SLB Drinks

Total Blind Chaos! Sweet 16 Whiskey Battles 3 & 4

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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.

Can a Wild Card pull off an upset? 🥃

We’re back for the 2025 Whiskey of the Year Sweet Sixteen Battles 3 & 4! Today, a #1 seed defends its title and a neck-and-neck #2 vs #3 battle takes center stage. Who moves on in the ultimate blind bourbon tasting?

In this episode of Your Bourbon Journey, Wayne and Rebecca continue the road to the 2025 Whiskey of the Year. We are tasting completely blind—no labels, no bias, just the liquid in the glass.

In Battle 3, we compare two distinct profiles: one “quintessential bourbon” filled with butterscotch and brown sugar, up against a sweet, nutty contender that reminds us of confectionary sugar. Then, in Battle 4, we dive into a mystery floral profile that has us questioning if we’ve found a finished whiskey or a rare wheat whiskey in the bracket.

What’s inside this video:

  • Battle 3: A quintessential #1 seed vs. a sweet & nutty Wild Card.
  • Battle 4: The “Group of Death” – A #2 vs. #3 seed matchup that was too close to call.
  • Blind Scoring: See our real-time reactions and final point totals.

Which of these bottles belongs on your shelf? Let us know your predictions in the comments!

📅 Don’t miss out: We’re dropping Battles 5 & 6 tomorrow! Hit that Subscribe button and ring the bell so you don’t miss a single sip of the tournament.

Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE!

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 #BestBourbon2025 #SweetSixteen  

Which Whiskey Wins? Sweet 16 Showdown Starts Now

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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.

The Road to Whiskey of the Year: Sweet Sixteen Battles 1 & 2! 🥃🏆

Welcome to the Sweet Sixteen! We are kicking off the ultimate tournament to crown our Whiskey of the Year. We’ve taken the winners from our Whiskey of the Month and Whiskey of the Quarter competitions, added four high-scoring wildcards, and now it’s time for the ultimate blind taste test.

In this episode, we tackle Battle 1 (1-seed vs. 4-seed) and Battle 2 (2-seed vs. 3-seed). We’re tasting these completely blind—no labels, no proofs, no prices—just pure flavor profiles. Through the magic of editing, you’ll see the winners revealed while we remain in the dark until the very end of the round!

What’s on the Menu Today?

  • Battle 1: A clash of classics. One glass is packed with rich vanilla, brown sugar, and cinnamon, while the other brings a lighter, butterscotch-forward pop with surprising proof.
  • Battle 2: This one gets wild. We’re talking “grilled cherries” and deep barrel notes versus a bright, citrusy, and drier bourbon profile.

Will the top seeds hold their ground, or are we heading for an early-round upset? Grab a pour, hit play, and follow along with Wayne and Rebecca on Your Bourbon Journey.

Inside the Tasting Room:

  • The Process: 16 whiskeys, blind pairings, and a scoring system based on Nose, Taste, and Finish.
  • The Stakes: Only the winners move on to the Elite Eight.
  • The Reveal: We won’t know the identities until all eight battles are done, but you get to see the winners as they advance!

Which bottle are you rooting for? Are you Team Cherry & Barrel or Team Vanilla & Spice? Let us know your predictions in the comments!

📅 Don’t miss out: We’re dropping Battles 3 & 4 tomorrow! Hit that Subscribe button and ring the bell so you don’t miss a single sip of the tournament.

Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE!

Connect With Us & Support The Journey! 

🥃 Become a Patron & Get Exclusive Content

🔔 YouTube

📸 Instagram 

👍 Facebook

❌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

The Road to the 2025 Whiskey of the Year: The Blind Bracket Revealed!

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January 1, 2026

Happy New Year, Bourbon Family!

At Your Bourbon Journey, we spent all of 2025 searching for the absolute best pours on the market. We tasted over 100 expressions, from heritage Kentucky legends to innovative craft distillers. But now, the “fun” part of the year is over, and the evaluation begins.

Starting tomorrow, January 2nd, we launch our 2025 Whiskey of the Year Sweet Sixteen Playoff.

The Integrity of the Process

We believe the label on the bottle shouldn’t dictate the score. To find our winner, we use a 100% Blind Bracket System.

  1. Selection: We took our 12 Monthly Winners and our 4 highest-scoring runners-up (Wildcards).
  2. Seeding: Bottles were seeded based on their performance in our “Whiskey of the Quarter” battles.

The Playoff: A head-to-head, single-elimination tournament where we have no idea what is in the glass until the Championship trophy is awarded.

The Class of 2025: The Contenders

To make it into the Sweet Sixteen, these bottles had to be the best of their respective months. Here is the field of 16 that earned a spot in the starting bracket: (with links to the original tasting videos)

The #1 Seeds (Quarterly Winners)

The #2 Seeds (Quarterly Runners-Up)

The #3 Seeds (Quarterly 3rd Place)

The #4 Seeds (The Wildcards)

How to Follow the Tournament

We will be releasing the results in stages. Every bottle you see on the table will be masked. We won’t know the winners of the early rounds until the very end, ensuring that our palates stay objective through the Grand Finale.

  • Jan 2–5: The Sweet Sixteen (4 Videos)
  • Jan 6–7: The Elite Eight (2 Videos)
  • Jan 8: The Final Four
  • Jan 9: The Grand Finale & 2025 Champion Reveal

Who is your pick for the title? Will a #1 Seed hold the line, or are we looking at a “Cinderella Story” from the Wildcard ranks?

Subscribe to our Your Bourbon Journey YouTube channel to see every battle as it happens.

Cheers to the journey! — Wayne & Rebecca

🚨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

Glenns Creek 10th Anniversary: Flood Survivor Whiskey!

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Glenns Creek Distilling 10th Anniversary: A Flood Survivor Story & Exclusive Review! 🥃

We just got back from a trip to Frankfort, Kentucky, where we celebrated a truly special milestone: the 10th Anniversary of Glenns Creek Distilling! This wasn’t just any party; it was a testament to resilience and the incredible spirit of a community rallying around distiller David Meier and his team.

Just imagine: after suffering devastating losses from the horrific Frankfort floods, Glenns Creek Distilling worked tirelessly to make sure this event happened. The result? A fabulous day of camaraderie, shared passion, and some truly extraordinary whiskey.

In addition to meeting some amazing people, the silent auction was definitely a highlight for us. Fans traveled far and wide to bid on highly sought-after bottles, including flood survivors, crowd favorites, and even some from David Meier’s private collection. We were absolutely thrilled to win one of the most coveted bottles: the Millville Malt – a Kentucky Malt Whiskey. David himself told us he only ever made three barrels of this rare gem, and he hated to see it go!

As soon as we got home, we knew we had to open it and give it a full, honest review in honor of David and everyone at Glenns Creek Distilling.

What makes this expression so special? Click play ▶️ now to join us for our unfiltered tasting notes and discover if this rare “Millville Malt” truly lives up to its legendary status!

Are you as passionate about whiskey as we are? Show us some love by giving this video a thumbs up 👍, hitting that subscribe button 🔔 so you’re always first to know about the most exciting whiskey releases, and sharing this with your fellow enthusiasts and tasting buddies! ➡️

Let’s raise a glass to resilience, rare finds, exceptional spirits, and unforgettable moments. Cheers! 🥂

#bourbontrail #GlennsCreekDistilling #KentuckyMaltWhiskey 

❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌

✴️ Millville Malt

  • Classification: Kentucky Malt Whiskey
  • Company: Glenns Creek Distilling
  • Distillery: Glenns Creek Distilling
  • Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley with peated malt added
  • Age: At least 1 year in aged bourbon barrels
  • Proof: 96.2
  • Other: Bottle HF9, Barrel 2 – from David Meier’s Private Collection
  • Purchased: Auction/Fundraiser 05/17/25 at GCD

❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌

🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨

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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.