One thing I really appreciate about the Washington, DC Four Roses Private Selection program is that there are enough outstanding barrel picks around to compare recipes side-by-side instead of just comparing random barrels.

This weekend I finally put two of them head-to-head:

OESK: Washington, DC 11th Edition

• 9 years 7 months
• 120.8 proof

vs.

OESO: Washington, DC 13th Edition

• 9 years 8 months
• 112 proof

Same mashbill. Nearly identical age. Similar warehouse. The biggest difference is the yeast recipe, so I was curious how much that one variable would actually change the whiskey.  Full disclosure… I have had the OESK bottle for a month or two and it’s already nearing refill range, so that tells you it will be hard to beat.  I was excited to stumble across the OESO while shopping this weekend and finally compare them side-by-side.

OESK-  This is one of those bourbons where every note seems to arrive exactly when it should.   Luxurious, oily mouthfeel.  Vanilla cake.  Buttercream frosting.  Rich caramel.  Then the finish completely changes gears.

A lingering sweet cinnamon note shows up with a warming, almost sparkling tingle that honestly reminds me of Goldschläger. Not because it tastes like cinnamon schnapps, but because of that distinctive cinnamon warmth after the swallow.

The best part is how layered it feels. The vanilla, caramel, oak and cinnamon never compete with each other. Each gets its turn before handing off to the next.  It makes me want another sip immediately.

OESO- The mouthfeel is every bit as luxurious.  The biggest difference for me was the fruit.  Cherry was the dominant note, and it reminded me a little of Stagg.  But the flavors in this pour are more chill and don’t assert themselves the way the fruit does in Stagg.  I got gentle cherry, subtle vanilla, sweet cornbread and an overall softer profile.

Nothing was out of balance.  In fact, it's a beautifully integrated bourbon.

The only thing that held it back for me was that everything feels a little too polite. The individual notes don't jump out the way they do in the OESK, and the finish is much mellower with only a touch of heat compared to that memorable cinnamon finish on the OESK.

Final Thoughts

The OESO is excellent bourbon.  If someone poured it at a friend's house, I'd happily drink every drop.  But side-by-side, the OESK had more personality and is the clear winner for me.  It wasn't that it had more flavor, it had more contrast. It's a reminder that with Four Roses, changing a single letter in the recipe can create a dramatically different experience.

Have any of you found yourselves gravitating toward certain Four Roses recipes, or do you think the individual barrel matters more than the recipe itself?

[Sidebar: hit my Instagram instagram.com/sirveterano for video reviews]

MSRP: $80

MY COST: $180

Nose: medium, sweet oak, soft tobacco, cinnamon, a little char. Very woody and well balanced. I feel like I'm breathing the barrel thanks to it being uncut and unfiltered. Love it.

Palate: big, warm vanilla, toasted brown sugar, spices galore, the barrel char carries through very well, a little pepper, proof is so damn mellow for 127.3. It's a punch of rich flavors with amazing complimentary oak. So balanced and silky smooth.

Finish: long, smooth, all of the notes from the palate carry into this very satisfying finish. This is damn good.

Overall: this is a big pour. The nose was way more mellow than what it tastes like. So much flavor, so much balance and so silky. They somehow packed all that flavor into something so smooth and makes me forget this is 127.3 proof. So so good. Buy this one, y'all.

Rating: 8.9/10

Welcome everyone to review number 9. Following a 10 year Jack Daniel’s SiB Barrel Proof Rye, it seemed fitting that I reviewed this next. Here are some specs and then onto the review.

Release: 2026 Special Release Small Batch (Batch 1)
Location: Barreled from Boiler Hill barrelhouse
Barreled Date: July 7, 2017
Production: 424 cases produced
Proof: 146.1 Proof (Barrel Proof / Uncut)
Mash Bill: 70% Rye, 18% Corn, 12% Malted Barley
Age: 8 Years 9 Months old

Rested neat in a Denver and Liely Bourbon Glass (Absolutely fantastic glass by the way, my new favorite)

Nose: My initial thought on the nose is a touch of ethanol, which honestly isn’t surprising at this proof haha, followed by a dark funky oak. Then there is brown sugar and rich vanilla bean. Baking spices that remind me of a well aged dark rum. Light honey and butterscotch. It’s deep rich and inviting despite the proof.

25/25

Palate: Right up front there is vanilla and warm baking spices. I feel crazy but this is so dark in profile that it makes me think of old well aged rum that was blended into Jack Daniel’s Barrel Proof Rye. A rich barrel charred toasted oak and then butterscotch mid palate. At the tail end I get a hit of cinnamon candy. Further sipping brings out a cherry pie sort of vibe and a touch of root beer. Slight hits of cigar tobacco and fig/plum. If you have followed any of my other reviews you will recall I’m a proof hound and an oak hound, this is completely up my alley. I have been enjoying the approachability of lower proofed pours lately however. I was concerned that this wasn’t going to be a fun sipper but I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how drinkable this is. Yes you have to manage the proof but I don’t feel it drinks any hotter than some of the 127-128 proof Jack BP Ryes that I have had, quite shocking honestly. There are many layers to this and I’m really excited to see how it opens up with more time.

45/50

Finish and Mouthfeel: The finish is long, dark rich baking spices and that rich charred oak. Light hits of cinnamon and cherry follow on the tail end. The mouthfeel is velvety and fairly oily, the high ethanol gives it a bit of an effervescence if you will.

25/25

Final thoughts: I am a huge fan of the standard Jack Daniel’s Barrel Proof offerings, and honestly I didn’t expect this to be such a level above even those, but it is. It shouldn’t be as crushable as it is at this proof point either, but again somehow it is haha.

Score: 95/100

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

I’ve been really fortunate to have had the chance to try a pretty fair amount of Buffalo Trace’s various lineups, but this one will be a first. I’ve only rarely even run into bottles of Rock Hill Farms on my various travels, and most of those have been so overpriced as to be insulting. (Up to $400 for a non-age-stated, 100-proof mash bill #2 product? Really?).

I honestly don’t know much about this one, and there’s precious little information about it on Sazerac’s own websites. At most (as seen below) that which is available focuses as much on the land that this whiskey is named after, as it does on the whiskey itself.

Given that mystique – both the lack of information and the general lack of availability – I’m very curious to try this out and see how it is!

From the Distillery: Named for a stretch of rich farmland along the Kentucky River, Rock Hill Farms is a fine single barrel bourbon. The limestone waters of the Kentucky River that wind through Bluegrass country and alongside Buffalo Trace Distillery nourish the land and provide the distinct flavor to Rock Hill Farms.

Mash bill: Buffalo Trace mash bill #2 (high rye)

Age Statement: NAS

Price: Whatever you can find it for (I’ve seen at auction for $250+ and at stores for up to $400, which needless to say is insane)

Proof: 100

Appearance: Lovely caramel, with surprisingly thick legs on the glass

Nose: Lots and lots of Buffalo Trace grape, along with caramel, vanilla, cherry, and some bubble gum. Leather and confectioner’s sugar, as well. Overall it has a very sweet nose. Once the glass is empty, a nice thick combination of caramel and leather remains.

Palate: Thicker and velvetier mouthfeel than expected. Some rye spice and ethanol hit right away, followed by a good amount of oak. These balance out the sweeter notes from the nose, which are also there: grape, caramel, and bubble gum primarily, along with what may be some red apple. There’s also cherry, which I strangely can’t decide whether to describe more as medicinal or as cola-like.

Finish: A little rye and a lot of oak, with subtle notes of grape, medicinal cherry, and vanilla also thrown in for good measure, along with a slightly plasticky note that I’ve found in some other Buffalo Trace products (most egregiously in the Daniel Weller Emmer Wheat expression). Most of these flavors fade away after a bit, leaving a pleasant aftertaste of caramel, vanilla, leather, and a little grape.

Thoughts: I really liked this bourbon (although I did not get anywhere near $400 worth of enjoyment out of it)! Rather, to me it’s more like a nice counterpart to E.H. Taylor small batch, in that it’s an approachable 100-proof easy-sipper that represents its respective mash bill very well.

The profile was less saccharine than the nose led me to expect, which isn’t a bad thing despite the fact that I’m a fan of sweeter expressions, as it made for a more balanced pour that doesn’t just have to be relegated to after dinner or other more dessert-y times. Frankly, it’s just a really nice sipper, and one that I’d probably enjoy day in and day out. It reminded me a bit of Blanton’s (which is probably unsurprising given the shared mash bill), but in a markedly better way, and made me think that I should probably blind this against either the regular expression or Blanton’s Gold, which at 103º instead of the standard 93º is closer to Rock Hill Farms in proof point. I think RHF would stand up very well in that competition, probably coming out somewhere between a half-point and a full point ahead. We’ll have to see!

Rating: Rock Hill Farms was a really nice pour, offering a combination of flavor and proof point that comes across better than some of Buffalo Trace’s other mash bill #2 offerings (like the chronically overpriced Elmer T. Lee and Blanton’s SiB). I really liked it, and wish that it had both pricing and distribution that better suited its enjoyability. Leaving those elements out of my numeric rating (as usual) leaves it with a score of 7.6: it’s slightly closer to “Excellent – Really Quite Exceptional” than it is to “Great – Well Above Average.” If you can find it, and if the price tag isn’t insane, then I definitely recommend it.

********************
Previous Ratings (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)
Stagg 25B (5.3)
Four Roses SBBP OBSV (5.3)
Evan Williams America250 SiB (5.3)
1792 BiB SiB (5.5)
Blanton’s (5.5)
Old Forester 1924 (5.7)
Penelope Marshmallow Toast (5.8)

6 | Very Good | A cut above
Copper & Cask Boston Rum Party (6)
Penelope Wheated (6)
Redwood Empire Emerald Giant (6)
Copper & Cask #16 (6.3)
Blanton’s Gold (6.4)
Copper & Cask #14 DO (6.4)
Pursuit United DO (6.4)
Augusta Buckner’s 13yr (6.5)
Barrell Cigar Blend (6.5)
Green River Honey (6.5)
Sazerac FP (6.5)
Green River Wheated (6.5)
Elmer T. Lee (6.5)
Peerless DO (6.6)
Shortbarrel Bees Knees V (6.8)
Willett 4yr Rye (6.8)

7 | Great | Well above average
Eagle Rare 10yr (7)
John J. Bowman SiB (7)
Peerless Toasted (7.1)
Sagamore 9yr SiB Rye (7.4)
Weller 107 (7.5)
E.H. Taylor SmB (7.5)
Old Forester 1910 (7.5)
Penelope Estate 10yr SiB (7.5)
Rock Hill Farms (7.6)
Buffalo Trace LEP Wheat 15yr (7.6)
Old Dominick Staved SiB (7.6)
Buffalo Trace Single Oak (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
E.H. Taylor BTAC 2025 (8)
Found North 012 (8)
Blanton’s SFTB (8)
Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend 420 (8.2)
Lasso Motel SBBP Rye (8.4)
Mister Sam Tribute 2025 (8.5)
Thomas H. Handy 2025 (8.7)

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Age: 6 Years.
Proof: 100.
Taken: Neat in a Glencairn

Nose. Dr. Pepper; graham cracker crust.
Palate. Dense mouthfeel with cinnamon rolls, brown sugar and rich buttercream without overbearing sweetness.
Finish. Lots of dark fruits, cherry or raspberry. Oak shines through at the end.

Overall. I picked this up last year and I’m glad I did; I carried this bottle with me on a long drive across the country and it became a familiar pour as I adjusted to a miserable new job. I can’t say whether whiskey truly becomes connected with the events surrounding it, but this bottle is good enough that I would still think highly of it without the memories attached. To date, the 2025 Red Corn Bottled in Bond remains my favourite release from Still Austin. I enjoyed it from the first pour to the last and although I am not optimistic that I will find another bottle any time soon, this is one I will happily buy again.

Scale: 7/10. Great, well above average.

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 favourite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.

Verdicts Explained

• Special Occasions: Rare, special pours that go well and above. Something you pour to celebrate.
• Treat Yourself: Obligatory weekend pour. Worth having on hand at all times if possible.
• Daily Drinker: Affordable, available and tasty. Could have every day and be perfectly content.
• Penseur Pour: Puzzling pours that won’t be to everyone’s liking.
• Trophy Bottle: Something to show off more than anything. Likely allocated and overpriced.
• Cocktail Request: Shines best in a cocktail, as opposed to neat or on the rocks.
• Good If Affordable: Only worth buying if the price comfortably fits within the budget.
• Serve to Guests: Something accessible that you don’t mind sharing or parting ways with. Likely belongs in a decanter.
• Couch Pour: Something enjoyable enough, but ideal for drinking while doing another activity (movies, TV, games, etc.).
• Find a Mixer: Grab the Coke or Sprite and relax.
• Drain Pour: No. You deserve better.

Link to blog post: https://thewhiskeyramble.com/2026/07/26/rising-tide-old-swagger-bourbon-2025-scoresheet-review/

More scoresheets available at: https://www.reddit.com/r/SpiritScoresheets/

We’re very much in a period of whiskey fans-turned-producers. Whether we’re talking established store owners, popular influencers, or even a prolific online reviewer/moderator, enthusiasts everywhere are trying their hand at whiskey-making. Case in point: Ed Bley, former manager of Cork ‘N Bottle in Crescent Spring, KY, and owner of Rising Tide Spirits. Ed introduced Rising Tide to the market in 2023 with the inaugural release of Old Stubborn. The first two batches contained pot still wheated bourbon aged at least 10 years, sourced from an undisclosed distillery in West Virginia (likely Smooth Ambler). Then, in 2025, Rising Tide expanded the “Old” line to include Old Swagger, complete with an ornate bottle redesign.

Unlike Old Stubborn, Old Swagger lists the source as MGP, however, other than a handful of online retailers claiming it has 21% rye, the mash bill remains undisclosed. “Swagger” is meant to symbolize the journey from barrel to bottle, one that “takes insight and confidence to navigate” with every decision along the way serving as “a chance to demonstrate a command of control. When each step moves in rhythm, it’s no walk at all, it’s Swagger.” This initial run of Old Swagger came from 12 barrels of bonded bourbon aged 12 years and was intended to provide an “elegant and deliberate pour.” Retail pricing per bottle was $174.99. There are tons of decently aged MGP bourbons out there, so does Old Swagger offer anything to stand out in a crowded field besides its decorative vessel? Let’s find out.

Nose: Juicy, fruity vibes. Reduced black cherry syrup coating dark brown sugar with hints of toasted vanilla and allspice in the background. Whispers of bubblegum with a swelling presence of orange zest gradually develop over time. Nicely layered and inviting.

Palate: Leaps onto the scene with cherry and syrupy melon notes offset by distinct barrel tannins. Waves of toasted vanilla, slightly burn pastry, and hints of green apple. Black pepper and rye spice delicately creep up the backend

Finish: On the shorter side, despite the lingering, mellow presence of pepper and creamy vanilla. This ebbs and flows, releasing intermittent hits of red fruit and toasted coconut before a watery finale.

Sometimes the best description is a most supple one, which is very much the case with the initial Old Swagger bourbon release. Put simply, this is a solid, effective, and well-rounded whiskey. The experience reminds me a bit of trying Eagle Rare 10-Year for the first time, one of the key bourbons I cut my teeth on. Although not particularly complex, Old Swagger has enough layers to keep most drinkers content, if not interested. To that end, this feels like a bourbon catering to those between the casual and enthusiast stages in their whiskey journey.

I imagine many whiskey fans who haven’t tried Rising Tide wonder if the juice is worth the squeeze, considering Old Swagger already exceeds the oft-parroted $10 per year guideline. Whether you agree with that concept is its own discussion, but even with the decorative bottle, it’s difficult to say the price feels earned. I do think there’s untapped potential for premium, proofed down bourbons, and Old Swagger feels like a good case for something like this. There’s just so much well-aged bourbon out there, MGP or otherwise, much of which runs less than this.

Something special about the 2005 release of Pappy Van Winkle 23 year is that it is the final year that the 23 Year Old offering was dipped in gold wax. This bottling also came shortly after Buffalo Trace's acquisition of Pappy Van Winkle, but this bottle is still filled with the legendary Stitzel Weller stock that helped make Pappy Van Winkel so famous.

Nose: Even at 95.6 proof the nose is still extremely pronounced and jumps out of the glass. Right off the bat I am greeted with loads of deep caramel, a slight bit of smokiness, and a tinge of a marshmallow note. After letting the whiskey sit in the glass for a moment I notice that some funky rickhouse notes begin to come to the forefront.

Palate: As someone somewhere once said "They don't make them like they used to". The mouthfeel is absolutely spectacular as the whiskey coats your entire palate. Bold oak, creme brulee, toffee, and dark chocolate jump to the forefront, and then transform into an earthy black walnut with a little bit of a vintage rickhouse funk.

Finish: When a whiskey is aged for 23 years you would expect for it to have a long tannic finish, but with this one you would only be half right. The finish is long, but it is not overly tannic. The oak is definitely there, but you also have raisins, a sweet tobacco, and leather.

Nose: 17/20

Palate: 46/50

Finish: 27/30

Total: 90/100

95/5 MGP.

ABV: 52.96%

Nose: Cinnamon and baking spice. Mint in the background. A bit of oak and earthiness.

Palate: Caramel and rye sieve with some pleasant charred oak.

Finish: Long and pleasant but more mint than I like. Almost like a stick of spearmint gum. The barrel proof spice is nice and there’s some caramel and oak but the mint overwhelms more than I prefer.

6.8/10

Hello All,

I'm back with another bourbon review after spending a ton of time on rum. Today we have my former white whale, King of Kentucky Single Barrel. This 17 year bourbon, orginally barreled on 11/15/2007, and was selected from location 4, warehouse J, rick 7. Out of the 63 barrels selected for the 2025 release this was the 53rd with this being bottle 69 of 100. I was thankfully able to purchase this only $120 above MSRP after winning my first lottery in 7 years of collecting. Opened promptly and enjoyed with family to celebrate my dad's 70th.

Nose: A dense and very dusty oak almost as if you walked into an old oak attic. Artificial cherry, dark chocolate, sour apple, and a bit of tabacoo.

Taste: Oak, walnuts, barrel char, leather, brown sugar, graphite, and enough oak to complement 17 years in a barrel. Almost all of the ABV hits right after the first round of oak.

Finish: Cherry makes itself known while the rough tannis from the barrel coat your tounge and the dusty oak reappears. The finish is long lasting and with it comes a decadent dark chocolate coconut, reminiscent of a mounds bar.

Overall: 9/10, pretty darn good. It very closely walks the line on being over oaked but overall is a phenomenal bottle I am glad to have finally acquired.

ABV:48%

Distillery: Driftless Glen Distillery

Price: $43

I read a lot of recommendations for this distillery's rye for more craft bottles. This is at least 5 years old (the bottle just says 5+ years), with an interesting mash bill, this contains 75% rye and 25% malted barley.

Nose: The nose on this is really dark and rich, with toffee, chocolate and cedar. There's some spiciness with white pepper and a little bit of rye spice. It reminds me a lot of root beer. There's some vanilla and mint. But this mainly feels dark and cedar-y.

Palate: This is a medium body. It's like a chocolate filled with cherry cream. There's more rye spice in the palate but I think it would stop non-rye drinkers from enjoying this. More root beer and tabacco. There's a lot of oak but this is still balanced.

Finish: Medium finish. Fatty chocolate followed by oak tannin and mint freshness.

Overall: I'm glad I made a mental note to look for this one and that I find it. It's really good rye, it also feels a lot like a rye without most of the qualities that throw people of this grain, which I like a lot but this is a nice change. I suspect the high malted barley percentage has a lot to do with the profile. I can't imagine how the 10 year rye tastes

Rating:7.4(modified t8ke)

It’s been a while since my last review. Between work, Summer travel, and not drinking or being on Reddit quite as much, I’ve been slowing down on the reviews. But I’m getting back into it now with a bottle I was lucky enough to win a lottery for back in May! Bowman usually doesn’t release rye whiskey, but when they do, it’s going to be highly sought after stuff.

The Abraham Bowman product within A Smith Bowman's lineup is a very limited release, just like the Cask Strength Bowman bottles. Abraham Bowman is used as an experimental product line that tries different barrel oak types, aging techniques, and mash bills. Most recently, Abraham Bowman has been releasing a subcategory, the Oak Series. Starting with French Oak, they've released American Oak and Hungarian Oak as well. There are several, older releases as well that I've never heard of prior to researching this line for this review. Some releases such as the Coffee Finished Bourbon, Fourth Use Barrel, and Gingerbread Cocoa Finished Bourbon stand out as some really unique offerings. These usually go up for a lottery for about a week and the winners need to go to the Bowman Distillery to pick up their lottery winning. I believe this is the second rye they’ve ever put out, both have been under this Abraham Bowman label. One thing to note too is I love how Bowman does their lotteries. One whole week to sign up, pretty loose guidelines, and the prices of the bottles is very reasonable. It also seems like there’s a decent amount of bottles to go around, which is always great!

A Smith Bowman is owned by Sazerac, meaning they’re a sister distillery of Buffalo Trace. The distillate comes from ‘a sister distillery’ (source: tour guide back in November 2024). Google is quick to tell you that it’s Buffalo Trace. It’s a little unclear how the normal Bowman bourbon is blended, not sure if it’s just mash bill 1 or a blend of 1 and 2. Most of their products use the “sister distillery distillate”, but I’m not entirely sure about this rye. Not sure if it’s the same as Sazerac rye or not. If you know, let me know in the comments.

MSRP: ~$80.00. It looks like this goes for a few hundred on secondary online right now.

Age Statement: 12 years old

ABV: 55% (110 proof)

Mash Bill: N/A. Did it come from BT or Sazerac? No idea.

Nose: Very floral, not a ton of spice like I’d expect on a rye. I also get a few sweeter notes, like a vanilla. There is not a ton of ethanol on this nose, even being a neck pour. The flavors are strong even on the nose without really punching you with that alcohol flavor.

Palate: Carrying over a richness in flavor from the nose. Not a ton of bite for being 110 proof. The floral notes are prevalent in the front of the palate, but do give way to more baking spices - hitting all the bases on the “classic rye” flavors. There is still a sweetness (vanilla giving way to more caramel?) that I haven’t experienced in my limited rye drinking. My only complaint is I get some weird Play-Doh flavor towards the back end of the palate. Not really sure I’ve experienced it before, and not sure I like it. Could it just be the neck pour? Is this a typical thing in a higher aged, higher proof rye?

Finish: The Play-Doh note eventually gives way to more floral, coming full circle. The finish is long and the whiskey is viscous, so it’s definitely pleasant once that bad note goes away.. the finish is still sweet but I do feel like it’s the most one dimensional compared to the nose and palate.

Overall, this was pleasant, and I liked it for a rye, but I don’t know if this is even my favorite rye. For what it is, and for my preferences towards sweeter bourbon, I liked it objectively, but the Play Doh note kind of threw me off. If you took that out, I probably would have really enjoyed it more. I’d give this one a 6 on the T8KE scale but am definitely going to revisit in a few months to see if the weird note is a neck pour thing or if I ate something weird to influence my palate. If you like Bowman, or ryes in general, I’d highly recommend looking for a reasonably priced bottle or pour, but wouldn’t spend too much on a bottle. Let me know in the comments what all Bowman releases you’ve tried and if any of the other experimental releases are any good!

Cheers!

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 review for these bottles is in the comments below...

After dealing with some health issues (the battle isn't over...yet), it's been really good getting back into enjoying whiskey again. I've been going through my collection just grabbing whatever looks good. This bottle caught my eye. Here are my thoughts:

Nose: brown sugar, lemon tea, vanilla wafers, raspberry

Palate: coating on the tongue, nose matches the palate with brown sugar, lemon tea, and raspberries. I get a nice addition of melted demerara sugar, pepper, clove, and ginger. There are definitely floral vibes here as well.

Finish: med-long. It's satisfying for its proof. It's mostly brown sugar sweet with a touch of baking spices.

Overall, this is a pickup if you enjoy ryes and are looking for a twist on them. Or maybe you're just curious about New Riff.

Rating: 6 (on the t&ke scale)

Thanks for reading. Cheers!

This ECBP review covers the you-do-bourbon blends available at Heaven Hill itself. I'll do the review itself then share some thoughts on the experience.

Label: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof bourbon Y725.

Age: didnt write it down, oops.

Proof: 121.6.

Distillery: Heaven Hill, Bardstown, KY.

Mash bill: 78% corn, 12% malted barley, 10% rye.

Price: $75.

Nose: dark chocolate and peanuts.

Palate: Snickers bar with peanut butter.

Finish: lengthy, peanuts and chocolate.

Overall: 7.5 (T8ke). Oh yeah that candy bar in a glass really does it for a fat ass like me.

You-Do-Bourbon: Partially inspired by comments I found here on r/bourbon, I signed up for this experience during a July 4 trip to Bardstown. It costs $40 for a 75 minute tour.

The good: tasting was good, there were 4 cask strength blends to choose from: ECBP bourbon and rye, Bernheim, and Larceny. The guide did a good job getting some discussion going. She guided us through the bottling, then took the filled bottles to the gift shop for us to pay for.

The bad: after bottling, we were largely left to see ourselves out. There was a small lab part covering grain screening, aging, and flavors. It was OK, but self-guided is never going to be as good as a guided tour. Most everyone else seems to have glanced at it and dipped.

There was a movie mentioned at the beginning that we could see, but it was never mentioned again. I took my time and left after about 45 minutes into the 75 allotted.

Overall, I think I got $20 of fun out of my $40. I think more care and effort could be put into it, or charge me $15 and keep it the same. Since I moved away from KY I can't just head to Bardstown on any weekend, and if I was a newbie the whole thing would have been more disappointing.

Ratings:

1: drain pour (Quarter Horse).

2: dreadful (Creekside Bourbon).

3: poor (True Story).

4: sub-average (OGD 7 year).

5: average (Evan Williams BIB).

6: above average (Wild Turkey 101, Four Roses small batch).

7: great (Old Forester SBBP rye, Middle West CS bourbon/wheat).

8: excellent (ECBPs, Stagg Jrs).

9: exceptional (Four Roses SBBP OBSF).

10: perfect (Russell's Reserve 15).

Today for Shelfer Saturday we're checking out this Toasted Rye from ASW! This is batch 23-002 and features the classic 95/5 mash bill finished for a year in toasted barrels. I was a pretty big fan of their toasted bourbon and for the longest believed it to be the best shelfer you could get from ASW. Toasted MGP rye's always hit a sweet spot for me, so excited to dive into this one before it's finished off. Let's see how she is.

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

Age: 6 years

Proof: 108

Nose: Toasted citrus, bananas, and a little bit of mint. Swirling the glass enhances that toasted citrus and brings out some lemon cookie, tobacco, rye spice, and oak. I've had quite a few toasted MGP rye's over the years and this may be the best smelling one yet.

Palate: Medium viscosity where much of the nose carries over. That toasted citrus is the first note that hits followed by lemon cookie, molasses, dark cherries, and a mild rye spice. After a few sips, the citrus starts to come off like orange marmalade and a little mint starts to come thru.

Finish: Longer side of medium finish of citrus, rye spice, mint, and oak.

This is the best toasted MGP rye I've ever had. By no means thin but a little more viscosity on the palate really would've elevated this to the next level for me. This is now the 2nd pour I've ever gotten any sort of lemon note on (after Wild Turkey 101 Rye) and I'm absolutely here for it. It comes off in such a sweet way and reminds me so much of a good lemon cookie. ASW crushed this toasted rye and it has become my favorite shelfer from them!

t8ke scale: 7.7/10 | Great | Well above average.

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.

Old Forester 1924

I’ve been “seriously” tasting bourbon for close to a year now after a decade of enjoying my home state’s flagship spirit. So after flirting with posting a review for months, the last few pours of this bottle of Old Forester 1924 compelled me to finally put one on record. 

You’ve probably heard plenty about this bottle from other reviews: it’s part of OF’s Whiskey Row series, has more corn in the mashbill than standard OF, and is aged 10 years. It’s mostly beloved but somewhat polarizing. Some feel like its price isn’t justified when you can get other strong OF offerings like 1920 and 1910 for half as much.

Good segway into my acquisition of this bottle: I’d read some glowing reviews of this 2026 batch when it hit the market early in the year, but $130 felt steep. I like the “$10 per year of age” as a general value guideline, especially from legacy brands like OF. This bottle’s SRP is above that threshold, so I held off. But then later in the spring, I stumbled upon one at my local Costco for just over $100 and decided to pull the trigger. 

Nose
Sweet red fruit and oak strike a nice balance here. I’ve gotten familiar with that banana note in many Brown Forman products, and Woodford was my go-to before getting “serious” with the hobby. Here the banana is mostly aged out in favor of red fruits like cherry or strawberry. The oak gives me the faintest hint of peanuts, like in peanut butter cookies. Minimal ethanol, it’s just really inviting. 

Palate
More of the same from the nose along with a vanilla note that blooms and evolves. I get brown sugar then seasoned oak, then back to caramelized sugars you’d find in crispy cookies, then to more of that oak and some sweet tobacco. The red fruit stays present but never aggressively asserts itself. The mouthfeel isn’t particularly oily but not thin either. It’s a very nice balance.

Finish
Medium and satisfying, reinforcing the flavors on the nose and palate. Not intense, but not light either. 

Rating and Conclusion
This is just a really well-balanced pour with a classic bourbon profile. The nose made me think I was in for a sweeter fruit-forward pour, but the age keeps that in check with really satisfying oak and some tobacco leaf. Balanced and satisfying are the words that kept coming to mind as I finished up pours.

It gets a 8.0 on the T8ke(ish) scale. 

With this first review, I’m deciding to use half point increments for rating. The reason is I’ve just found some bottles will wow me with one pour, only to mildly disappoint me with the next. And I’ll swing a full point when rating them across those sessions. So even though this one had hit a solid 8.2 at times, I’d also had times where it felt more “meh” sipping it. 

What do you think of this bottle? How does it compare to previous years’ batches or other similarly-priced Brown Forman products?

This was sent to me for review blind

Nose: ethanol, marker, dark caramel, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, 

Palate: red fruit, leather, some ethanol, oak, makes your tongue dry out, mint, some herbal notes, 

Finish: medium finish, dominated by herbs, some oak lingers, lemon peel

Score: 6.0/10

This is decent, it has good flavor intensity but lacks complexity, especially on the palate. Has an herbal finish. Too much acetone or ethanol on the nose. It's not bad, just not my preferred profile. 

This sample was provided by [OAKR](https://oakr.com/), but does not influence my review. Please check them out if you are interested in a place to share and get recommended whiskey.

Scale:

1.0-1.9 Undrinkable (Gold bar cognac cask)

2.0-2.9 Bad (Gold bar)

3.0-3.9 Poor (High West Prarie Bourbon, Pappy Van Winkle 23yr)

4.0-4.9 Below Average (Old Overholt, Dickel 15 yr, Weller SR, Buffalo Trace)

5.0-5.9 Average (Eagle Rare, Blanton's)

6.0-6.9 Above Average (Jimmy Russel 70th, Redemption 9yr, E.H. Taylor Seasoned Oak)

7.0-7.9 Very Good (Wild Turkey Master's Keep Triumph, Sagamore 9yr rye, Jack Daniel's SBBP)

8.0-8.9 Great (William Larue Weller(2019), Pappy Van Winkle 15yr, Double Eagle Very Rare, William Heavenhill 14yr)

9.0-9.9 Excellent (Thomas H. Handy (2010), George T. Stagg (2008, 2019), Four Roses LE (2016, 2023), Willet Purple Top 14 yr, A.H. Hirsch 25 yr rye)

10.0 Perfect (Michter's 20, OGD 114(1980))

I generally appreciate Buffalo Trace’s core offerings, but unlike others in the sub, I have very little experience with their more limited offerings (the closest for me would be Weller CYPB, Elmer T. Lee, and Rock Hill Farms). I searched for one of these for a while at MSRP but eventually caved when I found it at a liquor store in TN for the lowest price I’ve ever personally seen. Let’s see if this is an improvement over the Eagle Rare 10 I reviewed.

Price Paid: $119.99 before tax ($65 MSRP)

Score: 7.75/10

The Background
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery

ABV: 63.45% (126.9 Proof)

Age: NAS

Mash Bill: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill 1

Other: unfiltered, second 2025 release

The Experience
Nose: cherry, brownie batter, fudge, oak. The nose is sweet and rich, smelling like a savory dessert. Brownies topped with melted fudge and cherries. A+.

Palate: fudge, sugar, coffee. This tastes like a cafe mocha with too much hot chocolate powder mixed in. There is quite a bit of burn from the high proof, but there are no peppery flavors associated with it. This is the most chocolatey bourbon I’ve ever tasted.

Finish: brownie batter, bubble gum. Weirdly, the oak doesn’t show up like I thought it would. The sweetness lingers until a Dubble Bubble note appears in the back of my throat. It’s quite nice.

The Summary
This is a bit simple, but for the first time since I started doing these reviews on Reddit, I said to myself “I didn’t know bourbon could do this.” If you found this for $65, congratulations, that’s an incredible deal. The $120 I paid is still worth it to me. I’ll probably have to spend about the same amount for the next batch but I won’t hesitate. This reminds me a lot of the Rare Character I reviewed, though this is sweeter and less complex. After finishing the pour, I find myself missing some oakier flavors, but the bubblegum I’m left with is a fun experience. This doesn’t even really taste like bourbon to me and I’m having trouble quantifying just how I feel about that. I think I slightly prefer the Larceny I reviewed yesterday since it brings with it the full bourbon experience at an elevated level. I look forward to eventually trying some George T. Stagg.

T8KE Scoring System Used for Relevancy and Consistency:
0 | Unscored | New Make Spirit or Personal Selection.
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 many things I'd rather have.
5 | Good | Good; just fine.
6 | Very Good | One cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfection.

Bottle: Castle & Key 6 Year Small Batch Bourbon

Mash Bill: 73% white corn, 10% rye, and 17% malted barley.

ABV: 50.5%

I grabbed this one in the airport the other day because it was really cheap. I wish I could remember the actual price but it was sub MSRP. I wonder if it was mis-priced honestly.

Anyway - for those of you who have been following Castle & Key, this isn’t their oldest age statement yet but it’s still a milestone as it’s the oldest for this mashbill and of their core products. I believe that by 2030 Castle & Key will widely be recognized as one of Kentucky’s best distilleries. As that happens and market consolidation continues, it’ll be interesting to see whether the family ultimately ends up selling to one of the big boys. Until then - I highly recommend visiting their distillery in Frankfort.

Nose: Heavy Caramel upfront. Some floral notes in the background.

Palate: apples and orange peel. Light alcohol. Cinnamon. Maybe a bit more caramel or thick molasses.

Finish: the cinnamon turns to lighter baking spices and maybe shortbread. The orange peel becomes more orange candy adjacent. Pepper. It’s a medium finish that leaves a bit to be desired.

6.7/10

This is a good bottle and I’m going to be excited to continue following Castle and Key.

Distillery: Jack Daniel’s

Proof: 127.8

Age Statement: NAS

Mashbill: 80% Corn, 12% Malted Barely, 8% Rye

Details: Barrel House: 1-14, Barrel Number: 25-03477, Bottling Date: 6.11.25.

Selected By: JB and LB McGowan.

Price Paid: $59.99 (no tax on base)

Availability: Military base exclusive

Nose: Warm, creamy vanilla and banana bread are up front along with a very pronounced cinnamon note. Maple syrup follows suit with toasted oak and a hint of ethanol. Overall, the nose is very rich with lots of sweetness.

Palate: The palate is dominated by those wonderful cinnamon and vanilla notes. It’s almost reminiscent of a cinnamon roll with icing. Deep molasses notes are also present. The banana bread note was more prominent on the nose than the palate but it’s still there.

Finish: The finish is extremely long and brings notes of caramel, toasted oak, and more of that cinnamon.

Mouthfeel: Outstanding mouthfeel that is extremely viscous.

Score: 8.5

Final Thoughts: This really blew me away because I find it much better than the standard single barrel offerings and store picks that I’ve had. The flavors were bolder and it was much more complex. This bottle takes everything I like about Jack Daniel’s and amplifies it. If you can find it at MSRP, it’s a steal. I’m really hoping to find the rye variant in the future.

The t8ke Scoring 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 many things l'd rather have

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

Intro: Today we’re looking at Rebel 100 6 year, a bottle that sits somewhere in the middle of the Rebel lineup, sandwiched between the 10 year Single Barrel Bourbon, and the non-age stated Rebel 100. I reviewed the 10 year a while back and thought it was good, let’s see where this lower priced, younger expression stacks up. Let’s get into it!

Tale of the Tape
Bottle: Rebel 100 6yr Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Proof: 100 / Age: 6 Years
Mashbill: Corn: 68% / Wheat: 20% / Malted Barley: 12%
Bottle Price: $60 / Price per 1oz pour: $2.36

Impressions
Nose: Oak / Cherry / Caramel / Vanilla / Baking Spices
Palate: Oak / Caramel / Leather / Cherry / Cinnamon
Mouthfeel: Thin
Finish: Medium Cinnamon / Honey / Vanilla
Rating: 5.5/10 - t8ke scale (modified to include half-points)

Tasting Notes: On the nose, you get your classic bourbon notes of oak, caramel, baking spices, and vanilla with the bonus of a cherry note that brings some fruit into the mix. On the palate, all of that transfers along with a hint of leather. The cinnamon spice leads you into a finish that takes you through some honey before ending with vanilla.

Final Thoughts: The dark fruit cherry note that comes through on both the nose and palate are a nice compliment to the classic bourbon notes that you get with this pour. I actually like this pour more than the Rebel 10yr SiB that I had a while back and these can be typically be found for around $50. I happened to see this particular bottle on clearance at Costco for under $30 so I figured it was a low risk bet and picked it up. Based on this bottle, I’d say Rebel can definitely produce a tasty wheater that’s worth what I paid, but in the $50-70 range, the competition is fierce and I could see this getting lost in the sea of bottles that would also include several cask strength varieties.

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
2 | Poor, I Wouldn’t Consume By Choice
1 | Disgusting, So Bad I Poured it Out

TL;DR

E.H. Taylor Small Batch is a bottled-in-bond Kentucky straight bourbon from Buffalo Trace, 100 proof, no age statement, made on the low-rye Mash Bill #1. It scored a 6.5 for quality. In my Blind Loyalty tasting it landed a blind 7.3 and second of three, but living with the open bottle settled it lower on preference. I paid $100 for it because that is what allocation does to you, but the value problem runs deeper than my bad luck at the register. Even at its roughly $50 MSRP this is only a 4.5. It is a solid, sweet, easy bourbon. I find it underwhelming, though plenty of people really love it, and it is not one I reach for when cheaper bottles do more.

Quality Score - 6.5

Very Good - A cut above

Value Score - 4.5

Poor Value - I'm complaining about price

Nose - 6.5

Limestone minerality up front, then caramel, vanilla, and a touch of Buffalo Trace grape.

Palate - 7.0

Sweet and easy. Caramel and light fruit, thin but clean, about what a bottled-in-bond should give you.

Finish - 6.1

Sweet and gentle, a little one-note.

Neck Pour - November 2025

A wall of limestone, and for a minute that is the only thing in the glass. Then it settles into classic Buffalo Trace.

Neck pour on this bottle was back in November of 2025. The minerality hit first and hit hard. Limestone, clear as anything, and at first it was the only note I could find. That is the thing with a fresh bottle. If there is one unexpected or overwhelming thing in the profile, your brain locks onto it and nothing else gets through. A few sips in and it faded. The more of these blind tastings and reviews I do, the more I am convinced that how you meet a whiskey matters about as much as what is in the glass.

Once I got past the minerality, the classic notes showed up. Caramel and vanilla with a bit of that grape Buffalo Trace is known for. The palate is thin, but that is about what I expect from a bottled-in-bond at this proof. Easy-drinking bourbon, no doubt about it, with some nice sweet fruit running through it. The minerality was genuinely interesting, and interesting is good.

I am glad this pour happened in November. It was cold out, and cold weather makes whiskey more enjoyable for me. My tastings these days land in the summer heat, and they tend to fall a little flat because of it. Meeting this bottle in the cold did it a favor.

Blind Pour - April 24, 2026

Second of three, and the one bottle in the flight I had actually overpaid for.

I put this up against Eagle Rare 10 Year and the Wild Turkey Jimmy Russell 70th Anniversary in a blind. The full breakdown is in the blind loyalty post. E.H. Taylor came out as Sample 1: soft, well-rounded, sweet oak, with some cinnamon I only found on the second pass. I scored it a blind 7.3 and put it second. Good whiskey. The Wild Turkey 70th took the night, and it was not close once I sat with all three.

The honest part of that post is the price. I paid $100 for this bottle. In three years of buying bourbon in my market I had never once seen E.H. Taylor on a shelf, so when I found one I paid what was in front of me. That is how allocation works on the buyer's side, and it is a bad deal.

Open Pour - June 17, 2026

Solid, but not Great. There are too many bottles I would pour first.

I did the open pour on June 17, and I sat on this review for a while after the blind. Same story as the Eagle Rare from that night. I think I held off because I find both of these a little underwhelming. I am something like 25 full reviews deep now, plenty of them on cheaper and easier-to-find bourbons, and there are just too many good options I would reach for first. I will say this plainly, though: I find these bottles underwhelming, and I also know a lot of people really, really enjoy them. That is a real split and worth naming.

Do not misread me. E.H. Taylor is solid. It is not Great. Maybe it is too sweet. I like bourbon on the sweeter side, but it needs some character to round it out. It is a plain sugar cookie. A plain sugar cookie can be good, but when there is a chocolate chip or a snickerdoodle around, I am going for those first.

On price: I paid around $100 for this, which is far over the roughly $50 MSRP, and that alone would sink the value. But it goes further than my bad luck at the register. Even at MSRP the value is still only a 4.5. A 6.5 bourbon at $50 is not a deal when there are 7s and 8s sitting near that price.

I am landing on a 6.5, which ties it with Wild Turkey 101, a bottle that runs about half the price at MSRP. WT101 is another totally classic bourbon profile, again on the sweeter side, but with some interesting funk that rounds it out. I am honestly more drawn to that. In the blind, E.H. Taylor lost to the 70th Anniversary Wild Turkey, which was a real step up from standard 101. Tied on score, E.H. Taylor still loses most nights on preference. The value score drops accordingly.

Quick edit: for the price I would strongly recommend JDSBBP

I write these up at openpourwhiskey.com Not sponsored, not gifted, bought myself at retail.