Category: Hall of Fame

A 10yr old, wheated bourbon produced with the Weller recipe and hand-selected by the Van Winkle family. I think it’s the BEST one of the bunch because it’s 107 proof, it’s not overoaked as some of the other expressions can be from time to time, and it’s not a trophy like the others. On the nose, boiling toffee, tea tree oil, and juicy pear, very concentrated. On the palate, leather chair and oak spice, orchard fruit on the mid-palate, long spicy finish. You can chew on this one for days!

Batch A123 starts with lifted saddle leather, cotton candy, and a sweet floral note on the nose. On the palate, candy corn, nutty spice, and a concentration of vanilla and butterscotch. Perfectly balanced oak to sweetness ratio from start to finish. This is as traditionally good as it gets.

Here’s the deal, for $10 this is the BEST BOURBON DEAL of 2023. It’s 4yr Jim Beam Bottled-in-Bond at 100 proof and non-chill filtered. Soft corn and orange zest on the nose with a distinct yeasty kick. On the palate loads of honey, fritos, sour lemon drops, and sweet apple.

A cask strength bourbon at 105.4 proof is almost unheard of. I’ve only seen a few Wild Turkey single barrels lower, which likely means a LOW ageing floor at MGP where it’s colder. On the nose this is light and nutty, but on the palate, this may be one of the smoothest drinking single barrels we’ve ever released. Delicious mint, light oak, and perfectly portioned sweet fruit throughout, even a touch of passionfruit. Really surprisingly delicious.

This BIB wheater is some of the oldest wheated stock at Heaven Hill. The 17 was one of the most delicious bourbons of this year, and the 19 does not disappoint. Dark red mahogny color, with nose of red fruit, apple scnapps, and very rich oak, with leather chair, baked cinnamon, and amish apple butter emerging as well. On the palate, nothing but deep rich bourbon flavor, wave after wave of toffee, caramel, and more red fruit. There’s a nuttiness as well along with the oak. It’s oaky, but NOT over-oaked. Between a Stagg Jr or WLW and this, I think the Old Fitz 19 and 17 win that pepsi challenge every time.

Perhaps one of the first volleys before the craft whiskey revolution took off, Bulleit was a project in the works at Seagram’s prior to the 01 split, spearheaded ultimately by Tom Bulleit and his daughter. The unique bottle, and the mass introduction of MGP’s straight 95% rye helped usher in a new age of strongly flavored cocktails, throwback packaging. Today’s curretn bottling is not mch different than the first…pickle and fresh pine notes on the nose, rock candy, and lifted sugar notes as well with a rye spice backbone. On the palate, sweet and spciy as ever with some older oak notes on the finish. Does this still make the best Manhattan’s and Old Fashioneds out there? You’d be hard pressed to challenge these!

Non-chill filtered and bottled at 109 proof, the 2022 Limited Edition Small Batch features a 20 year-old Bourbon from the OBSV recipe, a 15 year-old OESK, a 14 year-old OESF, and a 14 year-old OESV. On the nose, ultra soft melted caramel and subtle fruit. On the palate more caramel, with cinnamon spice, candy apple, and warming oak. This is mellow Christmas goodness in a glass. Has to be a TOP 5 allocated of 2022, and LOVE the slightly lower proof.

Profound smack of dry burley tobacco barn, nougat, toffee, creme caramel, leather and spicy oak. 129 proof and laced with tropical fruit, barrel spice, and bright sweet flavors. Perfect combination of austere, old school bourbon and candy shop. Fun with a purpose!

Concentrated red fruit, lfted lingonberry, blueberry, and plums. Vanilla Extract and some Italian shoe leather to round out a very elegant nose. On the palate, extremely ripe red fruit. If Macallan sherry cask was made with rye instead of barley this would be it. Cinnamon and shortbread combined with a long and complex fruit finish, but NOT even close to being too sweet or “over” finished. This is a perfect neat sipper by the fire. Another triumph!

A blend of 13yr bourbon and 8 & 9yr ryes finished in rye barrels. Wild Turkey Unforgotten presents leather pouch, yellow fruit, vanilla ice cream, and pine forest on the nose. On the palate the 105 proof is surprisingly sweet, with a whole “bourbon candy” vibe backed up by a spicy rye backbone. This is the bottle that everyone starts slow on, but ends up being the first one empty at the end of the night. Totally delicious.