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February 2024 Green River Rye Whiskey Tasting

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February 13, 2024
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

For this tasting, Wayne and I tasted the latest release from Green River Distilling – their Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey. We purchased this bottle when we attended their Rye Launch Party on February 1, 2024. Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already. 

Green River – the whiskey without regrets!

Green River Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey



Mashbill – 95% Rye and 5% Malted Barley
Age – A blend of 4-, 5-, and 6-year-old barrels
Proof – 95
Price Paid – $37.99
Other – One of the coolest bottles around with the horseshoe base as a throwback to their historical DSP-KY-10

Color – golden amber

Aroma – doesn’t have a typical rye note on the nose; a lot of sweetness comes through such as honey, brown sugar, and a sweet fruit.


Tasted Neat – citrus, like a sweet orange marmalade with honey and graham crackers, fresh rye grass but not as expected for a 95% rye, fruitiness but with a nice rye spice and oak finish.

Tasted with dried cranberry –  reduced the sweetness and mostly muted the rye spice.

Tasted with a pecan –  A new type of sweetness now, such as caramel and chocolate, but with pepper, cinnamon, and maybe some oak on the finish.

Tasted with dark chocolate – creamy sweetness of caramel, but with a stronger presence of baking spices and then pepper for the finish.  

Discussion and Final Notes

This is rye provides a really nice ride. It is a 95% rye that drinks quite similarly to a bourbon. You know it is rye from the rye grass, slight mint, and rye spices; however, the sweet citrus fruit – such as orange marmalade plus the graham cracker tricks your mind to thinking about bourbon.

If we had friends over that said they absolutely do not like rye, I would pour them a taste of the Green River to see if we could change their mind.

This whiskey is also at a great price point of under $40 and should be readily available through regular distribution channels. I believe Green River is now in 25 states, so look for it on the shelves of your local liquor store.

Cheers,
Rebecca & Wayne

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Spirit Requirements

What is a Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey? Rye whiskey must be made from at least 51% rye. It must be distilled at 160 proof or less.  It then must be placed into a new, charred oak container at a proof of 125 or below. Straight rye whiskey is a subcategory of rye whiskey that has been aged for at least two years in new, charred oak barrels and doesn’t contain any additives. If aged less than four years, the label must include an age statement. To add “Kentucky” to the label, it must be aged for at least one year in the state of Kentucky. For additional information, read Rye Whiskey, part of the Sunday Spirit Notes.

NOTE: The whiskey 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.

Rye Whiskey

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02/11/24
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer


Rye whiskey originated in Europe and was first distilled in the US by local farmers in Pennsylvania. Farmers began using the local and easily accessible grains of corn to blend with the rye whiskey.

An interesting note on rye – President George Washington was a large producer of rye whiskey and distilled rye whiskey at his Mount Vernon estate.

Basic Requirements – Rye whiskey must be made from at least 51% rye. It must be distilled at 160 proof or less.  It then must be placed into a new, charred oak container at a proof of 125 or below. 

Straight rye whiskey is a subcategory of rye whiskey that has been aged for at least two years in new, charred oak barrels and doesn’t contain any additives. If aged less than four years, the label must include an age statement.

To add “Kentucky” to the label, it must be aged for at least one year in the state of Kentucky.

The taste profile of Rye Whiskey can be distinct; however, there are many nuances as well. Most think of Rye Whiskey as being spicy with flavors such as cinnamon, clove, and pepper coming forward. It can also have other notes such as sour, similar to rye bread, or even sweet such as caramel and vanilla. Dried fruits, nuttiness, and strong herbal flavors are often common. The important note here is that, like Bourbon Whiskey, Rye Whiskey can have a very wide range of flavor profiles. Therefore, if you don’t enjoy the first Rye Whiskey that you try, be sure to sample others before making a firm decision on the category.

Visit to Augusta Distillery

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By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

January 27, 2024, Wayne and I took a 250 mile journey to Augusta, Kentucky. It is about two hours Northeast of Louisville and less than an hour Southeast of Cincinnati. Augusta is a very small town along the south bank of the Ohio River with a population of approximately 1100 people. It is interesting to note that Augusta has a ferry that has operated since 1798 and that is now on our “must do” list when we make our return visit. Fun fact: George Clooney graduated from Augusta High School and his aunt, Rosemary Clooney, called Augusta home the Rosemary Clooney Museum is open to the public.

Distillery Visit

On this trip to Augusta Distillery, we opted to not take the “pardon our dust” tour and instead did a terrific tasting flight. The flight included Augusta Old Route 8, Buckner’s 10-year Single Barrel, and River Proof Series 24 (a wheated bourbon). We enjoyed each of them and decided to take one of each home with us. We later did a more in-depth tasting of the three expressions and you can read about that here.

Their build-out plans look amazing! We look forward to visiting them again once they are further along.

Gift Shop

We love a great gift shop and for a new facility, they had a really nice offering and a good variety. From shirts to hats to glassware. Our purchases included a Glencairn and a Christmas Ornament. They didn’t have a distillery pin for my hat but perhaps they will in the future.

Bottles Available for Sale

They had a terrific display of their offerings.

Distillery Trail Statistics


Augusta Distillery is our 55th new distillery and our 109th distillery experience. It was added to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour after we completed our book with 42 distilleries. Even so, we were able to get the book stamped: it is our 26th craft distillery and our 44th Kentucky Bourbon Trail stamp.

Pro Tip: Old Pogue Distillery is a mere 17 miles due East. Be sure to give them a visit as well!

February 2024 Augusta Distillery Bourbon Tasting

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02/07/24
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already. 

For this tasting, Wayne and I decided to taste and compare three selections from one of the newest members of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour: Augusta Distillery. We purchased these when we visited the distillery January 27, 2024. You can read about our visit here.

They are all Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskeys. Such whiskeys have all the requirements of bourbon: Made in the U.S, distilled at <= 160 proof, barreled at <= 125 proof, aged in new, charred oak containers, bottled at >= 80 proof. Straight bourbon means it is aged at least 2 years (and must have an age statement if less than 4). In addition, to be Kentucky Straight Bourbon, it has the additional requirement that it must be produced and aged at least 1 year in the state of Kentucky.

Augusta River Proof Series 24

Mashbill – 51% Corn, 45% Wheat, 4% Malted Barley
Proof – 120.4
Aged – 24 months
Other – Single Barrel
Awards – Silver at 2023 World Spirits Competition
Price Paid – $49.99

Color – light copper
Aroma – honey, citrus, a hint of caramel, and fennel
Taste – fennel, caramel, light baking spice, cinnamon on the finish; it drinks more like 105-110 versus 120; Tasted with dried cranberry – more caramel, spices in the middle but then finishes smooth with light nutmeg; Tasted with a pecan – very spicy on the front and with less sweetness, a slight hint of chocolate and caramel with a pecan; Tasted with dark chocolate – the caramel is back, baking spice in the middle.

General Notes – A fairly complex drink for a two-year-old bourbon. Carmel, warm spices, and a gentle finish of fennel. Doesn’t drink like 120 proof and is a great price point.

Augusta Old Route 8


Mashbill – 74% Corn, 18% Rye, 8% malted barley
Proof – 121.1
Aged – 8 Years
Specifics – Bottle 176 of Barrel 60; Single Barrel, Unfiltered, Cask Strength
Awards – Gold at 2023 World Spirits Competition
Price Paid – $114.99

Color – dark amber
Aroma – caramel, baking spices, bit of smokiness
Taste – caramel, cinnamon, vanilla, brown sugar, oak, with a pleasant peppery finish; Tasted with dried cranberry – brought out the smokiness from the aroma as well as oak, sweetness is very limited; Tasted with a pecan – creaminess on the front and a very peppery finish; Tasted with dark chocolate – A bit of sweetness but many of the other flavors got lost.

General Notes – If you enjoy oak and smokiness with a hint of pepper, this would hit those marks. We would love to try this in a smoked Old Fashioned. This also might be extremely complimentary to pair with the right cigar.

Augusta Buckner’s 10-Year-Old

Mashbill – 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Age – 10 Years
Proof – 125
Specifics – Bottle 129 of Barrel 47; Single Barrel, Unfiltered, Cask Strength
Price Paid – $149.99

Color – medium amber
Aroma – an inviting sweetness such as honey and vanilla with hints of cinnamon and brown sugar
Taste – very cinnamon forward, caramel, baking spices, oaky; Tasted with dried cranberry – smoky, but it now tastes more like it smelled regarding brown sugar and cinnamon; Tasted with a pecan – hot with cinnamon, everything else seems to be missing now; Tasted with dark chocolate – back to being an inviting sweetness of honey with some light brown sugar and cinnamon.

General Notes – We each enjoyed the nose and drinking it neat. However, the cranberry added some interesting notes.

Comparison and Ranking

Aroma
  Wayne: Augusta 8, River Proof Series 24, Buckner 10
  Rebecca: Buckner 10, Augusta 8, River Proof Series 24  
Taste
  Wayne: Augusta 8, Buckner 10, River Proof Series 24
  Rebecca: Buckner 10, River Proof Series 24, Augusta 8
Overall
  Wayne: River Proof Series 24, Augusta 8, Buckner 10
  Rebecca: River Proof Series 24, Augusta 8, Buckner 10 

Discussion – The River Proof Series 24 exceeded our expectations and it’s the one that has the most distinct individual flavor. If we could only buy one bottle at the distillery, we would go with this one based on value and complexity. However, if your friend has a bottle of Augusta 8 or Buckner’s 10 or if you see them on a bar menu, give them a try and let us know what you think.

Cheers,
Rebecca

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

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

January 2024 Industry Highlights

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02/01/24

There were several important happenings in the bourbon industry this past month including announcements of expansions, ground breaking, new releases, and festival news.

Distillery News

Angel’s Envy announced expansion plans.

New Riff named their first Master Distiller – Brian Sprance.

Rabbit Hole Distillery announced expansion plans.

RD1 Spirits broke ground January 10, 2024, for their $4.8 million brand destination.

Bottle Releases

Buffalo Trace releases Traveller Whiskey, a collaboration with Chris Stapleton

Green River to release their Green River Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey on February 1, 2024.

Woodford Reserve released their Double Double Oaked January 23, 2024

Festival News

Bourbon & Beyond 2024 released their lineup.

January 2024 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Tasting

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01/31/24
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already. 

For this tasting, Wayne and I decided to select three Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskeys. Such whiskeys have all the requirements of bourbon: Made in the U.S, distilled at <= 160 proof, barreled at <= 125 proof, aged in new, charred oak containers, bottled at >= 80 proof. Straight bourbon means it is aged at least 2 years (and must have an age statement if less than 4). In addition, to be Kentucky Straight Bourbon, it has the additional requirement that it must be produced and aged at least 1 year in the state of Kentucky.

For this tasting, we selected expressions from the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour: The Bard Distillery, Bluegrass Distillers, and James E. Pepper Distilling Co.

The Bard: Cinder & Smoke


Mash Grains – Corn, Rye, Malted Barley
Proof – 94
Age – At least 4 years






Color – Medium Amber
Aroma – Honey, baking spices, smoke
Taste – Honey, caramel, vanilla, brown sugar; Tasted with dried cranberry – very similar but there is a buttery taste and the black pepper finish is gone; Tasted with a pecan – baking spice, caramel, and some light oak; Tasted with dark chocolate – creamy, buttery, caramel.
Finish – lingering with black pepper
General Notes – Solid bourbon with a nice balance of tastes.

Bluegrass Distillers: Bottled-in-Bond


Mashbill – 75% yellow corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley
Proof – 100
Aged – At least 4 years







Color – Medium amber
Aroma – Honey, salted caramel, vanilla, green tea, light fruit
Taste – Honey, pear, oak, butterscotch; Tasted with dried cranberry – more fruitiness again a very light caramel with a really smooth finish with a hint of cinnamon; Tasted with a pecan – more buttery with the pecan, less cinnamon, finish is very light now; Tasted with dark chocolate – strong pepper on the finish.
Finish – Lingering baking spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon as well as black pepper
General Notes – Very nice, full-bodied, drinks like it would be a warm hug in the cold

James E. Pepper: Decanter Barrel Proof

Note – this decanter is a recreation of a historic bottle from 1945
Mash grains – Corn, rye, malted barley, malted rye
Age – average of 5.5 years
Bottled – from barrel, uncut, unfiltered
Proof – 105.7






Color – Darker amber
Aroma – Strong caramel, toasted oak, fruit and nuts
Taste –  Cherry, raisins, caramel, citrus, toasted oak, cinnamon; Tasted with dried cranberry – the fruit is a little different and less forward, buttery, cinnamon finish; Tasted with a pecan – baking spices with caramel and a hint of cocoa and a light cinnamon finish; Tasted with dark chocolate – creamy, buttery caramel, a little bit of cinnamon and baking spices, would like pair well with a dessert
Finish – dried fruits, rye spice, cinnamon
General Notes – Beautiful bottle with an inviting complexity, a great pour

Comparison and Ranking

Aroma
  Wayne: Bluegrass, James E Pepper, Cinder & Smoke
  Rebecca: James E Pepper, Cinder & Smoke, Bluegrass  
Taste
  Wayne: James E Pepper, Cinder & Smoke, Bluegrass
  Rebecca: James E Pepper, Cinder & Smoke, Bluegrass

Discussion – We enjoyed each of these even though they are incredibly different. Perhaps that is one of the reasons that we love bourbon so much – they are all labeled Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and they are each their own unique offering. What they have in common is that each have rye as their second grain.

**James E Pepper is right in the midst of our favorite profile. It is caramel and fruity with just the right pop of baking spices.
**Cinder & Smoke is loaded with honey, caramel, vanilla, and brown sugar with the added interest of smoke and black pepper.
**Bluegrass BIB is honey, pear, oaky, and finishes with nutmeg and black pepper.

How to chose? For a cocktail, we know that Cinder & Smoke is amazing in an Old Fashioned (especially a smoked one). Overall, it will depend on your day and what you are in the mood to enjoy. Today, we rank them as listed above. However, the great thing about bourbon is that if we do this again in a few months, the ranking could very well be completely different.

We recommend them all and they would be terrific additions to a bourbon collection, especially since they are so different. Have you tried any of these? What did you think?

Cheers,
Rebecca

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

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

January 2024 Dominican Rum Tasting

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01/24/24
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Wayne McBrayer shares our plans for a rum tasting.

Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already. We were unable to acquire dried cranberries or pecans and decided to substitute raisins and peanuts. This made for an interesting tasting experience!

Rum? While visiting Punta Cana for a conference, Wayne and I quickly discovered that drinking bourbon was going to be a challenge because the offerings were incredibly limited. Therefore, we determined that we would drink the local favorite – Dominican Rum! Our bartender, Carlos, recommended Ron Barceló and Brugal.

Carlos – Dreams Onyx Resort, Punta Cana

Part 1: Brugal – Añejo, XV, and Extra Viejo






Distillery – Brugal, Dominican Republic
Proof – All are 37.5% alcohol, 65 proof
Mashbill – Unknown, but they use molasses from the Dominican Republic






>>Brugal Añejo (añejo indicates a premium aged, dark rum)
*Aging – up to five years in used bourbon barrels of American oak with a medium toast
*Color – bright, light amber
*Nose – light on the nose, sugarcane almost a honey, just a slight hint of chocolate
*Taste – buttery, light honey, brown sugar, slight caramel with white pepper on the back
*Tasted with a raisin – sweeter and the pepper is gone
*Tasted with a peanut – it brought brought out a warmth to the beginning and was more savory, less sweet

>>Brugal XV
*Aging – a blend of rums aged 3-8 years in white American oak casks and rums aged 2-3 years in ex Pedro Ximenez sherry casks
*Color – bright, light amber
*Nose – sweet, molasses or sugarcane
*Taste – caramel, honey, molasses, citrus, dried fruit, small hint of white pepper on the finish
*Tasted with a raisin – more flavors seem to be popping out honey molasses brown sugar. Much fruitier, a hint of chocolate.
*Tasted with a peanut – a bit of smokiness, enhanced the sugarcane, and still a hint of pepper on the finish

>>Brugal Extra Viejo (extra viejo, meaning extra old)
*Aging – the rums in the blend are aged from 3 to 8 years in ex-Bourbon casks
*Color – bright, deep amber
*Nose – deep aroma, molasses, slightly smoky, hint of spice, dried fruit, cocoa, more complex
*Taste – vanilla and caramel, smokiness, touch of honey, finishes with a hint of cinnamon and white pepper
*Tasted with a raisin – molasses forward but the smokiness and complexity is limited
*Tasted with a peanut – very pleasant, smooth, sweeteness returned.

Ranking – Extra Viejo, XV, Añejo

Part 2: Ron Barceló – Añejo and Gran Añejo


Distillery – Ron Barceló, Dominican Republic
Proof – Each are 37.5% alcohol, 65 proof
Mashbill – Unknown, but they use 100% pure sugarcane harvested from their own plantations




>>Barceló Añejo (añejo indicates a premium aged, dark rum)
*Aging – aged for 4 years in ex-Bourbon oak barrels
*Color – bright amber
*Nose – molasses sugar, caramel, light spice
*Taste -baking spices, light molasses and fruitiness, hint of white pepper on the back
*Tasted with a raisin – the raisin muted many of the flavors, but brought the molasses forward and added a stronger white pepper finish.
*Tasted with a peanut – there’s just not much flavor and it seems to be all peanut.

>>Barceló Gran Añejo (gran añejo indicates a premium extra aged, dark rum)
*Aging – aged for up to six years in ex-Bourbon oak barrels
*Color – amber
*Nose – caramel, butterscotch, cotton candy
*Taste – honey, sweetness caramel, cotton candy, and baking spices (nutmeg) on the finish.
*Tasted with a raisin – chocolate, vanilla, caramel
*Tasted with a peanut –  caramel remains, hint of chocolate covered peanuts, caramel corn

Ranking – Gran Añejo, Añejo

Part 3: Ron Barceló – Imperial Onyx and Imperial



Distillery – Ron Barceló, Dominican Republic
Proof – Each are 40% alcohol, 80 proof
Mashbill – Unknown, but they use 100% pure sugarcane harvested from their own plantations



>>Barceló Imperial Onyx
*Aging – aged up to ten years in oak barrels with a high toast degree, subsequently filtered from real Onyx stones to obtain a rum with intense, deep notes and a unique character.
*Color – deep amber
*Nose – toasted brown sugar and a woodiness
*Taste – like it’s been finished in a different style barrel very similar to what we get in bourbon, hints of cherry, vanilla, coffee, and nuts.
*Tasted with a raisin – loses some of the complexity it does, but molasses comes forward
*Tasted with a peanut – it’s a little hot as it leans towards a cinnamon finish or perhaps allspice

>>Barceló Imperial
*Aging – aged for up to ten years in lightly toasted oak barrels
*Color – copper, amber
*Nose – honey, slight caramel or butteriness, and a very light baking spice
*Taste – spices, caramel, vanilla, dark brown sugar or toffee, oaky, slight hint of white pepper
*Tasted with a raisin – more peppery, caramel, fruity, good with the raisin.
*Tasted with a peanut – sweet, woody and a pepper finish.

Ranking – Imperial Onyx, Imperial

Comparison and Ranking of Top Tastings


*Nose – Imperial Onyx, Extra Viejo, Imperial, Gran Anejo
*Taste – Imperial Onyx, Extra Viejo, Imperial, Gran Anejo

Discussion – Wayne and I felt that they are all good. If we were to take only one home with us, it would be the Barceló Imperial Onyx. If we could add a second one, it would be the Brugal Extra Viejo … and that is exactly what we did … bought two to bring home.

Carlos and the other bartenders were awaiting our thoughts. We shared and they didn’t disagree. When we asked what they drink, they each said, without a doubt, the Brugal Extra Viejo as it is HALF the price of the Barceló Imperial Onyx, yet outstanding.

Wayne and I have never been lovers of rum; however, our Punta Cana visit help to bring a new appreciation of this spirit as well as hone in on what we prefer in a rum. These will be a great addition to our spirit collection and a very nice occasional drink.

Cheers,
Rebecca

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

NOTE: The spirits in this review were 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.

January 2024 Rye Whiskey Tasting

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01/17/24
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already. 

What constitutes a rye whiskey? The US guidelines for rye whiskey are very similar to those of bourbon except that it must be at least 51% rye. In addition, rye whiskey often has other grains, such as wheat, corn, and barley. Rye whiskey must be distilled to no more than 160 proof, or 80% alcohol by volume (ABV) and it must be aged in new, charred-oak barrels. For additional information, read Rye Whiskey, part of the Sunday Spirit Notes.

For this tasting, we selected rye whiskey from Jim Beam, MB Roland, and Still630.

Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

Distillery – Jim Beam, Clermont, Kentucky
Aged for seven years in charred barrels and bottled at 100 proof.
Mashbill – 55% rye, 35% corn, and 10% malt
Color – medium amber
Aroma – sweetness of rye grass; hint of mint; caramel; ginger; green apple
Taste – W: baking spices – nutmeg; R:less sweet, slight mint, tea, hint of dill and white pepper; with dried cranberry – W: nutmeg is stronger; R: rye grass and sweetness is back; with a pecan – W: leads with nutmeg; R: spicy/cinnamon, lost “flavor”
Finish – warm linger; light spices and vanilla
General Notes – A very solid pour of rye whiskey

MB Roland Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

Distillery – MB Roland, Pembroke, Kentucky
Single Barrel, Still and Barrel Proof
110.2 Proof
Mashbill – 68% rye, 27% white corn, 5% malted barley
Color – medium to dark amber
Aroma – W: cherry sweetness; R: roasted nuts, sweetness of rye grass, brown sugar, clove, robust
Taste – W: nuttiness, rye grass, then coffee;  R: caramel covered nut, rye, mint, cocoa, buttery, all spice; with dried cranberry – W: rye grass bomb with mint & no finish; R:  HOT and lost much of flavor profile; with a pecan – W: rye and cinnamon; R:  rye and cinnamon
Finish – W: coffee;  R:  warm, sweet, rye and cinnamon spice
General Notes – This rye takes you on a journey of sweetness and spice and everything nice!

Still630 Rally Point Straight Rye Whiskey

Special Evansville Bourbon Society Barrel Pick
Distillery – Still630, St. Louis, Missouri
Single Barrel, Cask Strength
123 Proof; 4.75 years old
Mashbill – undisclosed
Color – medium to dark amber
Aroma – W: caramel, sweet, smokiness; R: mint, sweet, rye
Taste – W: rye, mint; R: mint, dill, sweet rye; with dried cranberry – W: very sweet rye grass, warmer; R: dark choc mint, citrus/orange, cinnamon; with a pecan – W: strong rye grass;  R: much hotter, bitter choc
Finish – W:  warm cinnamon;  R:  warm cinnamon
General Notes – A terrific cask strength rye and it is easy to see why they have won so many awards and typically sell out of RallyPoint

Comparison and Ranking


Aroma
  Wayne: MBR, KC, S630
  Rebecca: MBR, S630, KC  
Taste
  Wayne: MBR, KC, S630
  Rebecca: MBR, S630, KC


Discussion
We enjoyed all three of these rye whiskeys. Knob Creek Rye is solid and easy very accessible with a terrific price point. The RallyPoint Rye was terrific and somewhat different from many Kentucky ryes. Since its proof was much higher than the others, we also added some water to balance it. Overall, that didn’t change the experience from our viewpoint. It is somewhat difficult to obtain and that kept us from ranking it higher. MB Roland makes a fantastic rye whiskey. It was the most unique of the three and also the most complex. As noted earlier, this rye takes you on a journey of sweetness and spice and everything nice!  All things considered, we selected MB Roland Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey as our #1 pick.

All three are excellent options when considering a rye whiskey, and we certainly recommend each of them.

Cheers,
Rebecca

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

NOTE: The whiskey 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.

January 2024 Wheated Bourbon Tasting

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01/10/24
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already. 

What constitutes a wheated bourbon? First, it must meet all the standards to be bourbon.  Second, it is common that the second largest percentage of the mashbill is wheat.  However, there is no percentage requirement for wheat.  Thus, after the minimum of 51% corn is achieved, the remaining mashbill will likely be a mixture of wheat and barley. In essence, the wheat takes the place of the more common ingredient of rye.

For this tasting, we selected Castle & Key, Weller Special Reserve, and Maker’s Mark 101

Castle & Key Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Released in 2023; Batch 1; bottle 03788; 5 years old; 99 proof
Mashbill – 73% White Corn, 10% Wheat, 17% Malted Barley
Color – medium amber
Aroma – orange zest, caramel, vanilla, baking spice/nutmeg, golden delicious apple
Taste – oak, baking spice/allspice, cherry, cinnamon, honey, raisin, dates; Tasted with dried cranberry – pulled cinnamon forward, with the sweetness of wheat; Tasted with a pecan – nutty, light cinnamon, ginger/gingerbread
Finish – warm, lasting, creamy, vanilla, toasted oak
General Notes – A very good bourbon that is different, even for a wheated, and pleasant to drink.

Weller – The Original Wheated Bourbon – Special Reserve

Aged 7-8 years; 90 proof
Mashbill – 70% corn, 16% wheat, and 14% malted barley.
Color – medium amber
Aroma – honey, caramel, floral/honeysuckle
Taste – honey, vanilla, light baking spices, butterscotch, light oak; Tasted with dried cranberry – less sweet, more spicy, slight oakiness; Tasted with a pecan – smooth, creamy, caramel, baking spices
Finish – gentle hug, nice warmth, honeysuckle
General Notes – A very good bourbon that is smooth and very easy to drink.


Maker’s Mark 101

Approximately 6 years old, 101 proof
Mashbill – 70% corn, 16% wheat, and 14% malted barley.
Color – medium amber
Aroma – cherry, vanilla, caramel … caramel corn, apricot, spice
Taste – cherry, caramel, buttery, nutmeg; Tasted with dried cranberry – cherry is stronger, baking spice comes forward; Tasted with a pecan – fruit is gone, nutmeg appears, and a woodiness
Finish – creamy, gentle, lasting
General Notes – Surprised by it being so cherry forward and smoother than we anticipated.


Comparison and Ranking


Aroma
  Wayne: WSW, C&K, MM
  Rebecca: MM, WSW, C&K  
Taste
  Wayne: WSW, C&K, MM
  Rebecca: MM, C&K, WSW


Discussion
We enjoyed all three of these wheated bourbons. It was interesting to see their differences and similarities. The most “different” of the three was the Castle & Key as its nose had the strong citrus. The Weller SR is incredibly easy to drink on every level. Maker’s Mark 101 was our biggest surprise as it tended to have a bit more complexity and we didn’t anticipate such a strong cherry component. Contributing to our “winning” selection was price and availability. All things considered, we selected Maker’s Mark 101 as our #1 pick.

You can’t go wrong with any of these options, and we certainly recommend each of them.

Cheers,
Rebecca

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

NOTE: The whiskey 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.

Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2023 – VIP Experience

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10/05/23
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Before closing the books on the 2023 Kentucky Bourbon Festival, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the VIP experience. There were three VIP options to select from: Bourbon Enthusiast ($495), The Flask Force ($595), and The Decanter Club ($1195). After reviewing the benefits versus costs of each, we determined that The Flask Force was the best fit for us.

At a minimum, I highly recommend getting a ticket that includes a one-hour early entry.  While there are still many people in line to get in and then at the distiller tents who are selling special offerings, it is still a much lighter feeling than when the main gates open.  For us, it also meant we left the festival at 5PM each day versus 6PM because six hours is about our limit.

The next fantastic benefit is the access to the the VIP Penthouse Tent. When it was warm and air-conditioning sounded good, we would he’d to the tent.  There were tables, chairs, and sofas for relaxing and visiting with other bourbon fans.  There were also quite a few tables and chairs outdoors to eat, drink, and visit.

We expected “small bites” to be offered throughout the day. In all honesty, the bites might have been small but they were plentiful and there was a large variety each day. Each bite was an amazing quality – fantastic work by the catering company. We never had to eat elsewhere and most days we were so full from our meal in the VIP tent that we opted not to go out for dinner in the evening. 

For beverages, the ice cold bottled water was incredibly welcomed! If you are at a bourbon festival and it is warm, you must stay hydrated. If cocktails are more your style, the VIP tent also had a daily cocktail awaiting you upon arrival – or anytime you wanted it. There were three stations for bourbon.  They each had neat pours and one had cocktails.  One of them had a wheel that you could spin to determine your pour, which could have been a Pappy. Another had rare pours scheduled throughout the day.  This provided an opportunity to not only taste something not readily available but also to have a meet-and-greet with the master distiller and/or brand ambassador. 

The VIP tent included complimentary bottle lockers, which are essential if you plan to buy any bourbon on site.  The VIP area also had upgraded portable restrooms.

The VIP Pass also included a ticket for the Opening Night Bourbon in the Air event. We absolutely loved that event and more details are in the “Day 1” post. 

Finally, there is the “swag” that was part of The Flask Force VIP Pass. 

2023 Bardstown Bourbon Company single barrel KBF bottle – signed by hall of fame master distiller, Steve Nally.

Glencairn “Skye” cut crystal whiskey tumbler.

Limited edition 2023 Flask Force tee shirt.

Collectable 2023 Flask Force credential and lanyard.

A Jacob Bromwell pewter flask – unfortunately, there was a snag in the delivery and it is supposed to be mailed to us at some point.

Also included in the swag bag was a collectible coin set and some special KBF coffee.

All in all, we loved The Flask Force experience.  It was the perfect fit for us. In a sea of 40,000 people, it is very nice to feel a wee bit special. We hope that the Kentucky Bourbon Festival continues to add levels of VIP options and that we have the opportunity to acquire the coveted tickets for 2024.

Cheers,
Rebecca