June 2016

It’s time for fall releases information to roll out. A perennial favorite is the Small Batch Limited Edition from Four Roses. They combine recipes from their ten different mash bills for the release. Here are the recipes Four Roses used for the 2016 Small Batch:

This year’s release is made up of three mash bills: OBSV – 12-year, OESO – 12-year and OESK – 16-year. The bottle denotes 110 proof, but that is most likely just a placeholder. Expect to see this release around the second week of September. Four Roses SmBLE has been consistently great. I don’t expect anything less from this release. read more

Elijah Craig (made by Heaven Hill) has gone through quite a few changes over the past couple of years. First, it started with moving the “12” to the back label. Heaven Hill reassured everyone that the age statement wasn’t going away. It was just moving to the back. In January, the “12” was officially dropped and Elijah Craig became non-age stated (NAS). I’ve tasted both. The 12 year is definitely better. However, the NAS version still beats a lot of other bourbons at a similar price point. read more

Bourbonrs  face tough decisions these days. The bottles we want are often impossible to find. Once we find them they’re often too expensive. I keep asking myself “Would I rather pay secondary prices at retail or never see a bottle on the shelf?” Unfortunately, that’s the choice in bourbon today. There seems to be no third option. read more

Shopping for a Father’s Day gift can be tough. If the father your shopping for is a bourbon drinker, we’ve got you covered. Below are some of my favorite Father’s Day gifts for bourbon drinkers. While these gifts may be great, sitting down and enjoying a glass of bourbon (or, whatever he likes to drink) with your dad may be the best gift you could give him. read more

Since 2008 Four Roses has released their Single Barrel Limited Edition. That was until last year. Four Roses discontinued the FR SiBLE due to barrel shortages. Well, it’s a new year, and the FR SiBLE is back under a new moniker, “Elliott’s Select.” This year’s release is named after new Master Distiller, Brent Elliott. read more

You’re probably thinking “does a winner need crowning?” Bourbon purist wouldn’t dare add anything to their bourbon. Much less cheap sugar water. However, bourbon and cola is a timeless mixed drink. Some prefer coke; others prefer Pepsi. What remains the same is the bourbon. I’ve been testing different recipes of bourbon and colas for a long time. Some could say I may have put in a little too much research in my college years. I decided to set up a blind tasting to find the answer. I know everyone is dying to hear “what makes the best bourbon and cola?” read more