Single Barrel

Best RYE Whiskey? Blind Taste Test 5 Bottles!

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🥃 Blind Rye Whiskey Battle: Which Bottle is the Champion?

Join Wayne and Rebecca from Your Bourbon Journey as they go WAY off the beaten path for an epic blind rye whiskey tasting! Can these bourbon lovers pick their favorite rye when they don’t know what’s in the glass? Five incredible bottles are in the running, each with a unique mash bill and proof point. The results are surprising, revealing a range of flavors from chocolate malt and coffee to floral notes and citrusy orange!

Watch as we blindly review and rank:

  • Bardstown Bourbon Co. Origin Series Rye (96 Proof): The double-barreled rye finished in Toasted Cherry Wood and Oak. 
  • Hard Truth Chocolate Malt Rye (109.6 Proof): A unique rye with a high percentage of Chocolate Malted Barley that tastes like an “after dinner coffee drink!” 
  • Neeley Family Distillery Sweet Thumped Rye (108.9 Proof): The only Single Barrel in the group, praised for its pure sweet mash profile. 
  • New Riff Balboa Rye Bottled in Bond (100 Proof): Featuring the heirloom Balboa Rye grain. 
  • Tom’s Town Straight Rye Bottled in Bond (100 Proof): A Bottled-in-Bond rye with distinct citrus notes, perfect for a cocktail! 

From high-rye Balboa to the unique chocolate malt, which bottle takes home the title of our personal favorite sipper? You won’t believe the final scores! Plus, we give a shoutout to the perfect bottle for making an amazing Manhattan!

Let us know in the comments: Have you tried any of these ryes? What are your favorite tasting notes in a rye whiskey?

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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.

#RyeWhiskey #blindtasting #whiskeytasting #WhiskeyReview #HardTruthDistilling BardstownBourbonCo #NewRiff #NeelyFamilyDistillery #TomsTown #RyeLife #BourbonVsRye #CraftWhiskey #bottledinbond #RyeCocktails #ChocolateMaltRye 

Maker’s Mark Private Select BLIND TASTE TEST!

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🥃 Can We REALLY Taste the Stave Profiles?! | Maker’s Mark Private Select BLIND TASTING Challenge! 🤯

Welcome back, Your Bourbon Journey fans! 👋 We’re Wayne and Rebecca, and we’re finally putting our Maker’s Mark Private Selections to the ultimate test in a blind tasting! For years, we’ve bought these intriguing named single barrels—like Kettle Corn, Candied Apple, Box O’ Chocolates, Milk Chocolate Truffle, Chocolate Whoopie Pie, and Creme Brulee—based purely on the title and without ever tasting them!

Now, it’s time to see if the stave profile descriptions and evocative names actually translate to the glass. Do we really get chocolate from the Roasted French Mendiant staves? Can we find creamy notes from the Seared French Cuvee? Or will they all just taste like Maker’s Mark wheated bourbon?

Spoiler: This was much harder than we expected! 😱

We dive deep into A through F without knowing which is which, sharing our real-time thoughts on the nose, palate, and finish. We’re ticking boxes for baking spices, caramel, vanilla, dried fruit, and those elusive chocolate notes to try and identify the dominant stave profiles.

Watch as we try to guess our favorites and reveal the shocking results! 😮 You’ll be laughing as we question everything we know about single barrel selection and tasting notes.

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

👍 If you love blind tasting challenges, hit that like button! 

💬 Let us know in the comments: Do you trust a single barrel title? What’s your favorite Maker’s Mark release Let us know in the comments below! 👇

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✴️ Kettle Corn, Candied Apple, Box O’ Chocolates, Milk Chocolate Truffle, Chocolate Whoopie Pie, and Creme Brulee

Note: This blind tasting video was filmed in just under 60 minutes but has been edited to about 30 minutes. 

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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.

#MakersMark #PrivateSelection #BourbonBlindTasting #SingleBarrel #WheatedBourbon #BourbonReview #WhiskeyTasting #StaveProfile #BlindChallenge #BourbonJourney #KettleCornBourbon #ChocolateWhoopiePieBourbon

The Starlight 10 Year Bourbon Is Finally Here!

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Starlight 10 Year Old Bourbon: The Oldest Release from Starlight Distillery!

Join Wayne and Rebecca from Your Bourbon Journey as they get their hands on a highly sought-after bottle—the Starlight 2025 10 Year Old Bourbon. This is the oldest release ever from Starlight Distillery in Borden, Indiana, and it’s a bottle they’ve been waiting for since they first tasted a sample at a Repeal Dinner almost a year ago!

In this review, Wayne and Rebecca discuss the unique aspects of this special release, including the specific three-grain mash bill (60% corn, 20% rye, 20% malted barley), its sweet mash process, and the incredibly rare Seguin Moreau Iconic Barrels it was aged in.

Poured at a bold 120.3 proof, they explore the rich, dark amber color and complex notes on the nose and palate. Can they find the pipe tobacco, dark chocolate, and caramel notes they’re looking for? And what does a 10-year-old bourbon with a low barrel entry proof taste like?

This isn’t just a review; it’s a celebration of a family-owned Indiana distillery that is making waves in the American whiskey world. If you love discovering craft distilleries and special, limited-release whiskey, this video is for you.

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

👇 What’s your favorite release from Starlight Distillery? Let us know in the comments below! 👇

Are you a true bourbon fanatic, always on the hunt for the next exceptional pour? Then smash that like button 👍 to show your appreciation for fine whiskey! Hit subscribe 🔔 so you never miss our reviews of rare and remarkable spirits, and share this video ➡️ with your fellow whiskey lovers. Let’s build a community of enthusiasts who appreciate the art of exceptional bourbon! 

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✴️ Starlight 2025 10-Year Cask Strength

  • Classification: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Distillery: Starlight Distillery
  • Mash Bill: 60% Corn, 20% Rye, 20% Malted Barley
  • Other: Grain-to-glass; sweet mash; double pot distilled; barrel entry proof 112-116
  • Age: 10 Years
  • Proof: 120.3
  • MSRP: $250
  • Released: July 2025
  • Aging: Sequin Moreau Icone barrels.
  • Purchased: 08/14/25 for $250 at Starlight Distillery

❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌

🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨

✅ Please SUBSCRIBE and hit the LIKE button!

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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.