Drink the Bottles

  The newest batch of Remus Repeal Reserve is hitting shelves now and there's a lot to be excited about with this Series VIII release.  Master Distiller Ian Stirsman made some changes by blind tasting this and ultimately deciding on 101 proof and by also using a higher proportion of high rye recipe bourbon than in previous releases.  While some Remus Repeal Reserve releases have had more components in the final blend, the ten-to-seventeen year old aged bourbons really fire on all cylinders and have created a fantastic pour. Series VIII is comprised of 9% 2007 bourbon (21% rye), 24% 2014 bourbon (21% rye) and 67% 2014 bourbon (36% rye).  The older bourbon definitely shows it hand in this expression, displaying aromas of cherry syrup, fine bound book leather, roasted nuts, vanilla and overly ripe plums.  It is mouth-watering and immediately eye-opening and it is reminiscent of your dad's bourbon that he purchased twenty years ago and occasionally sipped on when m...

  One thing you know about us is that we love unique.  And since Jeff has been heavily involved in wine for so many years, this whiskey caught his attention.  To our knowlege, this is the first whiskey aged in the "sur lie" method, or at least the only one currently on the market.  This method of aging wine (and now spirits for this example) was introduced by the French to incorporate more complex flavors and aromas to the product.  Let's take a look at this bottle and see how this process faired for the  Redemption Sur Lee Straight Rye Whiskey . The first thing we noticed is how Redemption knocked it out of the park with the label and packaging.  While some may find the label too busy, we really like how the label explains the entire process from mashing to enjoying a glass of this straight rye whiskey.  Education is a big part of this bottle as it is isolated from everything else on the market.  The 95% rye and 5% mash bill, non-chill filte...

  If you've been following the whiskey world for any period of time, you no doubt have heard the phrases "grain to glass" and "craft distillery".  For whiskey enthusiasts, these phrases have a cult-like following as many view the grain to glass designation as the best and only way  to truly make whiskey and appreciate the craft involved, beginning to end.  While we know that not every distillery has the ability to make this their practice, we certainly appreciate keeping everything in-house when possible.  To us, it often improves the quality and overall production of the spirits. Still Austin Whiskey Company was the brain child of recent retiree Cleveland Seals and he sought the help of his son Chris to explore the reality of whether or not to open a distillery.  The pair drew closer, spent a ton of time together, drank a lot of whiskey, had deep conversations and eventually arrived to the decision that the Texas hill country needed a distillery.. But not ...

  In the midwest sits a small town of under 11,000 people, producing their self-proclaimed #1 Rye Whiskey in the World.  Carroll, Iowa is home to Iowa Legendary Rye Distillery , where they create pre-Prohibition rye whiskey using a bootlegger's recipe and cooking up trouble in 26-gallon pot stills.  They age their craft in small, 15 gallon casks, always using all-natural ingredients and doing things the old fashioned way, or in their opinion....... the right way. This is the gold label is a fine example of a family owned secret that was finally and reluctantly passed down from Grandma Lorine Sextro.  Now that recipe lives in Iowa Legendary Rye and boy, were we in for a treat!  This small batch rye is a hand picked tri-barrel blend.  The team strives for excellence by using new barrels, barrels with experience and double distilled double barrels to create a spirit that is not only unique, but memorable.  And that's exactly what you're getting here. Medi...

  Hold on to your hats for this one, folks!   This is the 2024 Yellowstone Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey .  This creation is a blend of seven and seventeen year Kentucky bourbons from Master Distiller Stephen Beam and it is tracking to become one of our favorite limited-edition releases of the year!   We visited this bottle on three separate occasions - a "pop and pour" (see video below), a more formal tasting the next day, and a re-visit about 10 days later - all neat and all from a Glencairn.  As we describe in the video link below, we know that most folks buy a bottle and then go home and immediately taste it right away.  We knew there was something very special about this bottle which is why we tasted it multiple times and the results were so varied and incredible. Our first impression (remember, pop-and pour) was an inviting, dusty funkness that was reminiscent of a box of old baseball cards and a sweet cigar wrapper....

  Three friends - Tom, Jason and Zack - had a dream like so many spirit enthusiasts do.  They wanted to create a product that they could not only call their own, but own it from beginning to end.  A 100 gallon still helped them realize this dream, allowing them to create a line of flavored moonshines, gin, vodka, award-winning rum and now whiskey and bourbon in small batches. This is the Wise Men Distillery Bottled in Bond Bourbon out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Most of you know the requirements for a bourbon to be labeled "bottled in bond", but if you're new here, we're going to share that with you.  For a whiksey to be labeled Bottled in Bond (or better known as the acronym BiB), it must meet the following: The whiskey must be produced during a single distilling season (January - June) or (July - December) and it must be made from a single distiller at a single distillery. The whiskey must be aged for a minimum  of 4 years in a federally bonded warehouse...

  If you've visited our website before, you already know that we are big fans of Bells Up Winery of Newberg, Oregon.  Our "wino" crew recently sat down virtually with owner and winemaker Dave Specter to taste through six of his micro-boutique, unique and delicious wines.  The other half of the winery and Dave's boss (and wife) Sara Specter made the arrangements and we were off to a beautiful evening! Like every winery, there is a good story behind this one.  We guess "good" may not be the best way to describe how the winery came to fruition, but it does  have a happy ending.  Dave and Sara began making wine in their basement in 2006.  Dave was a corporate tax attorney who was not enjoying (to put it lightly) his profession and wanted to pursue a passion of not only becoming a winemaker but eventually owning and operating his own winery with Sara.  While visiting the Willamette Valley in 2008 on vacation, they both fell in love with the area and t...

We have been big Penelope Bourbon enthusiasts since we tasted several different bottles at an informal tasting about 18 months ago.  These MGP-distilled products have been a huge hit for bourbon fans and their vast selection of offerings is pretty mind blowing!  Today we are tasting and discovering what two of their latest releases are all about.  First up is the annual, limited release Penelope Toasted Rye .  This gem is a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley in #2 heavy char toasted barrels.  If you were camping with friends and toasting marshmallows in the crisp fall air in an apple orchard and you could bottle that, then that's what you have here.  The aromas are quite literally mouth-watering and the rich mohagany color with hints of copper only add to the appeal.  Tons of sweet butterscotch dance on the tongue with a zesty ginger, sweet nutmeg and subtle peppery note that lead to a finish that feels like it lingers for minutes.  We woul...

  In Shelbyville, Kentucky sits a farm distillery of just over 60 acres that is operated by Joyce and Autumn Nethery, a mother daughter team who are creating unique flavor expressions in the world of distilled spirits.  Jeptha Creed has been around for about 8 years now, and they are currently produding four different bourbons, vodka, moonshine and brandy.  Today we look at the Jeptha Creek Straight 4-Grain Bourbon , which encompasses a mash bill of 70% Bloody Butcher Corn, 15% malted rye, 10% malted wheat and 5% malted barley.  Why 3 malted grains you ask?  The legend is that prior to having their own facility, the Jeptha Creed team would distill many of their grains at a midwest distillery and when they received their shipment, all of the grains were malted.  So what do you do when you get lemons?  You make lemonade.   Well, you know what we mean... First of all, we love the look of this bottle and label.  It's not over the top, but it...

If you know anything  about whiskey, you know that blending the spirits is nothing new.  However, it truly takes an exceptional talent to have the senses needed to make this work successfully.  Nearly anyone can blend whiskey.  But only a handful of folks can turn blended whiskey into amazing products that blend seamlessly and like magic.  Chief Alchemist Macaulay Minton is completely dialed in when it comes to producing a product that is unique and also makes you as giddy as a school girl. Today we taste and share the  Dark Arts Amburana Oak Stave Finished Small Batch Rye  which has a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% barley.  While each batch is naturally different, the blends are from six to eight year age statements and contain three barrels for each small batch.  The whiskey is distilled in Indiana (most likely MGP) and the finishing and bottling happens in Lexington, KY.  We tasted this sweet treat neat in our favorite mini Belgian beer ...

The folks at Redemption Whiskey take their spirits very seriously.  We should emphasize that they are very passionate about what they do and they are obsessed with Rye whiskey in particular.  Their heavy Rye spirits celebrate the history of Rye being distilled as far back as the 1600's.   Many times when you run across someone who considers themselves "a bourbon guy or gal" they might quickly follow up with, "but I'm not big on Rye whiskey".  We get it.  There have been countless horror stories of Rye being too spicy or too hot.  But you'll never find this with Redemption Whiskey! The Redemption Rye  is a serious mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley, resulting in a medium golden whiskey with mouth-watering, bold aromas of spring garden, spices, white pepper, toasted sourdough bread and citrus fruits.  Those aromas carry over to the palate and also carry hints of spring boquet and delicious grilling spices.  While this spirit comes i...