Banter

NCF (Nobody Checks First)

Chill filtering in Bourbon has one primary purpose: to remove fatty acids from the corn and produce a clear whiskey. A Bourbon that has not been chill filtered will be cloudy but is thought to have more authenticity: stronger aroma, expanded flavors, oily mouthfeel and a more pleasing finish.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Early Times Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon Whiskey Review

Give Brown-Forman credit for releasing a limited edition whiskey that’s reasonably priced in an era where others are getting away with robbery. It’s tough to argue with a $30 price tag for a liter of bottled-in-bond bourbon from the same folks who produce Old Forester.

Banter

Barrel Proof Blind Tasting

A few weeks ago some of my bourbon drinking friends and I were sitting around discussing our favorite drink. I know, shocking right? We started talking about what each of our favorites was. Some preferred wheated, one liked high rye, I like a lot of barrel proofs, etc.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Knob Creek 25th Anniversary Bourbon Review

I have been drinking Knob Creek since not long after it came out. At first with Diet Coke (hate to admit it) and now straight or on the rocks. Knob Creek was another step in my bourbon journey, and so it carries some meaning for me in a couple of different ways.

Book Reviews

Rum Curious Book Review

The whiskey bubble, in addition to fostering alternative universes of stupidity, has also inspired significantly more people to sharply focus on whiskey’s history and craftsmanship.

Gear

Corridor Bar Review

It all started innocently enough. You and a few friends took a trip to Kentucky to visit the Bourbon Trail and on the way back you decided to stock up on a few bottles of bourbon that you couldn’t buy locally. It was only six bottles.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

12 Foot Beard Jowl Bristle Whiskey Review

12 foot Beard is not unlike some other craft whiskey: it has a cheeky name, interesting bottle, and a back story, which in this case has little to do with the product. While I do not have a beard, I did allow a three-day growth of stubble before reviewing 12 Foot Beard.

Banter

Is the Taste of a Bourbon Affected by Your Mood?

My wife, Patti and I traveled to New York City in September 2016 to attend the filming of Tony Bennett’s 90th Birthday Special. On this trip, we made a special effort to go to The Flatiron Room. The Flatiron Room has been rated one of the top bourbon bars in the US by The Bourbon Review.

Banter

To Dusty or Not to Dusty: That is the Question

The dusty decanters and older bottles are very much in vogue. There aren’t many reviews for this old stuff because most people can’t get their hands on a similar bottle so many of those reviews just would not be relevant.

Cocktails

Cava: Your Summer Bourbon Cocktail Companion

Whiskey in the Winter is a perfect pairing. The slightly warmer nights of spring also make brown spirits a good fit. But as soon as the weather starts to turn summery hot, I start to crave a cold glass of bubbly.

Banter

Making the Case to #DrinkCurious

Do you like a whiskey because you’re expected to like it? Do you hate another because you’ve not heard anything good about it? Are you a fanboy of a certain distiller (or producer), and absolutely anything that comes from them gets a free pass?

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Belle Meade Single Barrel Bourbon Review

My first experience tasting Belle Meade was a few years ago at an event in Louisville. The featured guest speaker at the event was Charlie Nelson, great x 3 grandson of Belle Meade founder Charles Nelson.

Banter

Is Cooper’s Craft Having An Identity Crisis?

The kind people at Brown-Forman recently introduced me to Coopers’ Craft. They invited a small number of whiskey writers to Louisville to hear the story of their brand, tour their cooperage (Brown-Forman is the only brand that owns their cooperage and makes their barrels).

Gear

Ranger’s Station Candle Company Review

My wife keeps asking me what I want for Father’s Day. As a whiskey nerd, this is a dangerous question. Two years ago, I told her that I wanted a bottle of William Larue Weller. She went looking for it in a few liquor stores.

Scotch Whisky News

Speyburn Arranta Casks Whisky Review

The longer it sits in your glass, the better it gets. While still not a particularly complex whisky, it’s pleasant and flavorful with a nice kick and plenty of nuances to explore.

Rye Whiskey Reviews

Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey Review

I love the nose on this whiskey. The cream sherry cask finish works well and creates the illusion of a much older and more complex whiskey. It masks the green oak notes that typically accompany such a young whiskey and imparts a creamy mouthfeel.

Scotch Whisky Reviews

Speyburn Bradan Orach Whisky Review

I believe Speyburn is one of the more overlooked single malt scotch whiskies out there. Yes, it falls into that “entry-level” category, largely because of its younger age and lower pricing, and that’s the catch-22 when it comes to ‘value’ in the whisky world.

Banter

The Life and Times of a Whiskey Reviewer

As a whiskey reviewer, I am often asked by both friends and strangers alike for opinions about whiskey. My reaction is I’m flattered that someone is actually interested in my thoughts. There’s a little bit of chest puffery that happens.

Blended Whiskey

Paniolo Blended Whiskey Review

A work colleague and friend from Hawaii, brought a bottle of this with her when she came to the east coast. We keep the bottle in a desk drawer for toasting contract awards.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Son Of Bourye Review

Some fellow bloggers told me to pull the trigger on this purchase while in KY and I am glad I did. There are not many bourbon-rye mixes out there to compare this to, so it is actually a unique product. Only a handful of other products come to mind that have done the same thing (Wild Turkey Forgiven,

Events

Bourbon, Beer & Bavaria: A Bourbon Tasting Dinner

For the past few years, my wife and I have donated a bourbon tasting dinner to the St. Ann Catholic School Sponsor’s Dinner Dance & Auction. The annual auction raises money to support the parish school where our kids attend.

Banter

Blind Bourbon Tasting

Last year, we gathered 22 whiskey fans in the tasting room at Omaha’s Spirit World for the Ultimate Blind Rye Tasting and learned that a sub-$30 shelf rye could hold its own against a seldom-seen $100 bottle.

Food

Bourbon Chocolate Chip Cookies: Sweet n’ Tipsy Style

We all search for that perfect chocolate chip cookie, and when we find it we never want to let it go! Today happens to be National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day and what better day to share my ultimate favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe?

Canadian Whisky Reviews

Tap 357 Canadian Maple Rye Whisky Review

For a flavored whisky, TAP 357 Maple Rye Whisky is very much as expected and not bad (yes, I have tried several flavored whiskies). To their credit TAP 357 is as advertised, a decent rye whisky flavored with maple syrup.

Banter

Meet Your New Daily Drinker – Jim Beam Black

I wish I could say it was an endeavor into an odd type of social experiment. Sadly, it was merely the result of a long, tumultuous relationship with gravity and a front porch that my landlord needs to do some serious brickwork on.