Patrick "Pops" Garrett

Founder and Chief Drinking Officer of Bourbon & Banter. I've been drinking, writing, and arguing about bourbon professionally since 2011.

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BITB Club

Replay: BITB Live Tasting #21

October’s Blind Drinkers session was a four-pour night, and the bottle that was supposed to steal the show finished dead last. Not on my scorecard alone. Every person at the table had it at the bottom. The opener had one of the best noses of the night, then

Virtual Tasting

Replay: Chattanooga Whiskey Virtual Tasting

Last night Tim Piersant, founder and CEO of Chattanooga Whiskey, joined us for our community virtual tasting. Turns out we share an anniversary. Chattanooga Whiskey turns 15 this month, and Bourbon & Banter hit 15 back in July. My first taste of their whiskey was the 111, and my review

Copper & Cask Barrel Pick Now Available To Order

I'm excited to start your week off with some good news... Bourbon & Banter's Copper & Cask barrel pick, The Over My Dead Body Barrel, is now available for purchase. Buy Online Now This single-barrel selection was distilled at MGP Indiana in November 2016 and

HQ Build-Out: Episode 7

The whiskey wall is built. Now we just have to figure out where the other 800 bottles go.

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Virtual Tasting

Replay: Leiper's Fork Virtual Tasting

A few nights ago, Lee Kennedy, founder and head distiller at Leiper's Fork Distillery, joined us for our community virtual tasting. Lee and I go back to about 2016, the same year he filled his first barrel. Leiper's Fork is a family-owned, grain-to-glass

On The Road

Larrikin Turned Six Barrels of Old Elk Into a Love Letter to Australia

That's where the Australia Series started. Greg decided to build something around his homeland with it: three flavors you could only get from Australia...

Bourbon Heritage Month

Welcome to Bourbon Heritage Month 2026

Whether you’re just discovering bourbon or have a cabinet full of well-loved bottles, welcome to Bourbon Heritage Month! We’re kicking off our 13th annual celebration, and we’re glad you’re here. Grab your favorite pour and get ready for 30 days packed with bourbon fun.

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BITB Club

Replay: BITB Live Tasting #20

August's Blind Drinkers session was a six-sample night, and we ran them in thematic pairs. The results were about what you'd expect from a lineup this wide. A few landed, a few didn't, and at least one surprised everybody, including the guy who

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Virtual Tasting

Replay: Bespoken Spirits Virtual Tasting

The other night we had Andrew Virgin and Jordan Spitzer from Bespoken Spirits out of Lexington, Kentucky join us for a virtual tasting. Three samples on the table, and none of them were made the way you think. Bespoken doesn't age in barrels. They start with young bourbon,

HQ Build-Out

HQ Build-Out: Episode 6

Then this weekend happened, and it happened fast. The pantry went from studs and a plan to a finished room, cabinets, cubby, and all.

BHM2026

30 Days of Bourbon Challenge 2026: Everything You Need to Know

This isn't a checklist you rush through to say you finished. It's a month of trying bottles you've been putting off, revisiting ones you forgot you loved, and landing on a few new favorites along the way. Here's everything you need to know before September 1st hits.

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Virtual Tasting

Replay: Copper & Cask Virtual Tasting

Last night we had Steven Corrigan, Barrel Master for Copper & Cask out of Rhode Island, join us for a virtual tasting, and I'll say this upfront: he was more than worth the invite. Four samples on the table, and every one of them had a story behind

HQ Build-Out

HQ Build-Out: Episode 5

This week: the last wall finally gets painted, the building tells us a secret we didn't ask for, and a five-shelf science cabinet joins the collection.

This Round's Mine

Happy 15th Anniversary!

Mostly, though, this one's a thank you. To everyone who's read something, shared something, emailed me, become a member, or just kept showing up.

HQ Build-Out

HQ Build-Out: Episode 4

This week: hammered copper gates finished, walls painted, and two Facebook Marketplace scores that saved us close to $10k. Plus a peek inside the office.

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BITB Club

Replay: BITB Live Tasting #19

HQ Build-Out

HQ Build-Out: Episode 3

In this episode, I walk you through the wall prep in all its unglamorous detail, the hammered-copper gate reveal (genuinely exceeded expectations — one coat of Rust-Oleum and I was standing there, a little stunned), and the new window treatments.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Wooler Whiskey Review: A bottle that hits the lower proof, lower price bullseye

This is a prime example of the type of bottle I'd recommend to someone looking to drink lighter, lower-proof bourbon without breaking the bank.

HQ Build-Out

HQ Build-Out: Episode 2

In this episode, I walk you through everything that happened in week one — the carpenter who knocked out the office and pantry build in about a day and a half, the wall repairs I tackled myself (manage your expectations), and where things stand on the whiskey wall.

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BITB Club

Replay: BITB Live Tasting #18

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Virtual Tasting

Replay: Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. Virtual Tasting

Last night, John Wadell joined us from Peerless for a virtual tasting, and if you've never met John, the guy could talk bourbon for six hours straight, and you'd want a seventh. Been with Peerless since before there was a product to taste, and that kind

HQ Build-Out

HQ Build-Out: Episode 1

We're locked in for at least 4 years, and the renovation is officially underway. Come take a look at what we're building — before the walls go up and the bottles find their home.

American Whiskey Reviews

Japan Meets Kentucky: BBC Mars Single Malt Japanese Whiskey Blend Review

It's not a pairing that many folks are probably sitting around hoping someone would put some effort behind. But once it's in the glass, it's pretty clear that BBC and Mars figured it out.

New Brand Releases

Four Roses Is Swinging Big With Their New Anthology Series

Everything I've heard says it delivers. I'd love to get my hands on a bottle and tell you exactly where it lands. But $500 is where my enthusiasm and my wallet part ways. A lot of people who fell in love with Four Roses Yellow Label or Small Batch know exactly what I mean.

This Round's Mine

How Do You Like These Apples? — A Cautionary Tale for Brands Who Can't Handle Honest Reviews

So no, we're not keeping this one quiet. When someone drags one of our people through the mud in front of an audience, we're going to respond. Not out of spite. Not to manufacture drama. But because staying silent has a cost too, and we've already paid it once.