By Richard Thomas Rating: A- Perhaps overlooked in the tumultuous news of major downsizing at Brown-Forman was last month’s release of a new batch of Old Forester 1924 10 Year Old Bourbon. The 1924 expression is a departure from the standard Old Forester in that it has a different origin mash bill: 79% instead of …
By Randall H. Borkus Rating: A This 2024 release of US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon is the latest in ten years of the label. The Toasted Barrel expression is distinguished from the standard US*1 Bourbon by its double new oak treatment: a second maturation round in a toasted barrel, following its initial rest in a …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Although Whiskey del Bac (aka Hamilton Distillers, although they don’t seem to use that name so much anymore) has had their Arizona-style American malt whiskey on the market for almost a decade now, they only just released their first bottled in bond this year. My guess is that this was …
By David Levine Rating: B Mizunara – just the word makes whisky lovers’ ears perk up and their wallets empty. This Japanese oak species is native to Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, belying its scientific name of Quercus mongolica (though some sources label it as crispula, a variant of mongolica). An average new, 53 gallon American …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ For many years, Rebel Yell 10 Year Old has remained one of the best kept secrets in bourbon fandom. Perhaps that is because it is a Rebel Yell, which is generally perceived as a bargain brand. Certainly bourbon bloggers have been raving about the expression all along, yet somehow it …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ The Whiskey Reviewer could be said to have a love affair with Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye. Deputy Editor Kurt Maitland was pointing at it when he coined his rule that “stronger whiskey is usually better whiskey.” Senior contributor and all-around rye guy Scott Peters is enamored, and I’m more than …
By David Lavine Rating: B- Roe & Co.’s newest entry into the market is a solera-aged and blended single malt Irish Whiskey. Taking an inventive spin on the solera method, Roe & Co. intends this to be a periodic release, each version showcasing another element of the process. The solera method is most associated with …
Updated April 1, 2024 By Richard Thomas Average Rating: B+ Rabble Rouser has been around for a few years now, having first been released in 2015. Although it has been a four year old expression from the beginning, it was not initially labeled a bottled in bond and therefore can’t be considered as a forerunner …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B- California distiller Redwood Empire embraces their titular theme fully, with their releases named after the oldest and tallest of the state’s famous sequoia trees. Foggy Burl is a 347-foot tall skyscraper of a tree, the name coming from its especially burly base and one of its main sources of water. …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Jack Daniel’s may be the crown jewel of the Brown-Forman empire, but its foundation is Old Forester. Several years ago, the company decided to give that foundation a much-needed brand extension into the premium direction, introducing four new expressions. Each entry in this Whiskey Row series had a year name–1870, …
