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The Pot Still Column: Episode 25 Glen Scotia Victoriana Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky Batch: 2021 Proof: 108.4 Age: 10+ years Finish: Pedro Ximénez (PX) Sherry Casks and Ex-Bourbon Source: Glen Scotia Distillery (Campbeltown, Scotland) Price: $89.00 Ah, Campbeltown scotch whisky, the most elusive of Scotland's regional spirits, and an underdiscussed corner of the whiskey world. There isn't a set characteristic that defines Campbeltown whisky, unlike the smoky brine of Islay or the honey and apples of Speyside. While it used to be a far more highly-producing region, Campbeltown is home to only three distilleries in the modern day. The list consists of Glengyle, Springbank, and today's feature, Glen Scotia. Victoriana is Glen Scotia's highly awarded and very limited "Victorian era" cask strength whisky release. The single malt is bottled at a natural cask strength of 54.2%, bears no age statement, and is finished in a combination of ex-bourbon and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. The result is a refreshing and light, but full-bodied expression unlike much of what one finds in the scotch market. This may very well be my favorite bottle design for a scotch whisky. The royal gold and green of the box in which it comes draw the eye, and the muted gold lettering printed on the dark green bottle are subtle but attractive. As I begin to explore the nose, I remember an episode of the Whisky Vault that covered Glen Scotia Victoriana. (For those who don't know, the Whiskey Vault is a YouTube channel with which one should definitely acquaint themselves.) Daniel, one of the most astute and descriptive whisky reviewers on the internet, mentioned that the whisky smelled like cucumber water. I do agree that the single malt is reminiscent of cucumber water, and it comes across as very fresh but not crisp or acidic. The nose is mildly sweet but potent, and I am picking up hints of smoke and mint. I am not sure if this is a peated malt, and the smoke doesn't come across as a distinctly peaty, but there is definitely some sort of smoke or char to be found here. It could be that this is a result of the heavily charred first fill casks used in the finishing process. While I've made it clear in past reviews that I prefer the experience of nosing a whisky to tasting one, Glen Scotia Victoriana shines tremendously on the palate. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the nose, but the first sip reminds me that this is a cask strength release, and everything is turned up to eleven. The contrast of the char with the cucumber freshness is intriguing, and I am finding myself enjoying the flavor very much. There are also notes of grain and cream, tempting me to compare this to a cucumber and cream cheese sandwich. How very British of me. The malty grain is not purely malt, and it contains a somewhat seedy trait that reminds me of supermarket multi-grain bread with seeds on the crust. The more I dig, the more I encounter the soft scents of sliced sandwich bread. Maybe this is a sandwich. The texture of the whisky on the palate is a major highlight. It is easy to miss such a little detail among the attention-seeking flavors, but the presentation on the tongue is syrupy and full-bodied, clinging nicely for a long, malty finish. The whisky presents itself most strongly on the central palate, settling equally on the roof of the mouth and top of the tongue. There is very little ethanol to the pour, but each sip leaves a pleasant tingle on the roof of the mouth. The malt finish is so dense that you can taste/smell it with every breath for a full minute following each sip. I would qualify the retro-nasal exhalation as part of the finish, making the finish one of the most enjoyable parts of this pour. At a modest cask strength of 108.4 proof, the whisky drinks firmly but softly. Even so, there is enough flavor and intrigue in each sip to keep the drinker intimately aware of the whisky, soft or not. Closing Impression: This is a really nice scotch and an excellent place to start if one is looking for an entry point to Campbeltown whisky. The single malt is crisp and refreshing, but breaks away from the usual malt profiles that I have come to expect from Scottish whiskies. The peat (which I confirmed exists) is very subtle--- more of an accent, so drinkers who prefer unpeated whiskies should not be afraid to give this a try. The nose is excellent, but the flavor is far more concentrated, making this a true sipper rather than an alcoholic air freshener. For less than $90.00, I think this non-age stated whisky is very well priced, and I would strongly encourage those who enjoy a light but dense malt profile to pick up a bottle. Being a limited release, Victoriana can be difficult to come across, but it isn't so rare that it has become impossible to find, and the price has remained uninflated at most stores. Nose: 82 Taste: 85 Finish: 85 Overall: 84/100

The Pot Still Column: Episode 24 Worthy Park 2009 Habitation Velier 11 Year Barrel Proof Jamaican Single Rum Proof: 117 Age: 11 Years Finish: Ex-Bourbon Marque: 60-119 g/hl AA [WPL] Source: Worthy Park Distillery (Jamaica) Price: $99.00 Rum is a relatively new discovery to me, but the bizarre complexity that it brings to the table provides such a refreshing contrast to whiskey that I am solidly hooked on the spirit. The funky, deliciously disgusting notes that I find, especially in Jamaican rums, are so incredibly intriguing that they immediately bring a smile to my face. I've always been one to seek out the weirdest corners of what whiskey has to offer, but in the world of rum, most of the corners are weird. On the nose, this barrel proof Worthy Park is jumping out of the glass with heavy but balanced esters. I am imagining myself swimming in a glorious pool of pineapple juice and Cheeto dust. I've had folks receive my insistence that ester-heavy rum smells like cheese with mixed levels of appreciation and agreement, but I stand firmly by it. This is a delicious concoction of caramel, acidic tropical fruit, and Doritos crumbles. The savory, meaty notes for which the ester is responsible produce an illusion of salinity. The briny and savory profile makes me wonder how this might behave if used to season some type of meat roast. I suspect that the hyper-flavorful Jamaican funk would add a unique element to a variety of culinary applications. On the taste, the rum introduces itself to the palate with inoffensive notes of oak, caramel, and tropical fruit before evolving into a disastrous cacophony of dundery hogo flavors. Most prominently, the cheesy notes from the nose develop into a more chemical profile that includes notes of rubber, burning plastic, and decomposition. It's wonderful. The chemical notes drift lazily into the finish, lingering for a moderate length of time before releasing the palate to gentler notes of guava, pineapple, and nondescript rum sweetness. The complete finish is lengthy and leaves a very pleasant warmth on the back of the palate for several minutes. At the time of this review, I don't own a single bottle of good rum, but I have had enough friends generously offer samples and pours at bottle shares to know that I soon will. Perhaps this Worthy Park will be a good place to start, and I am already budgeting in preparation to grab a bottle. I can't provide a numerical score for the rum, as the breadth of my experience is far too narrow, but hopefully my descriptions can help you decide whether you wish to try it or not. This is an absolute winner for me, and I'll soon be joining the thousands of other whiskey lovers scrambling to buy high-end rums before the rum market begins to look like the bourbon market does now. Thanks to Mike L. for the sample covered in today's review

The Pot Still Column: Episode 23 Starlight Distillery Carl T. Huber's Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Sherry Barrels Batch #: B2103 Proof: 106.4 Age: 4.5 Years Source: Starlight Distillery (Borden, Indiana) Price: $55.00 to $65.00 It isn't often that you see a sherry finished bourbon, a technique used more frequently in Scottish malts than in any genre of American whiskey. Starlight Distillery, however, has burst onto the scene as an aggressive proponent of finishing bourbon in secondary barrels, both commonplace and exotic. Starlight Distillery is a relatively new addition to the whiskey community, only having started whiskey production in 2014 during the heat of the craft distilling revival. However, the Huber's brand and distilling operation goes back much further than the 21st century, as the family has been producing wine and brandy for generations. Starlight Distillery is the newest addition to the Huber's vineyard and winery, the largest producer of wine grapes in Indiana and a well-awarded manufacturer of fine wines. The distillery began producing brandy in 2001, releasing their first barrels in 2004, and started bottling older spirits as operations developed. Jumping on the craft whiskey movement of the early 2010s, Starlight began incorporating whiskey into the production line, resulting in the first batches of Carl T. Huber's bourbon. The distillery has since prioritized whiskey production over its other offerings, and the ratio of whiskey to other spirits being produced continues to grow in whiskey's favor with every passing year. Carl T. Huber's bourbon is derived from a mash bill of 58% corn, 27% rye, and 15% malted barley, making it a completely unique concoction in the bourbon industry. As far as I know, no other company uses the same high-rye and high-malt mash, although the closest comparable ratio is Jim Beam's 63/27/10 mash bill found in Old Grandad and Basil Hayden's. Being a young whiskey producer, most of Starlight's bourbons are between 4 and 7 years of age, with most clustering around the 4.5 to 5 year mark. While the distillery does produce a low-proof core offering, it seems to favor bottling at or around cask strength, with most individual bottles displaying odd and frequently decimal proofs. Today's review is focused on a distiller's select small batch version of Carl T. Huber's bourbon finished in Spanish Oloroso sherry casks. The Indiana bourbon is aged for at least 4 years in oak and 8 additional months in a sherry cask, and bears a proof of 106.4. The color is a fiery copper red, a visible reminder of the whiskey's time in the sherry cask. The presentation is simple but elegant, featuring a square-shouldered bottle with a rustic, wood-topped synthetic cork, and a pastel grape-purple label to represent the wine finish. Other than the mash bill which is clearly stated on the website, the bottle contains every piece of information a potential buyer may want to know. It is nice to see "distilled in Indiana" written on something other than an MGP whiskey. The nose is a pleasant contrast of classic bourbon caramels and vanillas with the fruity influence of the sherry finish. While the scent doesn't scream of a winey or sulfuric sherry finish as is often the case with scotch whisky, the secondary aging left its mark in more subtle ways. The first indicator of a finish is that the bourbon just smells different. While that description does not provide one with a vivid image by any means, the experience of encountering an abnormal element in an otherwise normal bourbon is an experience well known to most of us, and the discovery has little to do with the identification of specific notes. A closer inspection exposes a tangy, acidic smell, hinting at citrus flavors. As I have found with several of Starlight's bourbons, the nose is plagued by a slightly too prominent ethanol presence, a detail that makes it frustrating to pick out specific features of the bourbon. While not terribly complex, the smell is perplexing, somehow dancing around my best efforts to single out specific components from the pleasant but messy jumble. The first sip surprises me with its softness, coming and going quickly with little disruption on the palate. I feel no sting from the brief exposure to the alcohol, but the flavors are just as fleeting. Each sip contains a notably creamy texture, although it is slightly thinner than I would prefer-- think of 2% milk versus whole milk. Swishing the drink more intentionally around the palate unearths few secrets, and the experience is over before I can make anything of it. The rate at which the flavors abandon my palate is a bit mysterious, and the disappearance brings to mind water evaporating from a very hot pan: there and gone in an instant. Do not let me mislead you into thinking that there is nothing present in the taste; there is plenty of flavor including the predicted caramels and vanillas, but everything is muted. I don't recognize the citrus notes that I expected, although I would not describe the taste as strictly generic. The finish is more of an Irish goodbye than a Kentucky hug farewell, leaving almost too quickly to notice. While there is nothing unpleasant about the finish, I am left feeling somewhat robbed of a crucial part of the tasting experience. I may as well try adding some water. Adding a few drops brings out the rye dramatically, flipping the entire experience so that the bourbon seems more like a rye as a whole. The now-diluted profile reveals more than initially met the senses, uncovering an earthy and chocolatey component that did not exist before. This is a whiskey to be enjoyed with water, and I am doing just that--- beginning to enjoy it. I was preparing to give this bourbon a somewhat unflattering score, but a few drops of water have saved the day, changing the profile dramatically. If I were presented with this new expression blindly, I would very likely guess that it was a finished rye of some sort, the sharp, herbal spice bearing too little resemblance to any bourbon I know. The taste, while noticeably watered down, is somehow thicker than the original version, coming to life with bran muffins, oaky malt, and a creamier texture. Closing Impression: Regardless of its baptismal revival by water, "life" for this bourbon is not one that I want to live. The ethanol-heavy nose, muted flavors, and slightly thin texture are faults too impactful to ignore, and I am left feeling slightly disappointed. This disappointment, however, is relative to my high expectations for this bottle as a sherry finished bourbon. I love sherry finishes on malt whiskies, so I was prepared for a similar experience, even if only tangentially so. While one could be led to believe that this was a sherry finished bourbon based on the "different" presentation that I described, I don't think it is a sherry finished bourbon that achieves its full potential. While the oakiness of the pour leads me to doubt if age is the issue, it must be noted that this is a young whiskey, and bourbons tend to peak after 6 to 8 years. I am excited to see what Starlight does next as its stock ages more thoroughly, and I will absolutely be returning for the next creative concept. Nose: 74/100 Taste: 73/100 Finish: 67/100 Overall: 71/100

The Pot Still Column: Episode 22 Balcones True Blue Cask Strength "Bourbon Street" Single Barrel Corn Whisky Proof: 132.6 Age: 4 Years Source: Balcones Distillery (Waco, Texas) Price: $49.99 Okay, time to review this motor oil--- uh, I mean, whisky. Wait, whisky? Spelled that way and made in America? Why? The answer is shut up, because Balcones has earned the right to call itself and you and me whatever it wants. Or at least, in my book it has. I'll make no secret of it: Balcones is possibly my favorite distillery in the continental US. Why do I say the continental US? Because I am holding out hope that there is a distillery of mythical quality somewhere on the islands of Hawaii or wilderness of Alaska. Until I discover such a place, Balcones will continue to wear the crown when it comes to American distilleries. The bold, experimental profiles that Balcones puts out are not for everyone, and the fact that I like Balcones does not mean that everyone else will... but they should. We live in a world where mega-distilleries have trained consumers to worship a commercial profile, and Balcones does its absolute best not to adhere to that standard. Therefore, when Buffalo Trace junkies and the NPCs who only drink independently bottled MGP encounter the flavor bomb that is Balcones, their brain short-circuits, their skin starts to smoke, and they perish in a conflagration of generic tasting notes and regret. Before writing this review, I was lucky enough to have a conversation with Johnson Hagood, the Blender and Stillhouse Manager at Balcones in Waco, Texas. We discussed several of Balcones' products, so I'll be sprinkling snippets from our interview throughout future Balcones reviews, but we did speak specifically about Balcones' True Blue corn whisky for a while. Balcones is well-known for its distillation of blue corn whiskies, and True Blue is one of its several 100% corn whisky options. Unlike the Blue Corn Bourbon, True Blue is most frequently finished in second or third-fill barrels, although one could not possibly tell by the extremely dark color. Used barrels don't exist in Texas. The True Blue bottle I have in front of me is aged for four years, and bottled as a single barrel at a cask strength of 132.6 proof. The mash bill is fully comprised of a hybridized Texas blue corn, grown and roasted locally by the distillery's supplier. Johnson explained to me that Balcones' corn whiskies were originally made from a pure heirloom corn varietal grown in New Mexico. A few years ago, the distillery was informed that the supplier could no longer meet demand, and so it transitioned to using the hybrid blue corn variety. Despite worsening ingredient availability, Balcones has worked to keep its grains locally sourced, as it believes that the global grain industry doesn't reflect the distillery's ethos and intention of creating a fully Texan spirit. The Stillhouse Manager also noted that the heirloom blue corn doesn't play well with other grains, making it difficult to incorporate the corn into the distillery's bourbon products. This being so, the corn is used almost exclusively for corn whiskies, and is added sparingly elsewhere. The fermentation period for True Blue Cask Strength is seven days, and the aging vessel is a 60-gallon, toasted, ex-bourbon, oak barrel. Balcones' barrels are made by the Independent Stave Corporation, and are almost all 53 or 60 gallons, contrary to the popular belief that Balcones uses small casks. Thanks to Balcones' frequent use of second or third-fill barrels, the oak shortage now haunting many American bourbon distilleries is not a great concern. Okay, let's talk about the whisky. On the nose, I am immediately greeted by a surprisingly rum-like collection of scents. Dense, sweet caramels mingle with industrial funk such as disrupted earth, freshly poured concrete, and glue. This is undoubtedly a pot still product, as are all of Balcones' whiskies. The dense nuttiness and funk that appears on the nose would be a welcome set of aromas for any consumer that enjoys a high-ester Jamaican rum. The flavor leans more heavily on the bourbon flavors of caramel and vanilla, but it complicates them by adding notes of coffee grounds and a slightly tropical fruitiness. Once again, this is a rum-lover's whisky, and much of the slightly chemical richness that I detected in the nose is present on the palate. With these flavors comes a hefty punch of ethanol--- perhaps too much for my taste ---but the alcohol is well incorporated with the flavor. I am not getting any of the detached ethanol layer that I often find in over-proof bourbons with poor alcohol-to-flavor ratios. Balanced or not, this is HOT, so I will add some water to see how it changes. A few drops bring out more of the chemical notes, revealing something vaguely rubbery. As is often the case with Balcones, water did not improve the experience, and the whisky may be best enjoyed in all of its cask strength glory. The finish brings out more of the corn, and I very briefly picked up a roasted masa or tamales note as it began to thin out. To say that this finish thins out in any way would be a disservice to Balcones, as the distillery doesn't have a single product that fails to last for over a minute on the palate. Each whisky is unforgettable because the finish simply won't let you forget. Still, the finish on this particular single barrel of True Blue is unimpressive compared to some of the other Balcones products that I have tried, although it outshines most whiskies from outside of the distillery. Closing Impression: Putting my deep admiration for Balcones aside, I must admit that this single barrel of True Blue is not the best representation of the distillery's potential. While the nose is spectacularly funky, the taste is doesn't stay as true to the funkiness as I would've liked it to. The finish, while long, is not as long as I know it could have been, and the ethanol presence was slightly too much. It is tough to criticize creativity and greatness, but it is also important to admit when something could be improved. Whether it stands up to other Balcones products or not, I have deeply enjoyed this bottle, and I am especially satisfied with the uniqueness of the nose. This would be a fun bottle for rum enthusiasts and whisky drinkers looking for big, bold flavors. Considering the price of $49.99... just buy it. Nose: 87 Taste: 86 Finish: 85 Overall: 86/100 [Great, but not groundbreaking]

The Pot Still Column: Episode 21 Let's Get Lost American Single Malt by Dogfish Head Proof: 102 Age: 3 Years Finish: None Source: Dogfish Head Distillery (Milton, Delaware) Price: $59.99 So, Dogfish Head distills whiskey. Who knew? Not me, that's for sure. But now I do, and I am very glad that I've discovered it. Primarily known for their beers, Dogfish Head is a mega-successful Delaware brewery responsible for a broad line of award winning IPAs. While less well-known to the public, the brewery also has a distillery on site through which they produce a small array of distilled spirits such as gins, vodkas, and whiskeys. The existence of this tiny Delaware distillery is fresh news to me, although they have allegedly been producing whiskey for over 20 years! Delaware's best kept secret? Perhaps. Under the spotlight today is their most recent release, Let's Get Lost American Single Malt, which only hit shelves in 2021. Bottled at 102 proof and meeting the newly drafted American single malt criteria, the malt is my first foray into Delaware's whiskey scene. Sporting a square bottle that somewhat resembles those used by Knob Creek and Wilderness Trail distilleries, the presentation is unique and attractive. The label itself is simple and spacious, featuring a sky of lustrous stars that shimmer in the light. Nicely done! Nosing this glass brings me great joy. The whiskey is unmistakably an American single malt, and the profile seems to take a page out of Westward's book by adopting a faint note of beery hops. Ironically, there are no hops or beer involved at any stage of the single malt's production, and Dogfish Head makes it clear that the grain bill differs from the ones used in their beers. The barleys used do overlap with some of Dogfish Head's IPAs, but Let's Get Lost adds a unique twist to the mix: Applewood smoke. The four grain mashbill of 100% malted barleys includes pale malt, crystal malt, and coffee kiln malt in addition to a high percentage of Applewood smoked malt. Dogfish Head also employs the same strain of yeast that they use in their beers, Doggy Ale yeast, keeping the whiskey firmly in the Dogfish Head family. The brewery-distillery (brewstillery?) claims that the Doggy Ale yeast adds a banana note to the profile, but I am not picking up any bananas. What I do find in copious amounts is peaches and cream, like a peach-flavored yogurt. The scent isn't of fresh peaches, as it lacks the acidic sting, but reminds me more of the peach jam that some companies such as Chobani include in their single portion yogurt cups. There is also a rich smokiness that blends well with the beery notes I described earlier. Dogfish Head originally considered using peated malt, but chose to use Applewood smoke instead to soften the profile. I think they nailed it. Hops, peaches, and smoke--- that's the gist. Alright, this tastes gooood. For your sake, I only added four 'O's, but this deserves at least six. Once again, Westward is the best mass-market comparison, and if you like the Westward profile, you will adore this. The level of richness is absurd, and the smoke comes out much more profoundly on the palate. The beery quality persists as well, coating the entire mouth with an IPA tang. This is a whiskey for beer lovers, for sure. The peach, while still present, is overtaken to a great degree by the smoke and hops, creating a really unique, faintly fruity whiskey that holds up extremely well at 102 proof. The finish rarely deserves a paragraph of its own, but the oily beeriness of this single malt makes it last forever, and long finishes get long paragraphs. By long paragraphs, I mean more than one sentence because most finishes are worth little more. After three years in the barrel (this is significant for an ASM), the oak presence on the finish is perfect--- I wouldn't change it at all. The hops linger for over a minute, and one can smell the full profile every time one breathes out of their nose. I could set this down for a while between sips and keep the party going strong, but I like it too much to let it rest. Closing Impression: Dogfish Head hit a home run with Let's Get Lost. This is a spectacular example of American single malts heading in a positive direction, and I can tell that a lot of thought was put into the whiskey. At just under $60.00, this is an immediate buy for me. I can think of a hundred bottles off the top of my head that are priced more highly but aren't worth half. Dogfish Head doesn't seem to have expanded distribution beyond the East Coast, but I hope for my own sake that they do because I want a bottle of this now! I also hope that the brewstillery (I said it) focuses more on producing whiskey in the coming years, as this American single malt has earned them a firm spot on my release radar. Nose: 92 Taste: 93 Finish: 93 Overall: 93/100 [Extraordinary] Thanks to Adam J. for donating the sample for today's review

The Pot Still Column: Episode 20 Finlaggan {Old Reserve} Islay Single Malt Whisky Proof: 80 Age: NAS Finish: Peated Source: Undisclosed Islay Distillery Price: $19.99 Finlaggan Islay Single Malt Scotch is the budget peated whisky that you should've been buying all along. You needn't read more... but you should. A handful of other reviewers have covered the budget Islay in recent years, so the secret is partially out of the bag, but Finlaggan is hardly ever discussed among hardcore whisky drinkers. The scotch is sold exclusively by Trader Joes in the United States, although it does appear to exist outside of the grocery store chain in countries other than the US. The source is a closely kept secret, something that always bothers me, but far less so when it comes to scotch because the end product is almost always good. Rumors that the whisky is sourced from Lagavulin or Caol Ila have circulated, but none have taken root. At a price of $19.99, one would be hard pressed to find a more budget-friendly single malt, much less a peated single malt. Expectations are low, but that's part of the charm that Finlaggan brings to the table. Being a peated whisky, I can smell it from a meter away, and the nose is shockingly good. My immediate impression is that this reminds me of Highland Park, although I am well aware that the whisky is from Islay, an island on the completely opposite side of Scotland from Highland Park's Orkney Isles. Regardless, there is a sweet and buttery cherry note that reminds me of the Orkney distillery, and suggests that Finlaggan might have been finished in sherry casks. There is not enough brine on the nose for this to be from Laphroaig or Ardbeg, so I could believe the rumors that this is a young Lagavulin. The easiest Islay whisky to source is supposedly Caol Ila, but I've never actually tried anything from that distillery outside of blends, so declaring that as the source would be a partially educated guess at best. Whatever the source, it is only one distillery, and there are nine on Islay, so I have an 11% chance of guessing correctly. Better than my odds of getting accepted to Yale Law! The information on the bottle suggests that the whisky contains notes of peat smoke, ocean breeze, sweet malt, tar, and iodine. While an AI software could have easily generated those descriptors from a large enough sample of Reddit posts about Islay scotch, the description is not entirely inaccurate. It is obviously peaty, although it is a very gentle peat, not dry and domineering as it is in so many other Islay scotches. While "ocean breeze" sounds too much like a Febreze air freshener product, I do smell it. The seaside smells bring forth memories of beached kelp, salty sand, and sea wind (I didn't want to say ocean breeze, but yes, it is ocean breeze). The sweet malt description is very accurate, although I would add that it smells specifically like maraschino cherries and spiced cranberry sauce. The rest of the nose consists of a gentle smokiness, although I would firmly categorize this as a malt-forward whisky with a fruity character that is surprisingly rich at 40% ABV. Where the nose was rich, the taste is slightly more muted, bringing out more of the chemical band-aid notes that make Islay scotch so divisive. Something about the sweetness of the malt brings out the iodine and chemical flavors of the peat profile more than smoke or char. While it is less expressive than the nose, the flavor is in no way lacking, and I could sip this all day. As is the case with just about any peated whisky, the finish is just short of everlasting and carries an ashy smoke. Not the greatest finish, especially for an Islay, but great in the big picture. This whisky is a relic from when I first began exploring whisky, it has had plenty of time to open up and evolve in the bottle. I am tempted to pick up a fresh bottle to see how it has changed. After this review, I might just do that, as the experience I am having now is making me consider a backup in case it gains some recognition and becomes hard to find. There are no recognizable faults in this whisky. It may not be incredibly complex or thought-provoking, but it is very tasty, satisfyingly peaty, and one of the only peated budget scotches in existence. A bottle of Islay single malt from any distillery will generally cost a consumer at least 40 smackaroos, regardless of the proof or distillery. Even blended scotches, often only minimally peated, are becoming more difficult to find for an appealing price. At $19.99, the quality of this young Islay single malt outweighs the cost several times over. Closing Impression: This whisky is a very pleasant surprise. If given to me blindly, I would likely never guess that it is a budget option. For those who like peated scotch, this is an easy buy, especially for less than $20. The proof, while bottomed out at a measly 40%, is not nearly as weak as it could be, and there is just as much flavor here as one might find in a more "premium" option. This is a great bottle to have around for those who prefer drinking peated scotch but don't want to burn through their expensive single malts too quickly. I have had some terrible budget whiskies, and this is simply not one of them. Consider my seal of approval bestowed. Nose: 81 Taste: 76 Finish: 75 Overall: 77/100

The Pot Still Column: Episode 19 Wild Turkey Distiller's Reserve Aged 13 Years Proof: 91 Age: 13 Years Finish: None Source: Wild Turkey Distillery (Lawrenceburg, Kentucky) Price: $55.00 (Japanese Release) Thanks to a friend of mine, I've recently entered my Wild Turkey renaissance: the period during which one rediscovers how amazing Wild Turkey products can be after becoming bored with them initially. That's the trouble with Wild Turkey--- its steady success in the bourbon world can cause consumers to overlook it, and it's history as the two-buck chuck of bourbon has tarnished its reputation for many traumatized ex-college students. This is all a shame because Wild Turkey is possibly the greatest of the Kentucky mega-distilleries, and it offers a timeless profile that seems to please just about everyone. My time pushing Wild Turkey products to the back of the shelf is in the past, and I will start making amends for my neglect with this review of Wild Turkey 13 Year Distiller's Reserve. Being that my turkey taster has seen better days, I've decided to approach this review with a comparison. I'll be using Wild Turkey 101 as a control to center my palate and highlight how the 13 Year differs from its most popular cousin. There is a noticeable color difference between the two bourbons, the 13 Year being significantly darker, although I suppose that should be no surprise. The standard WT101 is aged between 6 and 9 years, so the 13 Year age statement on the Distiller's Reserve is no small step up. Other than color, the two bottles are practically identical (I am using the old bottle of WT101), although the Distiller's Reserve has been designed to look more regal. The purple and gold labels certainly provide a royal aesthetic, but the rest of the presentation is classic Wild Turkey. On the nose, the WT101 is noticeably nutty (peanuts) and has the standard Wild Turkey dusty oak. The oak melds with the caramel notes, creating a very rustic, backwoodsy profile that makes it easy to imagine oneself standing in the musty rickhouse. The 101 provides a nice balance between light and dark, and the whiskey is both bright and heavy at the same time. The Distiller's Reserve introduces an immediately apparent difference in scent. While the 101 didn't seem particularly ethanol-heavy while smelling it, the 13 Year makes it seem fumey and unrefined. Wild Turkey 101 embraces the ethanol as part of the experience, but the 13 Year cuts right to the flavors, bypassing the ethanol altogether. The flavors on the 13 Year are far more caramelized and bright, a clear deviation from the tame balance that I found in the 101. The Distiller's Reserve has a really lovely tartness that brings the caramel flavors into higher resolution and demotes the dusty oak to a supporting role. Even more exciting, any semblance of peanut has vanished! The taste on the 101 is very pleasant, and immersing oneself in the flavor unearths more caramel than was present on the nose. The taste is slightly less nutty than the scent but otherwise the same. In the 13 Year, the brightness of the nose continues into the flavor, once again highlighting the dramatic difference between the Distiller's Reserve and WT101. The texture is more refined, light and silky with a tart acidity. There is also a salinity to the whiskey that brings out the dusty funk more. As for the 13 Year's finish, I don't dislike it, but it doesn't impress me nearly as much as the taste and smell. Where the texture on the palate was silky and acidic, the finish is characterized by a significant amount of astringent oak. Barrel char becomes more prominent as the residual flavors dissipate. While the palate and nose were somewhat exceptional, the finish is a little disappointing. Closing Impression: Wild Turkey 13 Distiller's Reserve may have just earned its spot as my favorite non-Russell's bourbon from Wild Turkey. The bright and tart spin on the standard Wild Turkey profile is far more appealing to me than what I found in the 101, although both put on an excellent show. In short, the 13 Year is far superior to the the 101, and if it can be found for its MSRP of $55, it is an easy upgrade. Being a Japanese-only release that is not broadly available to most consumers in the US, the secondary market value for WT13DR hovers around $200 to $300, and it is no longer an appealing investment at that price. The lower proof (91) is a complete non-factor for this bottle, and it stands up with no trouble to the higher proof 101. If anything, the flavors appear more clearly in the 91 proof bourbon than they do in the 101. In terms of quality, a fair comparison would be a Russell's Reserve store pick, although they tend to be slightly younger and are bottled at around 110 proof. On most days, the higher proof of the Russell's Reserve picks would give it an edge in the competition for my attention, but the Distiller's Reserve has a place in my mind as a no-frills luxury pour with a definite time and place. Nose: 92 Taste: 86 Finish: 84 Overall: 87 A special thanks to Adam J. for donating the sample reviewed.

The Pot Still Column: Episode 18 Lagavulin 10 Year "Travel Exclusive" Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Proof: 86 Age: 10 Years Finish: Peated Source: Lagavulin Distillery (Islay, Scotland) Price: €40.00 to €110.00 (Travel Exclusive) Reviewing Islay scotch is all but a lost cause for me. Why? Because the feeling of complete, bone-deep satisfaction that it gives me makes for a rather difficult bias to overcome. I take one whiff of rich, briny peat and my mind fills with images of beachside campfires framed by rolling hills. How can I not give a perfect score to ultimate comfort? Despite my biases, I am excited to review Lagavulin 10, a travel exclusive release with an age statement sandwiched between the 9 Year Game of Thrones release and the 11 Year Nick Offerman Edition. Unlike the other two limited releases which are bottled at 92 proof, Lagavulin 10 year bears the standard 43% found in Lagavulin 16. While I would normally frown at such a low ABV, Islay scotch holds up remarkably well to lower proofs, and I have learned not to underestimate low proof Islays. Aesthetically, Lagavulin 10 does not stray far Lagavulin's traditional, curvy-necked bottle design. The labels are identical to those found on the 16 Year, although the 10 Year sports a white color rather than the usual creamy tan. The most prominent feature is the bottle's color, a gorgeously dark, green-tinted caramel that contrasts with the plain green used in most of Lagavulin's bottlings. The overall physical presentation is very classy, and I think I prefer it to its contemporaries. Held side by side with the 16 Year, the 10 Year is more aggressively briny on the nose, and flaunts a different malt profile. While Lagavulin 16 is impossibly well rounded with rich notes of smoky, chocolatey malt, Lagavulin 10 is brighter and fruitier. The earthiness of its older sibling has not yet developed, and the barley has a distinct peach note that cuts through the smoke. Both are recognizably members of the Lagavulin family, but the two pours are significantly different. Flavor-wise, the scales even out a little as the peat takes a dominant lead and obscures some of the more delicate notes present in the nose. Still, the peach and assorted fruits remind me of the age difference, sparking a newfound appreciation for the refined profile of Lagavulin 16. The 10 year Islay is definitely peat-forward, but it allows the malt to shine through in uncharacteristically expressive ways for an Islay scotch. Lagavulin has always been more respectful of its malt's personality than more aggressive distilleries such as Ardbeg and Laphroaig, but this is an exceptionally outspoken malt profile. The finish on any Islay malt is almost always the most pleasant part, and this case is no different. The bonfire smoke that lingers on the palate after each sip is entrancing, making me question whether I most enjoy the taste of the whisky or the space between each sip. There are no faults that I can see in this finish, and it outshines just about any non-malt whiskey by miles. Closing Impression: This is a great whiskey. Like most high-end Islay scotch that I try, this checks all the boxes when it comes to taste, smell, and finish. In moments like these, I struggle to rationalize the universal scoring system that I've been using to rate bottles. How can I possibly pit this spirit against bourbons and ryes? Other than their shared use of grain and some flimsy legal regulations, scotch and American whiskey are hardly comparable at all. Is Lagavulin 10 the best Islay scotch I have ever tried? No, and I think I would choose Lagavulin 16 over it nine times out of ten. However, would I prefer Lagavulin 10 to just about any bourbon I review? Absolutely. Personal preference is a bitch. Other whiskey categories aside, Lagavulin 10 Year holds its own as a tasty whisky and a promising addition to the Lagavulin line. The nose balances fruit and smoke nicely, and the palate allows the flavors to explode. The finish steals the show with an everlasting smokiness that coats the entire palate and reeks of luxury. Nose: 90 Taste: 94 Finish: 93 Overall: 92/100

The Pot Still Column: Episode 17 Black Button Distilling Bespoke Blend Bourbon "Breaking Bourbon & Seelbach's" Batch #5 Proof: 94 Age: 4 Years Finish: None Source: Black Button Distilling (Rochester, New York) Price: $65.00 Garrison Brothers, is that you? No, despite the strong similarity in the nose and identical proofs, the subject of today's review is Black Button Distilling, a craft distillery apparently producing Texas whiskey in New York! Jokes aside, Black Button Distillery is a fast-growing producer of craft whiskeys in Rochester, New York. The distillery has been making its own distillate since day one, never sourcing from anywhere else, and takes great pride in its exclusive use of locally grown or locally malted grains. I had the privilege of speaking with Alex Hunnel, the manager of Black Button's barrel and blend program and an important moving piece behind the blend at hand today. During our chat, Alex illustrated an exciting future for Black Button Distillery, describing plans to expand from their current 5,000sqft property to a 28,000sqft distillery and barrel house. The larger location will allow Black Button to diversify production, engage in some exciting experiments, and put out older products. While much of Black Button's bourbon is between 2 and 3 years old, their stock is aging patiently, and the company plans to continue increasing its product's age statement with every passing year. Part of the plan to release older bourbons revolves around the transition from smaller to larger barrels. Black Button started aging its bourbons in 15 gallon barrels, but has since increased the size of its vessels several times, transitioning from 15 to 30 to, most recently, 53 gallon barrels. Each barrel size matures its contents at a different rate, with the usual trend being that larger barrels can hold whiskey for longer periods of time before becoming over-oaked. The recent upgrades in barrel size have caused Black Button to outgrow their 2 to 3 year aging mark, and future batches of Black Button bourbon will almost certainly be rested for longer. Grain is another important part of Black Button's bourbon equation, and sourcing from local farms has been part of the plan since the very beginning. In fact, every part of Black Button's bourbon is New York made, from the grain to the water to the barrels. Black Button partners with local farms to select high quality corns and ryes, some of which are revitalized heirloom varieties with which the company is experimenting. When Black Button can't procure locally-grown grains such as barley, it employs local businesses to malt and process the grains to make them their own. Finally, the distillery uses barrels crafted by the Adirondack Barrel Cooperage, a New York-based producer of American white oak barrels. The use of local products and services by Black Button Distilling allows them to meet the criteria for a Farm Distillery License, a New York State designation that promotes sustainability and supports local farmers. In a market dominated by mediocre quality grains distributed by goliath corporations, I think that's pretty cool. Now that I've finally gotten around to smelling it, I am amazed at how much this whiskey smells like Garrison Brother's small batch expression. The scent screams craft in the most delicious way. There is a slight red chili note blended well with a warm, creamy oak that I have only ever found in Texas whiskey. Ironically, the oak that defines Garrison Brothers' whiskey is a product of the Texas heat, and Rochester could not have a more different climate. With Rochester's quick temperature swings of up to 80 degrees, the aging process for Black Button's whiskey is incredibly active. Vanilla bean is present in the nose as well, and is probably responsible for the creaminess that I am detecting. For the proof, the nose is rich and dense. The tasting notes written on the bottle list caramel, but I don't detect any traditional caramel on the nose. Instead, there is a scent very similar to that of Mexican cajeta, a goat milk caramel usually served as a spread on toast or in the form of a chewy candy. There is not a single hint of green in the smell, just oak, barrel char, vanilla, and cajeta. Returning to the nose after finishing the pour reveals the smell of cinnamon-covered rice pudding in the empty glass. The taste meets the high bar set by the nose, dense and oily with a familiar Texas funk. The vanilla comes alive in the flavor, extending deeply into the finish, especially upon exhaling through one's nose. Leathery notes are dominant as well, and the creaminess develops into something like chocolate or coffee, although the exact flavor matches neither perfectly. The leather note oscillates between the raw leather smell that one might find in new boots and a more synthetically treated substance such as hot leather car seats. Once again I am pleasantly surprised at the intensity of the flavor considering the proof. I can only imagine what this would taste like at cask strength, and considering the graceful lack of ethanol at 94 proof, I suspect that it would be a contender for pour of the year. While this type of oaky and smoky profile can be off-putting for many, it is an example of the diversity and experimentation that excites me the most. Black Button Distillery's Bespoke Blend bourbon is a true testament to the superior quality of locally grown grains over those used in the mass market. I wonder if the distillery employs a similar varietal of corn to that used by Garrison Brothers, another promoter of local grains and heirloom strains, which would begin to explain the similarities. Alternatively, its status as a four-grain bourbon means that any combination or single one of the four grains used could be responsible for the taste. Black Button uses a unique four-grain mash bill of 60% NYS wapsie valley corn, 20% soft winter wheat, 11% danko rye, and 9% locally malted barley. Closing Impression: This is a bourbon to be sought after, especially for those who appreciate a funky Texas whiskey profile and enjoy more diverse flavors. Those who strongly prefer a mass-market bourbon may struggle to see the value that I see in this whiskey, although I encourage everyone to try and identify the broad spectrum of flavors that it contains. This bottle is a private blend, so I cannot guarantee that Black Button's core offerings are identical, but I hope for the sake of everyone who loves good whiskey that they are. Black Button's blending program is growing, and distribution is expanding, so the odds of seeing another bottle such as this one in one's area are getting better by the day! Additionally, rumor has it that Black Button is working on a small host of new releases, one of which may involve the use of a smoked corn. I hope to see more from Black Button here in Southern California, and I am fully confident that they will continue to impress. Nose: 92/100 Taste: 93/100 Finish: 90/100 Overall: 92/100 P.S. - Thanks to Alex H. for speaking to me at length about the distillery, and thanks to Richard D. for gifting me the bottle for this review

The Pot Still Column: Episode 13 Penelope Four Grain Toasted Series Barrel Strength Bourbon Batch #21 Proof: 114 Age: 4.5 Years Finish: Toasted Barrel Source: MGP (Lawrenceburg, Indiana) sourced by Penelope Bourbon Price: $55.00 to $70.00 Penelope Bourbon. The nascent brand has become a hot topic on social media in recent years, and the tall, "P"-emblazoned bottles have claimed consistent real-estate in many of our feeds. Most recently, Penelope has gathered some acclaim for of their hyper-successful Architect series. How will their Toasted Series Four-grain Bourbon stand up to the hype? Founded in 2018, Penelope Bourbon is a latecomer to the bourbon scene, but their arrival has not gone unnoticed and they've managed to draw the attention of social media influencers across several platforms. The New Jersey-based brand sources very transparently from MGP of Indiana, making use of three distinct mashbills to produce a unique blend of four-grain whiskey. While some distilleries have deviated from this path, Penelope's four-grain bourbon includes the traditional combination of corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley. Penelope's Toasted Four-grain series is a limited release featuring their standard bourbon finished in a toasted barrel. Toasted barrel finishing has gained some traction in the past few years, inspiring multiple brands to release their interpretations of a toasted barrel whiskey (see Elijah Craig Toasted, Michter's Toasted). A toasted barrel finish is brought about by aging the whiskey in a barrel that has been exposed to lower temperatures for longer periods of time during the charring process, as opposed to the quick, high-intensity char that is used in the production of most new oak barrels. Supposedly, the slower charring time allows for the wood sugars to express themselves differently, producing a distinct flavor profile in the finished product. This batch of barrel strength bourbon was rested for 4.5 years in a barrel that underwent a heavy toast and a level-3 char. The bourbon is medium in color, lighter than it is dark. The bottle presentation is very simple, defined by a paper label, a custom tampering seal, and a humble synthetic cork. The gold foil used for the "P" logo makes the bottle feel like a special release, bestowing it with a royal aesthetic. The bottle is tall, possibly too tall, although I do generally prefer tall and slender bottle designs for their storage compatibility. My first exposure to the nose conflicts with my knowledge that this is an MGP bourbon. If anything, the bourbon smells more like what I have come to expect from Barton 1792. After sitting in the glass for 10 minutes, dense notes of caramel waft up from the opening, accompanied by a mild peanut note. One might be surprised at how many different ways the smell of peanuts can express itself in a whiskey. Sometimes the scent is more of a dry and salty peanut shell, other times a creamy and oily peanut butter, and not infrequently a caramelly peanut brittle. The smell I find here reminds me of a honeyed peanut butter, something that one might find in a protein snack box from Starbucks. Vanilla is another dominant note, and a pleasant warmth can be felt boiling over the rim of the glencairn. Illusions of temperature don't always play a role in the nosing experience, so this is a welcome surprise. Barrel char and a slight peppery note garnish the otherwise caramel-forward nose. The taste is a little less rich than the smell, but still has plenty to offer. The experience begins with a powerful punch of alcohol sharpness, traversing the palate in a wave from front to back. Caramel and vanilla are both present, and the peanut essence takes a backseat, becoming almost invisible. The caramel is strictly a bourbon caramel, not butterscotch, and the ethanol sting makes it feel brighter than it really is. The majority of the flavor is concentrated on the upper palate, settling on the roof of the mouth and less so on the very back of the tongue. The finish is simple but pleasant, mostly oak with a hint of sweet caramel. The finish is more of a sensation than a flavor with this whiskey, feeling slightly numbing and grainy on the rear of the palate. Closing Impression: This is a pretty good classic bourbon, and anybody who appreciates that type of profile and doesn't have an aversion to nuts would likely enjoy this. While there isn't a terrible amount of complexity or character to distinguish it from its competitors, the whiskey is just unique and misleading enough to confuse the drinker about its distillery of origin. The people at Penelope did a great job with this blend, making the best out of a 4.5-year bourbon and distinguishing it as a bottle worthy of "best in class". The price seems to differ from store to store with this release, leveling out at around $70.00, but I was able to find a bottle for $55.00. At 55 bucks, this is a great pickup but not a rare steal, as one could find a dozen other whiskeys with nearly identical flavors for the same price--- such is the nature of sourced whiskey. However, most cask strength MGP tends to sell for upwards of $80 in the current market despite its age, so the price for Penelope's Toasted Edition is comparatively very fair. If one can find this for around $60.00, it is a tough bottle to beat in its weight class of 4.5 year classic bourbon. Nose: 83/100 Taste: 81/100 Finish: 73/100 Overall: 79/100 [Pretty Good, bordering on Good]

The Pot Still Column: Episode 14 Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey PX Edition Proof: 92 Age: NAS Finish: Pedro Ximenez Sherry Casks Source: Redbreast [i.e. Jameson/Midleton Distillery] (County Cork, Ireland) Price: $87.00 I have not yet reviewed an Irish whiskey on the Column, and I cannot think of a better way to kick things off than with Redbreast Single Pot Still PX Edition Irish Whiskey. Redbreast is one of the few acclaimed luxury Irish whiskey brands in the American market, a dark place for Irish whiskey dominated by bottom shelf blends that give the category a bad reputation. While it has no trouble keeping pace with other Irish whiskey powerhouses such as Jameson, Bushmills, and Tullamore Dew, Redbreast has developed a reputation among whiskey enthusiasts as a more distinguished and high-end pour. The standard Redbreast 12 and cask strength varietals are extremely popular among American whiskey lovers especially, treating the oak-beaten palate of the average American consumer more kindly than many of the lighter, often watery Irish options. Redbreast is produced in the same location as nearly every other commercial Irish whiskey, Midleton Distillery. Other brands produced at Midleton include Jameson, Powers, the Spot line, Writer's Tears, and The Irishman. So... everyone. While consumers of scotch whisky may assume that Redbreast is a single malt, the Irish spirit can be best categorized as a "single pot still" whiskey. Single pot still whiskey is a traditional Irish style of production, and the designation is reserved for whiskeys distilled three times in a single copper pot still from a mash of malted and unmalted barley. This shares similarities with single malt scotches in that the distillate comes from one distillery and is made partially of malted barley, but differs by allowing the use of unmalted grain. Beyond that, general Irish whiskey regulations demand that the whiskey must rest for a minimum of three years in oak and be bottled in Ireland. This particular expression, Redbreast PX Edition, is aged for an undisclosed period of additional time in Pedro Ximenez sherry barrels, imparting a dramatic finish to complement the traditional Redbreast profile. The bottle is constructed of dark green glass that contrasts with the light, straw-colored, and slightly reddish whiskey inside. The nose does not present itself in such a way that one might expect a sherry-finished whiskey to appear. Extremely sweet notes of overripe strawberry, lemon and powdered sugar, and neutral malt come through without any sign of shyness. When I say neutral malt, I am referring to a very pure smell of malted barley that is neither bright, acidic, and crisp like green apples, nor dark, heavy, and musty like mildew and raisins--- just rich, sweet, and grain-forward with satisfying depth. The proof is absolutely perfect at 92, and this is coming from someone who strongly prefers cask strength. The ABV of 46% provides for a firm but gentle sipping experience at absolutely no cost to the flavor. I can't even imagine what this would taste like at cask strength, as the amount and diversity of flavors present now is astounding. The flavor is a nearly perfect reflection of the nose in all the best ways. The richness of the malted barley carries the rest of the flavors nicely, greeting the palate with a very creamy coating. Redbreast plays a full-contact sport, not letting a single corner of the palate go untouched. The mouthfeel is slightly tingly, like a finely carbonated beverage, and the finish is short and sweet. While the finish does not linger long, it disappears very cleanly, leaving no unpleasant, residual flavors on the tongue. The initial burst of the finish is full of fruit and honey, reminding me of crystalized honey when it dries in the cupboard. Perhaps it is the syrupy chewiness of the whiskey that brings to mind that specific texture. Closing Impression: Wow! I cannot believe how good this whiskey is. I am generally not a fan of Irish whiskey, mostly because it is so difficult to find decent expressions among the many bottom-shelfers, but this is nothing less than spectacular. The influence of the PX cask finish was extremely pronounced, but its effects were unexpected, making this a very exciting drinking experience. The tingly feeling left on the tongue was delightful and surprising at such a low proof. The proof itself was perfectly selected, highlighting the rich malty notes to the fullest extent. This is a very sweet whiskey, placing it firmly among what some might qualify as "dessert whiskeys," but its drinkability makes it a pour for all occasions. This limited edition bottling from Redbreast is a contender for best whiskey I've tried in 2022, and it won't be hard to keep it in mind as the year goes on. Nose: 96/100 Taste: 97/100 Finish: 91/100 Overall: 95/100

The Pot Still Column: Episode 15 - Weird Whiskey Wednesday Edition! Broken Barrel Reserve Oak Series Rum Cask Stave Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Batch #3 (Selected by BevMo!) Proof: 115 Age: NAS (2+ Years) Finish: Barbados Rum Staves and Ex-Rye Staves Source: undisclosed Kentucky distillery Price: $55.00 Broken Barrel Whiskey Co. is doing some wild things with whiskey, expanding on the already booming field of finished spirits. Focusing primarily on bourbon, Broken Barrel finishes its products with the help of barrel staves rather than entire casks. Their barrel breaking endeavors are well documented on their social media pages, and the team seems to take great pleasure in the smashing process. The company takes pride in its coinage of the term "oak bill," a play on the more well-known phrase, mash bill. While mash bills document the ratios of grain that go into the whiskey, the oak bill delineates the different types of wood used during production. Today's review will cover Broken Barrel's rum cask stave finished Kentucky straight bourbon, a member of the brand's core line of products. This particular bottle is a barrel pick from BevMo! in San Diego, although it doesn't specify that it is a single barrel. The bourbon is bottled at cask strength (57.5%) and boasts an oak bill of 75% rum staves and 25% ex-rye staves. The distillate itself is produced under contract by Green River Distilling in Kentucky, a distillery recently acquired by Bardstown Bourbon Company. While I have no official word on the matter, Broken Barrel's future contracting may be affected by the recent acquisition, so we can only speculate about whether Green River will continue to produce Broken Barrel's bourbon. The bottle itself is unique, built from opaque, black glass stamped with the Broken Barrel logo. The glass is quite the work of art, and the densely worded label is fitted into glass ridges specifically designed for this purpose. The presentation is very elegant and appealing to the eye, but it isn't my favorite bottle design. While it is undoubtedly beautiful and may be someone else's cup of tea (bourbon?), the bottle clashes strongly with every other bottle in existence, making it an eyesore on my shelves. Furthermore, the bottle is short and fat, taking up precious real-estate. Along with the oak bill, the container proudly reports a mash bill of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley, revealing a substantial rye content. Funnily enough, despite my constant complaints about lack of transparency by bourbon companies when it comes to details such as mash bills, Broken Barrel's commendable transparency may be of little relevance. The nose is completely dominated by the rum finish, making this completely unrecognizable as a bourbon. Despite being familiar with several of Broken Barrel's offerings, I would be hard pressed to categorize this properly if presented with it blindly. The rum finish is unmistakable, imparting a buttery sweetness and accentuating the dusty corn smell of the base spirit. Notes of blue raspberry slushy and cotton candy mark the desserty characteristics of this bourbon as more synthetic in nature than the usual sugars, maples, and caramels one might expect from a bourbon. This is why I commented that the mash bill may be irrelevant: this is more finish than it is whiskey. Despite this, I find myself enjoying it, and there are plenty of redeeming characteristics that balance out the shock factor. The taste is buttery smooth, every sharp edge that may once have existed covered liberally with velvet. I wouldn't be surprised if this whiskey is only 2 or 3 years old. If the intended profile during the planning stages was what I am experiencing now, then well-aged whiskey would have been a wasteful investment. Fortunately, the extensive finishing rounds off the grainy sharpness of the young distillate, making the final product rather ageless. Butterscotch appears as the bourbon spends more time in the glass, adding to the heavily candied profile. The finish reflects a blurry likeness of the taste, briefly treating the drinker to a hint of butterscotch, but quickly fades into oaky nothingness. I was hoping the bourbon's buttery traits would carry over into the finish, leaving an oily texture, but this is not the case. Closing Impression: Oh man, this is a difficult bottle to review. The profile is so dramatically different from every other bourbon that it feels unjust to use other whiskeys as comparative measures. Individually, the experience is good and the flavors are surprisingly complex. Lots of candied flavors that one rarely finds in bourbon show up here in abundance, although perceptions of those flavors may vary. I think the safest bet would be to categorize this as a flavored whiskey. This is unfair to Broken Barrel because it isn't technically true, but if I were to rate this as a traditionally finished bourbon, the results would be less pretty than Broken Barrel's ingenuity deserves. Since I don't rate flavored whiskeys on this publication, I will exercise my right to abstain from choosing a score! While I may not be giving this a numerical score, I can leave you with a verbal one. This is not in any way a whiskey for someone who is looking for a bourbon profile. The flavors are intensely sweet and dessert-like, making this more of a digestif liqueur than a bourbon. Under normal circumstances, I would suspect that the rum barrels used for finishing this whiskey were wet enough to swim in, but the use of staves instead of liquid-bearing barrels nips that idea in the bud. That being said, I like the flavors that are present, and will happily share this bottle with friends who might be more openminded or curious in their exploration. Nose: Pretty Good Taste: Curious Finish: Eh. Overall: Pretty whacky if you ask me