
Classification: Straight Bourbon
Company: KO Distilling
Distillery: KO Distilling
Release Date: November 2020/Ongoing
Proof: 100
Age: 4 Years
Mashbill: 70% Corn, 20% Wheat, 10% Malted Barley
Color: Dark Gold
MSRP: $70 (2021)
Nose: Cornbread | Orange rind | Cream soda | Grass | Light barrel char
Palate: Vanilla | Caramel | Cola | Light grain | Nicely balanced
Finish: Cocoa powder | Barrel char | Light grain | Slight spice | Flirty dryness
KO Distilling was founded in 2013 by Bill Karlson (K) and John O’Mara (O). In 2015, the distillery opened their doors in Manassas, Virginia with their first aged whiskey hitting the market in 2016. Four years later, the company now has a Bottled in Bond bourbon ready for market. The extra time in the barrel shows ample improvement over the younger 2 year version we reviewed. The majority of the overpowering youth notes are replaced with more potent vanilla, cola, and barrel char notes. Complexity is not on display here, but its straightforward flavor profile is compelling nevertheless. The bourbon’s 20% wheated mashbill can be tasted throughout, and together with some youthful notes, adds some extra spring to its step. A bit pricey, but it’s a solid pour overall.
Classification: Bourbon
Company: Kooper Family Whiskey Company
Distillery: Undisclosed distillery in Indiana
Release Date: Ongoing
Proof: 92
Age: NAS (Website states 4-5 years old)
Mashbill: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malt
Color: Light Mahogany
MSRP: $47 (2021)
Nose: Vanilla | Rye spice | Peppercorn | New oak | Caramelized sugar | Light & well balanced
Palate: Sweet vanilla | Caramel | Fresh yellow cake | Light floral notes | Rye grain | Dry oak | Noticeably sweet, yet grounded by the oak
Finish: Oak | Sweet vanilla | Light rye spice | Short and to the point
Kooper Family Whiskey Company is based out of Texas, however their single barrel product is distilled in Indiana. While there are a slew of Indiana sourced bourbons on the market, Kooper Family Whiskey Company tried to distinguish their Single Barrel Bourbon from the rest by aging the barrels in Texas. This allows the bourbon to experience the hot Texas summers and mild winters. The end result is a bourbon that’s full of sweet flavors that crescendo in the palate. It won’t easily stand out in a crowded room, however the bourbon is an easy sipper and one that is hard to find fault with. While this is a single barrel bourbon, the company doesn’t denote any identifying information indicating which barrel it comes from on the packaging, which can make things difficult when you run into a bottle you love and want to try to buy another from the same barrel.
Classification: Straight Bourbon
Company: Lux Row Distillers
Distillery: Undisclosed Kentucky Distillery(ies)
Release Date: Ongoing
Proof: 80
Age: NAS
Mashbill: Undisclosed (Includes corn, wheat, and malted barley)
Color: Gold
MSRP: $18 (2021)
Nose: Hay | Corn | Rose petals | Lilac | Caramel | Light but expressive
Palate: Vanilla | Oak | Wheat grain | Sweet corn | Thin & mild
Finish: Mild oak | Vanilla | Leather | Light pepper | Faint strawberry | Tame
What does anyone expect from an 80 proof $18 bottle of straight bourbon? They don’t expect to be wholeheartedly impressed of course, but they probably foresee it as a straightforward drinking experience with a traditional flavor profile and thin mouthfeel. That is all true of Rebel Yell Bourbon’s 80 proof version, which makes it the furthest thing any bourbon drinker who has more than one bourbon in their lives will ever want. But...if you’re someone who is reaching for a sip of bourbon for the first time, Rebel Yell should be on your short list to try. It's an extremely approachable bourbon that sports the classic vanilla, oak, and leather notes, that leans a touch towards the sweeter side. Compared to what other spirits offer at $18, it’s amazing Lux Row can offer a bourbon of this decent quality at such a price. Rebel Yell Straight Bourbon is never going to impress anyone, but it will provide a warm welcome to anyone just getting to know and understand what bourbon is.
Classification: American Whiskey Finished in Oregon Pinot Noir Casks
Company: Bull Run Distilling Company
Distillery: Undisclosed distillery in Indiana
Release Date: March 2019
Proof: 100
Age: 11 Years (Plus additional 37 months aging in Oregon pinot noir casks from Brooks Wines)
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Color: Golden Copper
MSRP: $40 ($2021)
Nose: Lush berries | Dried raisins | Aged oak | Warming vanilla | An inviting open to the sip
Palate: Berries | Ripe plum | Creme brulee | Leather | Oak | Vanilla | Well balanced with rich flavors
Finish: Light vanilla | Dashes of berries | Leather | Oak | Smoldering heat | Dashes of sweet morph to drier flavors that linger
Bull Run Distilling has been putting out some great whiskey as of late. We found their 13 year whiskey finished in pinot noir barrels for 5 months to be fantastic, and this 11 year finished for an additional 37 months is almost as equally enjoyable. Full of lush flavors that commingle with well rounded drier notes,it’s a great example of wine barrel age finishing. The most amazing part is that this is being delivered for only $40. If you are a fan of wine barrel finishing, want to explore wine barrel finishing, or just like really good American whiskey that is very reasonably priced, I highly recommend exploring the Bull Run American Whiskey Finished in Pinot Noir line. The bottle being reviewed is number 02088.
Classification: Straight Bourbon
Company: CJS Beverage Corp.
Distillery: Castle & Key Distillery
Release Date: August 2020
Proof: 95
Age: 3 Years
Mashbill: 75% Corn, 15% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
Color: Light Gold
MSRP: $38 (2021)
Nose: Candy corn | Orange zest | Clove | Light
Palate: Clove | Summer fruit | New make | Herbal | Earthy undertones | Unique
Finish: Slightly dry | Hibiscus | Green tea | Earthy | Medium length
Released alongside Pinhook Bohemian HighProof, the two releases are the first bourbon distillate from Castle & Key to hit the marketplace. While Bohemian Bourbon shows signs of its youth, it revels in a unique flavor profile with earthy undertones making it subtly different than any other bourbon I've experienced. Offered at a very reasonable $38 MSRP, I would highly recommend seeking this one out as it will serve as a snapshot in time showcasing the beginnings of things to come from Castle & Key Distillery.
Classification: Whiskey
Company: George A. Dickel & Co.
Distillery: Cascade Hollow Distilling Co.
Release Date: Ongoing
Proof: 90
Age: NAS
Mashbill: 84% Corn, 8% Rye, 8% Malted Barley
Color: Amber
MSRP: $28 (2021)
Nose: Cherry | Apple | Vanilla custard | Oak | Potent
Palate: Fruit punch | Potent oak | Vanilla | Buttery mouthfeel
Finish: Dry oak | Mild baking spice | Stewed cherries | Short
George Dickel whiskey is distinctive and surprisingly polarizing at the same time. Used as a sourced whiskey for way too many non-distiller producers at this point, you’ve probably had George Dickel even if you didn’t buy a bottle that features the name “George Dickel” on its label. Many cite the company’s whiskey as having a strong mineral and fruit vitamin flavor to it, but it's the whiskey’s cherry and overly fruity qualities that stand out the most. This makes it an easy drinker even in this budget-friendly form. As an under-$30 bottle, it's not overly complex, but is really only a few degrees less than some of Dickel’s more expensive offerings, which few brands can claim. With a nice mouthfeel, ample flavor, and great price, George Dickel Superior No. 12 Whiskey certainly packs in the value and can slot into anyone’s everyday whiskey.
Classification: Straight Bourbon
Company: Lucky Seven Spirits
Distillery: Sourced (From an undisclosed distillery[ies] in Kentucky)
Release Date: November 2020
Proof: 115
Age: NAS
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Color: Deep Amber
MSRP: $75 (2021)
Nose: Baking spice | Cinnamon | Nutmeg | Pine | Toffee | Inviting
Palate: Cinnamon | Toffee | Charred oak | Toasted marshmallow | Dark fruit | Heavy spice | Full bodied
Finish: Crescendo of spice | Cinnamon | Gingerbread | Long
The Holiday Toast is a limited edition double oaked bourbon - Aged first in new charred oak barrels then re-barreled and finished in new toasted oak barrels. While Lucky Seven Spirits' releases typically offer an age statement, that is not the case here. Instead, the focus is on the rebarreling and "Holiday" theme, which results in the sip offering a robust flavor profile reminiscent of the holidays - cinnamon, nutmeg, pine, and gingerbread. It's both fun and delicious at the same time.
Peeling back the front label reveals a bit of background and QR code that leads to a short black and white movie, true to the tenets of Lucky Seven Spirits. Overall it's another great release from a spirits company that's quickly earned its stripes as one to look out for.
Classification: American Single Malt
Company: Westward Whiskey
Distillery: Westward Whiskey
Release Date: Ongoing
Proof: 90
Age: NAS
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Color: Dark Rust
MSRP: $70 (2021)
Nose: Butterscotch | Vanilla custard | Sugar cookie | Orange peel | Mild oak
Palate: Herbal | Chocolate malt balls | Orange | Lemon | Elegant
Finish: Oak | Mild dryness | Touch of cinnamon | Spicy aftertaste
Located in Portland, Oregon, the state's cool wet winters has perhaps had a good deal of influence on Westward’s American Single Malt Whiskey. This easy-sipping whiskey is surprisingly delicate, presenting its flavors in a soft and friendly way. Its fascinating mix of orange/lemon against chocolate/herbal creates an intriguing interplay. Despite finishing with a splash of spice, this whiskey is quite elegant in its delivery, lending itself to coming across as more of a character on Downton Abbey versus John Wick. As strange as that comparison might be, it's an ample way of describing what Westward American Single Malt Whiskey has to offer. Mild mannered, stately, and of course, debonair, Westward may not feature high shock value, but time with it will make up for it.
Classification: Straight Bourbon
Company: Bull Run Distilling Company
Distillery: MGP
Release Date: January 2020
Proof: 115.32
Age: NAS
Mashbill: 65% Corn, 25% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
Color: Dark Copper
MSRP: $60 (2021)
Nose: Caramel | Honey | Smoky | Leather | Nose tingling
Palate: Rye spice | Barrel char | Caramel Cinnamon | Straightforward & robust
Finish: Baking spice | Slight metallic note | Long & spice
Bull Run Distilling Company has surprised us at every step of the way with their releases so far. Interestingly, their Barrel Strength is a tasty bourbon, but doesn't present any uniquely surprising traits like their other releases so successfully excel at. Barrel Strength is very much a straightforward affair, and at $60, it’s exactly what you expect it will be. Spicy notes highlight a robust sip that doesn't compromise structure at any turn. It's a barrel proof bourbon through and through, but probably won't leave the same kind of lasting impression other releases from Bull Run will.
Classification: Rye
Company: Distillery 291
Distillery: Distillery 291
Release Date: December 2020
Proof: 123.4
Age: NAS
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Color: Dark Gold
MSRP: $105 (2021)
Nose: Rye grain | Maple | Straw | Oak
Palate: Maple | Rich oak | Rye spice | Cinnamon | Fig | Rich & viscous
Finish: Tannic maple oak | Plum | Spicy cinnamon
Distillery 291 never shy of trying something new, and “M” is their newest and certainly not their last radical whiskey. Barreling their Aspen stave finished rye whiskey in Lincoln County Reserve maple syrup barrels for 4 months, has resulted in a potent and unique whiskey. With the flavor profile leaning heavy on maple - which is to be expected of course - it's also surprisingly not as sickly sweet as you’d expect. It provides an enjoyable maple current throughout the sip that is nicely offset by rich oak and cinnamon spice from the rye. The finish is a bit tannic for the first few sips taking the whiskey down a notch. Thankfully, you do get accustomed to it with spice and plum taking over the reigns. Overall, the whiskey lacks refinement with the stave finishing coming across as a bit too overpowering at times. Despite this, the whiskey is strangely compelling nevertheless.
Classification: Straight Bourbon
Company: Brown-Forman
Distillery: Brown-Forman Shively Distillery
Release Date: March 2021
Proof: 110
Age: NAS
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Color: Bright Mahogany
MSRP: $50 375mL (2021)
Nose: Dry aged oak | Nut | Caramel | Leather | Rich & inviting
Palate: Seasoned oak | Tobacco | Cigar box | Creamy caramel | Robust with a prominent nod to nicely aged oak
Finish: Flash of rye spice | Baking spices | Aged oak mixed with leather | Tapering spice on the backend | Dry
A new series by Old Forester, The 117 Series Batch 001 is composed of high angel’s share barrels and will be available exclusively at Old Forester Distilling CO. and select Kentucky retailers at the end of March. This is the first Old Forester bourbon to feature a woman’s signature on the bottle - Master Taster Jackie Zykan.
The debut of The 117 Series is a good one, with a robust bourbon that grips the senses and showcases rich oak and tobacco notes. It echoes what I love about Brown-Forman’s annual King of Kentucky release, offering even more intense oak flavors that will satisfy anyone who enjoys an oak-forward bourbon. With that being said, it strikes enough balance with caramel, nut, and tobacco notes to keep the oak in check. Overall it’s a remarkable bourbon from Master Taster Jackie Zykan.
Classification: Blend of American Malt Whiskeys
Company: Lost Lantern
Distillery: Balcones, Copperworks, Santa Fe Spirits, Triple Eight, Westward, Virginia Distillery Co.
Release Date: October 2020
Proof: 105
Age: 2 Years
Mashbill: Undisclosed Blend of Mashbills
Color: Yellow Gold
MSRP: $120 (2021)
Nose: Roasted malt | Hay | Light smoky oak | Dab of grain | Light baking chocolate | Quintessential malted whiskey scents through and through
Palate: Dry oak | Vanilla | Punchy malt | White pepper | Touch of raisins | Sprinkle of baking chocolate | Leather | Honeydew melon | Nice mixture of drier and sweeter flavors
Finish: Vanilla cream | Smoky oak | Dry leather | Smoldering heat | Initial sweetness turns to dry lingering heat
In October, Lost Lantern announced their release of American Vatted Malt Edition No. 1. It is a 3,000 bottle limited release, consisting of a 12 barrel blend of single malt whiskeys from six distilleries located in all corners of the US:
American malt whiskeys have become more and more popular over the years with American Vatted Malt helping to emphasize that point by blending multiple American malt whiskeys from all across the country together. The end result is an interesting blend of flavors that play well together. Its price is high considering the individual components of the blend can be found for much cheaper. As a result, those looking to break into American malts would be better served by first honing their flavor profile preferences before tackling this monster of a blend. Price aside, Lost Lantern American Vatted Malt pulls off an unusually large blend of various distilleries resulting in a complex and approachable malt that will please fans of the category.
Classification: Straight Bourbon
Company: Heaven Hill
Distillery: Heaven Hill
Release Date: February 2021
Proof: 114.8
Age: NAS (Company states that this batch contains six to eight year old bourbon)
Mashbill: 68% Corn, 20% Wheat, 12% Malted Barley
Color: Dark Bronze
MSRP: $50 (2021)
Nose: Cherry | Roses | Toasted oak | Blueberry syrup | Pomegranate molasses | Leather | Familiar yet surprising at the same time
Palate: Brown sugar | Dark fruit | Toasted coconut | Light fennel | Cocoa powder
Finish: Black pepper | Rich oak | Leather | Black tea
With four batches now under its belt, Larceny Barrel Proof has performed admirably. Yet, I still can’t help but feel the brand still hasn’t lived up to its full potential. The first batch of 2021 is more of the same and might even be a slight notch down from what felt like a universally praised Batch C920 in 2020. Notably, Batch A121 clocks in at only 114.8 proof which is quite a step down from the three 2020 Larceny Barrel Proof batches. Unfortunately, I don’t taste a concentration of flavors, and again it feels like more of the same. That won't be a bad thing to most people, but the whiskey community needs a more readily available and budget-friendly wheated barrel proof counterpoint to William Larue Weller. I do believe the Larceny brand has it in it to do just that. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy Batch A121, as it’s a solid barrel proof wheater, but I feel the best is still to come.
Classification: Blend of Straight Bourbons
Company: Barrell Craft Spirits
Distillery: Sourced (from undisclosed distilleries in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana)
Release Date: February 2021
Proof: 115.7
Age: 5 Years (blend of 5, 6, 8, 9, 13, and 15 year old barrels per company website)
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Color: Deep Amber
MSRP: $90 (2021)
Nose: Cherry | Apricot | Blood Orange | Moss | Oak | Quite expressive
Palate: Cherry | Skittles | Fruit cup | Raisins | Fig | Sweet & fruity
Finish: Pepper | Light tobacco | Sugary oak | Walnut | Lingering toasted oak aftertaste | Slight buttery mouthfeel
Barrell Craft Spirits comes out in 2021 with what is bound to be a fan favorite. Batch 027 is what many love about Barrell Bourbon: a bright, sweet, and fruit-fueled flavor bomb. Dominated by cherry and backed up further with lush summer fruits, many will enjoy every sip of this batch. It’s sweet through and through, and even when the bourbon tries to ground itself with oak, raisin, and fig notes, they are no match for the sweeter ones. It’s only on the finish that light tobacco, pepper, and walnut come through in any meaningful way to ground it. If I had to theorize, the fruitiness is coming from the Tennessee stock, with the Kentucky bourbon doing what it can to ground the bourbon and the Indiana bourbon adding some brightness to the overall package. Batch 027 follows the two preceding batches with yet another crowd-pleasing blend.
Classification: Rye
Company: Alberta Distillers
Distillery: Alberta Distillers
Release Date: December 2020
Proof: 130.2
Age: NAS
Mashbill: 100% Rye
Color: Gold
MSRP: $70 (2021)
Nose: Vanilla custard | Green apple | Mint | Honey | Light spice | Straightforward
Palate: Hearty nut | Rye grain | Maple | Rye spice | Excellent mouthfeel
Finish: Candied apple | Leather | Mild oak | Nut | Slightly dry | Light ethanol | Warming spice aftertaste
At first sip there wasn’t much that impressed me right out of the gate. The nose is pleasant and efficient, the palate is a nut and spice forward affair, and the finish is a bit flat. Tasting through it with more of a keen eye (or tongue), parts of the whiskey start to reveal their virtues. The nose is straightforward, yet the vanilla custard against the spice is compelling. The palate is spearheaded by its maple and nut notes that work well in tandem, and are capped off with a silky mouthfeel. Finally, while the finish is uneventful, it's more than serviceable, offering a candied apple note against its warming spice. The mileage you get out of this 130.2 proof batch of Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye seems to change on a sip by sip basis. At times it's quite enjoyable, others merely serviceable, yet it never ventures close to completely wowing you either. For its price, it offers just enough to warrant a look.
Classification: Rye
Company: Alberta Distillers
Distillery: Alberta Distillers
Release Date: December 2020
Proof: 132
Age: NAS
Mashbill: 100% Rye
Color: Gold
MSRP: $70 (2021)
Nose: Creamy vanilla custard | Cinnamon buns | Hot cinnamon candies | Mint toothpaste | Rye grain | Potent
Palate: Sweet cinnamon | Rye spice | Bubble gum | Touch of orange | Creamy | Impactful
Finish: Warm spice | Cinnamon | Warm before becoming hot
Here’s a lesson in sometimes less is more. Compared to the 130.2 proof batch, this batch isn’t as complex, offering a traditional rye flavor profile, but it does it with a much better delivery. More creamy, offering more sweet and spicy notes, with a ramping up of heat that simply leaves an impression after every sip. I applaud the more out of the box profile of the 130.2 proof batch, but the 132 proof batch leaves its mark in a very impactful way. A rye offering cinnamon and spice isn’t exactly news, but how it delivers these flavors makes the difference. 100% ryes, especially Canadian ones, don’t often taste like this, with it having more in common with Thomas H. Handy than WhistlePig or Canadian Club special releases. Many slept on Alberta announcing this product as Canadian rye whiskey and it hasn’t had a recent watershed moment to shine. Now it might finally have one. They just have to do something about the awful screw cap for their next release.