Blind Barrels XVIII: Honest Blind Whiskey Tasting & Reveals!

Welcome back to Your Bourbon Journey! Today we are diving into the Blind Barrels Release XVIII box (“Eastbound & Down… South”), featuring a curated selection of unique craft whiskeys from the Eastern Seaboard and the South. 

Join Wayne and Rebecca as we put our palates to the test! We try to guess the whiskey styles (Bourbon, Rye, Single Malt, or Wheat Whiskey), approximate the proof, guess the age, and decide if these bottles are worthy of a spot on our home bar shelf. 

From 114-proof Navy Strength American Single Malts to toasted cask-strength ryes and award-winning organic wheat whiskeys, this lineup sparked one of our most divided reviews yet!

What did you think of the Blind Barrels Release XVIII lineup? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! 

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‼️🚨SPOILER ALERT🚨‼️

🥃 Overview of Whiskeys Revealed

Sample A: Old Line Navy Strength American Single Malt Whiskey

  • Distillery: Old Line Spirits (Baltimore, Maryland)
  • Age: 4 Years (Blend of 4–7 year stock)
  • Proof: 114 Proof (57% ABV)
  • Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley (90% Premium 2-Row, 10% Deep Kiln Malt)
  • Member Price: $53.99 (Regular: $64.99)

Sample B: Epoch Reserve Maryland Straight Rye Whiskey

  • Distillery: Baltimore Spirits Company (Baltimore, Maryland)
  • Age: 5 Years
  • Proof: 100 Proof (50% ABV)
  • Mash Bill: 100% Rye (25% Malted Rye)
  • Member Price: $57.99 (Regular: $79.99)

Sample C: Fiddler Cask Strength Toasted Rye Whiskey

  • Distillery: ASW Distillery (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • Age: 7 Years
  • Proof: 121.8 Proof (60.9% ABV)
  • Mash Bill: Low Rye (51% Rye, 45% Corn, 4% Malted Barley)
  • Member Price: $64.99 (Regular: $69.99)

Sample D: Journeyman Corsets, Whips and Whiskey Organic Wheat Whiskey

  • Distillery: Journeyman Distillery (Three Oaks, Michigan)
  • Age: 6 Years
  • Proof: 121.6 Proof (60.8% ABV)
  • Mash Bill: 100% Organic Michigan-Grown Wheat
  • Member Price: $57.99 (Regular: $74.99)

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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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Blind Barrels XVI Best of the Best Blind Tasting Results

Is it a Buy? Blind Barrels Release XVI “Best of the Best” Tasting! 🥃

Happy Friday, whiskey lovers! Today, Wayne and Rebecca are diving into Blind Barrels Release XVI, aptly titled “The Best of the Best.” This curated box features standout picks from award-winning craft distilleries, and we’re putting our palates to the test to see if we can identify these mystery pours.

From a rare bourbon finished on local wood to a high-proof whiskey ranked in the Top 20 of 2025 by Whiskey Advocate, this flight is full of surprises! Are these regional gems worth the hunt? Watch as we break down the nose, palate, and finish of each mystery pour to decide: Is it a BUY?

🕵️ The Mystery Lineup (Revealed in Video!):

  • Sample A: A unique bourbon from the “Cherry Capital of the World,” finished on toasted cherry wood staves for a bright, floral profile.
  • Sample B: An “out of this world” 100-proof, four-grain Kentucky Straight Bourbon released to celebrate a total solar eclipse.
  • Sample C: A 115-proof American Single Malt from the ADI “Distillery of the Year,” aged for 7 years and rarely seen outside its home state.
  • Sample D: A powerhouse 125-proof Wheat Whiskey from Ohio, recently honored as one of the most prestigious spirits in the world for 2025.

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NOTE: We were not compensated by the spirit producers or Blind Barrels for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.

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Casey Jones Total Eclipse Four Grain Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

  • Producer: Casey Jones Distillery – Hopkinsville, KY
  • Proof: 100 (50% ABV)
  • Age Statement: 4 years old
  • Mashbill: 75% Corn, 10% Wheat, 10% Rye, 5% Malted Barley (Mash Bill 4)
  • Size: 750ml

Mammoth Distilling Northern Bourbon – Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished on Toasted Cherry Wood Staves

  • Producer: Mammoth Distilling – Central Lake, MI
  • Proof: 95 (47.5% ABV)
  • Age Statement: 5 years old
  • Mashbill: 74.8% Wapsie Valley Corn, 21% Wheeler Rye, 4.2% Conlon Malted Barley
  • Size: 750ml

Middle West Spirits Cask Strength Straight Wheat Whiskey

  • Producer: Middle West Spirits – Columbus, OH
  • Proof: 125.2 (62.6% ABV)
  • Age Statement: 5 years old
  • Mashbill: 95% Ohio Soft Red Winter Wheat, 5% Two-Row Malted Barley
  • Size: 750ml

Southern Star American Single Malt Whiskey – Cask Strength (375ml)

  • Producer: Southern Distilling Company – Statesville, NC
  • Proof: 115.2 (57.6% ABV)
  • Age Statement: 7 years old
  • Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
  • Size: 375ml

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Heaven Hill Showdown: Larceny C925 vs Bernheim C925

In this high-proof showdown, Wayne and Rebecca from Your Bourbon Journey dive into two heavy hitters from Heaven Hill: the Larceny Barrel Proof C925 and the Bernheim Barrel Proof C925.

One is the final wheated bourbon release of 2025, and the other is a “happy little mistake” with a collector’s twist. Is the rare labeling error on the Bernheim worth the hunt, or does the Larceny take the crown with its classic “Kentucky Hug”? We break down the mash bills, the “accidental” batch history, and provide full tasting notes for both.

📝 Tasting Highlights

  • Larceny C925: Rebecca picks up a surprisingly sweet nose with hints of pastry and bread. On the palate, Wing finds deep coffee and chocolate notes with a long, warm, peppery finish.
  • Bernheim C925: Despite some ethanol on the nose, the palate shines with “Raisinet” vibes—think chocolate, dark raisins, and a nutty wheat finish.

Which batch are you hunting? Let us know in the comments if you’ve found the “error” Bernheim bottle!

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✴️ Larceny Barrel Proof C925

  • Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Company: Heaven Hill
  • Distillery: Bernheim Distillery
  • Mash Bill: 68% Corn, 20% Wheat, 12% Malted Barley
  • Age: NAS (noted to be 6-8 Years)
  • Proof: 119.6
  • MSRP: $64.99
  • Released: 09/2025
  • Other: Third and Final and Release 2025
  • Purchased: 12/31/25 for $69.99 at Varsity Liquors in Evansville IN

✴️ Bernheim Barrel Proof C925

  • Classification: Straight Wheat Whiskey
  • Company: Heaven Hill
  • Distillery: Bernheim Distillery
  • Mash Bill: 51% Wheat, 37% Corn, 12% Malted Barley
  • Age: NAS (noted to be 7-9 Years)
  • Proof: 118.4
  • MSRP: $66.99
  • Released: 10/2025
  • Other: Final release (2nd) of 2025 (normally labeled B925)
  • Batch B925 turned out so well, we got ahead of ourselves and accidentally labeled it Batch C925. Consider this a happy little mistake – it makes your bottle one of a kind.
  • Purchased: 11/25/25 for $88.19 at High Spirits in Evansville, IN

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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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