Category: Buy It Again

Penelope Architect Build no. 7 is bottled at 104 proof and 4 years old, finished with French oak staves from Radouzx in France. The result is a perfumed baking spice driven apple cinnamon tinged dessert whiskey with a whip of spice on the finish. Palate starts with soft fruit, almost cobbler like, then the spice ramps up along with the oak. Fruit remains pliable due to the relatively young age with the additional oak treatment blowing away some of the unwanted younger notes. Overall, a nice spicy offering from a progressive bottler!

Comparing the new Chris Stapleton/Harlen Wheatley blended whiskey to OTHER blended American whiskies really isn’t fair, as that category has been stuck on the bottom shelf for years, BUT perhaps this new entry at closer to $40 will spark a trend and revive a great American “blending” tradition to reform at the premium price level. At least that’s the hope for distillers whose creativity is far more unbound when allowed to combine so many different types to whiskey to come up with a whole better than the sum of it’s parts. Traveller is a non-age stated 90 proof blended whiskey with no age statement. The nose is fresh and fruity and inviting with feint vanilla and marshmallow notes with a touch of lemon. On the palate, my guess is some combination of Buffalo Trace distillate with a decent chunk of vanilla sweet Canadian whiskey. Imagine the love child of Blanton’s and Caribou Crossing at 90 proof and a bit younger. That’s why this tastes like with a distinct “blended” whiskey drinkability that will even appeal to a Crown or Johnnie Walker drinker.

We haven’t seen new bottlings of the Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection for a while now, but this latest batch includes a 9 year, 5 month old bottle of bourbon with “peated” malt substituted for the regular barley malt used in the Buffalo Trace mashbill #1. Bottled at 90 proof like regular buffalo trace, the nose is reminiscent of mesquite wood, smoky but sweet. On the palate, the smoke takes the form of pepper playing sharp contrast to the normal bourbon sweet notes. Some will like this, most won’t. The holy grail of course is to make something that both scotch and bourbon lovers would like. Oh yea, it’s called Canadian Whiskey!

This year’s 2023 release of Angel’s Envy Cask Strength weighs in at 118.2 proof. These are hand selected barrels that spend extra time in port cask, aged between 5 and 9 years. The result is a maximally delicious fruit bomb! Big red fruit, especially apple and pear on the nose. Touch of herbs with mint and eucalyptus leading along with feint honey. On the palate, a tremendous mid-palate fruit and honey platter with the darker fruits playing supporting roles. Tastes like a barrel aged top floor Old Forester single barrel with the fruit turned up to 11!

ALERT…$15 OFF! Since Diageo firmly planted their flag in Northern Kentucky, the quality of the Bulleit single barrels has only gone up. This high rye version of the Bulleit mashbill comes in at 104 proof and exhibits finely tuned oak notes along with birthday cake, vanilla, and orange fruit on the nose. On the palate, a blast of orange and spice. Makes me think we may have a perfect Old Fashioned single barrel on our hands, based on the mid-palate and proof alone. Throw in the $15 discount, and you really can’t go wrong!

How a long time craft bourbon producer in Indiana like Huber’s continues to be overlooked boggles my mind. For at least the past two years their ryes have been world class with a softer, fruitier barrel note on the nose different than anything else on the market. Regularly priced at $59.99, we’ve got multiple years on sale for $44.99 through the end of the year. Today I’m checking out our 2023 single barrel rye pick for Bourbon World which weighs in at 111.6 proof. Lifted Autumn candy notes on the nose with dark fruit, pine spice, and slapped mint. On the palate and incredibly soft and complex rye with both the high end spice notes and the low end barrel and fruit notes performing perfectly together. There’s such and depth and richness in these whiskies that you don’t find in larger brands, mostly due to the higher end and unique barrels that the Huber family is always experimenting with. Even their run of the mill barrels tend to be longer air-dried and much better than the standard, and you can really taste the difference on the mid-palate and weight of these whiskies.

Barrel A of the “Chosen” single barrel series from Blue Run weighs in at 110 proof with pine, lemon, rock candy, soft oak, and melon fruit on the nose. On the palate, lots of oak spice, a pinch of cinnamon, red fruit, and a tangy orange liqueur note on the finish with a touch of leather.

This revived brand from Limestone Branch, which was first bought by Luxco, then purchased by MGP is a 4+ year 93 proof straight kentucky bourbon. No frills, just an everyday “shelfer” worth taking a second or even third look at. On the nose, a light lemon custard with floral aromas and fresh cut oak. On the palate, spice first, then soft fruit throughout. This rye driven standard release might just convince me, as Blanton’s often does, that middle to low 90s is the best proof for every day bourbon drinking. If you crave a “house pour” that’s a little bit different than what everyone else has, AND you want to be able to buy it whenever you want, look no further than Yellowstone Select.

People still view Willett as relatively scarce, especially some of the bourbons, but hiding in plain sight is Old Bardstown estate, a 4-5 year bottling of Willett Estate bourbon bottled at 101 proof. Peanut butter, vanilla, and maple on the nose. On the palate, a rich, chewy, biscuit and orange marmalade note persist. Almost the PERFECT bourbon for an Old Fashioned.

The latest from High West is a Cask Strength blend of straight bourbon whiskies bottled at 117.4 proof. The nose is fresh oak, marmalade, apple cider, and rye bread. On the palate, a punch of cinnamon, followed by mellowing oak, then softer fruit. A whip of molasses and leather finish you off!