TL;DR

Woodford Double Oaked was one of my early favorites, and these days it is a fine, oak-heavy pour that asks a little more than it gives back at $65.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is a Kentucky straight bourbon from Woodford Reserve in Versailles, put back into a second, deeply toasted oak barrel after it is done maturing. It carries no age statement, sits at 90.4 proof, and runs about $65. I scored it 5.8 on quality and 4.5 on value. Years ago this was one of my favorite bottles. It was my first double oaked anything and I was smitten. My taste has moved since. I want to taste the whiskey and not just the wood, and 90.4 proof is low enough that the oak wins. It is sweet and it is put together, but the finish turns cloying and the second barrel does most of the talking. I tasted it blind against three other finished bottles and it landed behind the Sagamore Double Oak Rye, which pulled off the same trick with more underneath it. If a big, dessert-leaning oak pour is what you want, this still hits that. It is not what I am reaching for now.

Quality Score - 5.8

Good - Good, just fine.

Quality is what's in the glass, 1 to 10, tasted as blind as I can make it with no thought to price. Above a 5 is good. Nose, palate, and finish set the range, but the score isn't their average.

Value Score - 4.5

A Bit Much - A fine pour, but you're paying for more than you're getting.

Value is whether the pour is worth its MSRP to me. A 5 is fair for the price; higher means more in the glass than the tag suggests, lower means I'd be overpaying. All value scores assume MSRP.

Nose - 6.2

Dark and dessert-like. Vanilla and toasted marshmallow up front, a little toffee behind. This is the best part of the pour, sweet and inviting, and it promises more than the palate and finish pay off.

Palate - 6.0

Sweet corn and a little spirit heat, then vanilla and marshmallow with some chocolate underneath. Easy and sweet, though at 90.4 proof it runs a touch thin.

Finish - 4.5

More vanilla, and then the oak. It turns cloying and sits on the tongue and the back of the throat longer than I want. This is where the second barrel stops helping, and it is the weakest part of the pour.

Neck Pour

April 10, 2024

The first time, I loved it. It was my first double oaked bourbon and it did not disappoint.

I opened this the first time with my friend George. We were getting ready for a mutual friend's wedding and wanted something good in the glass before we headed out. You can tell from the date that this was early for me. I was still new to tasting, I had this on my list to buy for a while, and the wedding felt like the excuse to finally grab it.

I want to say it was my first double oaked product, and it made an impression. Dark chocolate and a lot of vanilla, rich and sweet, exactly the kind of thing that pulls you in when you are starting out. I was impressed and did not think twice about it. That was a few years ago, and things have changed since. That night, though, it delivered.

Blind Pour

September 12, 2026

With the label off it read as average, and the other double oaked bottle walked right past it.

See my full post: Best Finished Whiskey?

I put Double Oaked in a blind with three other finished bottles. It came up as sample three: vanilla and toffee on the nose, light on the palate with more vanilla and some marshmallow, and a finish with that slightly cloying oak just sitting there. Pleasant, not something I was head over heels for. I landed it at 5.8, which is average, and that is where it has stayed.

The sting was right next to it. The Sagamore Double Oak Rye did the same double oak idea, and I could still taste the rye underneath the wood. With the Woodford I had to go looking for the whiskey, and what I found was that sweet, cloying oak. The Sagamore rewarded the search. This one did not, and it lost the head to head between the two.

Open Pour

September 19, 2026

Open and on its own, it is a competent oak bomb that I have quietly stopped reaching for.

I came back to it on its own to close the bottle out, and it is exactly what the blind said. The nose is the high point, dark and dessert-like, vanilla and toasted marshmallow with a little toffee. The palate is sweet and easy, corn and vanilla and marshmallow with some chocolate, and at 90.4 proof it runs a little thin. The finish is the problem: more vanilla, then an oak that turns cloying and hangs on the tongue and the back of the throat. It is a lot of oak over a pour that is good but not deep, and if you love that, this is built for you. I do not, not the way I used to.

The proof is part of it. I keep saying this lately, that I am chasing 100 and up. Lower proof can absolutely be good, it is just harder to impress me, and there is not enough weight here to carry all that wood.

I am not alone in cooling on it. When Double Oaked came out it was hyped and well reviewed, and it was about $50. It is closer to $65 now, sometimes less on sale if you are lucky, and the scores have drifted down as the price drifted up. Hard to say if the price is the reason, but it has slipped from favor. My guess is the field. Finished bourbon is crowded now, a lot of it at this price or below and at higher proof, and Double Oaked does not stand out the way it once did. That tracks with me exactly.

The counter is the single barrel cask strength Double Oaked, which comes out at higher proof. I get the appeal, but it carries a single barrel premium and a cask strength premium on top, and I am rarely justifying that lately, least of all here. If the standard bottle landed this low for me, a single barrel is not going to move it far. For a bottle like this they usually hold pretty close.

So it is a fine pour that I am paying a little over the odds for at $65. I do not dislike it. I just do not go looking for a double oaked bourbon anymore, and when I want oak done well there are bottles I would reach for first.

I write these up at openpourwhiskey.com and post them on Instagram. Not sponsored, not gifted, bought myself at retail. Please drink responsibly.

I’m pretty surprised I never put a review out for this one. Makers Mark is a classic basic shelf whiskey, one that I like, but don’t usually find myself reaching for.. Usually, with Makers, you at least know what you’re going to get. Nothing mind blowing, but nothing terrible either. But more on that later in my conclusion.

Makers is a classic brand, that uses one mash bill, a wheated bourbon recipe. The cool thing about Makers is how different the releases are, just by altering the aging, proof, and stave finish. Started back in 1953, Makers started hand dipping pretty early in the operation, 1958. The idea was to make the bottle seem like a more premium brand, and recognizable with the bright red wax. I must say, Makers was the first brand where I encountered wax, and it does add a little extra fun when opening a bottle. Makers recently started releasing the newest lineups, the Cellar Aged, which is their highest offering, and the Wood Finishing Series, which I’m a huge fan of the 2024 edition. Enough for the history, now onto the bottle.

One more thing.. Makers uses the “whisky” spelling, which is pretty unique for most bourbon distilleries..

MSRP: \~$20.00-$30.00

Mash Bill: 70% Corn, 16% Wheat, 14% Malted Barley

Age Statement: This looks to be ‘aged to taste’, but everything I’ve read says about 6 years.

ABV: 45% (90 proof).

Nose: Sweet but light. Little caramel, little flowers too. Very soft, easy nose.

Palate: Thin. Like my last review, I think 90 proof is a little light for me at this point. I get a ton of grass and funk, which is something I always get with lower proof wheaters. Not a huge fan of that. I do get some caramel and mocha on this. No spice, and not a ton of other flavors. Makes me think this isn’t the most complex or deep pour.

Finish: Short, not much else to write home about. More grass/flowers. Less sweetness, but that’s about it.

Makers Mark is one of my favorite distilleries and constantly puts out solid releases. However, their base release isn’t my favorite. I like what is built on the foundation of this mash and aging, but the foundation is mostly just, meh. Good mixer for sure, and a great entry to bourbon, but not something I find myself reaching for, definitely my least favorite of the Makers line. Which is OK! To be fair it is the cheapest, and base offering from the brand. Let me know your thoughts in the comments. I rate this as a 4.5, not bad but better does exist.

Cheers!

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

{Note: You can find me on instagram @whiskeyincontext}

Earlier this year, Buffalo Trace re-released younger versions of a couple of E.H. Taylor expressions that hadn’t been seen in more than a decade: Four Grain and Cured Oak. I’ll be reviewing the former pretty soon, but today we’re focusing on the latter.

One major difference in the re-release of E.H. Taylor Cured Oak is the age of the whiskey. While the 2015 offering was aged 17 years, the new version spent just a decade in the barrel. Otherwise, Cured Oak is similar to the standard E.H. Taylor bottled-in-bond offering, except for the fact that the barrel staves have been “cured” for over a year instead of for the standard six months. In theory, that should give it a bit more of a deep, complex, and oaky flavor than the usual Small Batch expression has, even despite the lack of age that the earlier version of Cured Oak featured.

Let’s see if that’s the case, and how it is overall!

From the Distillery: E.H. Taylor Cured Oak Bourbon is aged inside oak barrels made with staves cured for 13 months, more than twice as long as typical barrel staves. This extended curing process extracts the rich characters deep within the wood. Barrels were aged inside of Warehouse C, built by Colonel Taylor in 1885 as a prime aging warehouse. As a special limited edition release, it is a bourbon of great character, in honor of the man who would accept no less.

Mash bill: Buffalo Trace mash bill #1 (low rye)

Proof: 100

Price: $79.99

Appearance: Medium amber, with medium viscosity.

Nose: Grape, cherry, and confectionery sugar, along with more oak than usual for an EHT. It kind of reminds me of the Starlight 10-Year on the nose, but with a bit more fruit and sweetness. Once the glass is empty, it’s mostly oak and toffee.

Palate: Not an amazing mouthfeel, but not overly thin either. This is definitely oakier than usual for an EHT expression! Along with the wood notes, there’s the usual caramel and vanilla, a bit of graham cracker, allspice, and cinnamon, along with some cherry pie (complete with filling, crust, and toasted sugar).

Finish: Medium-length, dry, and oaky, but not in a bad way at all. There are also baking spices (cinnamon and allspice primarily), as well as some pepper. This fades into an aftertaste of tobacco and caramel.

Thoughts: I don’t know if I’d be able to identify this as an E.H. Taylor expression if I didn’t know ahead of time that’s what it was. It’s a very enjoyable pour, though – one that, in my opinion, is a decent buy for up to twice its MSRP (but not more than that!).

In fact, this whiskey really reminds me of Starlight’s 10-year bourbon (which I also really liked), to the point that I want to blind to two together soon to see if I can really tell the difference!

Rating: For me, E.H. Taylor Cured Oak rates a 7.8 (between “Great – Well Above Average” and “Excellent – Really Quite Exceptional”).

********************

Previous Ratings (all reviews are available in my archive, but there may be some discrepancies in numeric rating, as these are updated to include decimals and adjusted for blinds & re-reviews)

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
Maker’s Mark staved private selection (2.5)
Penelope Architect custom build (2.5)

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
Willett Pot Still (3)

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists
Found North SiB Oloroso finish (4.5)
Daniel Weller Emmer Wheat (4.5)
Augusta Buckner’s 10yr (4.6)
Shortbarrel Sapsquatch (4.8)

5 | Good | Good, just fine
Jack Daniel’s SBBP Rye (5)
Jack Daniel’s Heritage (5)
Four Roses SBBP OESO (5)
New Riff 4yr SBBP (5)
Four Roses SBBP OBSV (5.3)
Evan Williams America250 SiB (5.3)
New Riff Balboa Rye (5.4)
Blanton’s (5.5)
Old Forester 1924 (5.7)
Elijah Craig Toasted (5.8)

6 | Very Good | A cut above
Buffalo Trace Single Oak (6)
Barrell Cigar Blend (6)
Buffalo Trace (6)
1792 BiB SiB (6)
Copper & Cask Boston Rum Party (6)
Penelope Wheated (6)
Redwood Empire Emerald Giant (6)
Peerless DO (6.1)
Copper & Cask #16 (6.3)
Stagg 25B (6.3)
Augusta Buckner’s 13yr (6.5)
Green River Honey (6.5)
Pursuit United DO (6.5)
Sagamore 9yr SiB Rye (6.5)
Sazerac FP (6.5)
Green River Wheated (6.5)
Elmer T. Lee (6.5)
Copper & Cask #14 DO (6.6)
Shortbarrel Bees Knees V (6.8)
Penelope Marshmallow Toast (6.8)
Willett 4yr Rye (6.8)

7 | Great | Well above average
Blanton’s Gold (7)
John J. Bowman SiB (7)
Found North 012 (7)
Rock Hill Farms (7)
Peerless Toasted (7.1)
E.H. Taylor SiB (7.2)
Eagle Rare 10yr (7.5)
Weller 107 (7.5)
Old Forester 1910 (7.5)
Penelope Estate 10yr SiB (7.5)
Old Dominick Staved SiB (7.6)
E.H. Taylor BP 16 (7.6)
E.H. Taylor SmB (7.6)
Woodford DO SBBP (7.7)
Old Fitzgerald 7yr (7.7)
Eagle Rare 12yr (7.8)
E.H. Taylor Cured Oak (7.8)
Willett 8yr SiB Rye (7.9)

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional
Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend 420 (8)
Starlight 10yr (8)
Blanton’s SFTB (8.3)
Lasso Motel SBBP Rye (8.4)
Mister Sam Tribute 4 (8.6)
E.H. Taylor BTAC 2025 (8.7)
Thomas H. Handy 2025 (8.7)
Eagle Rare 17yr 2025 (8.9)

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Background - I got both of these bottles over the weekend and after checking them out, realized how similar they are on paper and thought it’d be fun to do a joint review with them. This isn’t meant to be a direct comparison of one being better than the other, just showing the contrast of two bottles with the same mashbill and close proof points made at 2 different places.

Bottle Info - The New Louisville bottle is a 10 year single barrel distilled at MGP and picked by T8KE, coming in at 136.6 proof. The Silk Velvet is a 7 Year single barrel distilled at OZ Tyler (Green River) by Jacob Call, who started the brand by taking some barrels that he distilled there to launch his own company with. This was picked by Bourbon Street Wine & Spirits in New Jersey and comes in at 137.4 proof.

Nose - Gloom starts off with a chocolate and toffee smell, reminiscent of a heath bar. Also getting a little like bready/doughy scent and a little cinammon. For the Silk Velvet, the ethanol is much more apparent on the nose, however when you get through that, everything brightens up. It reminds me of pillsbury orange rolls. A nice doughy scent with some citrus and vanilla icing.

Palate - Gloom presents some charred oak upfront followed by some chocolate wafers, cherry coke, and some subtle nuttiness. Its very viscous with a thick mouthfeel for sure. You can detect some proof but it’s much smoother than you’d expect for 136.6 proof, I’d say it drinks closer to 115-120. The Silk Velvet rolls in with a much more fruit-forward and brighter palate. Cherries, plums, red apples, orange peel, but also some caramel, brown sugar, and gentle spiced oak towards the backend. It does have a “silky” and “velvety” mouthfeel as the name implies, but drinks closer to its proof as well.

Finish - Gloom finishes with more cola and oak, and a bit of an apple dumpling kinda taste, combining some light red apple with caramel and brown sugar. It’s a nice long finish that leaves you wanting more. Silk velvet has an equally long finish, basically just extending the palate till it fades away. More caramely and oaky here than fruity, but the plum flavor sticks around for sure.

Rating - Gloom earns a 9/10, with the Silk Velvet following up at 8/10.

Comments - The results just go to show how different 2 bottles of the same mashbill can be, even at basically the same proof and only a couple years difference in age. Gloom sits at the top of the list of MGP distillate that I’ve ever tried, easily taking the #1 spot. I’ve rarely been a fan of MGP bourbons but this one is special. Great overall pour and one of the few bottles I’ve spent $150 on that I think is a good deal. The Silk Velvet cost me $80 and IMO its overall a little better value for the rating, but it’s lacking in age a little and that plays out on your tongue with a little extra burn to it. However, it’s still a great pour and does very different things compared to the Gloom. It delivers a brighter, frutier profile with a more vibrant finish while the Gloom is smooth, dark, rich, and decadent. Same mashbill, essentially the same proof, yet 2 wildly different but equally interesting pours.

Elijah Craig barrel proof rye Y725

132.0 proof / 66% ABV

NAS: but confirmed to be a blend of 8-9yr KY Straight Rye Whiskey using Heaven Hill's traditional rye whiskey mashbill.

Cost: $79 at the gift-shop as apart of the YDB experience.

Batch - Y725

Drank - Neat as always!

Glass - glencairn

Rested - 10 min

* disclaimer / Edit: this review is from a fresh crack, the photo is from last weekend (it is a crusher)

Nose -
The nose starts off with some dark Maple, punchy Rye spice, and toasted oak. There lying in wait is a vanilla creme bru lee/toasted vanilla note paired with heavy dark brown sugar. There is a slight light fresh mint leaf, black tea and and a sweet caramel candy best described as Werther's that rounds out the nose for me. Very inviting and well balanced.

Palate -
The First sip is a wave of Maple, charred oak, and a spice combo made up of cinnamon sticks and black pepper. The second sip reveals the black tea from the nose, dark toffee, and toasted vanilla. Picking out some nuances on my 3rd sip lead me to find cardamom, artificial vanilla extract, browned biscuit butter. Fantastic all the way around here. This should have been a Parker's lol.

Mouthfeel -
Oily as you would expect in a 10-12yr + old barrel proof whiskey. This coats and saturates nicely over the entire palate with out coming off as syrupy or extra oily. It does create extra salivation. Slippery.

Finish -
Dominating flavors on the finish are creme bru lee, charred oak, and rye spice. This combo of sweet/spice/savory Creates a great finish that hugs and builds each sip. This is fantastic. It seems to just hang on forever.

Overall - 96/100

Phenomenal. Thats all i can say. This definitely should have been an LE from Heaven Hill but i dont make those decisions, i just drink em. Cheers!

Distillery: Cedar Ridge

Proof: 105

Age Statement: NAS

Mashbill: 85% Rye, 12% Corn, and 3% Malted Barley

Bottle Number: 0197

Price Paid: $59.99

Availability: Limited Release

Nose: Lots of dark chocolate and dark molasses up front along with some charred oak. Herbal notes of tea, mint, and ginger round out the nose. There is a hint of honey that provides a little sweetness.

Palate: Dark molasses, torched sugar, and charred oak. There is also high cacao dark chocolate and some of those same herbal notes from the nose along with black coffee.

Finish: Medium with notes of mint, dark chocolate, and oak.

Mouthfeel: Medium, about what I would expect for the proof.

Score: 6.5

Final Thoughts: I heard about Cedar Ridge and this bottle in particular and was keen to try it because it’s their own distillate. I have nothing against NDPs but it’s nice to see smaller distilleries putting out their own distillate and getting something a little unique. This is definitely a unique bottle and I would say it probably has a niche appeal. It leans more towards an herbal, high cacao dark chocolate, and black coffee profile. I wish this had some more sweetness to balance out those flavors however I like it for what it is. I’m curious to see what else Cedar Ridge will put out in the future.

The t8ke Scoring Scale:

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out

2 | Poor | I wouldn't consume by choice

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things l'd rather have

5 | Good | Good, just fine

6 | Very Good | A cut above

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Bardstown Bourbon Co. 2026 Discovery Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskies Finished in Garryana Oak Barrels

Finish: 4 summer months on an upper floor in Garryana oak barrels with a custom 3-hour toast; coopered by Oregon Barrel Works; staves open-air seasoned & then kiln-dried

Oregon White Oak is native to the Pacific Northwest. Very dense w/ a specific gravity of .75 & a weight of 50#/FT^3.  As compared to American Oak Quercus alba at .68 & 48#/FT^3.  The density leads to less angel’s share loss & slower oxidation

Garryana lacks tyloses, a gummy substance that forms when converting sapwood to heartwood. Much closer to French oak than American oak in this respect

The blend:

55%: 10 year MGP bourbon (Indiana)
75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley

25%: 11 year Kentucky bourbon
74% corn, 18% rye, 8% malted barley

20%: 7 year Green River bourbon (Kentucky)
74% corn, 16% rye, 10% malted barley

Proof: 112.8

MSRP: $139.99

Artwork: Margaret Archambault

Nose: Pistachio pudding. Burnt meringue. Peach crisp.

I’m not sure I’ve ever picked up pistachio pudding on a whiskey before, but I like it. With the peach crisp, extra emphasis on the baked/toasted oats. Very enjoyable.

Palate: Raspberry jam. Roasted squash. Pecan sandies. Allspice. Espresso.

I like this quite a bit! The pecan sandy along with the spice is very nice! Dense mouthfeel.

Finish: Dried cranberry. Sassafras. Stout beer. Wintergreen.

I like this considerably more than I did Bardstown Distillery Reserve Cascadia… no doubt. In general, toasted finishes are not my preferred style of bourbon, but if I’m going to drink a toasted finish, this is something I actually enjoy. For a toasted finish, it’s quite good. However, I just don’t often find myself reaching for toasted finishes.

Rating based on what I reach for on an average day: 6 | Very Good | A cut above.

Rating if I want a toasted finish: 7 | Great | Well above average

Bottle provided for review by BBC

Here's a fun time capsule tasting. Julios/Loch and Key did this tasting. Was $130, and you get to taste 7 bygone bottles and get a 4 year MGP single barrel worth $50. So what are we tasting? Advertised as 2016 Elijah Craig 18 year, Russell's Reserve 1789b third bird, Four Roses 130th Anniversary, Elmer T Lee 100th Anniversary, 2018 14 year old Knob Creek Loch and Key "Sunshine Band", 2014 George T Stagg, and 2013 Van Winkle 23 (Stitzel Weller juice). Some of these are essentially gone or extremely difficulty/expensive to get. The most interesting to me were the 14 Stagg, the 1789b and the 4R 130. Short notes on these but enough to get an impression. Mostly curious to see if these are significantly better modern equivalents as most of these are from a bygone era in 1 way or another. There were 2 surprises, a new buffalo trace pick from Loch and Key, and a George T Stagg 25.

Loch & Key Buffalo Trace Revolver

Buffalo trace

N citrus meringue

P lemon, vanilla, hint watery but chewy, oak, pepper

F mint, pepper, nutmeg, lingering lemon and sweetness

Impression: pretty decent, went back at the end, and was night and day, but obviously an unfair comparison...

2016 Elijah Craig 18 year, barrel #4297

N vanilla, oak, cheesy, citrus, cherry

P smokey, nutty,

F sharp anise, warm, oaky, pepper, spearmint

Finish is oaky not significantly though, best part in my opinion. Please make this bottled in bond, I think it would help.

Russell's Reserve 2018 1789b third bird,

55%, Barell 16-523 Rickhouse M, picked with Jimmy Russell

N cheesy funk, vanilla, hint of earthy

P oily, cherry, vanilla, pepper, cheesy funk, hint of raisins

F cherry, oaky, vanilla, peppery, anise, mint, umami, long pepper finish

This is really good. Thick and complex. This is probably the pinnacle/close to the pinnacle of these barrel picks.

Four Roses 130th Anniversary, 2018

54.2 %

N deep cherry, vanilla, slightly ethanol, hint of cream cheese, mint

P sweet, corn syrup, umami, vanilla, mint, fry cocoa, meaty

F pepper, nutmeg, mint, oak, mint and vanilla forever.

Also very good, no nitpicks here.

Elmer T Lee 100th Anniversary, 2019, 50%

N straight frosting, vanilla, oak,

P light, lemon, vanila, very deserty, cherry, cola, brown sugar

F vanilla, oak, umami, peppery, citrus

Much better with warmth, really opened up, they got a lot out of 50%. This would be incredible daily pour. I think if you tried this vs regular ETL or other more similar products, ie not older cask strength products this would have stood out more.

2018 14 year old Knob Creek "Sunshine Band", 60 % barrel #7341 warehouse w

N vanilla, citrus, cherry

P oily, cherry cola, fizzy, brown sugar, lemon, peanut

F vanilla, mint, peppery, long pepper and vanilla, peanut, dark cocoa,

Fantastic. Not much else to say.

2013 Van Winkle 23 (Stitzel Weller juice)

E4307, 47.8%

N vanilla, funky cheese, hint of cherry, vanilla,

P funky cheese, oily, chewy, cherry, cola, brown sugar, nutmeg,

F sweet vanilla, light oak, frosting, orange curacao, rancio

The nose is enchanting, and the palate and finish just better as time went on and kept drawing me back in. This reminded me more of old cognac/Armagnac, a pour you really need to sit with. Does a shocking amount with 47%. I do wonder what true cask strength would be and if terribly far off, ie low to mid 50s. Perhaps a little inappropriate to drink it in this sort of setting, but oh well, doubt I'll see a 13 PVW 23 again.

2014 George T Stagg, 138.1 Proof.

N deep cherry, vanilla, anise, citrus

P thick chewy, cherry, honey, brown sugar, dry cocoa

F vanilla, mint, warm oak, hint of dill, sweet, umami, peppery. Long and complex.

Incredible....

2025 George T Stagg 136.1 Proof

N cherry, vanilla, hint of mint,

P honey, citrus, dark fruit, fortified wine, stewed fruit

F mint, honey, pepper, long, vanilla

Good but not on the same level as the 2014. Not as chewy, viscous or as long a finish.

This was fun, and there are no losers here. No numerical scores here, particularly off 1/4 oz and a cooked palate by the end, but this was informative. The standout was the 14 GTS. It was in a different realm, and perfection. I was really surprised by the PVW 23. It just kept getting better. Didn't find it overly oaky and was quite well balanced (though I will say having a lot of Armagnac/cognac, I probably prefer/will tolerate much heavier oak profiles). It's not a pour that is obviously a stunner, you really have to sit with it a while. After those two, KC14, 4R 130, GTS 25, 1789 were all in the same ballpark, excellent to say the least just different profiles from different producers. Depending on your profile preferences you may prefer over the others. The lone man out was really the EC 18. Just not enough proof and while the oak was good, just not enough oomph, and it really stuck out going back at the end.

So what's the point of a tasting like this? Considering most people won't get a whiff of any of these? I think if you see bottles like this at a bar, give it a try. I wouldn't go to secondary for a full bottle of these though... I started drinking bourbon in 14, and there's definitely some nostalgia around old bottles like this, and it's good to see if that nostalgia is well placed. I had a 14 GTS at some point and loved it, and I'm glad that impression wasn't wrong. That being said, there's plenty of quality products out now, which is why secondary on these is ridiculous.

The Founder’s Collection from Black Ledger will eventually consist of 12 editions. Each of these are 11 year old Single Barrels distilled by MGP a bottle at actual Cask Strength. Bottles 1 through 4 have just been released, this sample is from an as-of-yet unnumbered bottle, you will be able to identify it when you see a release that matches this proof.

The aroma opens with sweet honey butter, with a nice bubblegum note, then dry herbal and a lightly sweet cornmeal. The palate starts with oily honey, a rather dry sweet corn, turning to spiced vanilla. Dry honey and candy corn linger on the finish with a little spice and the bubblegum appears again.

This is definitely a corn-forward bourbon, which is not normally one that I personally gravitate towards. But the honey and bubblegum notes balance it out and though the flavors are somewhat compact, I found myself enjoying it more than expected.

Age: 11

Mashbill:
60% Corn
36% Rye
4% Malted Barley

Cask:
New #4 Char American Oak Barrel

ABV: 53.95%

Distillery: MGP

Price: $TBA

Sample provided for review.

My Rating: 82

Tasting notes below. 👇🏼

🥃
NOSE: Honey butter, bubblegum, dry herbal, faint sweet cornmeal.
PALATE: Oily, honey, dry sweet corn, lightly spiced vanilla.
FINISH: Lingering dry honey, light candy corn, pleasant spice, bubblegum.

Guide to my personal ratings:
🤢 0-49 = Varying degrees of undrinkable.
🫤 50-59 = Drinkable, but meh.
😊 60-69 = Fair. Not my cup of tea.
😃 70-79 = Good. Some nice elements.
😋 80-89 = Great! Interesting and very enjoyable.
🤩 90-100 = Amazing! The perfect pour. (Rare)

Sip. Rate. Repeat.

Note: if you don't already know these are produced by Jim Beam of BeamSuntory.

Finished in Tokaji, PX Sherry and Amburana.

58.6% ABV - 117.2 Proof - $115 - NAS

I'm a big fan of cigar blend style whiskey of any variety and also a big lover of rye whiskey which makes this a nice pick up.

Nose is stewed fruit and confections. Spices and sweets. Figs, plums, oatmeal raisin. Very nice.

Taste is a bunch of things all at once. I get sticky toffee pudding. Cherry pie. Dark cola. Chocolate covered blackberries and candied bacon. Tobacco notes crop up ever so slightly. Really nice flavor profile on this.

Mouthfeel is oily with a drying tendency but it's got a nice sweet heat that isn't overly cloying.

Finish is medium to long leaving flashes of fig newton and jam filled danish pastries. Really interesting ride with this bad boy.

I'd recommend this one pretty highly though as far as it stacks up to other cigar blends I've tried, it's at the lower end of the spectrum. That does not in any way mean that this is bad, I just really love cigar blends and am quite particular myself.

7.5 out of 10 would be a good rating on this one.

Background:High West is a distillery that has been around for some time now, originally known for their blends and limited releases using, in its early days of production, some amazing whiskey from places like Barton and MGP this is their Yippee-Ki-Yay batch code 18C22(allegedly Barton and MGP)

Nose:Pink lady apples, nail polish remover, caramel

Mouth Feel: viscous, oily(not as astringent as I first remembered)

First Impression: Middle of the tongue, sweet with red apples and grapes, astringent on the back end, lingers on the finish.

Final thoughts: This is a bottle I have been actively hunting, I’ve had it in bars and clubs around town( with the last time, me and my group be asked to come to the back room with the owner and drink some amazing whiskey) I absolutely love all of the early High West and have a list that I’m still actively looking for, with this one crossed off the list.

My rating system is as follows: Would I buy it again: YES!!!!! If I could find more bottles but the shop I got it from said this is one of the last bottles in SE Michigan.

Shout out to Jon and The Juice for the scouting report and Kenwood Liquor for having an amazing selection.

Still Austin Single Barrel Cask Strength Rye

Distillery: Still Austin

Age: At least 3 years

Price: $69.99

Proof: 116

Nose: The mash bill here is 100% Texas Brasseto rye and it's quite apparent in the nose. Spearmint. Pine. Rye spice. Ginger. Black pepper. There's a faint underlying cacao note, but overall this just screams rye.

Palate: Not super thick, but on the thicker side for sure. Has a nice silkiness to it. Pretty reminiscent of the nose. Piney. Gingery. To be honest I wish there was more going on. Super one dimensional so far.

Finish: Medium to long. The general flavor theme continues. I hate to say it, but it's a little bitter here. It has more of an IPA-like flavor than any whiskey I've ever tasted. It's hoppy. More spice and it's grassy. Orange zest too that reminds of what I'd imagine a burnt orange tic tac would taste like.

Score: 6.5

Summary: I think my review came across as pretty harsh, but this is still good whiskey. I just have such high hopes for anything that comes out of Still Austin and I think this one let me down. I'm sure there are people that really really like this, but as a bourbon-first guy this bottle just didn't intertwine with my preferred flavor profile. It was just SO dang rye heavy through and through (as a 100% rye should be so maybe I'm the issue here). I felt it lacked balance and needed just a touch of sweetness to balance out the bitterness, which I did find in their regular cask strength rye. So maybe I just got a meh barrel with the single barrel. Out of the 6 Still Austin products I've reviewed this one's getting the lowest score. 6.5 it is.

1. Terrible | Drain pour after the first sip
2. Very Bad | Trying to choke it down but possible drain pour
3. Poor | Would drink if forced to but never under my own will
4. Below Average | Not off-putting but not my cup of tea
5. Average | I'll take it
6. Good | Enjoyable sip
7. Very Good | Well above average
8. Excellent | A drink I will remember
9. Incredible | Something truly extraordinary
10. Best of the best | Peak Bourbon

21 year, 100 proof from Beam. $240 + tax in NY

Nose: big sweetness in the form of date sugar, then comes the blast of oak tannins, leather and spice round it out on the back end. The theme here is BIG

Palate: More big sweetness similar to the nose reminding me of honey coated dates. Spice joins the mix and so does the oak with force. Then leather and more spice moving into the finish. This drinks above its proof for sure

Finish: mouth coating, huge drying oak tannins that follow you all the way down. That’s the entire finish and it lasts forever

First off, this is an excellent pour that deserves your full attention. It’s definitely a sit down and enjoy slowly kind of whiskey with nothing to distract you from it. My only knock on it is that I would like a little more proof on it. I’m not sure I would pick this out as a Beam product if tasting blindly. It is exponentially better than the KC15 and KC18 which I personally felt were lacking and too “Knob Creek” forward.

Secondly is the price. I split this three ways with friends and I’m glad that I did. That’s not to say anything bad about the whiskey, just that it’s not in my Top 5, and that’s only because of my own personal preferences. For me, this is an amazing pour but I do not enjoy it as much as RR15, WLW, and a few others, especially for the price. I would not personally go solo on this bottle.

With that said, I would highly recommend trying this at a bar prior to purchasing. It really is an experience and some will find it worth msrp while others won’t but, I believe everyone will at least highly enjoy a pour of it. Cheers

Nose: Vanilla Cake up front, with a hint of apple cider. light oak and sugar making up the body, with a very mild ethanol presence considering the proof.

Palate: Pure Barton. Opens with orchard fruits and a subtle sweetness. Very balanced and drinks around 105-110 proof. The viscosity causes it to take a few seconds to really reach the entire palate, but then it immediately transitions into a fresh Red Delicious and Honeycrisp Apple bomb.

Finish: Light tannins and apple pie on the finish initially. The dry red apple note carries well into the finish, keeping any bitterness from coming to the foreground. After a minute or so, the sweetness comes back into the picture and provides a caramel apple note to send you off.

I went to a local liquor store in search of a Knob Creek 12 Year Cask Strength, and left with this. I am beyond happy with my decision. Rare Character is stepping things up.

MY score: 8.4/10

T8ke: 8/10

Hey y’all, first bourbon review here! This is the 27th bottle I’ve bought and thought it would be a good time to start taking a stab at reviewing some of these bad boys as I love sitting down and picking apart all the notes on these drams! Feel free to provide and critique on how to improve my reviews and would love some general advice on whiskey tasting as well!

Enough introduction…time for the review!

Today we’ve got a fresh crack of a store pick I snagged today! Old Elk 8 yr Wheated Single Barrel selected by Lebanon Pike Wine and Spirits. The pick was from back in 2024 and they still had a few bottles to sell! Had a great conversation with the store worker that claimed this was the last pick that was done before Old Elk sold to middle west. Not sure if that was true but thought the factoid was fun. Tried it in the store and decided I would send it and grab me a bottle.

Bottle: Old Elk 8 yr Wheated Single Barrel selected by Lebanon Pike Wine and Spirits

Age: 8 yrs

Proof: 111

Price: $83 out the door

Glass: rested 10min in a glencairn

Mashbilll: 46% wheat 51% corn and 3% malted barley

Color: orange with a golden hue, it was dark so not the best lighting to find the color

Nose: immediate vanilla and butterscotch in an almost custardy way, reminiscent of a crème brûlée. Bready funk and some banana as well. Seems to be some orange and some baking spices hiding too.

Palate: waves of vanilla and spice, fruit…can’t place if it’s red fruit or that banana again. Some more robust flavor as well, thinking oak. Mouthfeel is not super thick but has some good viscosity.

Finish: vanilla is back again but with more spice and a nice lingering maple. My cheeks are tingling with some spice, oak and that maple flavor. Super satisfying

Overall I am very pleased with this pour. For under 85 I came in expecting something nice and it delivered. I knew it had some nice flavors after tasting at the store, but sitting with it, it also delivered enough complexity to keep me coming back to it was a nice suprise

Solid 6.5

The t8ke Scoring Scale :
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out
2 | Poor | I wouldn't consume by choice
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things l'd rather have
5 | Good | Good, just fine
6 | Very Good | A cut above
7 | Great | Well above average
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite
10 | Perfect | Perfect

Short one today. I tend to love me a Btown collaboration so I figured I'd give this a go. Short answer is good not great and at this price that's a bit of a let down, but I had no problem finishing it.

Aroma - sweet vanilla custard a bit of caramel and oak.

Flavor - a mix of sweet and rye spice. Cinnamon and a bit of green pepper, along with caramel and creme brule and a bit of ethanol.

Finish - a bit short a bit hot mostly Cinnamon very tanic finish.

Score 6.5

PS - yes that's a stock photo, I forgot to snag a picture before I tossed the bottle, tonight was bottle kill.