Massive Blind Whiskey Contest! June Whiskey of the Month

Welcome back to Your Bourbon Journey! In this video, Wayne and Rebecca are diving into a powerhouse lineup for our June Whiskey of the Month blind tasting! As we continue our high-stakes Road to the Sweet Sixteen, the competition is tighter than ever.

This month features an incredibly diverse flight jumping across three distinct whiskey classifications (Bourbon, Wheat, and American Single Malt) with a heavy emphasis on unique finishing methods—ranging from a honey barrel and sweet stout casks to complex sherry and toasted wood elements. With our leaderboard shifting every month based on total points earned, every single point counts. Will this month’s winner secure a permanent spot in the year-end playoffs?

The June Contenders (In Alphabetical Order):

  • Bernheim 20th Anniversary Edition | Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey (Heaven Hill)
  • Casey Jones Barrel Finished Series: Honey Bourbon (“Brown Beauty”) | Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in a Honey Barrel (Casey Jones Distillery)
  • Little Book Chapter 10: All the Wiser | Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Sherry and Toasted Bourbon Casks (Jim Beam)
  • New Riff Silver Grove Straight Bourbon Whiskey 2026 | Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (New Riff Distilling)
  • VDC Brewer’s Coalition: 4 Hands Brewing Co. Madagascar Stout Cask | American Single Malt Whisky (Virginia Distillery Co.)

From sweet, confectionary aromas and rich dark caramel notes to toasted nuts, baking spices, and bold flavor explosions, this blind flight completely challenged our palates. Watch until the end to see our final score adjustments, the blind revelations, and how the leaderboard shuffles at the halfway point of the year!

Drop a comment below: Have you tried any of these expressions? What notes do you get from them?

If you love authentic, transparent whiskey reviews, hit that SUBSCRIBE button, drop a like, and always remember to drink responsibly. 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

📊 SEE THE LIVE LEADERBOARD: Want to see where these bottles rank 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 NEW SCORING PROCESS: We’ve revamped our scoring to be more transparent than ever. 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/

YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL

Original Reviews for Today’s Bottles:

🥃 Bernheim 20th Anniversary Edition:

🥃 Casey Jones Barrel Finished Series: Honey Bourbon:

🥃 Little Book Chapter 10: All the Wiser:

🥃 New Riff Silver Grove Straight Bourbon Whiskey:  

🥃 VDC Brewer’s Coalition: 4 Hands Brewing Co. Madagascar Stout Cask:

🚨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 producers for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. 

#Bourbon #Whiskey #BlindTasting #YourBourbonJourney #WhiskeyOfTheMonth #BourbonReview #CraftDistillery #LittleBook #NewRiff #CaseyJonesDistillery #VirginiaDistilleryCo #BernheimWheatWhiskey #AmericanSingleMalt #SweetSixteen #WhiskeyTasting

Virginia Distillery Co. Brewer’s Coalition Review! 

Is this the ultimate lineup for stout lovers and whiskey enthusiasts alike? 🥃✨ 

Today on Your Bourbon Journey, Wayne and Rebecca are diving deep into the highly anticipated Brewer’s Coalition from Virginia Distillery Co.! We are breaking down and ranking three phenomenal American Single Malt Whiskies finished in cult-favorite craft beer barrels.

From an award-winning gingerbread finish to a legendary North Carolina chocolate stout, and a wild double milk stout blend featuring real Madagascar vanilla and raspberries—this tasting completely blew us away. Can these 100-proof single malts stand up to traditional bourbon? We taste them blindly, break down the complex notes of cocoa nibs, warming ginger, and strawberry ice cream, and reveal our ultimate winner!

BOTTLES FEATURED IN THIS VIDEO:

 🍪🍯🥃 Hardywood Gingerbread Stout Cask Finish 

🍫☕️💪 Foothills Brewing Sexual Chocolate Stout Cask Finish  

🍓🍦🍨 4 Hands Brewing Co. Madagascar Stout Cask Finish  

If you love unique whiskey finishes, craft beer stouts, or want to expand your single malt palate, this episode is a must-watch. Let us know in the comments: which of these brewery collaborations would you reach for first? Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and join us on the journey!

Connect With Us & Support The Journey! 

🎓 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

📌 Looking to grab these bottles for your own collection? You can order them directly from Virginia Distillery Co.’s online shop right here: https://shop.vadistillery.com/ 

Brewer’s Coalition: Hardywood Gingerbread Stout Cask Finish

  • Classification: American Single Malt Whisky
  • Distillery: Virginia Distillery Co.
  • Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
  • Age: Aged over 5 years in ex-bourbon casks before secondary finishing
  • Proof: 100
  • SRP: $49.99 (700mL)
  • Released: Fall 2024 (Ranked #17 on Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 of 2024)
  • Other: Finished in casks that previously held Richmond-based Hardywood’s cult-favorite Imperial Stout brewed with local baby ginger and wildflower honey. 
  • Purchased: 04/03/26 for $49.99 at Virginia Distillery Co. Online

Brewer’s Coalition: Foothills Brewing Sexual Chocolate Stout Cask

  • Classification: American Single Malt Whisky
  • Distillery: Virginia Distillery Co.
  • Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
  • Age: Aged over 5 years in ex-bourbon casks before secondary finishing
  • Proof: 100
  • SRP: $54.99 (700mL)
  • Released: Late 2025
  • Other: Finished in barrels that once held Foothills Brewing’s (Winston-Salem, NC) famous cocoa-infused Imperial Stout. 
  • Purchased: 04/03/26 for $54.99 at Virginia Distillery Co. Online

Brewer’s Coalition: 4 Hands Brewing Co. Madagascar Stout Cask

  • Classification: American Single Malt Whisky
  • Distillery: Virginia Distillery Co.
  • Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
  • Age: ~5 years primary maturation in Heaven Hill ex-bourbon barrels, followed by a 10-month secondary finish in the stout casks.
  • Proof: 100
  • SRP: $54.99 (700mL)
  • Released: Early 2026
  • Other: A unique blend utilizing four 53-gallon casks from 4 Hands Brewing (St. Louis, MO): three that held Madagascar Raspberry Milk Stout and one that held Madagascar Vanilla Milk Stout. 
  • Purchased: 04/03/26 for $54.99 at Virginia Distillery Co. Online

🚨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.

#WhiskeyReview #AmericanSingleMalt #VirginiaDistilleryCo #StoutCask #CraftBeerWhiskey #WhiskeyTasting #SingleMalt #SexualChocolateStout #Hardywood #FourHandsBrewing #YourBourbonJourney #WhiskeyGram #StoutLovers #UniqueWhiskey #WhiskeyRanking