Lux Row Distillers

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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❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌

🥃 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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Blood Oath Pact 12 Tasting: A Home Run Double Wine Finish! 

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Today, Wayne and Rebecca are cracking open a highly anticipated bottle straight from Bardstown, Kentucky: the brand new Blood Oath Pact 12 Straight Bourbon Whiskey from Lux Row Distillers!

Released in April 2026, this year’s limited-edition blend by Master Distiller John Rempe features Blood Oath’s first-ever double Italian wine cask finish. We’re breaking down everything you need to know about this unique release—from its 98.6 standard “blood temperature” proof to how the 7-year ryed bourbon component reacts after resting in fruit-forward Montepulciano and savory Sangiovese casks.

Is this 2026 release a home run compared to last year’s tequila finish? Does the high-rye MGP mash bill bring the spice? And does it actually drink hotter than its 98.6 proof suggests? We dive into the incredible nose, the jammy mid-palate mouthfeel, and the lingering black pepper finish.

We picked our bottle up right at the distillery for $159.99—find out if you should make the trip to Bardstown to hunt down one of the 51,000 bottles available!

If you love whiskey reviews, flight breakdowns, and unboxing rare allocations, make sure to hit that SUBSCRIBE button and join us on the journey!

Always remember to drink responsibly. Today, drink your temperature: 98.6! Cheers! 🥃

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🎓 Want to earn a FREE Whiskey Certificate? Start your bourbon education journey with Whiskey University today! Take your first steps here: https://www.whiskeyuniv.com/first-steps

❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌

Blood Oath Pact 12

  • Classification: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Company: Luxco (MGP Ingredients)
  • Distillery: Lux Row Distillers (Bardstown, KY) — Blended and bottled by Master Distiller John Rempe using sourced, undisclosed bourbons.
  • Mash Bill: Undisclosed (Ryed Bourbon mash bills)
  • Age: A blend of 9-year and 12-year ryed bourbons, combined with a 7-year ryed bourbon.
  • Proof: 98.6 Proof (49.3% ABV)
  • SRP: $129.99
  • Released: April 25, 2026 (Distillery release); June 2026 (National retail rollout)
  • Other: This edition features the brand’s first double Italian wine cask finish. The 7-year component was rested first in fruit-forward Montepulciano casks and then refined in savory Sangiovese casks. Total production was limited to 51,000 bottles, with 1,400 bottles held back for a future Trilogy release.
  • Purchased: 05/29/26 for $159.99 at LuxRow Distillery, Bardstown KY

🚨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.

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Unboxing Rare Remus Reserve: Lux Row Distillery Event Haul 

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We are officially hooked! In this episode of Your Bourbon Journey, we dive deep into the highly coveted Remus Reserve Collection from Ross & Squibb Distillery. After an exclusive, intimate tasting event with Master Distiller Ian Stirsman at Lux Row Distillers, we walked away as full converts to the MGP / Luxco flavor profile. Today, we are cracking open three incredible bottles to see how they stack up side-by-side.

First up is the spectacular Remus Gatsby Reserve 2025, a massive 15-year-old straight bourbon whiskey bottled at a cask strength of 102.8 proof. Released as a centennial celebration of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic 1925 novel.

Next, we step up to the plate with the brand-new, limited-edition Remus Lou Gehrig Reserve (Released May 2026). Honoring the Iron Horse’s legendary 109 RBI season in 1926 at 109 proof, this bottle masterfully blends four distinct mash bills to match his iconic #4 jersey.

Finally, we round out the lineup with the heavy-hitting Remus Babe Ruth Reserve (2025 Edition). Clocking in at the highest proof on the table at 111, this medley of three high-rye mash bills commemorates the Bambino’s career professional at-bats.

Which of these ultra-premium Ross & Squibb MGP expressions takes home the crown? Watch to find out our definitive ranking! Have you been lucky enough to find any of these Remus Reserve bottles in the wild? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌

Remus Gatsby Reserve 2025

  • Classification: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Company: Luxco / MGP
  • Distillery: Ross & Squibb Distillery (Lawrenceburg, IN)
  • Mash Bill: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
  • Age: 15 Years
  • Proof: 102.8 Proof (51.4% ABV)
  • SRP: $199.99
  • Released: October 2025
  • Other: Cask strength. Released as a centennial celebration of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic 1925 novel.
  • Purchased: 05/29/26 for $219.99 at Lux Row Distillers, Bardstown KY

Remus Lou Gehrig Reserve

  • Classification: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Company: Luxco / MGP
  • Distillery: Ross & Squibb Distillery (Lawrenceburg, IN)
  • Mash Bill: Medley of 4 distinct mash bills (reflecting his #4 jersey):
    • 70% is 2017 distillation (49% Rye / 51% Corn / 10% Malted Rye)
    • 14% is 2016 distillation (44% Rye)
    • 8% is 2019 distillation (36% Rye)
    • 8% is 2019 distillation (99% Corn / 1% Malted Barley)
  • Age: NAS (Blend of 7 to 10-year-old bourbons)
  • Proof: 109 Proof (54.5% ABV) — Honors his 109 RBI season in 1926
  • SRP: $149.99
  • Released: May 2026
  • Other: Limited to exactly 9,665 numbered bottles, representing each of the Iron Horse’s career plate appearances.
  • Purchased: 05/29/26 for $155.99 at Lux Row Distillers, Bardstown KY

Remus Babe Ruth Reserve (2025 Edition)

  • Classification: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Company: Luxco / MGP
  • Distillery: Ross & Squibb Distillery (Lawrenceburg, IN)
  • Mash Bill: Medley of 3 distinct mash bills (reflecting his #3 jersey):
    • 73% is 2017 distillation (51% Corn, 39% Unmalted Rye, 10% Malted Rye)
    • 15% is 2016 distillation (52% Corn, 44% Rye, 4% Malted Barley)
    • 12% is 2017 distillation (60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Malted Barley)
  • Age: NAS (Blend of 8 to 9-year-old bourbons)
  • Proof: 111 Proof (55.5% ABV)
  • SRP: $149.99
  • Released: June 2025
  • Other: Limited to 8,399 numbered bottles, marking his total career professional at-bats.
  • Purchased: 05/29/26 for $155.99 at Lux Row Distillers, Bardstown KY

🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨

❓Questions❓ YourBourbonJourney@gmail.com

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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Adult Root Beer Float? Rebel Root Beer Whiskey Review! 

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Rebel Root Beer Float? Lux Row Distillers Just Changed the Game! 🥃🍦

Is it a soda? Is it a bourbon? It’s both! Today on Your Bourbon Journey, Wayne and Rebecca are getting a little “rebellious” with two brand-new releases from Lux Row Distillers that are shaking up the flavored whiskey world.

We’re diving into the newly re-released Rebel Root Beer Whiskey (back and better than ever in 2026!) and the limited-edition Rebel Butter Pecan Cream Liqueur. Watch as we taste them individually and then perform a “distillery-authorized” science experiment by mixing them into the ultimate Adult Root Beer Float.

If you’re a fan of Barq’s, sarsaparilla, or just creamy wheated bourbon, you won’t want to miss this Fun Friday tasting. Is it too sweet, or is it the perfect dessert pour? Let’s find out!

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Rebel Root Beer Whiskey

  • Classification: Flavored Whiskey (specifically, a Bourbon-based liqueur)
  • Company: Luxco (parent company of Lux Row)
  • Distillery: Lux Row Distillers (Bardstown, KY)
  • Mash Bill: Wheat Bourbon mash bill (historically approximately 68% Corn, 20% Wheat, 12% Malted Barley)
  • Age: NAS (Non-Age Stated)
  • Proof: 70 (35% ABV)
  • MSRP: $24.99 – $27.99
  • Released: Originally debuted around 2016 (as Rebel Yell Root Beer); re-released/re-branded in late 2025/early 2026.
  • Purchased: 03/28/26 for $25.99 at Lux Row Distillery

Rebel Butter Pecan Cream Liqueur

  • Classification: Whiskey Cream Liqueur
  • Company: Luxco
  • Distillery: Lux Row Distillers (Bardstown, KY)
  • Mash Bill: N/A (Cream liqueurs do not have a traditional mash bill, though the spirit base is Rebel’s Wheated Bourbon).
  • Age: NAS (Non-Age Stated)
  • Proof: 30 (15% ABV)
  • MSRP: $24.99 – $26.99
  • Released: Early 2026 (Limited Release)
  • Other: Made with Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and fresh cream.
  • Purchased: 03/28/26 for $25.99 at Lux Row Distillery

🚨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.

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Bourbon Hunting for 7 Days in Kentucky (32 Bottles)

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Get ready for an epic bourbon adventure! Join us on a week-long journey through the heart of Kentucky, including a can’t-miss trip to the Kentucky Bourbon Festival. We’re not just tasting bourbon—we’re on a mission to hunt down some of the most sought-after bottles in the state.

In this video, we’re detailing our 32-bottle bourbon haul, breaking down everything we found both inside and outside the festival grounds. We hit up legendary spots like Heaven Hill, Preservation, and Lux Row, and even managed to snag a coveted Booker’s Reserve 2025. But the biggest highlight? Finally scoring a bottle of the elusive Jim Beam Bowling Pin after striking out multiple times.

Whether you’re a seasoned bourbon connoisseur or just starting your collection, you’ll love the detailed breakdown of each bottle we acquired, from the unique OCD Premium Hazmat to the intriguing Blind Pig Santa Claus Lawn Gnome Decanter. We’ll cover every bottle, share our honest recommendations, and give you a glimpse into what it’s really like to spend seven days immersed in Kentucky’s bourbon culture.

Don’t miss out on the full bottle list and our final recommendations. This is one bourbon hunt you won’t want to skip!

Did you attend the 2025 Kentucky Bourbon Festival? Let us know in the comments below!

So grab your favorite glass, settle in, and let’s share this hunt together! Click play ▶️ NOW!

What’s the most exciting bottle you’ve ever hunted down? Let us know in the comments below!👇

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NOTE: The spirits in this episode were purchased by us and for us. Your Bourbon Journey does NOT sell alcohol.