Nose: Toasted oak | Buttered biscuits | Popcorn | Orange marmalade | Soft & light

Palate: Caramel apple | Toasted oak | Pound cake | Peach | Light but buttery

Finish: Vanilla | White chocolate | Pepper | Short

Halewood Wine & Spirits is the largest independent producer and distributor of alcohol in the U.K. It appears that they wanted to add bourbon to their portfolio and began sourcing from a Tennessee Distillery. At 84% corn and charcoal filtered, it's pretty obvious who it’s from. Enthusiasts may not find much to spark their interest with the company’s four year product, but the bourbon is perfect for those new to the spirit or for those who like light but solid drinkers. Sweet with likeable flavors, it performs well for its age and proof. Perfectly priced.

Nose: Creme brulee | Vanilla | Maple sugar candy | Caramel | Graham cracker | Very sweet and inviting

Palate: Loads of sugary sweet notes | Maple sugar candy | Vanilla | Caramel | Brown sugar | Summer berries | Perfectly proofed | Rich explosion of flavors

Finish: Hint of oak | Light cinnamon spice | Molasses | Long with lingering sweet notes

Wow what a pour from an up-and-coming distillery in Newtown, Indiana! Reaching its four year mark, numerous batches of Bottle in Bond were first released in June, 2020, with the bottle in review being from Batch 16D1A and bottled more recently in fall of 2020. The bourbon is made from an unusual corn-wheat mashbill that contains no malted barley, and first entered the 30 gallon level 3 char barrels at 112.5 proof where it ages underground. The resulting flavor profile is unusually sweet, but manages to keep the sweeter notes in check with a nice mouthfeel and near perfect proofing. Without question, this is one of the best bourbons I’ve ever tasted from such a young distillery, and rivals what the Kentucky majors are putting out at much higher ages. Take caution however, batches are small and the distillery is young, so there may be a wide variation from batch to batch.

Nose: Brown sugar | Honey | Pecan | Maple | Thick oak | Beautifully rich

Palate: Dark brown sugar | Rich vanilla | Thick oak | Dark cherry | Apple | Thick & syrupy

Finish: Vanilla | Sugary oak | Dark chocolate | Light Maple | Ample heat | Rich & long lasting

Over the last few years, Stagg Jr. has been standing-in for its senior counterpart. As George T. Stagg struggles to reach the consistently high ratings it once did, Stagg Jr. has picked up its slack. In fact, we gave Stagg Jr.’s 2019 Batch 12 a stellar review, even naming it our Whiskey of the Year. A year later, Batch 14 reaches similar high marks, completely nailing what it means to be a “Stagg” bourbon. Once again it is steeped in brown sugar, rich vanilla, and thick oak, except this edition forgoes previous batches’ ample amounts of molasses and cherry notes. Instead, it introduces honey, pecan, and apple. It’s not lightyears different than recent batches, but with whiskey this good, I’ll gladly take what it's offering.

Nose: Fresh nuts | Bananas foster | Slight spice

Palate: Large dose of spice | Hints of sweet vanilla | Baking spice | Oaky

Finish: Oak | Leather | Hints of nuts | Touch of vanilla | Bold heat

The second of the Booker’s 2020 releases, “Boston Batch” is named after the production site where Booker Noe first started his distilling career. Located in Boston, KY, it was purchased by the James B. Beam Distilling company in the early 1950’s as a second distilling location to increase their capacity.

Booker’s is known for being a bold, high proof pour and Boston Batch lives up to those expectations. The sip is distinctly Jim Beam, starting with its nut infused nose. The rest of the sip is bold and full of spice and oak. It’s not the most complex Booker’s produced, however it will please those who are a fan of the brand, along with individuals who are looking for a bold, high proof pour.

Nose: Cinnamon stick | Touch of oak | White pepper | Hint of rye spice | Big dose of lush fruits

Palate: Charred oak | Sweet vanilla | Leather | Pepper | Hints of dark cherries | Earthy flavors keep sweeter ones at bay

Finish: Creamy vanilla | Oak | Dried leather | Dash of rye spice | Short and crisp

Nashville Barrel Company is known for offering their hand selected barrels to individuals and groups to select and call their own. While this is still the core offering for the company, they recently released their own small batch product as well.

Batch 1 presents an easy sipping flavor profile that provides a nice mix of fruit and earthy flavors. This makes it pretty easy to assume where this is sourced from, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing at all. While the sip won’t blow you away, what it does do is draw you back in for more and more. Additionally, its flavor profile provides enough flexibility to drink neat or for a more fun, albeit expensive, rye-based cocktail. Nashville Barrel Company Small Batch Rye Whiskey Batch 1 is easy to appreciate, and thanks to its manageable 100 proof, is a great rye for whiskey drinkers of all levels.

Nose: Candied fruit | Cherry | Floral | Gentle

Palate: Citrus fruit | Raspberry | Plum | Light seasoned oak | Caramel cream | Tobacco | Medium-body

Finish: Rush of warming spice | Caramel | Spice develops on the backend | Long

Year after year the annual Yellowstone Limited Edition releases have yet to disappoint. For this year’s edition, master distiller Steve Beam sought to finish the bourbon with the goal of adding layers of depth and complexity. 2020’s edition is finished for an undisclosed amount of time in used French Armagnac Casks, possibly contributing to the light fruity characteristics prominent throughout the sip. Overall the finished bourbon is delicate and subtle. With a fair degree of complexity it leaves little to dislike, and as a result, I would certainly recommend buying a bottle to satisfy your limited release craving. With that being said it is very gentle overall, and I would love to taste this at a higher proof and with longer time in the Armagnac casks.

Nose: Dark roasted coffee beans | Maple sugar

Palate: Sickly sweet coffee | Light alcohol | Dominating

Finish: Liquid sugar | roasted coffee | Sweetness lingers

I reviewed Oak & Eden’s Bourbon & Brew earlier in 2020, and was impressed by how integrated the coffee and bourbon flavors were making for a coffee infused bourbon that was enjoyable neat. However, while Bourbon & Brew maintained a place as a sipping whiskey, Devil’s River Coffee Bourbon does not. It is overly sweetened and tastes artificial as a result. Aside from this general sweetness, roasted coffee dominates leaving little room for anything else. At only $25 however, this does make a nice addition to support a coffee-themed cocktail, and with its dominating sweetness and coffee flavors that is where it is relegated to be. I’m sure pulling back the sweetness would help a bit to treat this as a sipping whiskey, however I don’t feel that’s what this really is. In short, this is coffee flavored whiskey the same way Fireball is cinnamon-flavored whiskey and Skrewball is peanut butter-flavored whiskey. If Devils River simply changed their positioning with the marketing of this brand they might just have a winner.

Nose: Raspberry | Peach | Banana | Cinnamon | Cider | Gentle maltiness

Palate: Malt | Peach | Cream soda | Butterscotch | Toffee | Orange Tang | Mellow

Finish: Dr. Pepper | Wet oak | Musty | Light dryness | Long malt aftertaste

Balcones stakes their reputation on being unique which comes across in everything they do. This of course can make their whiskeys polarizing for their starkness compared to traditional tasting whiskeys. Lineage does a lot to soften this transition. It's still packed full of unusual but compatible flavors, yet this time they’ve toned things down a notch compared to the company’s other whiskeys. Where Balcones’ flavor profiles can often come across as strong, Lineage might be the most approachable Balcones ever, thanks to its all-around mellowness. It's still a malt whiskey. It’s still Balcones. However this might be the gateway whiskey that finally gives people an approachable way into Balcones.

Nose: Aged oak | Leather | Dark berries | Plum | Musty | Rich aged notes

Palate: Sugared figs | Aged leather | Light syrup soaked cherries | Raisins | Mouthcoating | Clear cognac barrel influence

Finish: Dry oak & leather | Touch of spice | White peppercorn | Mild compared to the rest of the sip

Woodford Reserve Baccarat Bourbon is composed of standard Woodford Reserve Bourbon that has been aged an additional three years in XO Cognac casks from France, according to the company’s press release. It is bottled in a handmade crystal decanter that took five days to create in Baccarat, France. As has been done in the scotch and cognac world for years, it’s this piece of Baccarat glass that is very valuable thus driving up the price.

To my surprise, there is no denying that the bourbon inside is actually really good. The extra time in the cognac barrels really enhances the Woodford bourbon that was used and elevates the overall sip to an extremely enjoyable pour. It’s a shame that Brown-Forman didn’t make this part of the Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection so that more people would have a chance to try it.

Is it worth the $2,000? No, not unless you're a collector of Baccarat decanters or just looking to pick up an extraordinarily expensive bottle. That said, if money is no concern to you, you won’t be disappointed. Just be aware that while Woodford Reserve Baccarat Edition is really good, it also won’t be the best whiskey you’ve ever tasted.

Nose: Leather | Aged oak | Earthy | Raisin | Dark fruit | Dark cherry | Tobacco | Complex & inviting with distinct evidence of its age

Palate: Toffee | Coconut | Leather | Tobacco leaf | Plum | Dark cherry | Graham cracker | Seasoned oak | Spice develops | Viscous mouthfeel with a complex delivery of flavors that’s rivaled by very few

Finish: Dark Cherry | Cigar box | Aged oak | Dark chocolate | Spice tapers | Dark cherry note lingers | Caps off an incredible sip

Founded by James Espey and Tom Jago, Last Drop Distillers seeks to find and bring to life the rarest of the rare whiskeys, offering them in extremely limited quantities and mind-numbing prices. However, unlike many limited releases that dominate our Release Calendar, Last Drop Distillers is limited in the truest sense - the whiskeys they offer cannot simply be reproduced. Generally relics of a time past and often boasting a high age, they are not easily replicated.

Release XIX is a bourbon distilled by Gary Gayheart, former master distiller at George T. Stagg Distillery (now known as Buffalo Trace) and master to his then apprentice, Harlan Wheatley, now master distiller at Buffalo Trace. A $4,600 MSRP bourbon that is limited to only 240 bottles and will surely sell for much more, I fear too much of this release will be resolved to the shelves of collectors and bottles will remain sealed. Thankfully, a 50mL sample is included with each full bottle, so hopefully that encourages buyers to at least give it a taste.  

To my surprise (and to my disdain because I probably won’t ever experience another pour of this!) it is, unequivocally, insanely good. An explosion of complex flavors in near perfect balance that somehow captures the magic of a whiskey in its prime, and doing so at a proofpoint that allows every one of the subtleties to show through. As a frame of reference, consider the now retired tanked versions of Sazerac 18 Year and Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye. Two of my all-time favorites. Now, take the characteristics of those whiskeys, ryes that were frozen in time at their absolute best, keep that magic and simply apply a layer of bourbon flavor characteristics to them. That’s Last Drop Distillers XIX Bourbon.

Nose: Creamy caramel | Lightly charred oak | Vanilla | Slight tingling of ethanol

Palate: Rye spice | Hints of orange rind & burnt sugar | Peppery | Touch of baking spice | Hot and fiery with a touch of sweet

Finish: Fiery spice | Light oak | Vanilla | White peppercorn | Dominating heat  


The O.K.I. brand first helped get New Riff Distilling off the ground and now Chad Brizendine and Jake Warm are hoping to breathe new life into it after acquiring it from New Riff. O.K.I.'s first single barrel releases are bottled at cask strength, and were released in Northern Kentucky this fall with distribution to Ohio and Indiana planned soon thereafter.

The sip opens with an inviting nose that highlights a rich creamy profile with a slight hint at the heat that’s going to follow. The palate punches above the bottling proof and delivers a hot sip that mixes in a dab of sweetness. Ending on a dominant note of straight heat, O.K.I. Barrel #18 is geared towards those that like and embrace a fiery high proof pour.

Nose: Strawberry cream | Sweet corn | Light banana | Lipstick | Overly dominant youthful grain

Palate: Fruit cup | Corn | Cherry | Grain | Smooth & straightforward

Finish: Light oak | Candy corn | Grain | Simple

Blaum Bros Distilling Co. was founded by two brothers who, according to their website, found that the only way they could get along was to drink whiskey with each other. They’ve been producing a portfolio of spirits since 2013, and their straight bourbon is at least four years old. It’s remarkably easy drinking with its summer fruit notes for a 100 proof bourbon. Unfortunately, the bourbon is dominated by youthful grain notes that muddle the brightness of the overall flavor profile and really bring down the overall experience of the sip. Additional time in the barrel is still needed here which will hopefully put a better emphasis on what this whiskey has to truly offer.

Nose: Raspberry | Strawberry | Wet oak | Chewable fruit vitamins | Orange rind | Potent and very fruity

Palate: Dark raspberry | Cherry | Coffee | Toasted oak | Brief bursts of tropical fruit | Deep & rich

Finish: Thick oak | Tannin | Honey | Mint | Lingering dark cherry

This is the third release of Barrell Craft Spirits’ premium bourbon, and arguably the best one yet. Likely utilizing the same bourbon sources as their most recent numbered bourbon batches, except this release comes with an impressive 15 year age statement. Barrell once again works their magic and finds a way to offer a heavily oaked bourbon yet still retains the expressive fruity side that so many love about their numbered batches. Never venturing too far towards tannic oak or too far tropical and sweet, the company strikes a balanced nirvana. Its low proofpoint for a barrel proof whiskey provides it with a deep richness of flavors instead of an over reliance on heat. At the same time, I would have preferred more proof from the whiskey to really drive its point home. Its $250 MSRP does feel a bit pricey, but on the other hand, its three different sourced origins and high age statement add a ton of complexity, making it stand out in a crowded year of limited edition bourbons. This release consists of a total of 12,000 bottles.

Nose: Heavy malt sweetness | Oatmeal | Milk chocolate | Green tea | Baking spice | Interesting & complex with rich delivery of scents

Palate: Brown sugar | Graham cracker | Marzipan | Oatmeal | Malty | Very sweet with an oatmeal undertone

Finish: Sweet caramel | Brown sugar | Burgeoning spice | Light green tea | Long & enjoyable

At only 2 years old, this is a whiskey that screams “How did they do it?” While its youth is evident with a base of malty goodness, this presence is different from the presence of youth in a young bourbon as malt grains themselves can be enjoyable simply steeped as a tea. The whiskey leans heavily towards sweeter notes with a diverse array of flavors that really works. The nose weaves in an unusual green tea note that surprisingly works very well, and even returns shyly in the finish. While more years in the barrel may introduce some additional flavors, I find this unique and enjoyable just the way it is.

Nose: Toasted marshmallows | Grilled vegetables | Buttered Italian bread | Cherry | Oak

Palate: Agave | Toasted oak | Minerals | Fantastic thick mouthfeel

Finish: Dark cherry | Maple | Oak | Slightly tannic

George Dickel Bottle in Bond returns in what has quickly become a flagship release for the company. After last year’s impressive showing, expectations remain high this year. That is true in part because George Dickel whiskey is overly abundant in the marketplace, being found in perhaps too many sourced products in 2020. The company might have reached a saturation point, as the 2020 Bottled in Bond release just doesn’t stand out enough for a product being released straight from the horse’s mouth. At its best, it's more of the same, and worse, it doesn’t offer anything new or exciting. It’s amazing the difference a few years makes. If I didn’t feel like I drank this a hundred times already this year, maybe it would have left a better impression. If you missed last year’s edition, it's a decent stand-in. Although it's a bit more rough around the edges and hotter than last’s release, In the end, if you’ve had Dickel in its many various forms this year, it offers little new.

Nose: Summer fruits | Hints of vanilla | Subtle rye spice | Touch of white peppercorn | Light & airy

Palate: Oak | Hints of dry leather and tobacco | Light spice | Sweet vanilla | Earthy

Finish: Rye spice | Dry oak | Flashes of vanilla | Short and to the point

Rabbit Hole Boxergrail Rye is a whiskey that’s hard to hate yet also won’t stand out in a crowd. The highlight of the sip is its palate which nicely balances more earthy flavors with just the right amount of sweetness to give it some character. I can see this being a nice transitional rye, albeit a more expensive one, for bourbon drinkers who are looking to explore this whiskey category.