🥃 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.
🥃 Sweet Sixteen Battles 5 & 6: The Road to Whiskey of the Year!
The hunt for the 2025 Whiskey of the Year continues! We are officially in the thick of the Sweet 16, where the competition is tighter than ever. Today, we’re breaking down Battles 5 and 6 in a 100% blind tasting to see which bottles have the “legs” to survive and which ones are shuffling off to Buffalo.
In this episode, we witness a massive #1 seed take on a hungry wildcard, followed by a neck-and-neck battle between a #2 and a #3 seed. From unexpected “sweet and sour” lemon zest notes to traditional “bourbon drinker’s bourbon” profiles rich with cherry and oak, the scores were razor-thin.
🏆 Inside Today’s Blind Bracket:
- Battle 5 (The 1 Seed vs. 4 Seed): Candidate I vs. Candidate J. Can a wildcard pull off the ultimate upset? One bottle delivers heavy barrel and cinnamon, while the other surprises the palate with a unique confectionery sugar and citrus zest profile.
- Battle 6 (The 2 Seed vs. 3 Seed): Candidate K vs. Candidate L. It’s a battle of styles! We compare a dark, rich, baking-spice powerhouse against a bright, floral, and fruity pour featuring pear and apple notes.
Which bottles advanced to the Elite Eight? Watch to see the scores and the struggle!
💬 Join the Conversation: Which profile do you prefer—the dark, oaky “cherry bombs” or the light, floral, and fruity pours? Drop a comment below and let us know if you’ve guessed any of the bottles in this year’s bracket!
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