Erin Petrey

Born and raised in the Bluegrass Erin has always held an affinity for her home state's signature spirit. Though a high rye bourbon will always be her favorite, she can never say no to a pretty bottle.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Wilderness Trail Kentucky Straight 6-Year-Old Private Barrel Wheated Bourbon Review

It's not often you get to taste the flavor evolution of one of your favorite products, especially if your favorite hails from a heritage distillery. I've been an early adopter of Wilderness Trail, and the ability to taste - in real time - the arc of one of my favorite brands is incredible.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

RD1 Spirits: An Amburana for the Haters

The finish isn't overwhelming, as Amburana usually is, and provides just enough spice and sweetness to keep it interesting. I'm not sure if it's the combination of my delight for cinnamon and my love for caipirinhas...but I just really enjoy this whiskey.

On The Road

9 Trends From The 2025 Kentucky Bourbon Festival

Distilleries jockeyed for headlines, unveiling new releases, launching new brands, and—most dramatically—Heaven Hill returned to making Bourbon in Bardstown. The Kentucky Bourbon Festival isn’t just a local event anymore; it’s a tentpole moment on the whiskey calendar.

Events

National Bourbon Week Announces Schedule for Second Annual Celebration in Bardstown

The BCG just announced the schedule for the second-annual National Bourbon Week, running this year from June 9-15. The event includes 20 events with 11 distilleries located within 16 square miles.

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.

Members only

This Round's Mine

Top Bourbon Resolutions for 2025

I am declaring 2025 the year of the Big Bottle Share. Bottle shares are a cornerstone of the whiskey community, but with so many folks stocked to the gills with bottles hoarded from the pandemic and subsequent bourbon boom...

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

Cocktails

Chinola Passion Fruit Old Fashioned: A Tropical Twist on a Classic

Enter Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur. When I first discovered it, I snatched it off the shelf quicker than a flipper picking up a bottle of Blanton's. It's been on my bar ever since. I use it like a Frank's Red Hot of sorts...

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.

Gear Reviews

Kentucky Alchemy Julep Cup Candles

The brand was created out of a realization that the bourbon boom was extending across American borders. “I lived internationally for many years and whenever I’d say I was from Kentucky, the only thing most people knew was KFC.

On The Road

We drank bourbon at every lounge in the Atlanta airport

As a seasoned travelers, we are well-acquainted with the pleasures of the airport lounge. It offers a respite from the masses, a dedicated bathroom, a smattering of (usually mediocre) snacks, and a bevy of alcoholic drinks to enjoy between gates.

Cocktails

Happy Whiskey Sour Day!

The foundation of a sour is simple: spirit, sweet, and citrus. A delightful quaff that delivers a little punch from the booze, a little sweet from sugar, and a heavy dose of zest from citrus.

Banter

Testing the Total Wine Traveller Whiskey Old Fashioned

As your dedicated and fearless Cocktail Editor, I sacrificed my tastebuds and gastrointestinal peace to test how bad this drink is.

Banter

Sustainability at Wilderness Trail Distillery

I’ve been to dozens of bourbon distilleries, and I can confidently say that Wilderness Trail is truly built differently. Everything they do is underpinned by expertise and near fanaticism for science.

Banter

Whiskey Glassware 101: Beginner's Guide

When it comes to tasting whiskey - and any spirit, for that matter - there is a wide array of shapes to choose from, each promising to be “the best.” This guide overviews the most common glassware types for drinking whiskey.

Mezcal Review

State of the Margarita with Ilegal Mezcal Reposado

Many of us are haunted by that one alcohol we had a terrible evening with years back. For me, it's tequila. I do enjoy a Margarita, but beyond that, I can't stomach the agave liquor.

American Whiskey Reviews

Lodestar American Whiskey Review

The blend of high rye and single malt whiskey yields a mild burnt sugar sweetness complemented by the toastiness of the malt. The finish leaves a delightful tingle, both from the proof and the high rye mashbill.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

I.W. Harper Cabernet Cask Reserve Bourbon Review

Too often secondary finishes are used to cover up mediocre juice and can leave an unbalanced sweetness with an unpleasant finish. This is not the case with the Cab Cask Reserve, and, to me, it tastes like a better-balanced, more nuanced Angel's Envy Port Finish.

North American Whiskey Review

Fraser & Thompson Whiskey Review

The bottle tag states, "It's going to be strange liking whiskey," but I already like whiskey, and I don't like this one. It doesn’t bring anything new to the market, and adding 8% Kentucky bourbon to the 92% Canadian whisky does not add any dimension.

Banter

Inaugural Bourbon & Banter Summit Recap

We recently wrapped our first annual Bourbon & Banter Community Summit held in Louisville, Kentucky.  We were thrilled to be able to mix and mingle with our community members from across the country IRL. If you’re curious what it’s like to be a member of our community, here are a few highlights.

Flavored Whiskey Reviews

Jefferson's Pumpkin Patch Bourbon Review

I really don’t think you can go wrong with this bottle. Whether you’re embracing your inner white girl or are just one of those adults who is way too into Halloween, this bottle is not to be missed. If you can snag a bottle, definitely do it!

Banter

Brie Hayden: Bottle Artist Extraordinaire

And then the big break came with her second piece, which launched her to the next level artistically. In 2020, her piece caught the eye of a partner with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's Teremana Tequila, who commissioned her to draw the celeb's tequila bottle to be given as a gift for his birthday.

Rum Reviews

Angostura 7-Year-Old Rum Review

Angostura doesn't just make bitters; they are also a robust rum distillery. The Angostura 7-year-old rum is a great pour for those who are rum-curious or want to experience a bourbon cocktail in a fresh way.

Banter

The Truth About Crab Trapper Whiskey

Since I’m always up for an adventure, of course, I wanted to try Crab Trapper Whiskey when offered a sample. It’s a 4-year-old bourbon steeped with 90 pounds of green crabs and seasoned with spices reminiscent of a low-country boil. Crazy, right? But I was up for it.

Cocktails

In Defense of the Espresso Martini

Every year, it seems another cocktail is the target of inexplicable ire and intense kvetching by both the press and certain bartenders. In 2019, the Aperol Spritz found a laser sight on itself, being called “not a good drink” by the New York Times.