Bourbon from the Hatfield-McCoy Well? Robert’s Reserve Review

A Pike County Reunion in a Glass: Robert’s Reserve Bourbon Review

What happens when you mix the legendary water of the Hatfield-McCoy feud with one of the most prestigious names in bourbon history? You get Robert’s Reserve from Pauley Hollow Distillery.

In today’s episode, we’re tasting a bottle that is deeply personal. Pauley Hollow, the first legal distillery in Pike County, Kentucky, uses water drawn from the original Randall McCoy family well. But there’s a twist—Wayne’s ancestors, the McBrayers, lived on this same soil and were titans of the 19th-century whiskey world.

This is more than just a bourbon review; it’s a journey back to Wayne’s roots in Eastern Kentucky. We dive into the unique 4-grain mash bill, the use of rare Cypress wood fermenters, and how small-barrel aging (10 and 30-gallon) creates a “Sith Lord” level of dark, rich complexity in a 4-year-old spirit.

Does the 92-proof Robert’s Reserve live up to the McBrayer legacy? Let’s find out.

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✴️ Robert’s Reserve

  • Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Company: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Distillery: Pauley Hollow Distillery (Forest Hills, KY)
  • Distillation: They utilize 300-gallon cypress wood fermenters and a 150-gallon cypress pot still with a stainless/copper hybrid column.
  • Mash Bill: Four-grain (Corn, Rye, Wheat, and Malted Barley)
  • Barreling: Uses a combination of 10-gallon and 30-gallon barrels with a #3 char. Smaller barrels are often used by craft distilleries to accelerate the interaction between the wood and the spirit.
  • Age: 4 Years
  • Proof: 92
  • MSRP: $50

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NOTE: The spirit in this review was purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.

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Bourbon & Whiskey News: February 2026

03/02/26
Curated by Rebecca Herman

Bourbon & Whiskey Industry Highlights from February 2026 >> 56 Stories!

In February 2026, the bourbon and whiskey industry saw significant developments, including over 56 stories highlighting market trends, distillery news, and awards. Key topics included a surge in bourbon sales, new craft distillery memberships, major bottle releases, and festival updates, emphasizing the industry’s continuous growth and evolution.

02/02: Bourbon Secondary Market Trends: 42k+ Transactions Analyzed

02/03: Bourbon brings more than $10bn to Kentucky

02/03: Bourbon Women Set to Celebrate 15 Years

02/04: American Distilling Institute Launches New Membership Structure to Better Serve the Evolving Craft Spirits Industry

02/05: 2025 Craft Distilleries and Distilled Spirits in the U.S. State of the Industry Report

02/10: Distilled Spirits Council Report Shows Spirits Sales Down; RTDs Surge

02/16: Bourbon Spirits Market to Grow Strongly by 2030, Driven by Rising Alcoholic Beverage Consumption

02/02: How A Whiskey Market Reset Is Fueling Shortbarrel Bourbon’s Rise

02/02: Jeptha Creed Distillery Cites Growth Despite Industry Headwinds

02/02: US whiskey firm Barrell Craft Spirits sells facility

02/02: WhistlePig Whiskey parts ways with CEO

02/03: Weaver pushes back in message to investors

02/04: Beloved Whiskey Brand Is ‘Insolvent,’ Creditors Claim

02/06: Kirin to Sell Four Roses Distillery to E&J Gallo

02/12: Resurrecting the Three-Chamber Still—and the Flavor of Pre-Prohibition Whiskey

02/13: Whistleblower lawsuit filed against high-profile Kentucky distillery, CEO

02/25: This Exclusive Spirits Membership Will Get You Allocations of Rare Whiskeys From Lux Row Distillers

02/05: Dark Arts Whiskey House Joins Kentucky Bourbon Trail

02/25: KDA Annouces New ‘Build Your Own Bourbon Trail’ Feature

02/25: Buzzard’s Roost Whiskey Launches New Visitor Experiences at its Louisville Distillery and Tasting Room

Awards Announced >> 7 Stories

02/13: Local distillery wins one of whiskey industry’s highest honors

02/16: Heaven Hill Earns Top Honors at 2026 World Whiskies Awards America and Icons of Whisky

02/16: Onyx & Amber Takes Top Honor as World’s Best American Style Whiskey in Debut Year

02/19: The World’s Best Single Barrel Bourbon According to the World Whiskies Awards 2026

02/20: This $55 Whiskey Is America’s Best Rye, According to the 2026 World Whiskies Awards

02/21: This Kentucky Distillery Just Won Best Distiller Of The Year At The 2026 World Whiskies Awards

02/28: Chris Fletcher named Master Distiller of Year

Bourbon Festival News,Updates, & Planning >> 9

Mar 2026: New Orleans Bourbon Festival

May 2026: BBQ & Barrels, Owensboro KY

Aug 2027: Missouri Bourbon Festival, Hermann MO

Sep 2026: Kentucky Bourbon Festival, Bardstown KY

Sep 2026: Bourbon & Beyond, Louisville KY

Oct 2026: Bourbon on the Banks, Frankfort KY

Jan 2027: BourbonCon, Lexington KY

Feb 2027: Bourbon Classic, Louisville KY

02/02: NFL Legend Terry Bradshaw Just Dropped a New Hazmat Bourbon—and It’s Actually Great

02/02: Introducing Shortbarrel Four Grain Bourbon: A Wheated Kentucky Whiskey By Way Of The Great State Of Georgia

02/03: Kentucky Artisan Distillery Releases Bottled-in-Bond Additions to Artisan Series

02/03: Buzzard’s Roost Distillery Introduces New Four Grain Double Oak Bourbon

02/05: Woodford Reserve Releases New Distillery Series: Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Finish

02/09: King of Kentucky marks US semiquincentennial

02/09: Award-Winning Alberta Distillers Limited(R) Releases Two New Premium Expressions

02/09: Redbreast Expands Its Iberian Series With Its First-Ever Moscatel Cask Release

02/10: Green River Expands Award-Winning Lineup with Launch of Wheated Full Proof Bourbon

02/10: Michter’s To Release Celebration Sour Mash, The Rarest Whiskey in the Distiller’s Lineup

02/10: Yellowstone Bourbon Celebrates America’s 250th Anniversary with Hand Picked Single Barrel Program

02/12: Barrell Craft Spirits Just Dropped a Hazmat Whiskey Aged in Orange Liqueur Casks

02/17: Rebel Bourbon rolls out Rebel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel 2026 Selected By Kyle Busch

02/18: Penelope Releases 7-Year Barrel Strength Bourbon

02/19: Southern Distilling Co. Finishes Bourbon in Zinfandel Wine Casks

02/25: Barrell Craft Spirits® Introduces a 12-year BourbonFinished in Toasted American Oak Casks

02/25: Heaven Hill Releases 20th Anniversary Bernheim Wheat Whiskey

02/26: Heaven Hill Distillery Honors a Storied Legacy with Heaven Hill Deatsville 13-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskey

02/27: Bulleit Debuts a Mesquite-Smoked Malt Bourbon With Zero Rye


“Bottom Shelf” by Fred Minnick