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August 2020
ROUNDUP

Split Rock Organic Straight Bourbon

Classification: Straight Bourbon

Company: Split Rock Distilling

Distillery: Split Rock Distilling

Release Date: Ongoing

Proof: 88

Age: Minimum of 2 years in 30 gallon barrels (Website states current age is 3 years)

Mashbill: 60% Corn, 20% Wheat, 15% Barley, 5% Rye

Color: Amber

MSRP: $65 (2020)

Official Website

Nose: Cereal grain | Corn | Cedar | Cinnamon | Vanilla | Light but expressive, yet grain-forward

Palate: Minerals | Grain | Malt | Caramel | Faint smokiness | Thin mouthfeel

Finish: Grain | Toffee | Oak | Slight burn

I like the path this bourbon took me down as it nicely showcased its four grains throughout its sip, but its lack of time in the barrel is much too evident. It features a nice clean delivery of flavors, but additional aging will help develop these flavors more. I respect the effort the team at Split Rock is putting into this bourbon as it's a true organic grain-to-glass process using sustainable practices to create their product. There aren't many distilleries doing what they’re doing, and in some time I expect them to adequately fine-tune this unique product.

Written By: Eric Hasman
August 3, 2020

Daviess County Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Classification: Straight Bourbon

Company: Lux Row Distillers

Distillery: Sourced (From undisclosed distillery[ies])

Release Date: February 2020

Proof: 96

Age: NAS

Mashbill: Undisclosed (Blend of wheated and ryed bourbon mashbills)

Color: Light Copper

MSRP: $40 (2020)

Official Website

Nose: Orange zest | Honey lozenge | Slight Oak | Hint of ethanol | Pleasant opening

Palate: Oak | Honey | Pepper spice | Vanilla | Orange rinde

Finish: Green peppercorn | Vanilla | Dry Oak | Cigar box

Daviess County Straight Bourbon whiskey is a blend of wheated and rye bourbon mashbills. This combination shows throughout the sip, with sweeter notes starting things off and eventually ending on a slightly drier note. While not overly deep, these flavors are easy to appreciate. Daviess County Straight Bourbon Whiskey is ultimately an average run-of-the-mill bourbon that is sure to please many, especially at the proof and price point.  

Written By: Jordan Moskal
August 5, 2020

Breuckelen 77 Whiskey - Distilled from New York Wheat

Classification: Wheat Whiskey

Company: Breuckelen Distilling Company

Distillery: Breuckelen Distilling Company

Release Date: Ongoing

Proof: 90

Age: 655 Days (~1.7 years)

Mashbill: 100% Wheat

Color: Light Amber

MSRP: $40 (2020)

Official Website

Nose: Honey | Maple sugar candy | Caramel | Soft & sweet

Palate: Honey | Toffee | Caramel chews | Fresh baked banana bread | Delicate & sweet

Finish: Confectioners sugar | Honey | Milk chocolate | Sweet notes linger

Wow what an impressive whiskey from Breuckelen Distilling! This delicate and sweet wheat whiskey showcases a dessert-themed flavor profile that is shockingly developed given its age. Like the company’s other products, this New York Wheat whiskey is unlike most of the other products you will find on the shelf. With a tidal wave of sweet flavors, I can only imagine how good it tastes at barrel proof.

Written By: Nick Beiter
August 7, 2020

Kooper Family Rye

Classification: A Blend of Straight Rye Whiskeys Finished in Used Bourbon Barrels

Company: Kooper Family Whiskey Co.

Distillery: 3 year old rye is from MGP and 5 year old rye is from an undisclosed distillery in Tennessee

Release Date: Ongoing

Proof: 90

Age: Blend of 3 & 5 year old straight ryes

Mashbill: 3 Year Rye : 95% Rye, 5% Malt; 5 Year Rye: 51% Rye, 36% Corn, 13% Malt

Color: Copper

MSRP: $40 (2020)

Official Website

Nose: Custard | Creme brulee | Vanilla | Raisins | Seasoned oak | Delicious rich nose

Palate: Creme brulee | Caramel | Cinnamon | Butter | Soft fruit | Incredibly rich bakery scents

Finish: Rye spice | Syrupy vanilla | Baking spice | Seasoned oak

I guess when you source whiskey you technically own it, however their label definitely gives the impression that they distilled it by saying “our” multiple times when referring to the whiskey used in the blend. Despite this, Kooper Family Rye is a winner. It’s an incredibly rich tasting rye that is filled with delicious bakery-type flavors. Interestingly, their bottle and website doesn’t make reference to this being finished in used bourbon barrels to achieve this, but you can’t disagree with the results. This is an amazing tasting whiskey that you should buy right now.

Written By: Eric Hasman
August 10, 2020

Stoll & Wolfe Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey

Classification: Rye Whiskey

Company: Heritage Spirits

Distillery: Stoll & Wolfe Distillery

Release Date: Ongoing

Proof: 90

Age: 4 Years

Mashbill: 65% Rye, 25% Corn, 10% Malt

Color: Light Bronze

MSRP: $53 (2020)

Nose: Fiery cinnamon | Sweet vanilla | Charred oak | Earthy

Palate: Baking spice | Vanilla | Oak | Light sweet citrus | Touch of leather

Finish: Dash of rye spice | Light grain | Oak | Dry leather | Lingering

The last time I tasted Stoll & Wolfe Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey was when the whiskey was 18 months old. At the time, I thought the rye showed a ton of potential for such a young whiskey. Additional time in the barrel continues to impress and shows off Dick Stolle’s expertise. This is an easy to drink rye that has developed more nuanced flavors, specifically in the more oaky and leathery spectrum. I look forward to seeing the progression of this rye in the next two to three years.

Written By: Jordan Moskal
August 12, 2020

Charbay Double & Twisted

Classification: Straight Malt Whiskey and Hop Flavored Whiskey

Company: Charbay Distillery

Distillery: Charbay Distillery

Release Date: Ongoing

Proof: 90

Age: NAS (Website states blend of 4 year straight malt whiskey [50%], 8 year stout whiskey [30%], and 4 year pilsner whiskey [20%])

Mashbill: Undisclosed

Color: Light Gold

MSRP: $50 (2020)

Official Website

Nose: Apples | Cinnamon | Summer fruit | Baking spices | Light & interesting

Palate: Nutmeg | Clove | Malty | Pilsner beer | Pop of spice

Finish: Cinnamon | Clove | Beer | Lingering baking spices

An interesting blend of malt, stout, and pilsner whiskeys, this combination allows the unique flavors brought forth by the beer distillates to show through without entirely overpowering the sip. It has fantastic balance with a lively, but developed flavor profile. While there isn’t a hint of oak, the time spent in barrels and overall blend keeps the flavors in check, allowing the components to shine without any one overdoing it. Quite unique and delicious overall.

Written By: Nick Beiter
August 14, 2020

Rossville Union Straight Rye Barrel Proof

Classification: Straight Rye

Company: MGP

Distillery: MGP

Release Date: Ongoing

Proof: 112.6

Age: NAS (Company website states 5 and 6 years old)

Mashbill: Blend of MGP’s 51% Rye, 45% Corn, 4% Malted Barley and 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley mashbills

Color: Copper

MSRP: $70 (2020)

Official Website

Nose: Rye spice | Straw | Hint of citrus | Summer fruits | Bold and straightforward

Palate: Rye grain | Fresh baked bread | Candied summer fruit | Apricot | Spicy with a gentle sweetness

Finish: Rye spice | Vanilla | Oak | Leather | Twinge of pure alcohol | Lingering mild anise aftertaste


At 112.6 this is understandably bold, but not to the degree I thought it would be. And that’s a good thing. This is a fruit-forward, sweet and savory rye that drinks well. It also features a unique flavor agent that I had a hard time pinning down, unsure if it’s yeasty, herbal, floral, or just anise note intensifying during its finish. Regardless, this is an enjoyable barrel proof rye that packs punch, but doesn't gut punch you like some high proof rye whiskeys often do.

Written By: Eric Hasman
August 17, 2020

Balcones Mirador Single Malt Whisky

Classification: Malt Whiskey

Company: Balcones Distilling

Distillery: Balcones Distilling

Release Date: March 2020 (Annual Release)

Proof: 112.2

Age: Aged at least 36 months

Mashbill: 100% Malt

Color: Hay

MSRP: $80

Official Website

Nose: Toasted oak | Light smoke | Chocolate bark | Ripe summer fruits | Hard butterscotch candies | Soft and inviting

Palate: Grape skin | Grilled peaches | Light leather | Earthy | Charred wood | Vanilla | Light butterscotch | Full of subtle flavors

Finish: Light oak | Dry vanilla | Light tobacco | Light leather | Light and lingering

Balcones Mirador is an annual release that uses a blend of malt whiskeys aged in used barrels. This imparts less dominant oak flavors than you’d see with new charred oak barrel aging, instead allowing the whiskey to develop more nuanced flavors. This is Texas in a glass, instantly transporting me to a field on a hot summer Texas day. It’s easy drinking for the proof, and each sip allows you to pull out more flavors. The bottle being reviewed is from Batch MIR 20-1 with what looks like a (faded) stated date of 3.9.20.

Written By: Jordan Moskal
August 19, 2020

Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye Cask Proof Single Barrel

Classification: Rye

Company: Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, LLC

Distillery: Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, LLC

Release Date: Ongoing

Proof: 116

Age: NAS

Mashbill: 100% Rye

Color: Dark Copper

MSRP: $90 (2020)

Official Website

Nose: Rye spice | Distillate | Lemon | Punchy

Palate: Lemon zest | Anise | Unaged distillate | Vanilla extract | Punchy and youthful

Finish: Summer fruits | Lemon | Rye spice | White peppercorns | Youthful


Nicely refreshing and clean, Catoctin Creek’s Roundstone Rye Cask Proof whiskey is released twice year per year in single barrel form. Notably distilled onsite, this rye is also not labelled as straight, which suggests it’s aged less than two years. While the taste of the distillate is present throughout the sip, and the label should probably carry an age statement, it shows exceptional promise and I can’t wait to taste this whiskey at a higher age.



Written By: Nick Beiter
August 21, 2020

Coppercraft Small Batch Bourbon

Classification: Straight Bourbon

Company: Coppercraft Distillery

Distillery: Sourced (from undisclosed distillery[ies])

Release Date: Ongoing

Proof: 97

Age: NAS (Blend of 4+ and 11+ year old bourbons per company website)

Mashbill: Undisclosed

Color: Straw

MSRP: $50 (2020)

Official Website

Nose: Corn | Grain | Vanilla | Lemon | Granny apples | Light oak | Quite timid and lacking ample character

Palate: Grain | Citrus | Custard | Mild oak | Light in both flavor and consistency

Finish: Mild spearmint | Cereal grain | Honey | Touch of cinnamon | Short finish

The company isn’t shy about declaring this sourced bourbon from their website, but their bottle gives a drastically different impression. Despite the company being established in 2012 and featuring an 11 year old bourbon, I didn’t expect this to taste so young and grain-forward. I get the sense that a splash of older bourbon was used to round off some of the 4 year old bourbon’s more youthful drawbacks. Apparently they didn’t use enough though, as this is underdeveloped and overpriced for what it offers. Cheers to their amazing bottle design though.

Written By: Eric Hasman
August 22, 2020

Woodinville Port Finished Bourbon

Classification: Straight Bourbon Finished in Ruby Port Casks

Company: Woodinville Whiskey Company

Distillery: Woodinville Whiskey Company

Release Date: Early 2020 (Limited to Washington State)

Proof: 90

Age: NAS (Website states 5 years with 6 additional months of finishing)

Mashbill: 72% Corn, 22% Rye, 6% Malted Barley

Color: Mahogany

MSRP: $70 (2020)

Official Website

Nose: Juicy grape | Dark fruit | Vanilla | Rich oak | Enjoyable intensity

Palate: Mix of light and dark fruit | Caramel | Oak | Nice presentation of sweet and dry flavors

Finish: Fleeting grape | Dry oak | Slight tannic | Lingering dry mouthfeel

The standard Woodinville Bourbon already sports a sweet fruity flavor profile, so the addition of port cask finishing nicely complements it. In fact it helps introduce a darker fruit element to the whiskey that adds a lot of dimension to the sip. Unfortunately the standard Woodinville finish was already dry and the additional finishing time only added to its dry aftertaste.

Written By: Eric Hasman
August 24, 2020

Dry Fly Bourbon 101

Classification: Straight Bourbon

Company: Dry Fly Distilling

Distillery: Dry Fly Distilling

Release Date: Ongoing

Proof: 101

Age: 4 Years

Mashbill: 55% Corn, 45% Triticale

Color: Light Gold

MSRP: $40 (2020)

Official Website

Nose: Light vanilla | Touch of oak | Soft grain | Hint of peaches & cream

Palate: Youthful oak | Vanilla | Pepper spice | Sharp flavors

Finish: Pepper spice | Sharp oak | Hint of leather | Lingering spice

Dry Fly Bourbon 101 takes an extremely unique route for their mashbill, being made with triticale grain. This grain is a hybrid of wheat and rye first bred in laboratories during the late 19th century in Scotland and Germany. The result is a bourbon that takes on the qualities of both grains with softer flavors being punched around by more dominating spicy ones.

Written By: Jordan Moskal
August 25, 2020

Starlight Carl T. Huber’s Double Oaked Bourbon

Classification: Straight Bourbon Finished in Unused Seguin Moreau Vanilla Toast Barrels

Company: Starlight Distillery

Distillery: Starlight Distillery

Release Date: Ongoing

Proof: 96

Age: 4 Years (Finished for an additional 8 months)

Mashbill: Blend of 60% Corn, 20% Rye, 20% Malted Barley and 51% Corn, 20% Rye, 20% Malted Barley, 9% Wheat

Color: Mahogany

MSRP: $60 (2020)

Official Website

Nose: Rich vanilla | Cherry | Apple | Butterscotch | Enjoyable intensity

Palate: Vanilla | Baking spice | Cinnamon | Apple pie | Oak | Thin mouthfeel contrasted by rich flavors

Finish: Oak | Leather | Overly dry

With the standard Starlight Carl T. Huber’s Small Batch Bourbon already leaning towards an oaky flavor profile, I wouldn’t have expected the company to then double barrel it. It seemed like a risky endeavor, but to my surprise, it made for a better product. It’s still very oaky, but the double barrel brings forward much more baking-related flavors and a surprise robustness in flavor. Despite a twinge of youthfulness, it’s still a solid sipper.

Written By: Eric Hasman
August 26, 2020

Corsair Dark Rye Batch 6

Classification: Rye

Company: Corsair Artisan Distillery

Distillery: Corsair Artisan Distillery

Release Date: Ongoing

Proof: 85

Age: 8 Months

Mashbill: 61% Malted Rye, 4% Malted Chocolate Rye, 35% Malted Barley

Color: Dark Copper

MSRP: $45

Official Website

Nose: New charred oak | Wet grain | Barley | Fresh malt | Hint of chocolate | Light and intriguing

Palate: Rich baking chocolate | New oak | Light rye spice | Caramelized sugar | Baking spice | Dark rich sweet flavors

Finish: Sweet chocolate | Light oak | Rye grain | Hint of brown sugar | Nicely balanced

Corsair Dark Rye is a malted rye that is made without the use of any corn and aged for only 8 months in 15 gallon barrels. This results in a sip that doesn’t taste like a typical rye, and while its nose is lighter, the rest of the sip presents a nice balance of dark, rich flavors. It delivers just the right combination of intrigue and drinkability. For traditional rye lovers looking to branch out in the world of rye, this is worth the journey. The bottle being reviewed is number 670/840.

Written By: Jordan Moskal
August 27, 2020

Heaven’s Door Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Vosges Oak Barrels

Classification: Straight Rye Finished in Vosges Oak Barrels

Company: Heaven’s Door Spirits

Distillery: Sourced

Release Date: Ongoing

Proof: 92

Age: NAS (According to the company website, the rye is aged for approximately 6 years before finishing for about 1 year in Vosges oak barrels)

Mashbill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley

Color: Medium Amber

MSRP: $80 (2020)

Official Website

Nose: Vanilla custard | Allspice | Pepper | Rye spice | Caramel | Aged oak | Light and inviting

Palate: Graham cracker | Aged oak | Rye spice | Brown sugar

Finish: Surge of rye spice | Toasted marshmallow | Vanilla | Medium length with a shift from spice to sweet

Vosges refers to French oak, originating from the Quercus Petraea species which has a looser wood grain than the more common Quercus Robur species, allowing additional flavor to be imparted more quickly. Heaven’s Door uses cigar barrels for the finishing process, which results in faster evaporation than standard 53 gallon barrels. All of this is worth it, as the resulting flavor profile is very good, highlighting both the high rye composition and bringing a balance of sweet notes into the mix.

Written By: Nick Beiter
August 28, 2020

Ella Jones Colorado Straight Bourbon

Classification: Straight Bourbon

Company: The Family Jones

Distillery: The Family Jones

Release Date: Ongoing

Proof: 94

Age: 2 Years

Mashbill: 75% Corn, 15% Rye, 10% Malted Barley

Color: Medium Copper

MSRP: $45 (2020)

Official Website

Nose: Summer fruit | Apricot | Citrus | Anise | Youthful | Light & approachable

Palate: Pear | Peach | Vanilla | Cornbread | Pop of rye spice

Finish: Rye spice | Cherries | Light oak | Caramel | Medium length with tapering sweetness

From milling to distilling, aging, and bottling, Ella Jones Bourbon is entirely created by The Family Jones in Denver, Colorado. The bourbon is on the sweeter, fruitier side, with a mix of summer fruits presented throughout the sip. A hint of youthfulness comes into play, notably on the nose, yet echoes throughout. Despite this, the end result is still nicely developed, presenting a flavor profile that many will appreciate.

Written By: Nick Beiter
August 31, 2020
The samples used for these reviews were provided at no cost courtesy of their respective companies. We thank them for allowing us to review them with no strings attached.
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