🥃 THE ROAD TO 2025 WOTY: We spent 12 months hunting for the best juice—see our complete selection process and the 100% blind bracket logic on our website: https://yourbourbonjourney.com/2026/01/01/the-road-to-the-2025-whiskey-of-the-year-the-blind-bracket-revealed/

NOTE: All spirits in this tournament were purchased by us for the purpose of evaluation. We were not compensated by any producer for reviews or inclusion in this series. These rankings are based solely on our blind tasting scores and the performance of the liquid in the glass throughout the 2025 season.

The Road to Whiskey of the Year: Sweet Sixteen Battles 1 & 2! 🥃🏆

Welcome to the Sweet Sixteen! We are kicking off the ultimate tournament to crown our Whiskey of the Year. We’ve taken the winners from our Whiskey of the Month and Whiskey of the Quarter competitions, added four high-scoring wildcards, and now it’s time for the ultimate blind taste test.

In this episode, we tackle Battle 1 (1-seed vs. 4-seed) and Battle 2 (2-seed vs. 3-seed). We’re tasting these completely blind—no labels, no proofs, no prices—just pure flavor profiles. Through the magic of editing, you’ll see the winners revealed while we remain in the dark until the very end of the round!

What’s on the Menu Today?

• Battle 1: A clash of classics. One glass is packed with rich vanilla, brown sugar, and cinnamon, while the other brings a lighter, butterscotch-forward pop with surprising proof.
• Battle 2: This one gets wild. We’re talking “grilled cherries” and deep barrel notes versus a bright, citrusy, and drier bourbon profile.

Will the top seeds hold their ground, or are we heading for an early-round upset? Grab a pour, hit play, and follow along with Wayne and Rebecca on Your Bourbon Journey.

Inside the Tasting Room:

• The Process: 16 whiskeys, blind pairings, and a scoring system based on Nose, Taste, and Finish.
• The Stakes: Only the winners move on to the Elite Eight.
• The Reveal: We won’t know the identities until all eight battles are done, but you get to see the winners as they advance!

Which bottle are you rooting for? Are you Team Cherry & Barrel or Team Vanilla & Spice? Let us know your predictions in the comments!

📅 Don’t miss out: We’re dropping Battles 3 & 4 tomorrow! Hit that Subscribe button and ring the bell so you don’t miss a single sip of the tournament.

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