As experimental releases proliferated among the American whiskey industries legacy distillers and newcomers, Four Roses has largely left the concept alone. Whenever I asked about this or other possible expansions, the answer that came back centered on the difficulty the distillery had keeping up with the demand for their existing products. But in mid-2026, Four …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B Although it defies the expectations of many denizens of internet’s whiskeydom, those of us with long memories or knowledge of history realize that just because the Bourbon Boom is over does not mean new companies and brands will not be forthcoming. Some of the most popular and well-established brands today …
Willett Distillery has announced a major company milestone, declaring its new Springfield, Kentucky facility operational and filling the first barrel there. The first barrel was filled on Thursday, June 18, a date that also marks the late Ms. Martha Kulsveen’s birthday, adding an extra layer of meaning to the occasion for what is a family-owned …
Blade and Bow, the Diageo-owned brand based in Louisville’s famed Stitzel-Weller Distillery, has revealed a new expression: Blade & Bow 12 Year Old Solera Reserve The new limited annual expression has been developed by Nicole Austin, the Director of American Whiskey Liquid Development and Capabilities at Diageo. Beginning with a 12 year old take on …
By Richard Thomas Although it was my intention to not do another round-up of the whiskey industry’s closure, bankruptcy, business and lawsuit news until early summer, recent events have compelled me to follow mid-May’s update with a mid-June update. Double Blow To The Weavers In Uncle Nearest Case Sometimes small town newspapers are an excellent …
By Richard Thomas Since the founding of The Whiskey Reviewer, news on the loss of whiskey valued in the six digits has come in one of two forms: robberies or thefts of a relatively small amount of very valuable bottles or trucking accidents resulting in the loss of a large quantity of mass market products. The …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B For those who don’t know the brand histories, Jim Beam had a reason for using Old Granddad’s distillate in creating the Basil Hayden brand back in the 1990s. Raymond Hayden created the Old Granddad brand in the 1880s, naming it for his grandfather, Meredith Basil Hayden. The two names have …
In one sense, Penelope Bourbon is a brand that has bucked the usual state of affairs for whiskey brands. The usual path is to release core, regular expressions and only then branch out into cask finishes, experimentals, single barrels and other such variants. Penelope is one of a handful of brands that went the opposite …
Climate Change Throws Whiskey Making Off Balance Whiskey has always depended on predictable agriculture. Barley likes cool, damp places. Water needs to run steady from springs and streams. Aging relies on gentle temperature swings inside warehouses. Climate change is messing with every step of that chain. In 2026, distillers across Scotland, Ireland, and the United …
How Premium Whiskey Brands Are Expanding Through Sports Partnerships Whiskey brands used to fight for the eye at the back bar and on the store shelf. Now they want the lap before lights out, the hour before kickoff, the walk from the parking lot to the gate. Formula 1 gives them paddock suites and race-week …
