Review: Knob Creek Bourbon 18 Years Old
Can it have already been 3 years? Actually, not quite: It was only 2020 when Knob Creek’s 15 Year Old expression became the oldest whiskey in its lineup, and now there’s a natural follow-up (also a limited edition), Knob Creek at a full 18 years of age, which is presumably bottled from slightly different stock.…
Review: Southern Star Paragon Bourbon, Bottled-in-Bond, and Cask Strength Single Barrel
Over the summer, we took a look at a bourbon and rye from North Carolina-based Southern Distilling Company, each of which included a portion of whiskey distilled at Ross & Squibb (formerly MGP). We mentioned then that the distillery had recently launched a line of entirely house-distilled bourbon dubbed Paragon and promised that we’d get…
Review: Barrell Vantage
We’re back again with yet another special release from Barrell Craft Spirits, and this one is all about the wood, three different types of wood, in fact. I’ll let Barrell supply the deets: Vantage is a blend of straight bourbons finished in three distinct expressions of virgin oak: Mizunara, French, and toasted American oak casks.…
Review: Chemist American Gin and Navy Strength Gin
Chemist Spirits was founded by Debbie Word in 2018 in Asheville, North Carolina and recently garnered attention by being featured in the 2022 Daytime Emmy Awards gift bag. I wasn’t invited to the event, but I am always excited to try a new gin even if I can’t rub elbows with Susan Lucci. To make…
Review: Uncle Nearest Uncut/Unfiltered Rye
Uncle Nearest is getting into the rye game in a big way this fall. Soon, the Tennessee distillery will be offering a whopping three new rye whiskey expressions. But before that happens, Uncle Nearest has given its most dedicated fans a cask strength, non-chill filtered sneak peek at what’s to come with this bottle. I’ll…
Review: NV Graham Beck Brut Rose
We previously reviewed Graham Beck Brut sparkling wine, and today we are sampling their Brut Rosé. Both are made in the Méthode Cap Classique, which is the South African terminology for the traditional Champagne method of having secondary fermentation occur in the bottle. Both also use the same grapes, but in different proportion. For the…
Review: Bardstown Bourbon Fercullen Blended Whiskey
Bardstown Bourbon Co. embraced the trendy “bottle it yourself” concept back in 2021 with the launch of their Distillery Collection, a series of releases available exclusively at the distillery in Bardstown. Visitors can purchase these bottles in the gift shop or, if they really want a made-for-social-media memory, they can hand-bottle their own from a…
Review: Cognacs of Drouet – VSOP, XO Ulysee, Fine Melina, and Muscat Cask Finish
Drouet is a Cognac producer that traces its history back to 1848. Revitalized by the present, 4th generation, they use sustainable agriculture practices across their 40 hectares of vines located in both the Grande Champagne (70%) and Petite Champagne (30%) crus to create an impressively broad portfolio of traditional expressions and unique “craft” Cognacs. We…
