Old Emmer is a private‑label whiskey you’ll mostly find at Total Wine. It comes out of Kentucky, and there’s some chatter that it might be produced at Buffalo Trace. It uses an ancient Emmer wheat strain in its high‑wheat mash bill—something you don’t come across every day. During my visit to Total Wine, I spotted…
Tag: Cask Strength
UPDATE: West Cork Barrel Proof
With St. Patrick’s Day behind us, I wanted to share an update on the West Coast Barrel Proof we picked up in 2022 and have finally polished off. Now that we’ve finished the bottle, we can give it an honest review of how it aged over time and whether it’s one we’d buy again. Time…
Killowen Rum and Raisin Irish Whiskey
And just like that, we’ve arrived in March—which means St. Patrick’s Day is only about two weeks away. The plan? Highlight as many Irish brands as possible. We’re kicking things off with one I had never heard of until recently: Killowen Small Batch Irish Distillers. To be honest, I was ready to blind‑buy this bottle….
Aberlour A’Bunadh 60.9% Cask Strength
We’ve officially reached the last week of February. And just when you thought spring was around the corner—well, not so fast. If you’re on the East Coast, you know we’re currently under a blizzard warning. So, as you hunker down and ride out the snow, here’s a good whisky to keep you warm and toasty….
Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series: P.X. Sherry Edition 001
Barrell Craft Spirits (BCS) is a brand we don’t often explore, so sampling this expression during a recent visit with friends was an exciting opportunity. This marks only our second experience with BCS. For those unfamiliar, P.X. refers to Pedro Ximénez—a type of sherry cask renowned for its rich, sweet character. For this release, BCS…
Update: Highland Park Cask Strength Edition No. 1
On this brisk and blustery Columbus Day, I wanted to share a quick update on one of my longtime favorites — Highland Park Cask Strength Edition No. 1. After sitting proudly on our shelf since 2021, we’ve finally finished the bottle. So, the big question: Would we buy it again? Read on to find out….
Hirsch The Horizon and The Bivouac
The first Hirsch expression I tasted was their Single Barrel Double Oak – an exceptional pour that did leave an impression. Since then, I’ve sampled The Horizon and The Bivouac. Let’s dive in and see how these two compare. The Horizon Nose: Vanilla and oak Palate: spices, cinnamon, pepper and oak Finish: oaky and peppery…
Ardbeg Eureka! Committee Release
If you’ve been following me for a while, you probably already know that Ardbeg is one of my favorite Islay whiskey brands. I hold such a special place for them in my heart that they were the very first distillery we visited when we traveled to Scotland. Ardbeg is an incredible brand, but lately, I’ve…
Bruichladdich 18-Years
When Bruichladdich comes to mind, peated whisky is often the first thing that I associate with it. However, it’s important to note that now all Bruichladdich whiskies are peated. This Bruichladdich 18-Year expression is one of those unpeated variations. Now let’s dive into the details of this whisky. This expression is crafted by utilizing…
UPDATE Old Ezra Aged 7 Years
Well, after having this bottle on our shelves for six years, we have finally finished it. Now, it’s time for an update on my overall impression and whether I would consider repurchasing it. Before we proceed, let me briefly recap the notes. Nose: oak, vanilla and toffee Palate: wood, vanilla, cinnamon, lightly sweet with notes…
Dark Arts Toasted Mizunara Bourbon
One of my current favorite bourbon brands is Dark Arts Ambura Oak Stave Finished, Small Batch Rye. They had me at cinnamon and just when I thought they couldn’t top that, Dark Arts Toasted Mizunara Bourbon entered the chat. Let’s get right into this. This whiskey has a mash bill of 64% corn, 24% rye,…
Lochlea Single Malt Scotch
Lochlea whisky is a recent discovery for me, and I had the pleasure of trying their Lochlea Our Barley, Harvest Edition (first crop), and their Cask Strength Batch 2. The Lochlea distillery has an interesting history, previously operating as a dairy farm until 2006. In 2017, they transformed their piggery into a distillery and repurposed…
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