Nose: Summer fruit | Orange peel | Floral | Caramel | Hint of oak

Palate: Caramel | Vanilla | Light oak | Rye spice | Traditional & sweet | Creamy mouthfeel

Finish: Musty note | More intense rye spice develops | Leather | Medium length
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Wheel Horse Bourbon is distilled at O.Z. Tyler Distillery in Owensboro, KY, a distillery that prides itself in employing the rapid-aging TerrePURE process. A top secret process developed by Terressentia Corporation, the bourbon is removed from barrels, and placed into a chamber where it makes contact with oak staves and is treated with a combination of ultrasonic energy, oxygen, and temperature changes. 

Notably, while Wheel Horse Bourbon is distilled at O.Z. Tyler Distillery, the TerrePURE process is NOT used to make Wheel Horse Bourbon.

The bourbon is aged the traditional way, resting in 53 gallon barrels for a minimum of 2 years. Overall the bourbon is shockingly developed and traditional tasting, with a creamy mouthfeel that is likely due to the fact that it is non-chill filtered. It shows no sign of youth, which begs the question “How did they do this?” It plays to its sweeter side quite well, and frankly, will satisfy most seeking a reasonably priced, reasonably potent, bourbon that errs on the sweeter side. At only $32, this is a new entrant to the marketplace that should be on everyone’s short list to watch for.

Nose: Agave | Slight dill | Light caramel | Olive oil | French oak

Palate: Fresh Honey | Peach | Spearmint | Floral | Faint coconut

Finish: Montmorency cherries | Tropical fruit | Green tea

Foregoing the usual contrived and sometimes embellished backstories so many bourbon brands lean on to convince would-be buys of their deep bourbon heritage, Off Hours Bourbon does the complete opposite. With full transparency of their bourbon’s sourced origin, age and mashbill, Off Hours Bourbon instead markets to the next generation of bourbon drinkers that are oftentimes overlooked (and often don’t even care about such details). Skewing towards modern design and simple messaging, Off Hours Spirit has no pretensions that prevent them from suggesting drinkers do whatever they want with their bourbon: drink it straight, on the rocks, or even with Coke. This attitude and a hard focus on millennial and upcoming gen Z bourbon drinkers is forward thinking and the bourbon industry will probably see much more of it in the near future.

As for those familiar with MGP bourbon, Off Hours Bourbon has a surprisingly unique spin on the company’s typical flavor profile. Lacking any youthful notes and at the same time, many oak notes either, the focus on more herbal and floral ones. With a touch of fruit mingled in, the flavor profile is approachable and easy sipping. Unique without being offensive, and a distinctiveness contrasting the tried and true, Off Hours Bourbon doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but finds a happy middle ground for all to enjoy.

Nose: Cinnamon | Light citrus | Pine | Brown sugar

Palate: Cinnamon | Maple sugar candy | Caramel chews | Light body

Finish: Spice intensifies | Caramel | Seasoned oak | Medium length

Still Austin Whiskey Co. is definitely an up-and-coming distillery you immediately want to root for. Located in Austin, Texas, production is led by head distiller John Schrepel, a New Yorker who “adjusted to the Texas heat,” he says. The company credits much of their success to guidance provided by industry experts Nancy Fraley and Mike Delavante. Incidentally, they also affectionately refer to their custom 42-foot column still as “Nancy,” though the reference has nothing to do with Fraley, instead named after the main character in the sci-fi classic "Attack of the 50-Foot Woman."

I had an opportunity to sample a ‘trial” version of this bourbon before it was officially finalized, and really enjoyed it. At only 2 years old I was surprised at how equally developed and interesting it was. The bottled version carries over those same traits, offering a robust experience that highlights a sweet, cinnamon spice note. Absent signs of youth, the obvious question is how did they do this? With that being said, the bourbon is not overly complex, offering room for improvement that could benefit from longer aging. It’s over-and-above what I would ever expect from a distillery for their very first bourbon release, and I’m excited to see what they do next. Hands down, Still Austin Whiskey Co. is a distillery to put on your radar.

Nose: Sweet corn | Vanilla | Toasted marshmallow | Brown sugar | Charred oak | Light oats | Dried raisins | Slight ethanol | For the proof, the nose makes you work for the scents

Palate: Bitter aged oak | Muted vanilla | Rye grain | Incredibly harsh spice that builds | Unbalanced

Finish: Thick tannic oak | Sharp rye spice | Dry leather | Lingering noticeable heat | Earthy, dry & hot

In the fall of 2019, Green River Distillery was officially revived at its original home. The team at parent company Terressentia who was responsible for the revitalization, originally purchased the property 6 years ago, restored it, and began producing in 2016 as the O.Z. Tyler Distillery. If that name sounds familiar, O.Z. Tyler is known for their use of the TerrePURE, which is meant to speed up and “improve” the aging process. According to the company, “all distilled spirits made by parent company Terressentia are refined with the patented TerrePURE® process. TerrePURE® is an all-natural process that utilizes ultrasonic energy, heat, and oxygen to dramatically improve the quality and taste of distilled spirits.” However, a company representative has confirmed with us that Green River Bourbon does NOT use the TerrePURE process, instead they stated, “It's entirely standard “old school” aging method” that is being used.

While the background and history of Green River Spirits is very interesting, what’s important is the resulting bourbon in the glass. Immediately noticeable is the bourbon’s incredibly dark color for its relatively young age. It ultimately proves to be a good reminder to never judge a book by its cover. The resulting sip starts with an interesting nose, only to quickly transition to a dry harsh spice and bitter oak notes that results in an overall unbalanced sip. Every time I sit with this bourbon, it produces the same results, and makes me wonder if more time or LESS time is necessary to right the resulting sip. The bourbon provided by Green River Spirits was 3 months younger than what is planned on being made available in 2021. While those 3 months may drastically impact the resulting product, I find it hard to imagine that this short additional time in the barrel will change the flavor profile much.

A limited release of Green River 4 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon will be available in 2021.

Nose: Orange | Lemon bars | Malt | Confectioners' sugar | Light herbal

Palate: Green apple | Pear | Fresh oak | Orange marmalade

Finish: Orange cream | Rustic malt | Cocoa powder | Iced tea

Slowly increasing the age of their releases, this now 6 year single malt from the Oregon-based Bull Run distillery is really coming into its own. Made using pot stills, its warm and textured mouthfeel adds an amazing dimension to its bright and lively flavor profile. With a more capable age statement, it lacks any noticeable youth note and instead brings forth more developed flavors allowing the malt to shine and not overpower. Already at a great place, I can’t wait to see what the future brings to this brand.  

Nose: Leather | Cranberry | Raisin | Oak | Warm & inviting

Palate: Raspberry marmalade | Creme brulee | Cherry cobbler | Dessert in a glass

Finish: Spice develops on the backend | Raspberry | Cherry | Long

Located in Portland, Oregon, Bull Run Distilling Company offers a wide array of whiskeys. Their 13 year finished whiskey, which has increased in age as they have released ongoing batches, is a corn whiskey that’s finished for 5 months in pinot noir casks. The end result is nothing short of fantastic, offering what I can only describe as “dessert in a glass.” The focus is on the raspberry notes, but the sweetness is kept in check unlike finished whiskeys such as Angel’s Envy Caribbean Rum Finished Rye, which is arguably too sickly sweet for some people.  

Starting with a base corn whiskey that’s been aged for 13 years, the obvious question here is why isn’t everyone finishing corn whiskey like Bull Run is? Is this a fluke, or did Bull Run discover the perfect storm of base corn whiskey combined with a wine (or other...to be determined) finishing process? Even better, this whiskey is available for only $40, which suggests the combination is not only a good one, but a cost effective one at that. Hands down, this is unequivocally one of the best whiskeys I’ve tasted so far this year.

Nose: Ripe peaches | Hints of cream | Rye grain | Whifs of nail polish remover | Enjoyable scents that are quickly overrun by ethanol ones

Palate: Muddled peaches | Muted oak | Grain | Vanilla | Hints of green peppercorn | Rye spice | Youthful muted flavors

Finish: Dry leather | Flashes of sweet vanilla | Dry oak | Dab of rye spice | Dry & short lived

Hailing from Middlebury, VT, Appalachian Gap Distillery produces Drumlin Champlain Valley Rye with rye grains that are grown within 25 miles of the distillery. Utilizing a 100% Champlain Valley rye mashbill, the resulting whiskey is unfortunately short on its delivery. While the nose holds promises of fruity and creamy flavors, an ever-present nailpolish remover ethanol-like scent overruns them. The rest of the sip is muddled, ending on a dry note that is quickly forgotten. While the rye actually shows some promise, it clearly needs a little more time in the barrel to truly come into its own.

The bottle being reviewed is bottle number 102/134 from batch number 2.

Nose: Light stout notes | Fresh oak | Vegetative notes dominate and start the bourbon off on an odd note

Palate: Sweet malt | Powdered vanilla | Oak | Baking chocolate | Bold, sweet flavors make for a nice midpoint

Finish: Malt | Chocolate | Chalky oak | Earthy tones | Dashes of fruit | Mild yet lingering

New Holland Brewing Company is the group behind the popular Dragon’s Milk barrel aged stout beer. The company takes their in-house distilled bourbon and rye whiskey and ages them in previously used Dragon's Milk barrels. In the bourbon’s case, the result is clear influence from the beer barrel, but not so bold as say War Penny Krogh's Stout Beer Barrel Finish Bourbon. The sip opens with a weird off-putting vegetative note, but thankfully rebounds in a malty-sweet palate as a midpoint. While off balanced, the overall sip shows promise. If the company can even things out a bit, they’d have a real winner of a whiskey that might get hardcore beer drinkers to transition over to the world of bourbon.

Nose: Rye grain | Fresh leather | Cherry | Milk stout | Interesting and expressive but muddled

Palate: Youthful rye grain | Chocolate malt balls | Roasted malt | Nutmeg

Finish: Chocolate malt | Mexican chocolate | Musty bitterness

New Holland Brewing Company are the group behind the popular Dragon’s Milk Stout beer. Expanding into whiskey, they use a prohibition-era pot still to distil their bourbon and rye in-house. Beer Barrel Rye gets its name from finishing their rye (and in the case Beer Barrel Bourbon, their bourbon) in previously used Dragon's Milk barrels, which in turn originally once held bourbon. An Inception-like layering on layers, has produced a whiskey that is as confusing as the movie. The problem most likely lies in the pairing of a rye whiskey flavor profile with that of a milk stout one. The flavors aren’t complementary and contrast in a big way. It's certainly a fascinating experiment and I applaud the adventurousness of New Holland, but this is one case of better luck next time.

Nose: Oak | Cinnamon stick | Vanilla | Hint of fresh tobacco | Straightforward easy to appreciate classic scents

Palate: Tart cherry | Leather | Oak | Cinnamon spice| Earthy | A complex mixture of dry earthy flavors with fruit & spice

Finish: Cinnamon | Leather | Oak | Hint of rye grain | Whisper of orange citrus| Dry & earthy | Lingering heat

Chicken Cock Barrel Proof 15 Year is a big bold bourbon at an even bigger and bolder price tag. This limited run of 1,350 bottles with an impressive age statement resulted in a moderately complex bourbon that is full of grounded earthy flavors. It’s a nicely balanced whiskey and delivers a sip that few will find fault in, except for the price. Chicken Cock 15 Year utilizes the same 15 year old bourbon with mashbill from an undisclosed KY distillery that many other non-distiller producers have been utilizing as of late. The issue is that Chicken Cock 15 Year is the most expensive of the bunch, making other higher priced offerings such as Three Chord Whiskey Drummer, seem like a great value in comparison. While the bourbon delivers a robust well-rounded sip, its asking price is one to certainly give pause.

Nose: Dark cherry | Raspberry | Vanilla extract | Nutmeg | Cinnamon stick | Deep oak base | Rich & sweet

Palate: Dark brown sugar | Syrupy vanilla | Brandy-soaked raisins | Solid oak base | Mouthcoating

Finish: Black Cherry | Stewed dark fruits | Touch of leather | Slightly dry

This cinema-inspired brand from college friends and co-founders Michael Lahalih and John Pals is back with another winner. Sourced from an undisclosed Kentucky distillery, the barrels that make up the single barrel release of “The Proprietor” line are deemed too good to be blended. And I have to agree. This 12 year old barrel #9 takes everything we loved about their 6 year old “The Jokester” and improves on it. Higher proof and age brings forth a deliciously sweet array of dark fruit, baking spices and a perfect amount of oak. Excellent intensity without going overboard only adds to the drinking experience. Wherever they’re sourcing these barrels from they better keep a secret, because others are going to be envious.

Nose: Fresh Apple | Stewed apple | Bubble gum | Fig | Plum | Nimble & expressive

Palate: Apple | Strawberry | Cherry | Sherry | Bubble gum | Mild oak

Finish: Agave | Grape | Floral | Light dryness on the backend  

Hooten Young was founded by former Special Operations Soldier, Master Sgt. Norm Hooten and Tim Young. If you’ve seen the movie Black Hawk Down, then you may remember Hooten as Eric Bana’s character. The duo created Hooten & Young Wine & Spirits as a tribute to “brave men and women of the armed forces who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.”

Joined by Master Sommelier George Miliotes, who is one of only 268 master sommeliers in the world, they created Hooten Young American Whiskey. The brand utilizes a 99% corn whiskey as their base, before putting it in an undisclosed type of second fill American oak barrels for a total of 12 years. The resulting whiskey is a breath of fresh air. Medium bodied, fruity, and featuring delicate layers of oak, the flavors have combined to create a whiskey that is quite endearing. Leaning on a sweet flavor profile that’s fiercely fruit focused, and is the opposite of bold. Easy sipping and elegant in its delivery, this whiskey was a marvel to explore.

Nose: Earthy | Oak | Sweet spice | Baking spice | Light orange | Butterscotch | Lighter scents make you work to hunt them out

Palate: Tart oak | Citrus rind | Unsalted butter | Muted vanilla | An interesting combination of both dry and buttery at the same time

Finish: Leather | Dry oak | Peppercorn spice | Lingering heat | Medium long finish that focuses on earthy grounded flavors

With the introduction of Thomas S. Moore, the Barton 1792 Distillery dove headfirst into the world of wine finished bourbon. Of the three wine barrel types, chardonnay is a type that you typically don’t see bourbon producers use too often. While Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection 2007 release was finished in Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay barrels, not many mainstream releases have used a chardonnay finishing barrel since. In this case, the result is a bourbon that picks up a large influence from the chardonnay barrel while still retaining a decidedly whiskey base. The palate comes off as slightly unbalanced due to the buttery/dry combination that seems to slam into you after a few seconds, however, overall it does exactly what it sets out to do. Impart influences from the wine barrel into the whiskey and creating a unique and intriguing drinking experience. It may not be the best wine finished whiskeys in the marketplace, but it’s certainly one of the more intriguing ones.

Nose: Strawberry cream | Sweet corn | Apple fritter | Fresh baked bread | Cinnamon sugar | Light, sweet & fresh

Palate: Orange | Mint | Cereal grain | Agave | Mild oak | Mild mannered & approachable

Finish: Spice | Pepper | Toasted oak | Vanilla | Touch of smoke | Ramp up of heat & lingering pepper aftertaste

I’ve got to give it to Rabbit Hole, out of the gate their whiskeys weren’t overly exciting, but as the distillery has matured, so has their approach to their whiskeys. Made in small 15 barrel batches, Cavehillbourbon with its unique mashbill offers an interesting flavor profile in an extremely accessible and friendly sip. This is a great next step for many whiskey drinkers looking for something a touch more interesting, but fear going too far over the line. Its approachable delivery of sweet, but not-too-sweet flavors against a more traditional spice and peppery finish works well. It’s young and lacks complexity, but brings a clean and bright taste to its delivery. It's accessible in all the right ways, and while it might not immediately wow, it maintains a level of intrigue that makes it quite a bit of fun to drink.

Nose: Rye spice | Charred oak | Peppercorn | Sweet banana | White peach | Caramel | Touches of dark fruits | A sweet & peppery blend of scents

Palate: Caramel | Sweet vanilla | Syrup | Raisin | Brown sugar | Oak | Hint of dark fruit | Rich

Finish: Tannic oak | Leather | White pepper | Rye grain | Baking spice | Slight hint of vanilla cream | Earthy and grounded with a sprinkling of heat

Like the company’s other bourbon batch releases, Batch 026 is a blend of multiple bourbons of varying ages and mashbills. What’s unusual about this particular release is how it was created. The company first blended 9, 10, and 11 year old barrels that they said focused on “peppery, oak forward, and baking spices,” respectively. They then blended a second batch of 10, 12, and 15 year old barrels that focused on citrus with 9 year old spicy floral barrels. These two batches were then blended together to form the final blend.

Barrell Craft Spirits is like a rock band at the top of their game producing hit after hit. Their releases have earned every word of praise we’ve given them, and Batch 026 is no exception. It’s full of rich bold flavors that are enhanced by its higher proof, yet not too overpowering and still approachable. If you’re a fan of Barrell Bourbon’s past releases you should find plenty to be pleased with here, and if you’re new to the brand, Batch 026 affords a great springboard to explore why this brand deserves the praise they so often receive.