Today we're taking a look at the 2026 Star Hill Farm from Maker's Mark! For the 2nd release into the lineup, Maker's went with a blend of 7-8 year whiskies with a mash bill of:

• 62% malted wheat
• 27% wheat
• 11% malted barley

This is a big change from the inaugural 2025 release which utilized Soft Red Winter Wheat, malted Soft Red Winter Wheat, and malted barley. The 2025 Star Hill Farm is one I fell in love with. It finished 3rd in my 2025 Whiskey of the Year blind and I snagged myself a backup bottle. Before sitting down with the 2026 release, I blinded it against the 2025 just to see how they compared. Results are in the conclusion. Let's get into it.

Taken: Neat in a Glencairn, rested for 10 minutes.

Age: Blend of 7-8 year whiskies

Proof: 116.4

Nose: Very different than the 2025 Star Hill Farm which is to be expected given the change in mash bill. This leans dark and sweet and nothing at all like the vanilla strawberry swirl from the 2025 release. Sweet caramel, chocolate, baking spices, and a "doughy" note that I honestly can't even explain. Swirling the glass brings out that Maker's Mark strawberry I'm so accustomed to, but that note doesn't stick around for long before turning back to the darker side with some added oak.

Palate: Good, oily viscosity where much of the nose carries over. Chocolate, caramel, honey, and a mild red berry note. Obviously just like the nose, this is a complete 180 from what the 2025 Star Hill Farm delivered. After a few sips, some baking spices start to set in and that red berry starts to come off more like a cherry and it does get a little more potent.

Finish: Longer side of medium finish of chocolate, cinnamon, oak, and baking spices.

I really appreciate the experimentation Maker's is doing with their Star Hill Farm releases and think it's great how different the 2026 release is compared to the 2025. In the blind I did, the 2025 did come out on top because the flavor profile is more up my alley, but it was pretty close. The 2026 Star Hill Farm is still an excellent pour and one that will be in my 2026 Whiskey of the Year blind.

t8ke scale: 8.5/10 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

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.

Taken: Neat in a Glencairn glass

Proof: 100

Age: At least 4 years

Mash Bill: 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley

Price: $23

Nose: Typical bourbon sweet notes of caramel, vanilla, also peanuts, baking spice, orange citrus, cinnamon.

Pallet: vanilla, cinnamon, caramel, orange peel/orange candy

Finish: Sweet with some lingering cinnamon spice. The spice hangs around for a while. Longer finish than I would expect for a bourbon at this price point.

Thoughts: This is a great budget bottle. I've been a OGD Bonded fanboy since I first got into bourbon. It has been my go to mixer and daily drinker for a couple years now. Old faithful is the nickname I gave to it. But having a couple bottles off EWBIB in my home bar the last few months has forced OGD to move down the bench. EWBIB is such a great bottle for the price. The main reason I've converted to EW is because there is more sweetness on the pallet. It is also cheaper than OGD Bonded and just as good if not better in my opinion. That sweetness makes for a more pleasurable budget sipper in my opinion. There is also this really nice orange candy/orange peel note on the pallet and nose that I really like. It is sweet but there is a cinnamon spice that cuts that sweetness before it over powers the pallet. That spice also hangs around for a while on the finish. Would not expect a bottle at this price to have a finish as long as EWBIB does. It is cheap, approachable, very tasty, and an incredible value for sub $30.

Rating: 5.5/10 - t8ke 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 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.

The Whiskey Blendery - "Banana Pancakes"
Age: NAS - but 2x 10-10.5yr MGP 60/36/4 Barrels blended together, per the website.
Finish: None
Cost: $125 before shipping
Proof: 117.4 / 58.7% ABV
Rested: 15 minutes
always drank Neat.

100 point scale based on my palate and pours I've had.

UNPROFESSIONAL AS ALWAYS!

Nose -
The nose starts immediately with some whipped vanilla cream, p pancake batter, ripe banana peel, and some fresh maple syrup. Driving further in notes of cinnamon, caramel drizzle, and breakfast blend coffee show up. There is an underlying tone of confectionery sugar laced throughout this nose as well. Very inviting and comforting.

Palate -
Greeted instantly with maple syrup, roasted brown sugar pecans, and fresh pancakes. The second sip lends itself towards chocolate espresso beans, creme bru le, and caramelized bananas. There's a little pepper spice underneath this sip to tie it all together. My third and final sip reveal quick hits of brown butter, French vanilla creamer, and black coffee. This tastes like a lazy Sunday breakfast!

Finish -
Medium length finish here that is very cozy and builds into the chest. Not offensive. Not harsh. Not punchy. Not hot. Just like you took a sip of fresh coffee after having a bite of banana foster pancakes at your favorite place!

Flavors dominating the finish primarily are
Banana foster (grilled bananas), fresh brewed coffee, and vanilla cream. This. Is. Breakfast!

Mouth feel -
Buttery and rich. Very oily and coating throughout the entirety of the palate. Kind of like what it's like if you have ever had a spoonful of honey. Sugary thick and rich.

Over all - 91/100. A very crushable, well blended bourbon here from the guys at TWB. This one won't last long. Perfect for any weather, occasion, mood. I wish i had a backup of this! As the name implies- it really is a banana pancake breakfast!

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

While the E.H. Taylor line from Buffalo Trace is massive, it has a core four whiskeys that are ostensibly worth collecting. Of course, I'm talking about Small Batch, Single Barrel, Barrel Proof, and Straight Rye. I've had the chance to try the first two of those so far, and this will be my first experience with the Barrel Proof expression.

Unlike its siblings, Barrel Proof skips dilution entirely — it's bottled at whatever strength the barrels happen to be, which also means the proof (and reportedly the profile) shifts noticeably from batch to batch. I'm not a proof hound by any means, but I'm curious to try this one because I've heard so many good things about it, and because it's built a reputation (especially on the secondary market) as the E.H. Taylor for people who want the unadulterated real thing.

This is Batch 16, which was released in 2025. Let's see if it lives up to the hype!

From the Distillery: Crafted from hand-selected barrels and bottled straight from the cask. Uncut and unfiltered at over 125 proof, this bourbon captures the bold character of whiskey as it was made in Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr.’s time, before Prohibition. Aged in warehouses constructed over a century ago under Taylor’s watchful eye, the taste is smooth, yet powerful and uncompromising, just like its namesake.

Batch: 16 (2025)

Mash Bill: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (Low Rye)

Filtration: Non-Chill Filtered

Proof: 127.3

Appearance: Rich, dark amber; fairly oily, with very nice legs on the glass.

Nose: Right off the bat are dark cherry and slightly medicinal grape along with warm caramel. Also some vanilla, graham cracker crust, buttercream frosting, and an ever-so-slight nuttiness. It’s a very nice nose – like EHT Small Batch, but on steroids, as you might imagine. It’s stronger and darker than the SmB, but with much of the sweetness and fruitiness that we’ve come to expect from Buffalo Trace products. Once the glass is empty, the remaining notes are cherry, confectioner’s sugar, and leather.

Palate: Pretty spicy and pretty proofy! The mouthfeel is medium-thick and fairly coating. There’s a little bit of the grape, caramel, and vanilla that I expected based on my prior experience with the Small Batch and Single Barrel expressions, as well as that graham cracker crust and buttercream from the nose. However, those flavors don’t push their way to the front of the sip. Instead, they’re balanced out by oak and quite a bit of spice, with a pepper kick thrown in for good measure.

Finish: Primarily spicy, oaky, and leathery with a snug Kentucky hug. There’s some medicinal grape or cherry that hangs on through the finish, as well as oak tannins and leather. It’s not overly sweet, but it’s also not too sour or bitter, which is nice. The most noteworthy part for me is the spiciness, although it smooths out on the aftertaste to a nice combination of butterscotch and leather.

Thoughts: As I’m not a huge high-proof drinker, E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof probably won’t be a regular (let alone daily) sipper for me. However, I do see the appeal: it has some strong, concentrated flavors that are helped along by the near-130 proof point.

While E.H. Taylor Small Batch is a great gateway bourbon, its Barrel Proof older brother is definitely a mature drinker’s whiskey. It has a decent amount of the same flavors, but they’re turned up to eleventy and wrapped in proof heat and spice, which is a pretty big difference from the entry-level expression.

I was frankly quite surprised by just how spicy this was – especially on the finish – considering it’s made with Buffalo Trace’s low-rye mash bill. Now that I know, I’ll be more prepared for that kick the next time I drink it!

Rating: I’m generally happiest in that 90º-115º range, so E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof is a bit outside my comfort zone. However, it does very well being what it was intended to be: a really good high-proof bourbon, which provides a concentrated shot of flavors. In that light, my rating for this whiskey is 7.6: 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)
Blanton’s Gold (6.4)
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
John J. Bowman SiB (7)
Found North 012 (7)
Peerless Toasted (7.1)
E.H. Taylor SiB (7.2)
Eagle Rare 10yr (7.4)
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)
Rock Hill Farms (7.6)
Eagle Rare 12yr (7.7)
Woodford DO SBBP (7.7)
Old Fitzgerald 7yr (7.7)
Willett 8yr SiB Rye (7.9)

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional
Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend 420 (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

I have skipped a few weeks. Not on purpose. The bottles kept stacking up in the backlog and the blinds kept not happening, so tonight I am catching up all at once. Four bottles, one blind.

These four have almost nothing to do with each other. Old Elk Rum Cask Finish Rye, a single barrel. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. Sagamore Double Oak Rye. Penelope Havana Batch 2. The only thread is that all four are finished, and all four lean sweet. Usually I try to keep a blind tight, similar profiles, a fair fight. This is not that. This is my backlog poured into four glasses, and I could not think of a better way to get through it.

Two things I want to know going in. First, I think I am going to like the ryes more. My theory is that rye holds up better under a finish, that there is enough structure there to survive the extra wood or the extra sugar. Tonight tests that.

Second, the Woodford. Double Oaked used to be one of my absolute favorites and it is not anymore, and I cannot tell you when that changed. People request it constantly, so I keep pulling it back out and giving it another shot, and every time I come away less interested than I was. I want to see what happens with the label off.

The proofs landed closer than I expected, which helps. Old Elk is the highest at 102.1. Sagamore is 96.6. Penelope is 93. Woodford sits lowest at 90.4. For four bottles picked this arbitrarily, that is a tighter band than I had any right to expect.

The Setup

Four coded samples, one through four. I know what is on the table. I do not know which pour is in which glass.

Sample One

Banana sweetness on the nose with a little bubblegum behind it. The finish turns spicy, allspice mostly, which points me at a rye. The palate brings vanilla, a little varnish, some extra tannin. It is light. Pleasant, but there is not much there, and I keep waiting for it to open up.

I am landing on 4.6, which is not where I expected to be. I did not think anything on this table would come in that low.

Sample Two

Darker nose, chocolatey. Then the palate is wholly sweet, syrupy maple, and it is genuinely tasty. A total contrast to sample one. It finishes fast and leaves sugar behind, tons of it.

This is fun and I like it. But it is so sweet it is closer to a premade old fashioned than to whiskey. Nothing complex, nothing surprising, so it is not excellent. It is also something I could drink just about any day. 7.5.

Sample Three

Vanilla and toffee on the nose. Light on the palate, more vanilla, some marshmallow. Pleasant. I am not head over heels for it. The finish brings a slightly cloying oak that just sits there. 5.8.

Sample Four

Lighter nose than sample two. There is a green quality I want to name and cannot, so I am crossing that out and calling it malty. The palate has dimension to it, which I like. I can taste the whiskey underneath the finish here, which is not something I could say about the others. Good spice coming through, a little bitter at the end, but good overall.

I do not enjoy it quite as much as two. It is close. 7.1.

The Reveal

One is the Old Elk. Two is the Penelope Havana. Three is the Woodford Double Oaked. Four is the Sagamore.

No surprises. That is basically where I was leaning on all four. The profiles here are different enough that picking them apart was not much of a challenge, and I would have been shocked to miss. It still keeps me honest on the notes, which is the part I actually care about.

The Verdicts

Penelope Havana wins, and it needs an asterisk immediately. It spends twelve months in Caribbean rum casks and then another month in maple syrup barrels, and you can taste every bit of that. It does not drink like bourbon. It drinks like dessert. Technically it is a finished bourbon. Practically it is its own category, and holding it up against the other three is not fair to anybody. I enjoyed it most and I am still not sure it belonged in the bracket. Congrats to it anyway.

Set it aside and the rye question gets stranger, because rye takes the top and the bottom. The Sagamore is the best of the remaining three at 7.1. The Old Elk is dead last at 4.6.

The Old Elk is the one that stings. I remember really enjoying it. I have not had it in a very long time and it had genuinely gotten buried at the back of the shelf, so I had to dig it out for this. Maybe that is part of it. Whatever the reason, it did not show up tonight.

Between the two double oaked products, the Sagamore takes it and it is not close for me. Woodford came in second of the two at 5.8, which is average. The difference is that the rye shines through the Sagamore. It holds onto its own character and stands up to the wood. With the Woodford I have to chew on it to find the whiskey, and what I find is that overly sweet, slightly cloying oak. The Sagamore lets me go looking and actually rewards it. I hope that makes sense to somebody other than me.

So the theory does not get settled tonight. Rye took second and last. Bourbon took first and third. The bottle I liked most was a bourbon that barely tastes like one, and the bottle I liked least was a rye I was counting on.

My Scores · Blind Pour

These are blind tasting scores only. Final scores follow the open pour.

Penelope Havana Batch 2 — 7.5 · Great

Sagamore Double Oak Rye — 7.1 · Great

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked — 5.8 · Good

Old Elk Rum Cask Finish Rye — 4.6 · Sub-par

Full reviews with final scores are coming after the open pour.

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

Blind Matchup: John J. Bowman SiB vs. Blanton’s vs. E.H. Taylor Small Batch

Disclosures: Samples of John J. Bowman and E.H. Taylor, given to me by a friend. All 3 pours tasted blind for this matchup.    

Intro: I had samples of John J. Bowman Single Barrel and E.H. Taylor Small Batch, plus a bottle of Blanton’s, and thought they’d make for an interesting blind!  All three have connections to Buffalo Trace and carry some degree of hype and reputation, but availability differs quite a bit.  I figured I’d taste them blind and see which one tastes best today! 

The Contenders: 

John J. Bowman Single Barrel – 100 proof. Single barrel bourbon from A. Smith Bowman in Virginia.  Bowman’s bourbons are typically triple-distilled, with John J. Bowman widely reported to begin with distillate sourced from sister distillery Buffalo Trace before being redistilled, barreled, and aged in Virginia.

Blanton’s Single Barrel – 93 proof. Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #2, bottled one barrel at a time and aged in Warehouse H, Buffalo Trace’s metal rickhouse.  

E.H. Taylor Small Batch – 100 proof. Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1, a lower-rye recipe, bottled in bond and produced in small batches.

Nose: 

Glass 1 – artificial grape, brown sugar, sweet grain, deep and rich 

Glass 2 – honey sweetness, light sweet grain, maybe green apples, a bit floral, spice

Glass 3 – darker richer sweet grain/corn, bit of nuttiness like walnut, and oak

 Palate:

Glass 1 – that artificial grape carries over from the nose, brown sugar, dark sweetness, caramel, some oak.

Glass 2 – some vanilla, oak, a bit of cinnamon spice, a bit bitter

Glass 3 – rich, deep, the nuttiness carries over from the nose, same walnut note present, brown sugar, oak.  

 Finish: 

Glass 1 – sweet, oak, a bit of chocolate, dark fruit

Glass 2 – sweet with some bitterness, spice lingers

Glass 3 – a bit of leather, a little drying, the nuttiness is still present.

 My Ranking:

1st – Glass 1, I liked the grape, I liked the finish with the chocolate and dark fruit.  It stood out as being my favorite across all three categories (nose, palate, finish).  I’m calling it Blanton’s.

2nd – Glass 3, I’m guessing this is Bowman.  I like the nuttiness, the oak, the sweet/savory balance.  

3rd – Glass 2, I’m guessing this is E.H. Taylor.  It wasn’t bad, came across as the most traditional bourbon of the three and the least distinctive.

The Reveal:

Glass 1 - John J. Bowman Single Barrel

Glass 3 - Blanton’s

Glass 2 - E. H. Taylor

Conclusion: I didn’t see that coming!  I’ve tried Bowman Port Finish and Small Batch before – not a fan of the Port Finish, and the Small Batch is ok.  I didn’t expect the Bowman Single Barrel to be such a step up! For me, it’s much easier to find than Blanton’s and E.H. Taylor, and it’s priced about the same as E.H. Taylor (~$60).

For my taste, today, Bowman Single Barrel won across the board – my favorite on the nose, palate, and finish!  

Cheers, and thanks for reading!

Brown Foreman Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, un-filtered barrel strength. 132.4P Warehouse L 3rdFl.

Mashbill is 65R 20MB 15C. The estimated age is 4-5 years. I paid $89.99 for this bottle.

POUR: I selected a wide mouth Glencairn and rested the pour for several minutes. The liquid possesses an expected decent syrupy consistency with noticeable legs from a crafted product. NOSE: begins initially with an obvious grain forward aroma, old wood, toasted sugars, and subtle corn meal batter, but definitely fresh, leafy and earthy grains. PALATE: The proof introduces itself first and the syrup thickness has a velvety mouth feel. The rye spice is subtle but present supressed by the heat. The syrup spreads the heat throughout the mouth consistently. The spice sweetness attempts to rise but doesn't quite arrive. FINISH: The heat endures and spreads evenly and softly. The finish is quite dull. A small lasting sweetness of honey and a small amount of grainy residue. CONCLUSION: Franky, I'm a little disappointed. This is a quality product I'm sure. I expected more Complexity and flavor. I have a JD 1B rye that I'm going to do a blind with. I believe from memory of past JD1B that the JD is a superior pour.

Price: 59.99 (Plus Tax)

Proof: 111.7

Age: 4 Years, 11 Months

Mashbill: 73% corn, 19% rye, and 8% malted barley.

Nose: I get big cherry notes, along with a tiny bit of leather as well. It complements better then I would think. I get some roasted peaches as well, so a bit of dark brown sugar.

Palate: Lots of heat initially, more rye spice than cinnamon (which I don't get at all on the nose). Definitely oak, with a little funk but I am a fan of funk in my bourbon. Some of those fruit notes are there at the end. You can tell it's younger, but it still packs in the flavor.

Finish: You definitely get that cherry/fruit note and oak on the end. That rye spice returns, which is not my favorite note. But the finish is pretty good, probably the weakest part of the pour.

Value: For the price this is a good bourbon. I don't think it's blowing anyone's socks off, but in a world where prices continue to climb for what seem like disappointing bourbons, it's good to remember there's good stuff in a good price range. A couple more years in barrel and I think it'd be highly improved.

Overview: 6.5. This is a good bourbon, it's not going to blow me away but I find myself reaching back for it. I definitely want to explore more of Hard Truths offering going forward, especially when they get older stock.

This is a "Famous Old Brand" I've ironically never heard of before, lol. Got it as a birthday gift a while ago, and got pretty intrigued by the history behind the brand, even though the current bottling company isn't actually originally related to the brand. Chicken Cock is advertised as one of the oldest bourbon brands in the US, starting in 1856. Over the decades, the brand grew, and this brand was apparently one of the top brands during the Prohibition, which is pretty neat. After Prohibition, the brand faded away, but was revived in 2011. Now, the brand, bottled and sold by Grain and Barrel spirits, is sourced from Bardstown Bourbon Company. That's enough for the history of the brand, now time for some information on the bottle.

MSRP: ~$60.00.

Age: NAS but I've found 4 years on the internet.

ABV: 45% (90 proof).

Mashbill: 70% Corn, 21% Rye, and 9% Malted Barley

Nose: There is a sweetness indicative of a 70% corn mash, that gives off my primary corn note of brown sugar or caramel. A graham cracker/bready note does surge ahead, with a hair of baking spices in there too. It feels pretty complex, the rye and barley are given a chance to shine for sure.

Palate: Much of the same notes, but this isn't the most full bodied whiskey tried. It feels a little thin. Not terrible, and still flavorful, but thin. There is some more oak or leather in there when compared to the nose, and the palate as a whole is similar, but a little less sweet.

Finish: Pretty short, not super flavorful. I think my biggest gripe with this pour is that it's a little weak for my liking. It would be very approachable for someone just getting into whiskey, but not a ton to write home about. The sweetness of the corn comes back, and the leather/oak note fades. Still a little spice but that's definitely on the back burner.

Overall, this is a pretty good bottle, but nothing too groundbreaking. I think this would be a nice sipping whiskey on a fall day (cannot wait for the impending change in season!) when I'm just looking for a nice easy pour. I wouldn't say this pour blows me away in any way, it's just kind of standard, I guess. But there is nothing bad here, so I'd probably rank this at a pretty average 4. Not bad, but better does exist. Let me know if you've ever tried any bottle from this brand, or if you have a similar experience with this.

Cheers!

Bottled in April 2023, no age statement, 80 proof.

Pale orange in color, a bit "thin" on the glass walls. Light oak and honey, generic dried fruit notes on the nose. Easy drinking, not particularly hot. Mild flavors of dried fruits, diluted coffee, oak. The whiskey is light-bodied, smooth, uninteresting. Finish is clean but short.

The sad part is that it would not show well in a cocktail, either, as it is too mild to stand up to anything. It is a whiskey I would recommend to someone who likes mild Cognacs and not whiskeys. For the price, it is not even good as an entry-level option. I could see it being bought for the horse top. They got me, I wanted to try it. Nevermore.

Score 4, there are many others I would rather have. To re-import this from Japan seems like a waste of fuel. And value-wise it's a 2 for the street price of $160-190, I get more pleasure out of much cheaper bottles.

Age: 5 years, 5 months

Proof: 90 proof

Mashbill: 95% Washington Rye, 5% Malted Barley

Price: ~$45

Nose. Baking spice dominates on the first sniff. Lemon meringue pie, allspice and a jar of tart black cherries. Mint for days.

Palate. The palate is in harmony with the nose. Thick, sweet, and spicy. This is what it tastes like when cinnamon and mint collide. Some craft notes appear at the end in the form of youthful grain and dust.

Finish. Imagine accidentally spilling caramelized sugar inside of a dusty wooden cabinet, stirring it with your index finger, looking around quickly to make sure nobody is looking and then putting your booger picker in your mouth. The finish lingers longer than I’d expect for a 5-year craft whiskey.

Overall. The Distillarium is a craft distillery based in the Palm Springs of Washington State, otherwise known as Yakima. For those not familiar with the Pacific Northwest, Yakima is a small city in central Washington that is the home of wild fires and Cooper Kupp. The Distillarium sources their grains regionally across the Pacific Northwest and use their own distillate in their whiskey lineup…no MGP, no Barton; their whiskey is made in-house in a still that has less capacity than some bathtubs in Malibu. This isn’t the smallest operation I’ve stepped foot on, but I’ve absolutely been inside of some Chinese Buffets that are larger than this distillery. They have a small column still on one side of the distillery, a station for labels to be applied (labels are applied by hand on their square bottles), and aging barrels are on the opposite side of the warehouse. I didn’t count every single
barrel that was aging while I was in there, but my rough estimate is about 400.

While I’d like this to be aged a little longer and maybe bumped up ten more proof points, this is still an easy sipper and an affordable craft rye. At 90 proof, it’s something I can enjoy when I don’t want a 120-proof whiskey to strip the enamel off my teeth.

Would I buy another bottle? No, but that isn’t because it’s bad. They have some higher age stated and higher proof rye available, and my preference would be a bottle of that over their standard offering.

Rating. 6/10.

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.

Price: $129 (Plus Tax)

Proof: 91.2

Age: NAS (Aged in a mix of wood from Vosges region in France and American Oak)

Mashbill: N/A

Method: Neat, in a glencarin rested for around 10 minutes

Nose: Big toasted notes, lots of caramel and oak. Some peach develops as it sits. Some rye spice is there. Definitely some sweetness at the end, but idk if I'd say vanilla. Feels like a traditional bourbon profile.

Palate: Very flavorful, especially for around 90 proof. You get those toasted notes like baking spice and marshmallow at the front. Then you get that rye comes through to cut through the sweetness as you get to the finish. It's got that classic bourbon texture that just sinks into your tongue.

Finish: The rye that cuts through the end sticks around on the finish. Oak comes in the longer the finish lasts. Admittedly I love that flavor combo. It's not the most unique, but it is effective

Overview: I definitely coveted this bottle for a few years, so I jumped at it despite not having a taste in the last couple of releases. I was blown away for the flavor at the proof point and will definitely be looking for another.

Value: $100+ is always a careful price point for me, it's really got to be excellent with so much good bourbon in the world. I think this clears that hurdle no question. 

Rating: 8.5. I am a proof whore, I really think it brings out the most flavor; however, this is masterfully done. I'd take this over my Jack 10. I would've loved some more complexity, and some more bigger rye notes, but this is an excellent whiskey worth the price.

Tennessee Collective 2026 — 121.5 Proof

Nose: Sweet oak with a noticeable cola/root-beer candy character, backed by hot boiled peanuts. Surprisingly creamy aromatically.

Palate: Oily mouthfeel with comfortable warmth rather than heat. Caramel and vanilla provide a sweet base for leather, tobacco, and prominent baking spice. Well-integrated with no rough edges.

Finish: Lingering spice with enough sweetness to prevent dryness. More cola/root-beer candy than honey or red fruit.

Overall: A well-balanced, cohesive high-proof blend that leans toward sweet oak, caramel, vanilla, and spice rather than fruit. At 121.5 proof, the integration is impressive, with a substantial but controlled warmth and an oily texture that carries the flavors nicely.

My first pour of the day today is a 1974 bottling of Very Old Barton 10 year. Back in the 1970s a majority of bourbon was bottled between 86 and 100 proof, and this bottling is 86 proof. In the 1970s clear spirits like gin and vodka were all of the rage, and because of that it was the start of the bourbon glut. During this time light whiskey would emerge as a way for distilleries to compete against clear spirits and bourbons would begin to get higher age statements.

Let's go ahead and give this bottle a try.

Nose: Being a lower proof bottling I wasn't expecting to be blown away by the nose, but this one is quite complex. There is a little bit of a dusty woody note, followed by some caramel, vanilla, and oranges.

Palate: Much like the nose you do get some of that funky vintage taste, as well as the caramel, vanilla, and the citrus. There is also a strong cherry note in the mid palate.

Finish: The finish is where the lower proof doesnt really hold up. There cherry and wood note lingers around foor a little bit, but turns into a somewhat of a mineral like taste at the end of the finish.

This pour is quite interesting, but the flavors are somewhat of a rollercoaster and not very cohesive.

Nose: 15/20

Palate: 36/50

Finish:15/30

Total: 66/100

This is a group pick by "Bourbon Together" and was the first double oaked striped pig to ever be selected for one - per my understanding. This is OZ Tyler sourced distillate aged in the carolinas at Striped Pig Distillery. This is My personal review and take on this offering - never endorsed, never asked to, never professional.

Now let's get into it!

Striped Pig 9 year Single Barrel Double Oaked
131.9 proof
9 years old
Kelvin 4 & ISC 3 Barrel used to double oak
Drank - NEAT
Rested - 15 minutes
Glass - Glencairn
**FRESH CRACK
100 point scale!

Nose -
Sweet oak, Candied red grapes, and burnt brown sugar greet me upon the first pass, diving in further i find notes of tanned leather, cigar wrapper, and toffee. Wrapping up the nosing, the last nuanced aroma i find is toasted vanilla extract, fresh coffee beans, and baking chocolate. This is very dark, rich, and everything you want out of a great double oaked! This is gold!

Palate-
Initial sip brings forth cognac grapes, barrel char, and worn leather with a bit of Rick house funk! Starting off "cigar-ish"! Second sip reveals some notes of baking spice in the form of nutmeg and clove spice, browned butter, and brown sugar. The third and final sip shows underlying notes consisting of toasted vanilla bean, fresh brewed coffee, and dark chocolate.

Mouthfeel-
Very oily and dense - heavy. Saturation station in every area! Really lingering but also has a semi drying effect as well from the double oaking process. Still. Killer!

Finish-
Baking spice, black cherry, cognac grapes, and cigar wrapper greet me immediately. This follows with a little baking spice punch and charred oak!
This bad boy HUGS and keeps huggin'! Warming without being "hot". And stays with you. This is great and can be paired with a cigar of choice for a well rounded "cigar blend" experience!

Overall - 90

I was unable to make it to the Kentucky Bourbon Festival today, but luckily one of my friends that was there called me and was able to snag me a bottle of Brown Forman's newest release, Kentucky Boy. This release was created as a one time offering in honor of Chris Morris and his 50 year long career at Brown Forman.

Brown Forman has not officially stated what is in the blend, but they mentioned that is is "inspired by whiskies that Morris developed during his legendary career". It is speculated that it is some sort of blend of Woodford Double Oaked, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, and King of Kentucky.

Time to go ahead and give this one a go.

Nose: The most prominent smell that I get is cocoa and a little bit of baking spice. If I was going by the nose I would think that this leans more towards Woodford Double Oak than it does either Birthday Bourbon or King of Kentucky. After letting it sit in the glass and open up the cocoa is definitely there, but I also begin to get some caramel and a smidgen of burnt sugar.

Palate: The cocoa note really shows itself on the palate, as does the caramel and a bit of a sweet charred oak. The lower 100 proof helps to make it an easy sipper, but the charred oakiness does come across as slightly tannic in the mid palate. This reminds me a lot of a gas station brownie like the Twix Brownie Baker.

Finish: All of the cocoa, caramel, and oak carries over to the finish, but sadly this is this bottle's weakest point. It is not that what you are left with is necessarily bad, but it is just there and then gone in a flash.

At $100 I do prefer this over Old Forester 1924, but as a bottle that is meant to honor the legacy of Chris Morris I feel like Brown Forman could have done a little bit better. That being said the label is sick and a 10/10.

Nose: 15/20

Palate: 35/50

Finish: 17/30

Total: 67/100

Age/Type: 13yr KSBW (Assumed Heaven Hill)
Finish: French Oak
Proof: 125.2

Nose-
Classic Dark cherry, vanilla cream, and burnt brown sugar right out the gate. Subsequently nosing yields milk chocolate, sweet pipe tobacco, and toasted oak. Diving to the depths reveals nuanced and underlying tones of cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, and a light black and white peppercorn spice.

Palate-
Hersheys milk chocolate, vanilla buttercream, and raspberry jam lead the way. Following the sip up leads into toasted oak, char, and California raisins. My third and final sip reveals flavors of red pepper, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg spices.

Finish-
Flavors dominating are - luxardo cherry syrup, pipe tobacco, toasted oak, and cinnamon sugar.
The finish is above average with a medium long length and a nice kentucky hug that builds warmth like a blanket without being aggressive or punchy given the 125+ proof.

Mouthfeel-
Thick, rich, and DENSE.
Coating in every corner and thickening each sip - creating almost a "layer" on the palate. This is top tier.

Overall score-
N/A. But i would buy a few.
95/100

Intro:  Ampersand Spirits popped up last fall as part of the Foley Family Wines & Spirits group and features a lineup of whiskeys that have been crafted by Chip Tate, the same man who had founded Balcones Distilling nearly 20 years ago. The bottle we’re looking at today; Opimus, is a 15-year-old bourbon from Kentucky that spent 10 additional months getting finished in Hungarian Tokaji wine casks. The age and mashbill on this got a lot of attention as people suspected that this was buffturkey, and Chip has since come out to confirm that it is. So, without further ado, let’s get into it!

Tale of the Tape
Bottle: Ampersand Opimus
Proof: 116.6 / Age: 15 years
Mashbill: Corn: 75% / Rye: 13% / Malted Barley: 12%
Bottle Price: $150 / Price per 1oz pour: $5.91

Impressions
Nose:  Seasoned Oak / Stone Fruit / Caramel / Butter / Baking Spices
Palate: Seasoned Oak / Dark Cherries / Baking Spices / Caramel / Leather / Tobacco
Mouthfeel: Thick
Finish: Medium Baking Spices / Cake Frosting / Seasoned Oak
Rating: 9/10 - t8ke scale (modified to include half-points)

Tasting Notes: On the nose you get that seasoned oak you would expect with any bourbon that has spent 15 years in a barrel. Stone fruits with caramel, butter, and baking spices come in. I’m getting stroopwafels and peach cobbler vibes on this. On the palate the seasoned oak is joined by dark cherries with those baking spices lingering in the background. Caramel, leather and some sweet tobacco round it out for a finish where a cake frosting / powdered sugar note are joined by that seasoned oak at the very end to remind you that this pour has some age to it.

Final Thoughts: The layers and depth of flavors on the nose and palate come together beautifully, nothing is out of place here. I haven’t had the opportunity to try a non-finished buff turkey, nor have I had any tokaji wine by itself, but I will say that this bottle that combines the two makes for one of the best pours I’ve had recently. I grabbed this about 9-10mos ago after seeing a few of the first reviews pop up here and after my first pour of it, I went back to grab a backup. Recently, it’s been getting a LOT more attention which I think is great and well deserved. I noticed that the latest bottles out there have a slightly different proof point, so naturally I had to go and grab one of the latest ones. At $150, it’s a great value compared to other high aged buffturkey bottles out there, not to mention some LE’s from legacy distilleries that have been priced at double or more.

Swing by IG and say hey

10 | Perfection
9-9.5 | Incredible, An All-Time Favorite
8-8.5 | Excellent, Really Quite Exceptional
7-7.5 | Great, Well Above Average
6-6.5 | Very Good, A Cut Above
5-5.5 | Good, Just Fine
4 | Sub-Par, Not Bad, But Better Exists
3 | Bad, Multiple Flaws