I missed an important date last Saturday. August 26th was the four year anniversary of the Bourbonr blog. It’s hard to believe I’ve been writing the blog for four years. But, Bourbonr has become so ingrained in my life, at times, it seems like I’ve been doing it for even longer than four years. In an educational setting, I would’ve graduated and been on to new horizons after four years. Maybe that’s why I’ve had so many rum posts on social media recently :). For now, I’ll stick to bourbon! While I consider myself knowledgeable, there’s still so much about bourbon I’ve yet to explore. And, taste! read more

Almost four years ago I created my first distillery mash bill breakdown for Buffalo Trace. There have been several changes since then. I decided it was time for an updated and expanded version. I’ve tried to focus on whiskeys that are distilled (at least once) at Buffalo Trace distillery. The Buffalo Trace/Sazerac/Age International/Barton brand(s) is an intricate web. read more

Come join me in Northern Kentucky at Taste of the Decades. As you can see below, the bottle selection is insane. Mix in great food, great bourbon and a great cause this event is well worth the money. Let me know if you can make it (or, are in the area). I’d love to set up some sort of informal Bourbonr meet up the night before the tasting. Tickets just went on sale today and are available here. read more

I know this post will receive some backlash. But, I’ve decided that’s not a good reason to forgo posting. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch “B” is the best release of 2017. That may be a little premature since fall is when 75% of LE’s hit the shelf. But, I think Batch B may remain at the top after bourbon season 2017. This isn’t a paid or sponsored review. read more

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Release Cheat Sheet

Updated: For 2017, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof has received a makeover. The release now comes in a new bottle and label. Good new is ECBP is still 12-years-old. With the new bottle, Heaven Hill has standardized the releases with batch numbers

The first letter of the batch number indicates which of that year’s releases the bottle was a part of starting with “A”, while the second digit is a number that determines the month of the year the bottle was released. The third and fourth digits indicate the year.   read more

In April, Jim Beam revealed their new Jim Beam “Game 7 Batch.” The release commemorates the Chicago Cubs first World Series win since 1908. There were quite a few comments claiming that Beam was piggybacking their way to make a few bucks. Cubs fans read more

It was rumored that the 2017 Four Roses SMBLE would be replaced by the Al Young 50th Anniversary bottle. That appears to be only a rumor. Four Roses has announced their 2017 Small Batch Limited Edition.

A 15-year-old Bourbon from Four Roses’ OESK recipe, a 13-year-old OESK and a 12-year-old OESV were selected for this year’s Limited Edition Small Batch read more

It’s hard to find a distillery more picturesque than Maker’s Mark. They’ve also worked with a lot of artists to capture the beauty of Star Hill. I always thought blown glass was a strange addition to a distillery. That was until I saw it in person. I changed my mind and thought it was a cool addition. This new installment sounds impressive. read more

Bourbon – As You Like It

It’s hard to believe but I wrote this post almost three years ago. On one hand, the bourbon world has changed a lot. On the other hand, it’s funny how much hasn’t changed. I thought it would be fun to revisit and revise this post.

In September 2014, Whisky Advocate’s Jonny McCormick wrote an article titled “Whisky – As You Like it”. This article was his whisky adaption of William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It”. If you haven’t read McCormick’s “Whisky – As You Like it” (link has been taken down by WA) it’s well worth the time. Below is a quote from McCormick’s article. read more

Small Batch is a term ingrained in bourbon’s DNA. It’s a term I often glance over on the back of labels these days. Almost every brand has “Small Batch” on a label in their portfolio. It seems like every new release is “a handcrafted Small Batch” bourbon. But, what does it mean? read more