Canadian Whisky Reviews

A Canadian Whisky Tasting

A Canadian Whisky the World’s Best for 2016! shouted the headline on November 20th 2015. This was a first for Canada and the whole country was thrilled to hear it. The next day the whisky (Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye) was sold out.

Cocktails

Black Walnut Bourbon Cocktail & Pork Chop Recipes

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something……. Bourbon? Yes! We are talking bourbon today and I’m going to show you a twist on two ageless classics, The Old Fashioned & Pork chops. Some would say that bourbon has become my obsession, but let’s just say it’s my passion.

Banter

2016 Presidential Candidate Bourbon Pairings

The election season is upon us and the requisite attack ads and name calling has begun. I prefer a more positive approach to dealing with election year politics. To help you with this, I have compiled the following bourbon pairings with your favorite or not so favorite political candidate.

Banter

A Bourbon Oasis Where You Would Least Expect It

Rock Hill Farms!!! I am in a restaurant/bar and they have Rock Hill Farms! Maybe not unusual for Kentucky. Very unusual for any place in my home state of Virginia. I am in neither. I am in Oranjestad, the capital of Aruba.

Rye Whiskey Reviews

WhistlePig Boss Hog Review

With the rye whiskey renaissance, it was only a matter of time before someone decided that ryes needed something that would make a statement as big and bold as any old, high-proof bourbon. Turns out that someone is WhistlePig. WhistlePig is a rye whiskey company.

American Whiskey Reviews

Balcones Single Malt Whisky Review

The Bourbon Renaissance is in full effect and continues to become even more prominent as the demand for bourbon grows. Traditional distilleries continue to make great product, but the bourbon fervor has led smaller guys to jump into the game.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Four Roses Single Barrel Review

In choosing a bourbon to review, I started with my own collection and learned that Pops had reviewed them all; in fact, I think I bought each based on his reviews! Consequently, I hopped in my snow-capped Fusion and five minutes later stood before a newly-expanded selection at a local store.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

J. Henry & Sons Wisconsin Straight Bourbon Review

Is J. Henry & Sons Wisconsin Straight Bourbon is the best bourbon you’ve never heard of? Most bourbon fans have noticed an explosion in the craft distillery market these last few years with an influx of pricey bourbons with tall tales as backstories.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Four Roses Yellow Label Review

Sometimes, you break out the good stuff. You sit down, you get your favorite Glencairn glass out, and you sip the night away. You might add a little water, maybe a single ice-cube, but nothing else.

American Whiskey Reviews

Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection 1838 White Corn Review

Woodford Reserve’s latest Master’s Collection expression, its 10th such annual release, is the 1838 Style White Corn. With a limited release of only 30,000 bottles worldwide, the WRMC hit shelves in select markets in November 2015.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Four Roses Super Premium Review

When I first received notice that I had been selected to write a piece for Bourbon & Banter, my initial excitement almost lead me to drop everything I was doing, pouring a glass of Bourbon, and firing up the laptop. It was then that I started thinking though.

Rye Whiskey Reviews

A Midwinter Nights Dram Review

What to drink on a blizzardy night here in North Carolina? So much to choose from but one bottle stands out as appropriate–High West’s “A Midwinter Nights Dram®.” Being originally from Kentucky I begrudgingly admit liking High West products.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Isaiah Morgan Small Batch Bourbon Review

Being a West-By-God-Virginian, I wanted my first review for Bourbon and Banter to be for a West Virginia bourbon. Face it Kentuckians, we ain’t so different. Time to put the feudin’ behind us.

Food

Bourbon Toffee Cookie Recipe

February 14th is but a pour n swig away! In a perfect world we’d all adhere to the rhetoric that every day of the year is an opportunity to be extra loving to our better halves. Poppycock I say! The fact is most of us are typical casualties in the rat race of life.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Rebellion Bourbon Review

These days it is getting more and more difficult to figure out what to try when you are feeling a little adventurous in the Bourbon aisle. There is the temptation to go back to the brands and bottles you know and love.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked Bourbon Review

Woodford Reserve is another proud whiskey brought to you by the fine folks at Brown Forman. Woodford Reserve is their flagship bourbon and is known as a premium bourbon, which many bourbon and whiskey enthusiasts can always enjoy.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Elmer T. Lee Bourbon Review

America was built on the blood and sweat of patriotic Americans who took the word “No” as a polite suggestion. Elmer T. Lee is as American as they come. A native of Kentucky, Elmer enlisted in the military two weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Old Forester Signature Review

Today I am reviewing Old Forester Signature Kentucky Straight bourbon. Founded in 1870 by George Garvin Brown, the company was named J.T.S. Brown and Bro. During prohibition J.T.S. Brown and Bro applied for and received a federal license to produce Old Forester for medicinal purposes.

Rye Whiskey Reviews

Thomas Handy Rye Review

Every fall now, people who love whiskey and people who never drink whiskey trip over themselves to get their hands on anything Van Winkle.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Black Button Four Grain Bourbon Review

Everyone wants to be number one – as Ricky Bobby said, “If you’re not first, you’re last!” However when it comes to bourbon being “Batch Number One”… it could be a risky number. The first batch establishes the initial signature of the bourbon and what people will first taste and remember.

Events

2016 San Antonio Cocktail Conference Recap

Although the last shaker has been poured out and the final bracelet has been scanned, the 2016 San Antonio Cocktail Conference (SACC) was a resounding success. Houston Street Charities, the altruistic beneficiary of the four-day event.

Banter

Best Reason to Brush Your Teeth? Bourbon Flavored Toothpaste

Recently my husband was touring an exhibit of Kenner Toys and other novelties with a Cincinnati connection at the Cincinnati Public Library and he sent me a picture that just about blew my mind.

Events

Bourbon Classic Returns to Louisville for 2016

The Bourbon Classic, an annual bourbon and culinary celebration held in Louisville Kentucky, will return for its fourth year on February 26 – 27 at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts.

Irish Whiskey Reviews

Quiet Man Irish Whiskey Review

St. Patrick’s Day may be several months away but Luxco isn’t letting that get in the way of bringing their first-ever Irish whiskey to American shores.

Banter

Help Wanted: Seeking Bourbon & Booze Evangelists

Next month Bourbon & Banter will celebrate our 4th anniversary. What started out as a sleepy Facebook page for some work colleagues has grown into a blog and online store with steadily growing readership that has far exceeded anything we could have imagined.