsylvania’s historic rye whiskey tradition, a cornerstone of early American distilling, Rittenhouse Rye pays tribute to a time when rye was the spirit of choice across the region. Named after Philadelphia’s famed Rittenhouse Square, the brand...

  Green River Distilling Co. Introduces Honey  Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey   Made with 100% Honey and No Artificial Sweeteners or Additives   Owensboro, Ky. ( May 12 , 2026) —  Green River Distilling Co. ,  known for classic, approachable Kentucky bourbon, expands its award-winning portfolio this month with the launch of  Green River Honey Finished Bourbon Whiskey . The new expression offers a fundamentally different take on honey whiskey by finishing  real  Kentucky  Straight   B ourbon with  100%  real  local honey inside the barrel, rather than relying on  additives and sweeteners .   While the honey whiskey category has  largely  moved  toward lower proof, heavily sweetened  liqueur blends ,  Green River Honey  takes a simple, honest, and more deliberate approach.    Green River Honey begins as  four-year-old  Green River Kentucky Straight...