Best Bourbon of 2025? The Championship Reveal!

🥃 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 BEST Whiskey of Q4 2025? Full Blind Tasting & Scores!

Getting ready for the ultimate bourbon showdown? This Whiskey of the Quarter (WOTQ) Final features three heavyweight contenders battling for the top seed in the Sweet 16 bracket. From heirloom grains to complex secondary finishes, these are the best of the best from 2025.

In this blind tasting, Wayne and Rebecca from Your Bourbon Journey put the highly anticipated Bardstown Discovery #13, the unique Fountain Run Bottled in Bond, and the heritage-rich Patriotic Meri-COB to the test. Which bottle delivers the perfect “fastball,” and which one is the “changeup” that steals the show?

🥃 Featured Whiskeys:

  • Bardstown Discovery Series #13: A masterclass in blending, featuring an 8-year-old base finished in a mix of New American White Oak and Hungarian Oak. Released in August 2025, it’s being hailed as one of the best “Discos” yet.
  • Fountain Run Bottled In Bond: A rare release from Kentucky Artisan Distillery using a complex mash bill of Hickory Cane White Corn and Chocolate Malt. This fruit-forward “flower in a bottle” is a one-time run you don’t want to miss.
  • Patriotic Meri-COB (Glenns Creek Distilling): A 100% heirloom corn bourbon (Bloody Butcher, Hickory King, and Hoppi Blue) crafted with the expertise of heirloom grain specialist Tom Jones. It’s a vintage-style “dusty funk” powerhouse.

Who takes the #1 seed for the Whiskey of the Year tournament? Watch to find out!

Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and hit the notification bell to follow our journey to the 2025 Whiskey of the Year!

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🔥DETAILS REGARDING OUR THREE FINALISTS🔥 (in alphabetical order): 

✴️ Bardstown Discovery #13

  • Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Distillery: Bardstown Bourbon Company
  • Mash Bill: Blend
  • Age: youngest is 8 years
  • Secondary Finish: (4 months) 61 percent of final blend finished in new American White Oak; 39 percent of final blend finished in Hungarian Oak
  • Proof: 110.8
  • Released: August 2025

Original YouTube Review:

✴️ Fountain Run Bottled In Bond

  • Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Distillery: Kentucky Artisan Distillery
  • Mash Bill: 65% Hickory Cane White Corn, 20% Rye, 12% Distiller’s Malt, 3% Chocolate Malt
  • Age: 7 Years 4 Months
  • Proof: 100

Original YouTube Review:   

✴️ Patriotic Meri-COB

  • Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Distillery: Glenns Creek Distilling
  • Mash Bill: 100% Corn:  Bloody Butcher Red, Hickory King White, Hoppi Blue
  • Age: At least 36 months
  • Proof: 105
  • Released: July 2025

Original Video:  

YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL

🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨

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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.

#BlindTasting #WhiskeyOfTheQuarter #BardstownBourbonCo #Discovery13 #GlennsCreekDistilling #FountainRun #BlindTasting #BourbonJourney #KentuckyBourbon #WhiskeyOfTheYear #BourbonHunting #HeirloomGrains #BottledInBond #BourbonLovers #WOTQ

Glenns Creek Patriotic Meri-COB: Red, White & Blue Corn

In this episode of Your Bourbon Journey, Wayne and Rebecca head to the historic grounds of Glenns Creek Distilling to crack open a very special bottle: the Patriotic Meri-COB.

This isn’t just any bourbon; it’s the first new product release from the distillery since 2021! Distilled in the shadow of the former Old Crow ruins, this 100% Corn Bourbon is a masterclass in heirloom grains. We’re breaking down the “Red, White, and Blue” mash bill featuring Bloody Butcher Red, Hickory King White, and Hoppi Blue corn.

From its buttery “kettle corn” sweetness on the nose to a surprising savory, black pepper finish, this 105-proof powerhouse is a contender for our Whiskey of the Month. Is it the “Tail of Two Bourbons”? Watch to find out if this $80 bottle lives up to the hype!

Tasting Notes:

  • Nose: Incredibly sweet and complex. Heavy notes of butterscotch, vanilla, and sweet heirloom corn without the typical “dusty funk.”
  • Palate: Thick viscosity with a “buttery popcorn” or “kettle corn” mouthfeel. Initial caramel sweetness transitions into a deep, savory complexity.
  • Finish: Long and warming with a touch of black pepper and a lingering “sugary” kettle corn essence.

We were shocked by that buttery kettle corn note on the finish! Have you ever picked up a popcorn note in your bourbon before, or are we just crazy? Let us know in the comments! 👇

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✴️ Patriotic Meri-COB

  • Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Distillery: Glenns Creek Distilling
  • Mash Bill: 100% Corn:  Bloody Butcher Red, Hickory King White, Hoppi Blue
  • Age: At least 36 months
  • Proof: 105
  • MSRP: $80
  • Other: This is the first new release of a product since 2021
  • Released: July 2025

YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL

🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨

❓Questions❓ YourBourbonJourney@gmail.com

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.

#BourbonReview #GlennsCreekDistilling #PatrioticMeriCOB #KentuckyBourbon #WhiskeyTasting #HeirloomCorn #BourbonJourney #CraftDistillery #WhiskeyLover #BourbonLife #KentuckyStraightBourbon #BloodyButcherCorn #WhiskeyOfTheMonth #SmallBatchWhiskey #BourbonCommunity