Events

2017 New Orleans Bourbon Festival Recap

Let’s get to the obvious reason why I wanted to go to The New Orleans Bourbon Festival, bourbon of course (and lots of it to be exact). 83 different kinds of bourbon were featured at this event.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

1792 Full Proof Bourbon Review

This has been out for a while, but I found one on the shelf in Virginia. I was disappointed in this bottling of 1792. I have had bottles of the Small Batch and Sweet Wheat and tasted the Single Barrel and Port Finish.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Lusty Claw Bourbon Review

The website calls this “Not only one of the world’s best bourbons, Lusty Claw is one of the World’s best whiskey’s”. What it should say is “We know the stuff in the bottle is terrible so we spent all of our money on a really cool bottle.”

Rye Whiskey Reviews

Ezra Brooks Rye Whiskey Review

A simple yet tasty whiskey. It’s one of the lightest whiskeys we’ve tried this year, but its fruit overtones make it interesting enough to finish a glass without any hesitation. However, its lack of depth will keep it from my regular rotation of whiskeys that I enjoy drinking neat.

Banter

Raw Bourbon: The Future of Bourbon Is Now

Raw Bourbon. That’s what it’s being called. Bourbon that comes straight from the barrel with no filtering of any kind. No chill filtering, no mesh filtering…nothing. Open up the bung and let the bourbon flow into the bottle.

Industry News

Buffalo Trace Distillery Experiments with 300-Year-Old Oak

As part of its latest endeavor in experimentation, Buffalo Trace Distillery is experimenting with barrels made of 300-year-old wood. This venture is one of many wood-specific experiments that the Distillery has led.

Cocktails

Aged & Infused Review

Ever get tired of plain old delicious whiskey? Me neither. But around here the motto is “Drink Curious” or as I like to say, “Try all the drinks.” Aged & Infused makes whiskey infusion kits.

American Whiskey Reviews

PENNA Dutch Malt Whiskey Review

The Pennsylvania Dutch came to America from Germany in the 17th century. This Dutch Malt Whiskey, made with traditional “Munich” style of malt, is a fitting tribute to those early pioneers whose rich traditions and enduring legacy still lives on today.

Banter

Bourbon In The Raw?

We shared this on photo on our social channels earlier this week but wanted to make sure all of our readers got a chance to check it out. We’ll be doing a full write-up and tasting notes next week but it’s just too funky not to share a photo in advance.

Rye Whiskey Reviews

Whiskey Acres Rye Review

Even though this is a younger product, it’s a solid rye option. It stands up well on its own, and I would imagine that it would go great in a cocktail. The mint adds a unique layer to it, and I’m looking forward to trying it in a Mint Julep or Kentucky Mule.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Colonel E.H. Taylor: Cured Oak vs. Seasoned Wood

As I type this, Buffalo Trace is filling bottles of its latest limited edition Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. which should hit stores this April. The new release is called “Four Grain,” a departure from the previous two releases that featured treated barrel staves, called “Cured Oak” and “Seasoned Wood.”

Banter

Bourbon In Aruba

Most people, traveling in the Caribbean, would expect that rum is the go to spirit when looking for an adult beverage. For those of us that prefer bourbon and are used to a diverse selection, this can make for a somewhat trying vacation in the islands.Things may be changing, however.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Blade and Bow Bourbon Review

One of the qualities I like to observe with my whiskeys is the appearance. The bright amber is pleasant to look at, but an even more attractive quality is what kind of legs get left on the glass after a good swirl.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Whiskey Acres Bourbon Review

This is still a pretty young product but it’s just not in my personal strike zone as far as bourbon goes. They have a great story and what they are doing is extremely unique in the bourbon world by growing, harvesting, mashing, distilling, and aging all on their family farm in Dekalb, IL.

Banter

Goodbye My Old Friend

I said good bye to an old friend last night, George T Stagg. It was the 2011 edition, 142.6 proof, 18 years and 5 months old. Put in the barrel about 24 years ago. It was my first “special” bourbon.

Scotch Whisky Reviews

The Balvenie Single Barrel First Fill 12 Year Review

Maybe it was said and maybe it wasn’t, but either way, the statement remains incredibly righteous. “Only the white man’s leaders,” the old Indian chief observed, “would cut from the top of the blanket and sew it to the bottom and believe he’s made it longer.”

Banter

The War of the Roses, Part 1

One of the aspects that makes tasting bourbon so exciting is the variation that occurs from one release to the next. A bourbon that is “batched” is a blend of several barrels that tastes uniform across every bottle.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Widow Jane Baby Jane Bourbon Review

More than four years of careful growing and hand-harvesting to develop our very own hybrid of two non-GMO heirloom varietals of corn. The child of Bloody Butcher and Wapsie Valley corns, Baby Jane was cultivated to reflect specific characteristics we love in whiskey.

Food

Smoked Tri Tip With Bourbon And Peach Glaze

Ah…bourbon. A great icebreaker in social situations, we can just break out the bottle, give everyone a pour, and sit back relaxing, telling stories, and just having a good time. But bourbon is not satisfied with that single responsibility.

Distilleries

Leiper’s Fork Distillery

Leiper’s Fork has long been a tourist destination for residents and visitors to Nashville with its laid back country vibe, idyllic setting, and celebrity draw.

Banter

What I’ve Learned From Bourbon

I wrote my first guest column for Bourbon & Banter in 2013. At that time I was an avid follower of the site and a special education teacher who loved bourbon. I had done a lot of reading and even more drinking on the subject.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Widow Jane 10 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon Review

Long but not hot. Especially with a KY chew, this leaves a flavor on the palate but not in a good way. The only thing I can compare it to is the old-timey original flavor Listerine mouthwash, like the back of your palate, has been coated with it.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

1955 Old Fitzgerald Bourbon Review

I wrote this review because I wanted to share this experience with the Bourbon & Banter readers. This was a bottle that most people will never see in their life. I know that it was an extremely rare treat.

Banter

Bourbon & Banter 5th Anniversary

Today marks the 5th anniversary of Bourbon & Banter. It’s hard to believe that 1,825 days have gone by since pushing publish on our first blog post. The site has come a long way since then, as has the bourbon industry that we’re proud involved with on a daily basis.

Flavored Whiskey Reviews

CALI Sipping Whiskey Review

CALI is a unique California twist on a classic sipping whiskey. We are shooting for a spirit smoother than a frontier rye, but more complex and flavorful than a traditional Kentucky bourbon.