Patrick "Pops" Garrett

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

Proof of Life

Proof of Life: Clickbait Sucks

Irregular Dispatches for the Drinking Class from Your Chief Drinking Officer

Proof of Life

Proof of Life: Hold My Barrels

Irregular Dispatches for the Drinking Class from Your Chief Drinking Officer

New Brand Releases

Yellowstone Bourbon introduces Small Batch 107

“The higher proof brings out more flavors, and by non-chill filtering Small Batch we created a much more full-bodied product than a lower-proof chill filtered bourbon...

New Brand Releases

Whiskey JYPSI introduces Tribute Double Barreled Bourbon

This is a whiskey with a price point and a flavor profile everybody can enjoy, but with the same high-quality approach we’ve taken with our other whiskeys. And that’s what we were looking for with Tribute.

Industry News

The Secret Stash: What's Under the Table at Whiskey Festivals?

It’s a well-known secret at whiskey festivals—some brands stash away something special for those who are in the know. Maybe it’s a rare single barrel, a high-proof experimental batch, or even a unicorn bottle that never sees a retail shelf. But you won’t find it on display—you have to ask.

New Brand Releases

Blue Note Bourbon Unveils Limited-Edition Special Reserve

Crafted in Memphis, the limited-release is a blend of 10 casks from Kentucky and Tennessee – cognac, madeira, sherry, port, triple sec, madeira, apricot brandy, amontillado, vanilla cognac and vino de Naranja – ranging in age from four to 19 years with varying mashbills.

New Brand Releases

Discover Kentucky Peerless's New Toasted Rye Whiskey Release

Peerless Toasted Rye is aged in two separate oak barrels. The small batch rye is initially aged in the distillery's standard, char level 3 barrel. This process develops the desired flavor profiles of caramel, brown sugar, and toffee.

Paid-members only

BITB Club

Replay: BITB Live Tasting #12

Our twelfth Bourbon in the Blind (BITB) Live Tasting of the Year was held this past Monday. This month's lineup included five samples that provided a fantastic range of expressions, including several from a single distillery.

New Brand Releases

Green River Unleashes a Bold New Wheated Single Barrel Bourbon

Presented at barrel strength, ranging from 110 to 130 proof (55 – 65 percent alc. by vol.), and aged a minimum of five years, each Green River Kentucky Straight Wheated Single Barrel selections burst with ripe apricot and tangerine over luscious barrel notes of oak, cinnamon, and vanilla creme.

New Brand Releases

Buffalo Trace's Experimental Release: Grain and Hops Spirit

“Hoppy beers are a playground for brewers; there are many techniques used to capture different flavors. It inspired us to play around with this essential beer ingredient as well,” Buffalo Trace Distillery Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley

New Brand Releases

Penelope Wheated Bourbon Joins Core Lineup at 95 Proof

“Wheated bourbons are more popular than ever, and we think we hit the mark with this one, from flavor to proof to price,” said Michael Paladini, Penelope founder and vice president of strategy for MGP. “It'll be a welcomed addition to our core line up."

New Brand Releases

Lux Row's PX Sherry Cask Bourbon: Nationwide Release at 112 Proof

“We wanted to meld the intensely sweet flavors of PX Sherry with the spicy, peppery flavor notes of our ryed bourbon,” said Lux Row Master Distiller John Rempe. “The outcome is a delicious combination of two opposing yet complementary flavors that results in a truly unique expression.”

New Brand Releases

Discover Laws Whiskey House's New Super Wheater Bourbon

“SUPER WHEATER is a whiskey made for those who honor tradition but live in the moment – pour a glass, slow down, and enjoy the rich character of this remarkable grain,” says Al Laws, founder and president of Laws Whiskey House.

New Brand Releases

WhistlePig Snout-to-Tail Bourbon: Bold Innovation in Bourbon Craft

The only Bourbon aged Snout-to-Tail, WhistlePig flips its barrels 180 degrees in the warehouse to capture each barrel head’s unique toasted flavors and bring out the big, bold character in this palate-pleasing Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

Paid-members only

The Bourbon Drinker's Guide to Coping with February

I’m here for the party so I’m not leaving. Unlike Steve, I don’t have a curfew or a standing bedtime. Halftime is for bathroom breaks, bourbon refills, and another trip to the food spread to see if anything new hit the table while I was watching the game.

Industry News

Whiskey in the Winter 2024: Exploring the Future of Bourbon

Last December, Pops (@chief.drinking.officer) and Patrick Pho (@districtofbourbon)hit the Whiskey in the Winter Festival in St. Louis to dive deep into the hottest topic in bourbon: Is the bubble about to burst? Armed with cameras and questions, we connected with industry insiders to get their take on

New Brand Releases

Woodford Reserve’s Beloved Double Double Oaked Makes National Debut

Double Double Oaked is handcrafted by finishing fully-mature Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon for an additional two years in a second, heavily toasted, lightly charred, new oak barrel (hence the name Double Double Oaked).

Paid-members only

BITB Club

Replay: BITB Live Tasting #11

Our final Bourbon in the Blind (BITB) Live Tasting of 2024 was held on December 30th. We capped off a fantastic year of blind tastings with a monster sample kit featuring a total of nine (9) whiskies. It was a high-spirited tasting if you know what I mean.

Members only

This Round's Mine

8 Bourbon Trends We Want Gone (or to Stay) in 2025

If you've never visited Punch.com, it's a great booze-centric website with great info, stories and cocktail recipes. The site's crew did a running commentary of which drink trends should disappear next year, and we thought it so good that we decided to do

Members only

On The Road

Behind the scenes of a Four Roses barrel pick

Not everyone can snag a spot on a Four Roses barrel pick, but we’ve got you covered. We documented the whole experience to give our entire community a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to be part of a Bourbon & Banter Four Roses barrel pick

Industry News

Beam Launches "Beam Private Barrel Club"

Jim Beam®, is excited to announce the launch of the Beam Private Barrel Club, a community of whiskey fans and enthusiasts who, for the first time, can buy and personalize their own single barrel directly from the distillery, creating an entirely new way to experience the iconic distiller.

New Brand Releases

Still Austin Whiskey Co. Launches Tanager Cigar Blend Whiskey

“Tanager represents the culmination of years of careful blending and aging expertise. By using the Petites Eaux technique, weʼve created a whiskey that offers a unique complexity, with layers that reveal something new with each sip,ˮ said Nancy Fraley, Master Blender at Still Austin.

Annual Summit

2024 Bourbon & Banter Summit Recap Report

Join us as we recap the Bourbon & Banter Summit 2024 in Louisville, featuring exclusive tours, tastings, and unforgettable experiences.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

2024 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Non-Review

The 2024 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection is back, and yeah, we know—it’s been talked about more than your buddy’s “secret” bourbon stash. So, we’re flipping the script.

On The Road

Bearface Whisky is more nuanced, subtle than its name

“One reason I chose to do this in Canada was the rules for Canadian whisky aren’t so strict as they are for bourbon, I wanted to have more freedom to do something different."