Drink the Bottles

  Limestone Branch Distillery collaborates with Ross & Squibb Distillery on 2025 release of Yellowstone Limited Edition ST. LOUIS (Sept. 2, 2025 ) – To celebrate a decade of excellence across its award-winning annual Limited Edition collection, Limestone Branch Distillery released its 2025 Yellowstone Limited Edition, a unique blend of straight bourbon whiskeys thoughtfully aged 10 years. The series debuted in 2015 to honor the finest spirits worthy of the Yellowstone Bourbon name. In the pioneering spirit of Yellowstone Bourbon, Founder and Master Distiller Stephen Beam and the team at Limestone Branch Distillery collaborated with the blending team at Ross &  Squibb Distillery – one of the most historic distilleries in America – to create the 10 th anniversary release. For the first time, the combined team chose barrels from the Indiana and Kentucky distilleries to blend for this year’s unique and high-quality commemorative expression. The 2025 release includes three ...

  Napa Valley has been on our mind a lot these days with the Pickett Fire still burning.  Although 90% contained, at this writing the fire has been burning about 2 weeks.  There has been much discussion and speculation already about grape taint from the smoke, as was the case for many wineries that experienced repurcussions from the 2020 Glass Fire.  Fingers crossed for all! The  2019 Pope Valley Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is a nearly textbook example of what we are looking for in a Napa Valley Cab.  Dark blackberry color in the glass, this wine has lifting aromas of blue and red raspberries, star anise, beef steak tomato and hints of blackcurrant.  This expression is unctuous, providing a lush and mouth-coating experience from beginning to end.  More dark fruits, freshly sawn timber, wisps of vanilla curd, dry earth, dried herbs and leather. This wine is another example of the talents of winemaker Michael Coode and a nod to Napa Valley....

  Norm Hooten, US Army MSG (Ret) is a co-founder of the Hooten Young Whiskey brand.  He is a real-life hero who not only spent time on the battle lines but also in the battle of the opioid crisis as a pharmacist for the Department of Veterans Affairs.  They take patriotism very seriously, committing to support non-profit organizations for veterans and the military. Like many iconic brands, this one started with a dicussiopn and a "what if" dream by a fire.  As whiskey and cigar enthusiasts, Hooten and his small team knew what they wanted to do and where they wanted to go.  And so eventually the Hooten Young brand was born and they are building a legacy to last a lifetime. This is the second expression from Hooten Young that we have had the pleasure of tasting.  This is their Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon.  We have long been fans of BiB bourbon, partly because of the specific guidelines imposed by Uncle Sam that allow a distillery to bestow ...

Penelope Bourbon introduces the 2025 Estate Collection Highly anticipated collection showcases higher age statements, new innovation and increased allocations across each release St. Louis (August 21, 2025) - Award-winning Penelope Bourbon announced its 2025 Estate Collection - a bold array of five distinct expressions with minimum age statements of 10 years - for fans of premium and ultra-premium straight bourbon whiskey.  The expanded collection includes a reimagined Founders Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, the introduction of new Omega Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Omega French Oak barrels, and the award-winning Single Barrel and Private Selection bourbons.   This release includes: Penelope Founders Reserve 13 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon - MSRP $199.99 Cask strength 121.4 proof (60.7% ABV) with a mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye and 12 % malted barley. Penelope Omega 11 Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey - MSRP $129.99 109.8 proof (54.9% ABV) with a mash ...

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...

Penelope Bourbon extends its line of award-winning ready-to-pour offerings with Black Walnut Old Fashioned Latest release in the red-hot segment expands Penelope’s range of convenient and high-quality bottled cocktail offerings ST. LOUIS (Aug. 6, 2025) - On the heels of its successful debut in the ready-to-pour market with its first-ever bottled cocktail, Peach Old Fashioned, Penelope Bourbon released its second award-winning handcrafted cocktail innovation - Black Walnut Old Fashioned. Perfect for summer occasions from backyard soirees to casual moments at home, Black Walnut Old Fashioned is Penelope's latest modern take on the favorite classic cocktail. Penelope doubles its footprint in the robust ready-to-pour market with the addition of Black Walnut Old Fashioned. This premium bottled cocktail is crafted with Penelope Bourbon's signature commitment to quality and craftmanship. Black Walnut Old Fashioned features hand selected award-winning Penelope straight bourbon an...

  Having been together for twenty years, there is nothing we enjoy much more than a good love story.  And that is exactly what we found as we dug into the history behind this and every other bottle of wine from Barnett Vineyards.  Proprietors Fiona and Hal Barnett fell in love - not only with each other - but also with Napa Valley in the early 1980's.  They did what most wine enthusiasts only dream  about.  They bought what would eventually become 40 acres of prime grape-growing land up on Spring Mountain.  Five years later, the first yield of Spring Mountain Cabernet was born.  And the rest, as they say, his history! The 2022 Barnett Vineyards Sangiacomo Vineyard Carneros Chardonnay is a stand out wine in a year that produced lovely Chardonnay overall, despite some challenging heatwaves.  This wine produced 62 barrels and was aged Sur Lee in 20% new French Oak and 80% used, using barrel fermentation and natural malo-lactic fermentation....

    Yellowstone Bourbon Launches Ready-to-Serve Cocktails The New Collection of Premium Cocktails Offers Three Distinct Bourbon-Based Expressions That Blend the Brand’s 150-Year Heritage With Convenience and Sustainability ST. LOUIS, (August 5, 2025) - Today, Yellowstone Bourbon, the historic bourbon brand known for its rich Kentucky heritage, announced the launch of Yellowstone Cocktails, a new offering of premium ready-to-serve cocktails. Made with award-winning Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon and all-natural ingredients, Yellowstone Cocktails feature modern flavors to meet the needs and tastes of today’s whiskey-drinkers, and cater to the increased demand of consumers looking for convenient, high-quality and spirits-based ready-to-serve options.  Yellowstone Cocktails offer a versatile and elevated drinking experience rooted in 150 years of bourbon expertise. Dating back to 1872 when it was first distilled by Joseph Dant as a tribute to America’s first national ...

We were very fortunate to taste this latest release from a 100mL sample bottle. Historically, media samples that are less than a full size bottle can be much different in taste, but not always. This selection didn't list the barrel number, but we couldn't wait to dig in! The mash bill is 68% corn, 20% wheat and 12% malt. Carmelized sugar color with dominant citrus aromas that were tangy and bright. Some time in the glass and additional swirling brought cinnamon, nutmeg and oak to the nose. Full of flavor, this rugged specimen showed us citrus fruit basket, sweet vanilla pudding, cashew nut and spice cabinet, leading to a very memorable and solid finish. Rebel Bourbon produces about six different varieties currently, and to date, they have all been super solid in our opinion. This is another feather in the cap for Master Distiller John Rempe and a nod to the consistently quality whiskey that Rebel continues to bring to market. Well done! On a side note, this bourbon has...

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 long been fans of what Rick and Ricky Johnson are doing over at 15 Stars Bourbon.  They have always focused on rich, exciting flavors and their blending is second to none.  There has never been a release that we have tasted where we weren't instant fans.  So, when we found out that they were releasing a new label - First West - that included some of their own distillate in the blend, we jumped at the opportunity to give this some attention. This is the  First West Toasted Oak Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey , a blend of 5, 6, and 7 year old bourbons, which is really impressive for a first-release label.  The Johnsons have included some of their bourbon that they personally crafted from their proprietary red, white and blue corns, making this, at least for us, a much-anticipated and welcome new phase of their business. We were immediately impressed by the packaging of this bourbon.  The initial releases in the First West series also include ...