Saturday, June 18, 2022

Bourbon Barrel Blurbs Vol. 01, Ed. 05

The 'Face of Old Forester' is stepping away

Old Forester Master Taster Jackie Zykan, who played a prominent role in the marketing of the legendary bourbon brand, is leaving the company.

Louisville distillery launches 'Bottle Your Own' experience this summer

Angel's Envy is launching a "Bottle Your Own" experience at the distillery this summer. The experience is being added as part of the $8.2 million expansion.

The Best Whiskeys In The World, According To The John Barleycorn Awards

BG Exchange Club sponsors raffle of bourbons and other spirits

Are you a bourbon lover? Check out Thirteenth Colony’s Tasting Room!

Thirteenth Colony Distillery in Americus, GA is now offering tours of their tasting room!

To find out more visit: https://www.thirteenthcolony.com/

Targeting Bourbon’s Younger Set, Kentucky’s Blue Run Is Off To A Fast Start

Old Dominick Distillery aged to market during whiskey boom

Roughly five years ago, Old Dominick Distillery laid out its first barrels for its Tennessee whiskey. Barring supply chain delays, that whiskey will be released in October.

Memphis Business Journal talked with Chris Canale, who founded Old Dominick with his cousin Alex Canale in 2017.

Did You Know There is a Louisiana Distillery Trail?

Read More: Did You Know There is a Louisiana Distillery Trail? | https://710keel.com/did-you-know-there-is-a-louisiana-distillery-trail/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral

Did You Know There is a Louisiana Distillery Trail?

In fact, you can wet your whistle across a vast number of distilleries across Louisiana. The Bayou State features at least 15 distilleries from Vidalia to Baton Rouge, from Lake Charles to the Big Easy, featuring everything from absinthe, rum, gin, flavored liqueurs and of course whiskey and bourbons. In fact, the historic Arlington Hotel at 700 Cotton Street in downtown Shreveport is currently being renovated to feature the new Every Man a King Distilling, a french restaurant call The Revenir, a music club hidden in the underground level called The Bottoms Speakeasy, and The Cotton Street Club event space on the second level. Every Man a King will start producing gin, whiskey & vodka, eventually expanding to include bourbon.

Read More: Did You Know There is a Louisiana Distillery Trail? | https://710keel.com/did-you-know-there-is-a-louisiana-distillery-trail/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral

J. Rieger’s Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey returns the tastebuds to a Pre-Prohibition palate

Judson & Moore distillery finally opens after a decade of planning — and a fire, the pandemic and an untimely death

Thursday, June 16, 2022

Bourbon Barrel Blurbs Vol. 01, Ed. 04

2022 North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition Is Now Accepting Entries

The North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition is owned and produced by Wine Country Network, Inc, a leading producer of Internationally focused, professional beverage competitions. The North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition is dedicated to identifying North America’s Best Bourbon and Whiskey based products available.

The North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition was founded in 2014 to promote excellence in Bourbon, Whiskey, and Moonshine. This double-blind competition uses a 100-point scale. Only American and Canadian-made whiskeys have the opportunity to compete against America's native spirits for the coveted N.A.B.W.C "BEST OF SHOW AWARD" laser engraved custom barrel head. Winners also receive handsome die-cast medals and are featured in a follow-up feature article in Wine Country International® magazine and the "Best Bourbon and Whiskey" trade and consumer tasting.

For more information, visit: https://whiskeycomp.com/

Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey Invests $5 Million in ‘Hella Cocktail Co.’ Craft Bitters and Mixers

Uncle Nearest Ventures is the investment arm of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. The venture was created to invest in minority (BIPOC and women) founded, owned, and led brands with the greatest potential to grow into long-standing legacy brands.

Uncle Nearest has announced a $5 million investment in Hella Cocktail Co., a brand of botanically inspired mixers and beverages crafted to elevate cocktail culture for everyone. Their portfolio includes crafted bitters, premium mixers, and non-alcoholic bitters & soda RTDs. Hella Cocktail Co. says from strategy to vision, and from ethos to growth trajectory, the partnership between these two brands truly aligns in every dimension. Standing out with its inclusive category perspective and incredible development.

Review: Brother’s Bond Wants to Be More Than a Celebrity Bourbon

Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley launched one of the the fastest-growing bourbons in the U.S. last year with Brother's Bond. Inside Hook recently talked to the guys and got look at their latest release.

Why we’re drinking this: When it launched late last year, Brother’s Bond quickly became one of the fastest-growing bourbons in America, shipping over 80,000 cases across the USA in 29 states. It had the most successful pre-sale launch in the history of ReserveBar. It’s also already the most-followed alcohol brand on Instagram, according to the company.

The flagship Brother’s Bond release is a solid four-grain (65% corn, 22% rye, undisclosed wheat and barley), 80-proof bourbon that seems to have taken off so successfully due to a combination of star power, modest pricing, clever marketing and, yes, a very balanced taste profile.

While I don’t think the flagship release will appeal to hardcore bourbon fans in the long run — it’s solid and well-rounded if not overly complex (but good for summer-y drinks) — the Cask Strength suggests that a little more kick could go a long way.

How it tastes: Brother’s Bond Bourbon Original Cask Strength is a limited release of 70 of the Brother’s Bond Bourbon barrels, which were distilled and sourced from MGP in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. The Cask Strength release, uncut and unfiltered, has an ABV of 57.9% (our sample, which we tried in December, was 59% ABV — all of the BB releases share the same mashbill). The age statement we were told was four years.

Turns out the higher ABV did the trick: The “total balance” of the original gets a bit upended, but now you have more caramel, butterscotch and jam notes (including raspberry), with hickory and tobacco on the nose and some more rye spice making an appearance on the finish. This one is really nice for sipping, and given its modest price point, could also even work well in an elevated cocktail.

Fun fact: While a rye is “coming soon” according to the Brother’s Bond website, be on the lookout for a 100-proof release and various age statement bottles over the next few years.

Where to buy it: Available starting June 14th on ReserveBar and eventually a few select retailers, Brother’s Bond Cask Strength Bourbon has a suggested retail price of $79.99.

The full article can be found here.

Taste Test: Keeper’s Heart Irish Whiskey and Bourbon Blend Is Solid—but Not Stellar

Robb Report recently reviewed the new Keeper’s Heart Irish + Bourbon, a combination of Irish whiskey and American bourbon blended and sourced by the new O’Shaughnessy Distilling Co. in Minneapolis.

Irish + Bourbon is made up of the following components: triple distilled pot still Irish whiskey, aged for at least four years in bourbon barrels; Irish grain whiskey (maize and malt), aged for at least four years in bourbon barrels; and bourbon made from a mash bill of 76 percent corn, aged in new charred oak barrels for at least four years. The Irish whiskeys were distilled at Great Northern Distillery in Dundalk, and the bourbon at MGP in Indiana, but the exact proportions are not revealed.

On the nose, the whiskey is light and grassy, with a bit of fruit and fresh wood. It is distinctly un-bourbon from start to finish, as it should be, but the best thing about it is that the character of the different whiskey elements are highlighted instead of masked. The fruit and spice from the pot still shines through, along with some vanilla and espresso notes from grain, and even more vanilla and a touch of char from bourbon. I had a chance to try the individual components of this blend, and the pot still in particular was excellent, so quality of the sourced whiskey doesn’t seem to be an issue here.

The full article can be found here.

The best Pappy Van Winkle bourbon alternatives

While Pappy Van Winkle bourbon is a one-of-a-kind item, there are many excellent substitutes. To find the best Pappy Van Winkle alternatives, Insider's James Brains tried Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year and Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year and talked to four experts: Jeremy Johnson; Freddie Johnson (no relation), a popular tour guide for Buffalo Trace Distillery, the makers of Pappy; Fred Minnick, the author of "Bourbon Curious"; and Henry Kwok, the owner of Henry's Place, a bourbon bar in Okemos, Michigan.

As you might expect, the top alternative was Weller but what other releases made the list? Click here to find out.

The Best Blended Bourbon Whiskeys Right Now, Ranked By UPROXX

It wasn’t too long ago that the word “blended” had a very negative connotation in the bourbon whiskey world. The idea was that “blended” bourbon wasn’t “straight” bourbon so it was, thereby, automatically inferior. While that may have been true at some point (but even then, not really), those days are long gone. Today, blended bourbons are amongst the most respected and lauded bottles on the shelf.

In fact, entire brands are built around the fact that they take barrels from all over and blend them into masterpieces. It’s a genre unto itself.

So what is a “blended” bourbon these days? Very simply, a blended bourbon is a mix of different bourbons from different mash bills and distilleries, sometimes from completely different states. With this list, I’m focusing on the blends with whiskey from different distilleries and states that are put together by craft distillers and blenders.

To see the complete list by Zach Johnston on UPROXX, click here.

Sandy River Distillery fire outside of Farmville sends one owner to hospital

In a post made to the Sandy River Distillery’s Facebook page on Monday night, owners Mark and Candi Smith announced that Mark was in the hospital receiving treatment after a fire broke out at the distillery.

The first craft distillery in Prince Edward County, Virginia, Sandy River Distillery is home to Sterling Vodka,1840 Bourbon, and various flavors of moonshine.

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Chattanooga Whiskey ANNOUNCES NEXT RELEASE IN AWARD-WINNING BOTTLED IN BOND VINTAGE SERIES

Bottled in Bond: Spring 2018 Vintage from Chattanooga Whiskey

CHATTANOOGA, TN (May 27, 2022) – Chattanooga Whiskey today announced the next release of their Bottled in Bond Vintage Series: Spring 2018 Vintage. The series is exclusively crafted at their Riverfront Distillery and is a single-season, vintage-dated expression of their Tennessee High Malt style.

To be labeled Bottled in Bond, a bourbon must be the product of one distillation season, one distiller, and from one distillery. Legally, it must be aged in a federally bonded warehouse for at least four years and bottled at 100 proof.

“We believe this release not only lives up to the Bottled in Bond tradition, but also pushes our BIB Vintage Series in an exciting new direction,” said Tim Piersant, Founder & CEO.

Barreled January through June 2018, Chattanooga Whiskey’s Spring 2018 Vintage is crafted from a selection of four unique high malt bourbon mash bills - all made within the same distilling season - and each composed of at least 25% specialty malted grains. The result is an innovative approach to one of the industry’s most time-honored quality standards.

“Our Spring 2018 blend includes a small percentage of a new recipe to the series: R18016. Made with approximately 20% minimally dried ‘green’ malt in its mash bill, this delicate recipe added a lovely, light complexity to the blend,” said Grant McCracken, Head Distiller.

Bottled in Bond: Spring 2018 Vintage will be available at the Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery and across TN, GA, FL, TX, IL, IN, SC, LA, KY, AL, and CO at a suggested retail price of $52.99 for a 750ml bottle. Expect notes of crème brûlée, apple cobbler and toasted coconut with a long, malty-sweet finish. More information about each mash bill can be found at chattwhiskey.com/mashbills.

About Chattanooga Whiskey:
Starting in 2011, Chattanooga Whiskey challenged the laws and won the right to distill whiskey in Chattanooga for the first time in over 100 years. The Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery now hosts over 40,000 visitors per year and serves as a hub of innovation and creativity to push the boundaries of craft whiskey. The Riverfront Distillery is the production home to Chattanooga Whiskey’s signature expressions, Chattanooga Whiskey 91, Cask 111 and 99 Rye, and their Bottled in Bond Vintage Series.

Experimental Distillery 1439 Market Street, Chattanooga, TN
Riverfront Distillery 890 Riverfront Pkwy, Chattanooga, TN
For more information: Press@TNStillhouse.com

For more information on Tennessee High Malt, click here.

Monday, June 13, 2022

[Press Release] Brown‑Forman and The Coca-Cola Company Announce Plans to Debut Jack Daniel's® Tennessee Whiskey and Coca-Cola®™ Ready-To-Drink Cocktail

LOUISVILLE, KY/ATLANTA, GA - Brown‑Forman Corporation (NYSE: BFA) (NYSE: BFB) and The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) today announced a global relationship to debut the iconic Jack & Coke cocktail as a branded, ready-to-drink (RTD) pre-mixed cocktail option.

Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola RTD, inspired by the classic bar cocktail, will be made with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and Coca-Cola. The beverage will be available in markets around the world, with initial launch planned for Mexico in late 2022.

“This relationship brings together two classic American icons to deliver consumers a taste experience they love in a way that is consistent, convenient, and portable,” said Lawson Whiting, CEO and President of Brown‑Forman Corporation, the largest American-owned spirit and wine company. “Brown‑Forman has been a leader in the ready-to-drink category since we launched our first Jack Daniel’s RTD more than 30 years ago. Coca-Cola perfectly complements Jack Daniel’s and our existing RTD offerings, enabling us to accelerate expansion and continue to grow our business around the world.”

“We keep consumers at the center of everything we do as we continue to develop our portfolio as a total beverage company, and that includes new products with our iconic Coca-Cola brand,” said James Quincey, Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. “We are excited about our new relationship with Brown‑Forman and look forward to the introduction of Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola.“

The can and packaging, which will feature two of the world’s most recognizable and valuable trademarks in Coca-Cola and Jack Daniel’s, will include clear responsibility symbols stating that it is to be enjoyed only by consumers of legal drinking age. Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola RTDs will adhere to responsible marketing practices held by Brown‑Forman and The Coca-Cola Company.

The global benchmark for alcohol beverage volume (ABV) is 5% but will vary depending on the market. A zero sugar version of the beverage will also be available.

About Brown‑Forman Corporation
For over 150 years, Brown‑Forman Corporation (NYSE: BFA) (NYSE: BFB) has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel's Tennessee RTDs, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Fire, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Apple, Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel's Single Barrel, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, Coopers’ Craft, The GlenDronach, Benriach, Glenglassaugh, Slane, Herradura, el Jimador, New Mix, Korbel, Sonoma‑Cutrer, Finlandia, Chambord, and Fords Gin. Brown‑Forman’s brands are supported by approximately 4,700 employees and sold in more than 170 countries worldwide. For more information about the company, please visit http://www.brown-forman.com/. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our hydration, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our nutrition, juice, dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Contacts:

Brown‑Forman Corporation/Jack Daniel’s:
Media: Elizabeth Conway, Elizabeth_Conway@b-f.com
Investors and Analysts: Sue Perram, Sue_Perram@b-f.com

The Coca-Cola Company:
Media: Scott Leith, sleith@coca-cola.com
Investors and Analysts: Tim Leveridge, koinvestorrelations@coca-cola.com

Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2022 American Whisk(e)y Results

As promised in the post announcing the Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2022 Chairman's Trophy winners, here are the results for all the American Whisk(e)y entrants.

A Note on the Awards & Scores

Entries to Ultimate Spirits Challenge are judged at our evaluation center in Hawthorne, New York.

In addition to the score, products are distinguished with the following Accolades, as a guide to consumers:

95-100 Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation
90-94 Excellent, Highly Recommended
85-89 Very Good, Strong Recommendation
80-84 Good, Recommended

All products are judged in category flights of like-with-like.

Chairman's Trophy (CT), Finalist (F)

Determined by a formula that includes the aggregate scoring of the judging panels, the scoring curve based upon the number of entries, and the overall categorical scoring average, the Chairman's Trophy is bestowed on the highest scoring entry per category. Finalist status, the products deemed to be in the running for the Chairman’s Trophy, are decided upon by the Judging Chairman based on their favorable results.

Great Value (GV)

Great Value indicates products with a favorable relationship between their price and final score.

Tried & True Award (T&T)

Tried & True Award: products that were entered into USC for the two previous, consecutive years as well as the present year and have scored 90 or higher each time, are recognized for consistency of product quality with this award.

Top 100 Spirits (T100)

Top Spirits of this Challenge's year

Subtype	Product Name	Price	Score	Awards
Blended	Lost Lantern American Vatted Malt Edition No. 1 American Blended Whiskey	$120	92
Blended	Ransom Rye Barley Wheat 5 Years Old American Blended Whiskey	$53	90
Blended	Warrior American Blended Whiskey	$50	90
Blended	Coors Whiskey Co. Five Trail American Blended Whiskey	$60	89
Blended	Barrell Armida Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey	$80	89
Blended	Bendt No. 5 American Blended Whiskey	$25	86
Bottled-in-Bond	Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Spring 2022 Edition 17 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$230	97	CT \| T100
Bottled-in-Bond	Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. Bottled in Bond Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$60	96	F \| T&T \| T100
Bottled-in-Bond	1792 Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$36	95	F \| T&T
Bottled-in-Bond	Southern Star Paragon Bottled in Bond Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$60	95	F
Bottled-in-Bond	Jack Daniel's Bonded Tennessee Whiskey	$30	95	F
Bottled-in-Bond	Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. Bottled in Bond Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$40	93	F
Bottled-in-Bond	Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$40	93	F \| GV \| T&T
Bottled-in-Bond	Early Times Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$25	92	GV \| T&T
Bottled-in-Bond	Laws Whiskey House Bonded Four Grain 8 Years Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$80	92
Bottled-in-Bond	Benchmark Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$20	92	GV
Bottled-in-Bond	Henry McKenna Single Barrel Bottled-in-Bond 10 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$50	92	T&T
Bottled-in-Bond	Field & Sound Maritime Bottled-in-Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$50	91
Bottled-in-Bond	Rock Town Arkansas 4 Years Old American Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon Whiskey	$50	91	T&T
Bottled-in-Bond	FEW Bottled-in-Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$45	91
Bottled-in-Bond	Evan Williams 4 Years Old Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$18	90	GV
Bourbon	Eagle Rare 17 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$100	98	CT \| T&T \| T100
Bourbon	Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$70	97	F \| T100
Bourbon	Rue Bourbon Cask Strength 16 Years Old Bourbon Whiskey	$299	97	F \| T100
Bourbon	Bare Knuckle High Rye Bourbon Cask Strength 6 Years Old American Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$73	96	F \| T100
Bourbon	Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$45	96	F \| GV \| T&T \| T100
Bourbon	Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage 2014 Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$30	96	F \| GV \| T100
Bourbon	Brush Creek Honig Cabernet Cask Finished Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$150	95	F
Bourbon	Eagle Rare 10 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$30	95	F \| GV \| T&T
Bourbon	1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$45	95	F \| GV \| T&T
Bourbon	Barrell Bourbon Batch 031 6 Years Old Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$90	95	F
Bourbon	Calumet Farm 8 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$45	95	F \| GV
Bourbon	Castle & Key Small Batch - Batch 2 - 4 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$55	95	F
Bourbon	Clyde May's Special Reserve 6 Years Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$61	95	F
Bourbon	Tommyrotter Napa Valley Heritance Cask Straight Bourbon	$49	95	F
Bourbon	Weller C.Y.P.B. Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$50	95	F
Bourbon	Widow Jane 10 Years Old Straight Bourbon	$75	95	F
Bourbon	Bespoken Spirits Batch ABCD Bourbon Whiskey	$35	94	GV
Bourbon	Old Dexter Finished with 200 Year Oak, Cherry Wood & Maple Wood 5 Years Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$65	94
Bourbon	Russell's Reserve 10 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$41	94	GV
Bourbon	Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$50	94
Bourbon	Larceny Barrel Proof A122 Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$50	94
Bourbon	Moylan's Sanctioned Finished in Sherry Barrels Blended Bourbon	$65	94
Bourbon	Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch 5 Years Old Bourbon Whiskey	$45	94
Bourbon	William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$100	94	T&T
Bourbon	A. Smith Bowman Cask Strength Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$100	94
Bourbon	Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$25	94	GV \| T&T
Bourbon	Smooth Ambler Contradiction Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$40	94	GV
Bourbon	Belfour Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$80	94
Bourbon	Digits 5 Years Old Bourbon Whiskey	$69	94
Bourbon	Horse Soldier Signature Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey	$60	94
Bourbon	Coopers' Craft Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$22	94	GV
Bourbon	Wheel Horse Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$32	94	GV
Bourbon	Doc Swinson's Blender's Cut American Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$60	94
Bourbon	1792 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$30	93	GV \| T&T
Bourbon	Evan Williams Black Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$15	93	GV
Bourbon	Nelson Brothers Classic Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$37	93	GV
Bourbon	Ransom Bourbon	$38	93	GV
Bourbon	Ridge Reserve Black Label Straight Bourbon	$39	93	GV
Bourbon	Moylan's Cask Strength Bourbon	$65	93
Bourbon	Brush Creek Straight Bourbon	$65	93
Bourbon	Remus Repeal Reserve Series V Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$90	93
Bourbon	Broken Barrel Whiskey Co. Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$45	93
Bourbon	Brush Creek Chimney Rock Cabernet Cask Finished Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$200	93
Bourbon	J Henry & Sons La Flamme Reserve 5 Years Old American Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$100	93
Bourbon	Moylan's Over-Regulated Finished in Port Barrels Blended Bourbon	$65	93
Bourbon	Thomas S. Moore Cabernet Sauvignon Cask Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$70	93
Bourbon	Thomas S. Moore Port Cask Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$70	93
Bourbon	Founders Circle 1875 Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$50	93
Bourbon	Coopers' Craft Barrel Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$32	93	GV \| T&T
Bourbon	Benchmark Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$23	93	GV
Bourbon	Four Roses Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$35	93	GV
Bourbon	Larceny Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$25	93	GV
Bourbon	Stillhouse Black Bourbon	$25	93	GV
Bourbon	15 Stars Private Stock Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$139	93
Bourbon	Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A122 12 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$60	93
Bourbon	Jefferson's Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$55	93
Bourbon	Weller Antique 107 Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$50	93
Bourbon	Weller 12 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$37	93	GV
Bourbon	Blanton's Gold Edition Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$120	92	T&T
Bourbon	Castle & Key Small Batch - Batch 1 - 4 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$55	92
Bourbon	Mendocino Spirits 3 Years Old Straight Bourbon	$65	92
Bourbon	Redemption Cognac Cask Finish Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$70	92
Bourbon	Weller Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$50	92
Bourbon	Dexter Finished with Five Woods Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$45	92
Bourbon	O.H. Ingram River Aged Straight Bourbon	$70	92
Bourbon	Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$20	92	GV \| T&T
Bourbon	Wild Turkey Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$21	92	GV
Bourbon	Angel's Envy Cask Strength Finished in Port Wine Barrels Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$230	92
Bourbon	Garrison Brothers Guadalupe Port Cask Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$130	92
Bourbon	Square 6 Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$90	92
Bourbon	15 Stars Timeless Reserve 14 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$279	92
Bourbon	I.W. Harper 15 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$70	92
Bourbon	Stagg Jr. Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$50	92	T&T
Bourbon	Angel's Envy Finished in Port Wine Barrels Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$50	92
Bourbon	Horse Soldier Reserve Barrel Strength Bourbon Whiskey	$80	92
Bourbon	Trail's End Finished in Oregon Oak Casks 10 Years Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$60	92
Bourbon	Wheat Penny 1958 Full Proof Finished With Black Cherry and Toasted Oak Wood Bourbon Whiskey	$55	92
Bourbon	1792 12 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$50	92	T&T
Bourbon	Four Roses Small Batch Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$56	92
Bourbon	Low Gap Made with Local Grain Distilled in 2017 & 2018 3 Years Old Straight Bourbon	$65	92
Bourbon	Benchmark Top Floor Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$15	91	GV
Bourbon	Bainbridge Whiskey Forty Saloon Bourbon	$90	91
Bourbon	Big Stick Bourbon	$75	91
Bourbon	Jefferson's Ocean Aged At Sea - Voyage 24 Straight Bourbon	$80	91
Bourbon	Legent Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$40	91
Bourbon	Stellum The Equinox Blend #1 Bourbon	$99	91
Bourbon	Widow Jane Lucky Thirteen Bourbon Whiskey	$100	91
Bourbon	FEW Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$40	91	T&T
Bourbon	Benchmark Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$17	91	GV
Bourbon	Doc Swinson's Alter Ego Triple Cask Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$75	91
Bourbon	Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2021 Limited Release: FAE-02 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$60	91
Bourbon	Stellum Comet Rising Bourbon	$99	91
Bourbon	1792 Sweet Wheat Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$36	91
Bourbon	Barrell Bourbon Batch 032 5 Years Old Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$90	91
Bourbon	Bespoken Spirits Batch FTM Bourbon Whiskey	$49	91
Bourbon	Smooth Ambler Old Scout Barrel No. 27893 7 Years Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$50	91
Bourbon	Benchmark Old No. 8 Brand Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$12	91	GV
Bourbon	Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$18	91	GV
Bourbon	Heaven Hill Aged in Chinquapin Barrels 13 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$179	91
Bourbon	Horse Soldier Premium 2 Years Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$45	91
Bourbon	Jefferson's Very Small Batch Straight Bourbon	$35	91
Bourbon	Wild Turkey Longbranch Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$41	91
Bourbon	Isaac Bowman Port Barrel Finished Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$40	91
Bourbon	Rock Town Peachwood Smoked 4.5 Years Old American Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$100	91
Bourbon	Jim Beam Devil's Cut Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$23	90	GV
Bourbon	Fistful of Bourbon Straight Bourbon	$25	90	GV \| T&T
Bourbon	Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$25	90	GV \| T&T
Bourbon	Jim Beam Double Oak Twice Barreled Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$23	90	GV \| T&T
Bourbon	Weller Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$24	90	GV
Bourbon	Bluestone Manor 5 Years Old Straight Bourbon	$48	90
Bourbon	Bowman Brothers Small Batch Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$30	90
Bourbon	Old Charter Oak French Oak Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$70	90
Bourbon	Smooth Ambler Old Scout Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$35	90
Bourbon	Blanton's Straight From the Barrel Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$150	90	T&T
Bourbon	Bearded Lady American Bourbon	$46	90
Bourbon	Bespoken Spirits Bourbon	$35	90
Bourbon	Five Brothers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$60	90
Bourbon	Garrison Brothers Small Batch 3 Years Old Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$90	90
Bourbon	Bespoken Spirits 2 Years Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$57	90
Bourbon	Bespoken Spirits Pinstripe Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$57	89
Bourbon	Brain Brew Experimental Finished With Three Woods Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$50	89
Bourbon	Elijah Craig Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$30	89
Bourbon	Laws Whiskey House Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$55	89
Bourbon	Garrison Brothers Balmorhea Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$180	89
Bourbon	Bespoken Spirits Velvet Batch 2 Years Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$57	88
Bourbon	I.W. Harper Cabernet Cask Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$50	88
Bourbon	Widow Jane Decadence A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys	$100	88
Bourbon	Rare Character Single Barrel Series Hi-Time Wine Cellars Straight Bourbon	$70	88
Bourbon	Bespoken Spirits Batch Type F Bourbon Whiskey	$35	87
Bourbon	Brain Brew Experimental Finished with Japanese Mizunara Oak Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$65	87
Bourbon	Brother's Bond Straight Bourbon	$44	87
Bourbon	Jim Beam Black Extra Aged Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$23	87
Bourbon	Southern Star Paragon Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$50	87
Bourbon	Swilled Dog Barrel Strength 4 Years Old Straight Bourbon	$50	87
Bourbon	Thomas S. Moore Chardonnay Cask Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$70	87
Bourbon	R6 Distillery Straight Bourbon	$46	87
Bourbon	Redemption Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$30	87
Bourbon	Nelson Brothers Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$60	86
Bourbon	Creator's Cut Kentucky Straight Bourbon with Natural Flavors Kentucky Straight Bourbon	$25	80
Bourbon/Single Barrel	Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$40	96	CT \| GV \| T&T \| T100
Bourbon/Single Barrel	The Clover Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$50	95	F \| T100
Bourbon/Single Barrel	Blanton's Original Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$65	94	F \| T&T
Bourbon/Single Barrel	Brother's Bond Original Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$80	94	F
Bourbon/Single Barrel	Jim Beam Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$40	93	F \| GV
Bourbon/Single Barrel	Weller Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$50	93	F
Bourbon/Single Barrel	John J. Bowman Single Barrel Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$50	93	F \| T&T
Bourbon/Single Barrel	Bower Hill Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$35	93	F \| GV
Bourbon/Single Barrel	Benchmark Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$25	92	GV
Bourbon/Single Barrel	Redemption High Rye Single Barrel Select Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$50	90
Bourbon/Single Barrel	Southern Star Paragon Cask Strength Single Barrel Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$70	90
Bourbon/Single Barrel	1792 Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$40	89
Bourbon/Single Barrel	Rough Rider The Old Lion 8 Years Old Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$150	88
Bourbon/Single Barrel	Garrison Brothers 3 Years Old Single Barrel Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey	$110	83
Rye	Smooth Ambler Founders' Cask Strength Series Straight Rye Whiskey	$55	98	CT \| T100
Rye	Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey	$100	97	F \| T&T \| T100
Rye	Angel's Envy Finished in Caribbean Rum Casks Rye Whiskey	$90	95	F \| T100
Rye	George Dickel + Leopold Bros Collaboration Blend Straight Rye Whiskey	$110	95	F
Rye	Sagamore Spirit Rum Cask Finish Rye Whiskey	$80	95	F
Rye	Smooth Ambler Old Scout Port Cask Finish Straight Rye Whiskey	$60	95	F
Rye	Roulette 4 Years Old Straight Rye Whiskey	$30	94	F \| GV
Rye	Low Gap Rye Malt 5 Years Old Rye Malt Whiskey	$80	94	F
Rye	Sagamore Spirit Cask Strength American Rye Whiskey	$60	94	F
Rye	Heaven Hill Aged in Chinquapin Barrels 8 Years Old Kentucky Rye Whiskey	$149	94	F
Rye	Smooth Ambler Contradiction Straight Rye Whiskey	$40	93	GV
Rye	Elijah Craig Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey	$30	93	GV \| T&T
Rye	The Senator Single Barrel - Barrel Proof 6 Years Old Straight Rye Whiskey	$80	93
Rye	Sazerac Straight 6 Years Old Rye Whiskey	$28	93	GV
Rye	Redemption Rum Cask Finish Straight Rye Whiskey	$50	93
Rye	Broken Barrel Whiskey Co. Heresy Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey	$35	93	GV
Rye	Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey	$37	93	GV
Rye	Brush Creek Straight Rye Whiskey	$55	93
Rye	Clyde May's Straight Rye Whiskey	$45	93
Rye	Barrell Seagrass Rye Whiskey	$80	93
Rye	Wheel Horse Straight Rye Whiskey	$32	92	GV
Rye	Cascade Moon 13 Years Old Rye Whiskey	$299	92
Rye	Chicken Cock Island Rooster Rum Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey	$200	92
Rye	Mammoth Northern Rye 15 Years Old Rye Whiskey	$90	92
Rye	Pikesville Straight Rye Whiskey	$50	92
Rye	Belfour Rye Whiskey	$75	92
Rye	Laws Whiskey House San Luis Valley Straight Rye Whiskey	$55	92
Rye	FEW Straight Rye Whiskey	$40	91	T&T
Rye	Doc Swinson's Alter Ego Solera Method Straight Rye Whiskey	$55	91
Rye	Castle & Key Restoration 3 Years Old Kentucky Rye Whiskey	$45	91
Rye	Angel's Envy Finished in Ice Cider Casks Rye Whiskey	$250	91
Rye	Landrace Empire 3 Years Old Straight Rye Whiskey	$46	91
Rye	Widow Jane American Oak Aged American Rye Whiskey	$50	91
Rye	Widow Jane Oak & Apple Wood Aged American Rye Whiskey	$50	91
Rye	Hudson Whiskey Back Room Deal New York Straight Rye Whiskey	$55	91	T&T
Rye	Southern Star Double Rye Blend of Straight Rye Whiskeys	$35	91
Rye	Moylan's Resistance Rye Finished in Port Barrels Blended American Rye Whiskey	$50	90
Rye	Sagamore Spirit American Rye Whiskey	$40	90
Rye	O.H. Ingram River Aged Straight Rye Whiskey	$70	90
Rye	Sagamore Spirit Double Oak Straight Rye Whiskey	$60	88
Rye	North River Apollonia Edition 5 Years Old American Rye Whiskey	$58	88
Rye	Riverboat Batch #5 Rye Whiskey	$20	87
Rye	Smooth Ambler Old Scout Single Barrel No. 32053 4 Years Old Straight Rye Whiskey	$50	87
Rye	Pollinator Bonfire Rye Whiskey	$65	83
Tennessee	Jack Daniel's 10 Years Old Tennessee Whiskey	$70	96	CT \| T100
Tennessee	Uncle Nearest Master Blend Edition Batch 009 11 Years Old Tennessee Whiskey	$149	95	F \| T100
Tennessee	Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Tennessee Rye Whiskey	$55	95	F
Tennessee	George Dickel Distilling Season Spring 2007 13 Years Old Bottled-in-Bond Tennessee Whiskey	$45	95	F
Tennessee	Uncle Nearest 1856 4 Years Old Tennessee Whiskey	$59	93	F \| T&T
Tennessee	George Dickel 8 Years Old Bourbon Whiskey	$33	92
Tennessee	Jack Daniel's Triple Mash Bottled-in-bond Blended Straight Whiskey	$30	92	GV
Tennessee	Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof Tennessee Whiskey	$70	92
Tennessee	Grandgousier Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey	$68	91
Tennessee	Nelson's Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey	$35	91
Tennessee	Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch 4 Years Old Tennessee Whiskey	$49	91
Tennessee	Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Select Tennessee Whiskey	$55	90
Wheat	Bainbridge Battle Point Two Islands Islay Cask Straight Organic Wheat Whiskey	$90	96	CT \| T100
Wheat	Bernheim Original 7 Years Old Small Batch Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey	$30	95	F \| GV \| T&T \| T100
Wheat	Bainbridge Battle Point Two Islands Barbados Cask Straight Organic Wheat Whiskey	$90	93	F
Wheat	Dexter Finished with Japanese Mizunara Oak American Straight Wheat Whiskey	$50	92
Wheat	Bainbridge Battle Point Full Barrel Proof Washington Organic Wheat Whiskey	$110	91
Wheat	Bainbridge Battle Point Organic Washington Wheat Whiskey	$59	91
Wheat	Broken Barrel Whiskey Co. The Wreckoner 3 Years Old American Wheat Whiskey	$65	91
Wheat	Laws Whisky House Bonded Centennial American Wheat Whiskey	$80	89
Wheat	Brain Brew Experimental Finished With Cherry Wood & 200 Year Oak Straight Wheat Whiskey	$50	87
Wheat	Unbendt Unblended Bottled in Bond Straight Wheat Whiskey	$60	87
Wheat	Bainbridge Two Islands Hokkaido Mizunara Cask Straight Orgnaic Wheat Whiskey	$100	87
Bottled-in-Bond	Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey	$70	93	F
Bottled-in-Bond	KO Distilling Distiller's Reserve Bottled-in-Bond Straight Rye Whiskey	$75	92
Bottled-in-Bond	Rittenhouse 4 Years Old Bottled-in-Bond Straight Rye Whiskey	$28	92	GV
Bottled-in-Bond	Laws Whiskey House Bonded San Luis Valley 7 Years Old Straight Rye Whiskey	$80	90
Other	Barrell Whiskey Private Release DJA1 Blend 1 Finished in a St. Agrestis Brooklyn Amaro Cask American Whiskey	$110	95	CT \| T100
Other	Barrell Whiskey Private Release DJX1 Blend 2 Finished in a Ruby Port Barrel American Whiskey	$110	93	F
Other	Benjamin Chapman 4 Years Old Corn Whiskey	$36	93	F \| GV
Other	Balcones Big Baby Bottled-in-Bond Matured in Tequila Casks Straight Corn Whiskey	$60	92
Other	Barrell Whiskey Private Release DSX2 Blend 2 Finished in a Pedro Ximenez Sherry Barrel American Whiskey	$110	91
Other	Moylan's Sherry Barrel Finish American Whiskey	$90	91
Other	Bainbridge Yama Mizunara Japanese Oak Cask American Single Grain Barley Whiskey	$525	91
Other	Glyph Spice Spirit Whiskey with Natural Flavors	$25	90	GV
Other	Bespoken Spirits American Light Whiskey	$33	90
Other	FEW American Straight Whiskey	$40	90	T&T
Other	Hudson Whiskey Four Part Harmony New York Four Grain Bourbon	$70	90
Other	Glyph 85H Spirit Whiskey with Natural Flavors	$25	89	GV
Other	Early Times Kentucky Whisky	$12	88	GV
Single Malt	Courage & Conviction Cuvee Single Cask, Cask No. 1266, American Single Malt Whiskey	$150	98	CT \| T100
Single Malt	Stranahan's Sherry Cask Colorado Single Malt Whiskey	$89	96	F \| T100
Single Malt	Balcones Mirador Texas Single Malt Whiskey	$80	95	F \| T100
Single Malt	McCarthy's 6 Years Old Oregon Single Malt Whiskey	$100	94	F
Single Malt	Westland Colere Edition 2 American Single Malt Whiskey	$150	94	F
Single Malt	Stranahan's Original Colorado Single Malt Whiskey	$60	94	F
Single Malt	Courage & Conviction Sherry Cask American Single Malt Whiskey	$85	93
Single Malt	Cloudsplitter 4 Years Old American Single Malt Whiskey	$60	93
Single Malt	Balcones Lineage Texas Single Malt Whiskey	$40	93	GV
Single Malt	Courage & Conviction Sherry Single Cask, Cask No. 1762, American Single Malt Whiskey	$150	93
Single Malt	Dexter Old World Style Small Batch American Single Malt Whiskey	$50	93
Single Malt	Courage & Conviction Cask Strength Single Cask, Cask No. 507, American Single Malt Whiskey	$150	93
Single Malt	Courage & Conviction American Single Malt Whiskey	$75	92	T&T
Single Malt	Courage & Conviction Cuvee Cask American Single Malt Whiskey	$85	92
Single Malt	Copperworks American Single Malt Whiskey	$60	91
Single Malt	Copperworks Washington Peated American Single Malt Whiskey	$76	91
Single Malt	Courage & Conviction Bourbon Cask American Single Malt Whiskey	$85	91
Single Malt	Colkegan Cask Strength Single Barrel American Single Malt Whiskey	$80	90
Single Malt	ASM American Single Malt Whiskey	$62	90
Single Malt	Brain Brew Experimental Two Continent Small Batch American Single Malt Whiskey	$50	87
Single Malt	Laws Whiskey House Henry Road 5 Years Old Bonded Straight Malt Whiskey	$80	87
Single Malt	Stranahan's Blue Peak Colorado Single Malt Whiskey	$45	87
Single Malt	Brain Brew Experimental Four Wood Single Malt Whiskey	$50	86
Single Malt	Rock Town Finished in Cognac Casks 4 Years Old American Single Malt Whiskey	$50	86
Single Malt	Moylan's American Single Malt Whiskey	$65	85
World/Flavored	Old Smoky Peanut Butter Whiskey	$25	92
World/Flavored	Midnight Moon Moonshine Peach Flavored Whiskey	$20	91
World/Flavored	Whiskeysmith Blood Orange Flavored Whiskey	$24	88
World/Flavored	Whiskeysmith Salted Caramel Flavored Whiskey	$24	87
World/Flavored	Carmela Caramel Flavored Whiskey	$25	87
World/Flavored	FEW Immortal Rye Whiskey	$40	87
World/Flavored	Dough Ball Cookie Dough Whiskey	$30	87
World/Flavored	Evan Williams Apple	$15	87
World/Flavored	Magic Rabbit Chocolate and Peanut Butter Whiskey	$25	87
World/Flavored	Bird Dog Honey Flavored Whiskey	$20	86
World/Flavored	Block Head Popcorn Peanut Caramel Whiskey	$30	86
World/Flavored	Evan Williams Honey	$15	86
World/Flavored	Whiskeysmith Peach Flavored Whiskey	$24	86
World/Flavored	Southern Comfort Original	$16	85
World/Flavored	Evan Williams Peach	$15	84
World/Flavored	FEW Cold Cut Bourbon	$40	84
World/Flavored	Garrison Brothers Honey Dew Straight Bourbon Whiskey Infused with Honey	$90	84
World/Flavored	Midnight Moon Moonshine Watermelon Flavored Whiskey	$20	84
World/Flavored	Old Smoky Salty Caramel Whiskey	$25	82
World/Flavored	Vale Fox MF Bonfire Smoky Rye Whiskey	$48	81

Ratings and Reviews to the Highest Standards

Ultimate Spirits Challenge™ provides the most expert and authoritative evaluation of spirits for producers, marketers, importers, distributors and retailers available. Careful, meticulous evaluation of each product. Powerful marketing support and collateral that helps build your brands and further promote your products.

Judging Methodology

Small judging flights to avoid palate fatigue. All products are tasted blind and matched like-with-like for judging.
Ratings using the consumer-friendly 100-point scale.
Permanent evaluation center allows the judges to fully concentrate on each product’s profile without having to rush.
Multi-round judging to ensure impartiality and to remove any possibility of bias.

Until next time, happy reading.

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