Blind Bourbon Tasting

Ultimate Blind Bourbon Tasting: July Whiskey of the Month! 

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Welcome to the JULY BLIND WHISKEY OF THE MONTH SHOWDOWN! 🥃🔥

In this episode, we put five incredible Straight Bourbon Whiskeys to the ultimate blind taste test. From rare cask finishes and double-Italian wine cask experiments to heirloom blue corn mash bills and heavy-hitting barrel proofs, this lineup is packed with power and flavor!

Can an underdog craft bourbon take down legacy titans, or will a legendary barrel proof beast sweep the rankings? Watch to find out—no bias, no label influence, just pure palate evaluation!

OUR FIVE CONTENDERS (in alphabetical order): 

  • 🪵 Barrel Bourbon Cigar Blend – The Multi-Cask Powerhouse: A heavy-hitting blend boasting up to 18-year aged whiskey finished across four distinct casks, including Madeira, Armagnac, Rum, and Hungarian Oak.
  • 🍷 Blood Oath Pact 12 – The Italian Wine Experiment: A limited release blending 7, 9, and 12-year bourbons finished in both fruit-forward Montepulciano and savory Sangiovese wine casks.
  • 💥 Booker’s 2026-02 Milkshake Batch – The High-Proof Beam Beast: A high-octane Kentucky Straight Bourbon sitting at 124.4 proof, aged over 7.5 years and packed with iconic Beam character.
  • 🌽 Glenns Creek Patriotic Meri-COB – The Heirloom Triple-Corn Craft: A unique Kentucky bourbon crafted from a rare 100% heirloom corn mash bill featuring Bloody Butcher Red, Hickory King White, and Hoppi Blue.
  • ⛰️ Smokeye Hill Barrel Proof – The High-Altitude High-Proofer: A 132-proof Colorado-aged monster distilled with a proprietary 4-grain heirloom blue corn mash bill.

👇 Which whiskey do you think took 1st place? Drop your guess in the comments BEFORE the final reveal!

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📊 SEE THE LIVE LEADERBOARD: Want to see where this bottle ranks against the rest of the field? Check out our real-time leaderboard here: 👉 https://yourbourbonjourney.com/2026/02/27/the-live-leaderboard-road-to-the-sweet-sixteen/

🥃 OUR SCORING PROCESS: We’ve revamped our scoring to be more transparent than ever. No more “Redundancy”—just pure, data-driven blind competitions. Read the full breakdown of our new rubric and the “Sweet Sixteen” bracket process on our website: 👉 https://yourbourbonjourney.com/2026/02/27/decoding-the-pour-the-new-your-bourbon-journey-scoring-woty-process/ 


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🥃 The July Lineup Competitors (Alphabetical Order):

Barrell Bourbon Cigar Blend

  • Classification: Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Madeira, Armagnac, Rum & Hungarian Oak Casks
  • Distillery: Blended & Bottled by Barrell Craft Spirits (KY, IN, TN)
  • Age: 7.5 to 18 Years | Proof: 111.2 (55.6% ABV) | SRP: $84.99

Blood Oath Pact 12

  • Classification: Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Double Italian Wine Cask Finish: Montepulciano & Sangiovese)
  • Distillery: Lux Row Distillers (Master Distiller John Rempe)
  • Age: Blend of 7, 9, and 12-Year Bourbons | Proof: 98.6 (49.3% ABV) | SRP: $129.99

Booker’s 2026-02 “Milkshake Batch”

  • Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Distillery: Jim Beam
  • Age: 7 Years, 6 Months, 12 Days | Proof: 124.4 (62.2% ABV) | SRP: $100.00

Glenns Creek “Patriotic ‘Meri-COB” (Heirloom Collection)

  • Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Distillery: Glenns Creek Distillery
  • Mash Bill: Triple Heirloom Corn (Bloody Butcher Red, Hickory King White & Hoppi Blue)
  • Age: 47+ Months | Proof: 106 (53% ABV) | SRP: $75.00

Smokeye Hill Barrel Proof

  • Classification: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Distillery: Distilled in IN; Barreled, Aged & Bottled by Smokeye Hill Spirits (Colorado Springs, CO)
  • Mash Bill: 4-Grain Heirloom Blue Corn Mash Bill
  • Age: 5 Years | Proof: 132 (66% ABV) | SRP: $89.99

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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.

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Blind Barrels XVIII: Honest Blind Whiskey Tasting & Reveals!

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Welcome back to Your Bourbon Journey! Today we are diving into the Blind Barrels Release XVIII box (“Eastbound & Down… South”), featuring a curated selection of unique craft whiskeys from the Eastern Seaboard and the South. 

Join Wayne and Rebecca as we put our palates to the test! We try to guess the whiskey styles (Bourbon, Rye, Single Malt, or Wheat Whiskey), approximate the proof, guess the age, and decide if these bottles are worthy of a spot on our home bar shelf. 

From 114-proof Navy Strength American Single Malts to toasted cask-strength ryes and award-winning organic wheat whiskeys, this lineup sparked one of our most divided reviews yet!

What did you think of the Blind Barrels Release XVIII lineup? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! 

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‼️🚨SPOILER ALERT🚨‼️

🥃 Overview of Whiskeys Revealed

Sample A: Old Line Navy Strength American Single Malt Whiskey

  • Distillery: Old Line Spirits (Baltimore, Maryland)
  • Age: 4 Years (Blend of 4–7 year stock)
  • Proof: 114 Proof (57% ABV)
  • Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley (90% Premium 2-Row, 10% Deep Kiln Malt)
  • Member Price: $53.99 (Regular: $64.99)

Sample B: Epoch Reserve Maryland Straight Rye Whiskey

  • Distillery: Baltimore Spirits Company (Baltimore, Maryland)
  • Age: 5 Years
  • Proof: 100 Proof (50% ABV)
  • Mash Bill: 100% Rye (25% Malted Rye)
  • Member Price: $57.99 (Regular: $79.99)

Sample C: Fiddler Cask Strength Toasted Rye Whiskey

  • Distillery: ASW Distillery (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • Age: 7 Years
  • Proof: 121.8 Proof (60.9% ABV)
  • Mash Bill: Low Rye (51% Rye, 45% Corn, 4% Malted Barley)
  • Member Price: $64.99 (Regular: $69.99)

Sample D: Journeyman Corsets, Whips and Whiskey Organic Wheat Whiskey

  • Distillery: Journeyman Distillery (Three Oaks, Michigan)
  • Age: 6 Years
  • Proof: 121.6 Proof (60.8% ABV)
  • Mash Bill: 100% Organic Michigan-Grown Wheat
  • Member Price: $57.99 (Regular: $74.99)

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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.

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The Ultimate Honey Finished Bourbon Blind Taste Test!

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The honey-finished bourbon trend is taking over the whiskey world, but which bottles actually deliver on their sweet promises? In this episode of Your Bourbon Journey, Wayne and Rebecca crack open four highly anticipated, freshly unsealed honey cask finished bourbons for a completely blind taste test. We evaluate each pour on a five-point scale, diving into their rich viscosity, complex tasting notes, and overall finish to see which barrel treatment stands out.

From estate-harvested honey hives and historical pot stills to deep-aged sourced blends and wheated bourbon bases, these craft distilleries are pushing the boundaries of secondary aging. We break down the unique mash bills, regional profiles, and surprising palates—ranging from rich confectionary sugar and creamy vanilla custard to hot-stinging white pepper and toasted wood notes.

Are these bottles all buzz, or do they showcase the ultimate harmony between traditional straight bourbon and honey barrel finishing? Grab a glass, hit that subscribe button, and join us on this ultimate blind lineup!

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Casey Jones Barrel Finished Series: Honey Bourbon (“Brown Beauty”)

  • Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in a Honey Barrel
  • Company & Distillery: Casey Jones Distillery (Hopkinsville, KY)
  • Mash Bill: Undisclosed 
  • Age: Undisclosed
  • Proof: 102.7 Proof (51.35% ABV)
  • Released: Spring 2026 (Featuring the commemorative “250 Years Strong / United We Stand” neck wrap.
  • Purchased: May 9, 2026 for $89.99 at BBQ & Barrels in Owensboro, KY

Dark Arts “A Long Strange Drip” Honey Cask Finish (Batch 2)

  • Classification: A Blend of Sweet & Sour Mash® Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in a Honey Cask
  • Company: Dark Arts Whiskey House
  • Distillery: Sourced from undisclosed distilleries
  • Mash Bill: A blend of two distinct mash bills: (1) Kentucky Sweet Mash: 64% Corn, 24% Rye, 12% Malted Barley; (2) Indiana Sour Mash: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
  • Age: A blend of 5+ Year Old (Kentucky) and 8+ Year Old (Indiana) bourbons.
  • Proof: 110.3 Proof (55.15% ABV)
  • Released: Early 2026
  • Purchased: May 30, 2026 for $79.99 at Cox’s Evergreen (Bardstown, KY)

Starlight Distillery Honey Reserve Bourbon (Batch 1)

  • Classification: Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Honey Barrels
  • Company: Huber’s Starlight Distillery
  • Distillery: Starlight Distillery (Borden, IN)
  • Mash Bill: Blend of two estate-distilled sweet mash bills: a 3-grain (60% Corn, 20% Rye, 20% Malted Barley) and a 4-grain (51% Corn, 20% Rye, 20% Malted Barley, 9% Wheat)
  • Age: 5 Years (Minimum age before finishing)
  • Proof: 106 Proof (53% ABV)
  • Released: Early 2026
  • Purchased: April 11, 2026 for $69.99 at Starlight Distillery

Wenzel Honey Cask Finished Bourbon (Batch 1)

  • Classification: Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Honey Casks
  • Company: Wenzel Whiskey LLC
  • Distillery: Sourced 
  • Mash Bill: Wheated Bourbon 
  • Age: 7 Years
  • Proof: 104.1 Proof
  • Released: May 2026
  • Purchased: May 1, 2026 for $109 at Wenzel Distillery

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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.

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Ultimate Booker’s 2025 Guide: Every Batch Ranked & Scored 

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The Ultimate Booker’s Bourbon Showdown: 2025 Full Batch Blind Tasting! 🥃

Is there a better way to kick off the weekend than a blind flight of Booker’s Bourbon? Today, Wayne and Rebecca from Your Bourbon Journey are diving deep into the 2025 Booker’s lineup to settle the debate: Which batch truly reigns supreme?

From the cherry-forward notes of Jerry’s Batch to the “stubborn genius” behind Phantom Pipes, we’re ranking all four releases based on Nose, Palate, and Finish. These are all Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskeys coming in at that powerhouse proof we love, but the profiles this year might surprise you!

In this video, we cover: 

✅ Full breakdown of 2025-01 through 2025-04. 

✅ Blind tasting notes: Identifying the peanuts, cherry, and “convection sugar” sweetness. 

✅ Our personal scoring (Spoilers: We found a 95-point winner!). 

✅ The stories behind the batches: Honoring Barry Berish, Jerry Dalton, and the Noe family legacy.

The 2025 Lineup:

Which 2025 Booker’s was your favorite? Did you prefer the traditional peanut funk or the unique fruit-forward profile of Jerry’s Batch? Let us know in the comments below! 👇

Batch 2025-01 “Barry’s Batch”: 7yr, 2mo, 4d | 125.7 Proof – Original Review:

Batch 2025-02 “By the Pond”: 7yr, 1mo, 20d | 126.5 Proof – Original Review:

Batch 2025-03 “Jerry’s Batch”: 7yr, 4mo, 21d | 124.7 Proof – Original Review:

Batch 2025-04 “Phantom Pipes”: 7yr, 6mo, 15d | 126.4 Proof – Original Review:

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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.

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Best Bourbon of 2025? The Championship Reveal!

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🥃 The 2025 Blind Whiskey of the Year: THE FINALS! 🏆

This is it—the pinnacle of a 12-month journey! After starting with 16 elite contenders and narrowing them down through a grueling double-blind bracket, we have reached the Championship Round. In this final battle, two heavyweight whiskeys face off for the ultimate title: 2025 Whiskey of the Year.

Will the “quintessential bourbon” profile take the crown, or will a “special and unique” underdog pull off the upset?

📊 The Final Matchup:

  • Candidate FA: Patriotic Meri-COB (Glenns Creek Distillery)
  • Candidate FC: Bardstown Bourbon Co. Discovery Series #13

Join Wayne and Rebecca from Your Bourbon Journey as they break down the nose, palate, and finish of these two incredible pours. This episode features the full reveal of the Final Four ranking, including Old Louisville Cognac Finish and WH McBrayer Batch 5.

💬 We want to hear from you!

Did your favorite bottle make the Final Four? Were you shocked by the winner? Who was your underdog of the year? Let us know in the comments below!

Don’t forget to: ✅ SUBSCRIBE for our 2026 Whiskey of the Month reviews! ✅ LIKE this video if you love blind tastings. ✅ DRINK RESPONSIBLY.

🏆 WOTY TOURNAMENT HUB: View the live bracket, match results, and winner scores.16 Bottles. One Champion. No Labels. HERE: https://yourbourbonjourney.com/2026/01/03/%f0%9f%8f%86-the-definitive-2025-whiskey-of-the-year-bracket/ 

🥃 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/

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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.

#WhiskeyOfTheYear #BourbonReview #BlindTasting #BourbonJourney #GlennsCreek #BardstownBourbonCo #WOTY2025 #BourbonBracket #PatrioticMeriCOB #Discovery13

The Most Intense Blind Battle Yet! Final Four Reveal 

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Final Four Showdown! 🥃 Blind Whiskey of the Year: Battles 13 & 14

The search for the 2025 Whiskey of the Year has reached the ultimate pressure cooker! We started with 16 incredible contenders, and now only four powerhouse bottles remain. In today’s video, we head into the Final Four with two high-stakes blind battles to determine which two whiskeys will punch their ticket to the Championship Round.

It’s the #1 seeds vs. a powerhouse #2 seed that fought its way into the inner circle. Seeding is officially out the window—these pours have proven they belong.

🥃 Today’s Blind Matchups:

  • Battle 13 (FA vs FB): One glass brings a “candy store” nose filled with butterscotch and caramel, while the challenger offers a delicate, soft, and sophisticated profile.
  • Battle 14 (FC vs FD): A classic “Bourbon lover’s Bourbon” featuring nutmeg and barrel notes goes head-to-head against a complex pour with hints of leather, tobacco, and a “spicy shebang.”

As always, we are 100% blind. We know these are the final four bottles, but we have no idea which is which until the scores are tallied. This episode features some of our most intense debating yet, including a result decided by a razor-thin 0.5-point margin.

✨ Video Highlights:

  • The “Confectionary” Nose: Does a sweet, brown sugar profile beat out a delicate, pleasant sipper?
  • The Proof Factor: We discuss why proof (ranging from 105 to 110) is becoming a major player in the evaluation.
  • A House Divided: Watch Wayne and Rebecca disagree on the flavor vs. finish in a battle that nearly required a tiebreaker.
  • The Road to the Finals: Which two bottles are headed back to the shelf, and which two will fight for the crown tomorrow?

📢 Join the Conversation

Looking at the remaining lineup—WH McBrayer Batch 5, Patriotic Meri-COB, Old Louisville Cognac Finish, and Bardstown Discovery 13—who is your money on? Did your favorite make the cut, or was there a major upset?

Don’t miss the Grand Finale tomorrow! We will crown the 2025 winner in our final blind “drink-off.”

🏆 WOTY TOURNAMENT HUB: View the live bracket, match results, and winner scores.16 Bottles. One Champion. No Labels. HERE: https://yourbourbonjourney.com/2026/01/03/%f0%9f%8f%86-the-definitive-2025-whiskey-of-the-year-bracket/ 

🥃 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/

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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.

#whiskeyoftheyear #bourbon #blindtasting #whiskeytournament #bourbonreview #yourbourbonjourney #bestwhiskey2025 #finalfour #whiskeybracket #kentuckybourbon

Elite Eight Blind Battle: Who Made the Final Four? 

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🥃 Blind Whiskey of the Year: The Elite Eight Final Showdown!

The road to the Final Four ends here! In today’s high-stakes episode, we conclude the Elite Eight with Battles 11 and 12. It’s a classic showdown of 1-seeds vs. 2-seeds, where the scores are razor-thin and the pressure is at an all-time high.

Wayne and Rebecca dive deep into a blind sensory evaluation to see which bottles have the complexity, the “legs,” and the finish to survive the cut. One of these battles resulted in a dead tie—stay tuned to see how we broke the tie and which powerhouse whiskies officially punched their ticket to the semifinals!

🕒 In This Episode:

  • Battle 11 (U vs. V): A clash of opposites. One brings sweet confectionary notes and power, while the other offers deep, dark “winter bourbon” vibes.
  • Battle 12 (W vs. X): The battle of the titans. We’re talking barrel-heavy cocoa notes versus traditional caramel and baking spice perfection.
  • The Big Reveal: We unmask the winners and losers! See how Craft Distilleries are holding their own against the “Big Boys.”
  • Final Four Announcement: The bracket is set! Find out which four bottles are moving on to compete for Whiskey of the Year.

📢 JOIN THE JOURNEY

If you love deep-dive whiskey reviews, blind tastings, and bourbon hunting, hit that SUBSCRIBE button! We release new tournament battles daily as we head toward crowning the undisputed Champion.

🏆 WOTY TOURNAMENT HUB: View the live bracket, match results, and winner scores.16 Bottles. One Champion. No Labels. HERE: https://yourbourbonjourney.com/2026/01/03/%f0%9f%8f%86-the-definitive-2025-whiskey-of-the-year-bracket/ 

🥃 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/

Connect With Us & Support The Journey! 

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❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌

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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.

#whiskeyoftheyear #bourbon #blindtasting #whiskeytournament #bourbonreview #yourbourbonjourney #bestwhiskey2025 #sweet16 #whiskeybracket #kentuckybourbon

Elite Eight: 1 Seeds vs 2 Seeds | 2025 Blind Whiskey Tournament

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🥃 Clash of the Titans! Elite Eight Battles 9 & 10 | Blind Whiskey of the Year 2025

The field has been cut in half, and the intensity is peaking! Welcome to the Elite Eight of the 2025 Blind Whiskey of the Year tournament. Today, Wayne and Rebecca from Your Bourbon Journey dive into Battles 9 and 10, where only the “best of the best” remain.

This isn’t just any tasting—it’s a clash of 1 seeds vs. 2 seeds. These are the quarterly champions and runners-up, featuring top-tier straight bourbons, a wheat whiskey, and a finished standout. Everything is 100% blind, re-shuffled to ensure total objectivity.

Battle 9: Candidate Q vs. Candidate R

  • Candidate Q: A dessert lover’s dream on the nose with brown sugar, caramel, and cinnamon, leading into a spicy palette with intriguing notes of coffee and chocolate.
  • Candidate R: A “classic bourbon” powerhouse. Savory, complex, and layered with emerging notes of tobacco and leather on the back end.
  • The Verdict: Does the sweetness of Q win out, or does the savory complexity of R take the slot in the Final Four?

Battle 10: Candidate S vs. Candidate T

  • Candidate S: A “light and bright” profile featuring a unique “sweet and sour” yin-yang of lemon zest and brown sugar.
  • Candidate T: A confectionery shop in a glass! Huge notes of rich butterscotch and silky dark caramel with a thick, oily mouthfeel.
  • The Verdict: It’s a battle of contrast—bright citrus vs. deep butterscotch. See which one secured a 94-point score!

Which of these profiles sounds like your winner? Are you Team Butterscotch (T) or Team Tobacco & Leather (R)? Let us know in the comments!

🏆 WOTY TOURNAMENT HUB: View the live bracket, match results, and winner scores.16 Bottles. One Champion. No Labels. HERE

📈 THE ELITE EIGHT IS SET: The opening round saw a massive 93.5 average winner score. Even the bottles that were eliminated averaged a 92.1! See the full breakdown of the scores and which “Giant Slayers” pulled off the upset HERE

🥃 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: HERE

Connect With Us & Support The Journey! 

🥃 Become a Patron & Get Exclusive Content

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❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌

🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨

❓Questions❓ YourBourbonJourney@gmail.com

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.

#whiskeyoftheyear #bourbon #blindtasting #whiskeytournament #bourbonreview #yourbourbonjourney #bestwhiskey2025 #sweet16 #whiskeybracket #kentuckybourbon

The Road to WOTY: Who Made the Elite Eight?

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🏆 WHISKEY OF THE YEAR: The Sweet Sixteen Finale! (Battles 7 & 8)

The opening round of the 2025 Whiskey of the Year Tournament concludes today! After 12 months of evaluations, it all comes down to the final two spots in the Elite Eight.

In this episode, we face our final #1 seed taking on a high-scoring Wildcard, followed by a clash between our final #2 and #3 seeds. Will the heavy hitters hold the line, or are we about to witness the ultimate “Giant Slayer” upset right before the quarterfinals?

🥃 In This Episode:

We wrap up the Sweet Sixteen with two massive matchups that pushed our palates to the limit.

  • Battle 7: A high-proof showdown where one bottle “sings” with complexity while the other brings a “bag of peanuts” to the face.
  • Battle 8: A battle of the “beast mode” noses. One bottle smells like a Crème Brûlée dessert, while the other offers an intriguing ginger-spice balance.

Watch as we break down the nose, palate, and finish—completely blind—to see which two bottles survive the gauntlet to join the Elite Eight.

📉 The Sweet Sixteen Scorecard

The competition in this opening round was incredibly tight. To give you an idea of the caliber of these whiskeys, here is how the scoring broke down across all 16 contenders:

  • Average Winner Score: 93.5 (Elite Eight Bound)
  • Average Eliminated Score: 92.1 It is rare to see a tournament where the “losers” are still scoring in the 90s! This proves that every bottle in this bracket truly earned its spot among the best of 2025.

🏆 The Elite Eight Reveal

Stick around for the end of the video where we finally pull the tape! For the first time, we reveal the 8 Bottles moving on to the Quarterfinals.

The Elite Eight Field includes: 

✅ Our final #1 seeds that held the line. 

✅ The “Giant Slayers” that pulled off the upset. 

✅ A mix of Heritage Kentucky brands and Craft powerhouses.

📢 Join the Journey!

Who are you rooting for in the Elite Eight? Did your favorite bottle get eliminated too early? Let us know in the comments!

Subscribe to follow the rest of the bracket as we head toward the Grand Finale!

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❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌

🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨

🥃 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.

❓Questions❓ YourBourbonJourney@gmail.com

#whiskeyoftheyear #bourbon #blindtasting #whiskeytournament #bourbonreview #yourbourbonjourney #bestwhiskey2025 #sweet16 #whiskeybracket #kentuckybourbon

The Ultimate Sweet 16: Whiskey of the Year Battles 5 & 6

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🥃 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.

🥃 Sweet Sixteen Battles 5 & 6: The Road to Whiskey of the Year!

The hunt for the 2025 Whiskey of the Year continues! We are officially in the thick of the Sweet 16, where the competition is tighter than ever. Today, we’re breaking down Battles 5 and 6 in a 100% blind tasting to see which bottles have the “legs” to survive and which ones are shuffling off to Buffalo.

In this episode, we witness a massive #1 seed take on a hungry wildcard, followed by a neck-and-neck battle between a #2 and a #3 seed. From unexpected “sweet and sour” lemon zest notes to traditional “bourbon drinker’s bourbon” profiles rich with cherry and oak, the scores were razor-thin.

🏆 Inside Today’s Blind Bracket:

  • Battle 5 (The 1 Seed vs. 4 Seed): Candidate I vs. Candidate J. Can a wildcard pull off the ultimate upset? One bottle delivers heavy barrel and cinnamon, while the other surprises the palate with a unique confectionery sugar and citrus zest profile.
  • Battle 6 (The 2 Seed vs. 3 Seed): Candidate K vs. Candidate L. It’s a battle of styles! We compare a dark, rich, baking-spice powerhouse against a bright, floral, and fruity pour featuring pear and apple notes.

Which bottles advanced to the Elite Eight? Watch to see the scores and the struggle!

💬 Join the Conversation: Which profile do you prefer—the dark, oaky “cherry bombs” or the light, floral, and fruity pours? Drop a comment below and let us know if you’ve guessed any of the bottles in this year’s bracket!

Connect With Us & Support The Journey! 

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❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌

🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨

❓Questions❓ YourBourbonJourney@gmail.com

#whiskeyoftheyear #bourbon #blindtasting #whiskeytournament #bourbonreview #yourbourbonjourney #bestwhiskey2025 #sweet16 #whiskeybracket #kentuckybourbon