While I was in the middle of working I got a message from a friend of mine saying "hey we had an extra spot open up at 1:30 for a Buffalo Trace and Weller Antique pick, if you can make it". Needless to say I dropped what I was doing and scooted my butt over to Buffalo Trace.

I want to start by saying Freddie Johnson really rolled out the red carpet and helped to make it a truly wonderful experience. I have only ever done one other pick at Buffalo Trace, and well it was a Buffalo Trace, but this experience was completely different than that one. Last time from start to finish we barely spent over an hour, but this time it was over 4 hours long!

Prior to doing the pick Freddie guided us through the Distillery grounds starting at the gift center and their vault. From there we would walk through all of the production facility seeing the stainless steel fermenters working their magic, and then the next step, the actual distillation process.

One of my favorite parts of the tour was seeing the original ruins of some of the OFC distillery from 1869 and 1873. In that area there is a fermentation tank nicknamed "Old Taylor". What makes the Old Taylor fermenter so interesting is that it is made into the ground, and its walls are lined with copper instead of stainless steel. Being built into the ground allows the mash to ferment at a much cooler temperature than the tanks scattered around the rest of the facility.

While walking to the pick room we were also able to take a sneak peek into the Albert B Blanton Bottling Hall, where they coincidentally bottle Blanton's. While watching them bottle Blanton's I noticed that the corks have a slight notch in the side of them, and Freddie explained to me that the notch on the side of the cork is because Blanton's is sold in international markets, and because of the differences in temperature and elevation during its journey the notch is an expansion joint so that the corks do not pop out of the top of the bottle in transit.

Eventually we made it to Albert B Blanton's favorite rickhouse, Warehouse H, and from here we would go on to do our actual barrel pick. I will be 110% transparent here and say that the only disappointing part of my entire day was the actual barrel selection process itself. It was a special experience to get the opportunity to pick a barrel of both Buffalo Trace and Weller Antique, but the Weller bottlings were so similar it was like splitting hairs. All 3 Weller barrels were sister barrels with the same dump dates and sat side by side in the warehouse. All barrels are different and because of that every barrel of bourbon tastes different, but these were so close we could have chosen any of them and it wouldn't have made a difference. The Buffalo Trace barrels had much more variety in them, and ultimately the group ended up choosing a barrel that was a very easy sipper filled with notes of caramel, honeysuckle, and slightly toasted oak.

At this point I thought our experience was over, but Freddie had one more thing he wanted to show us, the "Ice Box". The seasons and heat help bourbon impart a lot of different flavors from the oak and the expansion and shrinkage of the barrels imparts different flavors to the whiskey. The Ice Box is a room that is around 45 degrees, and has a positive atmospheric pressure. This room is created to help age bourbon to almost unheard of levels. This is one of the reasons why releases such as Eagle Rare 30 year exist because in this room the negative pressure helps to force the bourbon to stay inside of the barrel, helping to prevent angel's share.

I really appreciate the opportunity that I was given by Buffalo Trace, Freddie, and the group that my friend Andy was with. Barrel picks are a truly wonderful way to bond, and up until yesterday I only knew one person in that group, but now I have 7 new friends. Cheers everyone!

Background:

When the details regarding the new limited-edition series from Wild Turkey, the Austin Nichols Archives, came out a year ago, my initial reaction was scepticism.

It had brought up associations with what some critics call “stuck culture” – endless loops of nostalgia pandering, fan service, reboots, and remakes. You see it in movies, music, and just about anything that can be repackaged to stand on the shoulders of something that was great once.

On the other hand, there was trust in what Eddie and Bruce Russell, and their team, have been doing at Wild Turkey – for decades, but especially the last few years. As much as I love vintage Turkey, I have been impressed with their limited editions like Russell’s 13, Russell’s 15, Wild Turkey 12, and Beacon, just to name a few. That trust was enough for me to put aside my reservations and seek out a bottle of the latest Austin Nichols Archives Gold Foil Edition 16-year.

Before we dive in, I recommend you listen to Bruce Russell speak about this release directly, instead of the countless influencers regurgitating the press release and often editorializing incorrect information. This pre-release chat covers plenty of detail.

What’s in a name?

The new series, Austin Nichols Archives, replaces the previous Wild Turkey limited-edition product line, Master’s Keep. It appears to coincide with a potential retirement of Eddie Russell, who has just celebrated his 45^th anniversary at the distillery, since Master’s Keep was his playground between 2015 and 2025. It may still be years away, and Eddie may simply switch into a “Master Distiller Emeritus” mode, but the writing is on the wall for Bruce to take on more of a leading role.

But back to the Gold Foil Edition – it is the first entry in the series paying tribute to the iconic Wild Turkey expressions from the past. In this case, it’s a reference to “Cheesy Gold Foil,” the unofficial nickname of the 12-year, 101-proof bottling that sported the shiny yellow livery between 1985 and 1994. I took an in-depth look at the 12/101 here, if you’d like more background.

As for CGF (call me a pedant, but I think “CGF” should be retained for the original, so I’ll refer to the new one as “GFE”), it has a hierarchy of its own: the 1985 release is widely assumed to be sourced distillate from a defunct distillery called Old Boone, which also supplied the whiskey for the original Pappy 20 in 1994. There were no 1986 and 1987 editions; there is a debate on whether 1988 is Old Boone or a blend of Boone and Wild Turkey. Anything from 1989 through 1992 domestically, plus two more years overseas until 1994, are presumed to be Wild Turkey’s own liquid.

In terms of rarity, the 1985 is the most desirable, followed by 1988, and then the rest in chronological order from the earliest to the latest. The packaging and promotional materials for the Gold Foil Edition call out 1988 specifically, along with the ‘80s and ‘90s more generally – not sure if it’s an implicit acknowledgement that the 1985 whiskey was not made at Wild Turkey, but I don’t see much scandal in that – Wild Turkey started as an NDP brand, after all.

There is also some confusion about the Austin Nichols name and what it applies to. I’ve seen references to the “Austin Nichols distillery” and “Austin Nichols, the distiller,” none of which have ever existed. I’ll refer you to another post for the origin story of Wild Turkey and how it relates to Austin Nichols.

The reason Austin Nichols is associated with vintage Wild Turkey in particular, is because its branding was most prominent on the labels from the very beginning and until the 2000s. But there was no “Austin Nichols distillery” – there was the Ripy Brothers/Boulevard/JTS Brown plant that Austin Nichols, a New York grocery supplier-turned-NDP, used to source product for its bourbon brand and eventually purchased in 1971, renaming it the Wild Turkey Distillery. That distillery’s column still, which had been in operation since 1935, was decommissioned in 2011, essentially creating a new Wild Turkey distillery that year (more on that later).

Austin Nichols ceased to exist as an independent company in 1968, when it was purchased by Liggett & Myers. It was then sold by Liggett to Pernod Ricard in 1980, to fend off a hostile takeover from Grand Metropolitan. Considering Grand Met eventually became part of Diageo, there was a non-trivial chance Wild Turkey could’ve ended up in Diageo’s grip by the 1990s, which is a scary scenario if you know your bourbon history.

Wild Turkey remained in the Pernod Ricard stable until 2009, so the “golden era” referred to on GFE’s packaging largely fell within the three “French” decades (“Pernod Ricard Archives” would be historically accurate, but I don’t think Campari would like that).

In another twist, when Pernod sold Wild Turkey to Campari, they split the Austin Nichols trademark – Pernod retained the Austin, Nichols & Co. name as one of their DBA holding companies for North American operations, while Campari got the Austin, Nichols Distilling Co. as part of the purchase. That allowed Campari to keep using the name on its labels, but it has been gradually phased out – first the full phrase was replaced with small letters “AN” and the founding year 1855 in 2011; after the latest redesign a few years ago, all references to Austin Nichols have been scrubbed from the front label and moved to the neck label in a tiny font. That’s why seeing the full name in bold letters again feels like such a throwback.

What’s in a taste?

Let’s get to tasting. I will once again encourage you to listen to Bruce in his own words about all the details, so I will only mention that the 2008-distilled barrels for GFE were pulled from Camp Nelson D, E, and F, with the batch proof of over 140, before being reduced to 120 proof for non-chill filtered bottling.

I will focus the review on GFE, but I will include my notes on how it compared to a selection of modern releases – Russell’s 15; Russell’s 13, batch 1; and Beacon, along with the one I could not leave out – a 1991 CGF (plus a little of a 1992 one). Bruce has taken great care to say GFE is not meant to be a recreation but rather a tribute, which I appreciate – but I will still look for any connections, however abstract they may be.

Gold Foil Edition 16:

On the nose, vanilla cream with some citrus notes pushing it toward the cream cheese territory; prominent sweet oak, red berries and oxidized stone fruit, Vietnamese iced coffee, tobacco, honey, nutty oloroso sherry, brown sugar, almost butterscotch, going into chocolate, nutmeg/sweet baking spice. Full palate, woody, cola, caramel, red berry, dried fruit, tobacco. Long finish; oaky, slightly drying; clove, flamed orange peel, dried cranberry, caramel.

How is the 1991 Cheesy Gold Foil different?

Different profile altogether. Loaded with vintage funk, it’s heavy caramel and butterscotch, floral, with some almond and hazelnut notes, chocolate-covered raisin. The biggest difference is in how it drinks – zero ethanol, an evenly distributed slow-burn progression of oak, spice, tobacco, oxidized fruit and sweet notes. The empty glass smells like the best collection of baking spice you’ve ever smelled. Contrary to the conventional wisdom, I like the 1992 CGF just a touch more because of more prominent fruit notes (storage conditions of individual bottles could play a role).

How is Russell’s 15 different?

We are back to the modern high-aged Turkey profile here: blackberry jam and dried fruit, lots of caramel, vanilla frosting, honey, and tobacco. The biggest difference to me is oak – on Russell’s 15 it takes on this “antique” quality that I usually find on George T. Stagg. It’s big oak, big caramel, big berry – big everything.

How is Beacon different?

Once again, lots of similarities with GFE: Blackberry, brown sugar, nutmeg, chocolate, red fruit, cherry, tobacco. But just a little less finesse and depth.

How is Russell’s 13, batch 1 different?

Nice vanilla and blackberry notes, but this time it fell a little behind the pack, with Beacon winning the re-match.

Rating: (t8ke scale for reference below): 

Gold Foil Edition: 9

1991 CGF: 9.5

Russell’s 15: 9.5

Beacon: 8.75

Russell’s 13, batch 1: 8.5

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I’d rather have

5 | Good | Good, just fine

6 | Very Good | A cut above

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional

9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Gold Foil Edition is an excellent bourbon. However, it stands among multiple peers, not above them.

If you’ve had any of the recent Turkey limited editions – we are talking RR15 and early RR13, Beacon, any of the Single Rickhouse releases, maybe even Generations and the first batch of Wild Turkey 12/101 from 2021 – you’ve had this profile. They come from some of the last runs of the old still (some will have post-2011 distillate mixed in), mostly pulled from Camp Nelson warehouses. You can expect that woody cola profile, with lots of cherry and dried fruit, sweet baking spice, rich vanilla and caramel. Each expression will have different proportions of each, which will likely determine the favorite for your palate, but they are cut from the same cloth. Russell’s 15 is still my favorite, sitting a little heavier on the palate with deeper oak, but these bourbons will be almost interchangeable depending on your preference.

Now, is GFE a rightful heir to the almighty CGF? Does it need one? I’ve read some reviews that proclaimed GFE nailing the dusty profile (I don’t agree) and even improving on the original CGF (also don’t agree). The profiles are just too different, which was expected. There are little flashes of flavors you find in dusty bourbon on GFE – a cream cheese note here, oxidized dark fruit there – but dusty bourbon it ain’t. As the kids say, Bruce understood the assignment: He knows you can’t recreate the past, so he delivered the next best thing – a top modern profile that may not last for very long, as most of the old-still whiskey has reached peak maturity and has been bottled.

You can parse similarities in notes between dusty and modern bourbon, but the largest difference is in how it drinks, which is the hardest to describe. Some of the answers lie in the past, but some are right there on the surface:

Firstly, Camp Nelson has become almost synonymous with top-tier Turkey in recent years, but many reviewers gloss over the fact that those warehouses have only been used by the distillery since the 1990s. For most of Wild Turkey’s history, including the “golden era” in the ’70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, they utilized Tyrone rickhouses. There is a reason why Jimmy Russell prefers Tyrone – that’s where he’s aged most of his “greatest hits.”

Bruce mentioned that the highest-proof barrels at top floors of Tyrone max out around 130 proof, while they go up to 160 at Camp Nelson. When Wild Turkey used the lower entry proof of 107 prior to 2004, many barrels were dumped at 104-105 proof, some even lower. Tyrone-aged CGF likely did not have much water added to proof it down to 101, the difference you can tell on the silky texture with zero ethanol burn. The late Dave Pickrell used to say that to get the best flavor profile, “you should look for a bourbon that is distilled at a relatively low proof, entered into the barrel at a relatively low proof, and bottled at very close to the proof at which the product comes out of the barrel.” I think there is still truth to that sentiment.

A part of me wonders what a modern Wild Turkey expression would taste like with the historic entry proof of 107, aged at Tyrone in extra-seasoned barrels, using a blend of 12-year whiskey with some older stocks thrown in. But you can’t really charge 400 dollars for something with a 12-year age statement (especially not after the excellent but short-lived revival of the 12/101 just a few years ago that went for 60 bucks in some markets), and it would not be economically viable for many reasons. Which brings me to…

What’s in a price?

If you think that a master distiller or blender comes up with a whiskey in their lab, mad-scientist style, then proudly tosses it in front of the corporate and tells them to bottle it to his or her exact vision, think again.

Most new expressions are born in the marketing or R&D departments, informed by corporate forecasting, strategic alignment, market and competitor analysis, and other decidedly unromantic factors. The marketing folks will then go to the people who make the whiskey and ask them to find the liquid that would fit the specs. I don’t doubt that Bruce has been carrying this tribute idea for a long time, but it wouldn’t go anywhere without the corporate approval.

Campari decided to continue to play in the ultra-premium tier of American whiskey, no doubt buoyed by the success of the expressions in this line-up. The last Master’s Keep Beacon had the MSRP of 300 dollars. The latest Russell’s 13 (45^th Anniversary) is at 200. Single Rickhouse releases are 300. Russell’s 15 was 250 two years ago.

Where to, Campari? To the moon, it appears – desperate headlines about the glut be damned, 400 dollars is the cost of admission into the Archives. That’s short of the most expensive Wild Turkey release to-date, Generations at 450 dollars, but the bottle count on Gold Foil Edition is much higher. Bruce mentions that the higher age and proof on GFE were necessary to match the complexity of the original, but I imagine having those stats was also required to justify the price. Would the whiskey be any different in a tube-less bottle labeled “Russell’s 16”? No. Are we paying 100 dollars more for 10 dollars’ worth of packaging? Yes. But I respect Bruce’s vision to honor his grandfather and shine the spotlight on the distillery’s history.

The strategy makes sense. Despite the overall slowdown, you have different segments of the market that travel at different speeds (no one is immune from the K-shaped economy): The lower and mid-tier are hurting from the loss of the more casual customers cutting down on their COVID-era levels of spending and consumption. That’s the segment the media likes to focus on for its doom-and-gloom headlines.

But the American-whiskey landscape has matured a lot in the last decade and a half, so you have a core group of well-versed enthusiasts who are selective in what they buy but are open to spending more money on something they deem special enough. It’s the person who would rather buy one 400-dollar bottle than five 80-dollar ones, because they already have dozens of those. They want a story, a conversation piece, and let’s be honest, a trophy.

Campari still made money on selling Russell’s 13 for 70 dollars in 2021, if you want a reference point on profit-making margins. They realized they could make a lot more by charging secondary prices that the enthusiast segment was willing to pay. Some people justify the higher price tags by assuming that they cut into the flippers’ bottom lines (raise the floor to lower the ceiling) and discourage the secondary. But flippers simply raised the ceiling in response to the raised floor and deployed their own “dynamic” demand-based pricing: whereas they made 180 bucks by flipping a 70-dollar bottle of RR13 for 250 bucks in 2021, they would make more by selling RR15 for 500 at release and 1000 today. The only thing that works against the secondary market is to dramatically expand the supply (see Blanton’s and other mid-tier Buffalo Trace). That’s not really a lever to pull with truly limited releases.

The second argument is that no one is entitled to buy rare whiskey if they can’t afford it: “No one owes you a Ferrari on a Kia budget.” That is absolutely true and I agree! But the issue is that we have an entire segment of bourbon fans who are completely priced out of the limited editions – the people who would begrudgingly pay 150 for RR13 on secondary or pushed to buy RR15 for 250 at retail are simply tapping out at 400.  

I made a post comparing historical pricing adjusted for inflation that demonstrates how blown out the distance between shelfers and limited editions has become. It’s a market reality and I don’t get worked up about it anymore, but let’s drop the condescending advice of “Just buy Rare Breed.” It wasn’t too long ago that an average person could buy Rare Breed and the LE that cost 2-3x of the baseline price, not 10-15x. How many diehards can brands afford to lose in a slowing market? It’s a question not unique to Wild Turkey.

So is there anything in GFE to justify the premium price? Being some of the last pre-2011 distillate has some real value to me. The new still has had its issues but it should be dialed in by now. I’m sure it’s producing quality whiskey – but will it be as good (or simply different) as those final 2000s runs? Is GFE a “modern dusty” in the making? Time will tell.

I will wrap up by saying that sometimes these deep dives can come off as unnecessarily nit-picky and preachy. It’s not lost on me, and I think they can rob the joy out of the experience if used purely to score factual points. I do it because I like to peel the curtain back a little and peek behind it – but it shouldn’t take away from the fact that Bruce has made a terrific blend using the barrels laid down by his father. It’s a truly generational release. If you can find it, forget about the history for a minute, and just enjoy it.

Thanks for reading and cheers!

Onyx & Amber Owl of Oz Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Release: August 28, 2026

Blend No. BLB01-003

Guest blender: Ryan Negley

Distilled in Kentucky & Indiana

Distilled by O.Z. Tyler (Green River) & MGP

Age:
7.5 year Green River 16%
8 years 3 month MGP
10 year 10 month MGP
12 year MGP 21%

MGP aged 4+ years in Northern Colorado

Total barrels in blend: 10

6 barrels Green River: 74% corn, 16% rye, 10% malted barley; Char 4

3 barrels MGP: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley; Char 3 ISC

1 barrel MGP: 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley; Char 3 ISC

Married over 6-8 weeks

Proof: 120.6

Release size: 1,500 bottles

MSRP: $94.99

Nose: Red Hawaiian Punch. Nutmeg. Lightly toasted marshmallow. Dr. Pepper Cherry.

Nose is fantastic! The initial rush of fruit punch is pretty intense. The nutmeg and marshmallow notes are pretty mild. The cherry Dr. Pepper note at the end is also rather clear. If you’re a fan of potent bright red fruit… this is going to be right up your alley.

Palate: Cherry Kool-Aid with not quite enough sugar. Overly browned sugar cookie. Baked apple. Unsweetened cocoa powder. Medium viscosity.

Palate takes a detour from the juicy red fruit nose. Red fruit is still present, but nowhere near as sweet as the nose suggested. Oak is much more prominent on the palate. The baked apple is without any sweeteners or spices.

Finish: Haribo Happy Cola. Spiced apple cider. Pecan pie.

It’s always fascinating when the aroma & actual taste are completely different. The palate is much more oak-driven than the nose. I’m currently sipping this when it’s hot as heck outside… and this definitely feels more like a winter bourbon.

Definitely a unique profile that I enjoy. It’s quite unique in that 60% of the blend is a Green River mashbill that I didn’t know existed until the bottle showed up. The Green River component is one of 28 different whiskeys made by Jacob Call in Owensboro.

Definitely a great bourbon blend… definitely worth picking up.

Bottle provided for review by Ryan Negley and Onyx & Amber

Rating: 7 | Great | Well above average

Nose: medium. Notes of plum nutty, carmelized brown sugar, sweet oak. Inviting and warm nose that bring draws you into the pour.

Palate: Rich, nutty, oily, cherry, plum, a balanced oak, toasted sugars.

Finish: medium to long finish, softer oak, vanilla, carmelized sugar on center back of tongue. Proof extends all the characteristics making it an truly enjoyable finish.

My thoughts: this bottle is balanced, warm, nutty, and a very good sip. Makes you savor the sip and not need to go back immediately which a testament of quality. When Rare Character hits, they hit...and this is a hitter.

Value: you only live once

Rating: 8.5/10

Third review is going to a WFP selection from one of the largest liquor stores in the US, and also my local store. If you aren’t familiar with the Weller line, it’s a wheated bourbon out of Buffalo Trace. They switch the rye component of the mash out for wheat, resulting in often a sweeter and less spicy bourbon. WFP also forgoes chill filtration, which keeps all of the natural oils in the bourbon as well. This really packs a flavorful punch. TPS is well known around Northern Kentucky for producing phenomenal store picks, and usually sell out of them within minutes. When I won this one in a local group raffle, I knew I had to crack it the night I got it. Let’s dive into it.

Taken: Neat in a Glencairn glass

Proof: 114 proof

Age: 7 years 6 months

Price: $65 MSRP (good luck), secondary near me is around $130 for a store pick but won this one in a raffle for $40

Nose: Wow, this one is nice. Lots of mature oak, not as much of the typical grape note I get with most BT products. Very little ethanol burn. I get a lot of chocolate covered cherry and vanilla behind the oak. There’s also a faint caramel note and the slightest hint of tobacco.

Taste: Very surprising that the chocolate and cherry transferred over to the palate as much as it did. There’s a good amount of tobacco and mature oak, but not too tannic by any means. Really just a sweet myriad of red fruit, chocolate and sweet tobacco. The non chill filtering really does this bourbon justice, as all of these notes are so amplified in the best of ways.

Finish: What an interesting finish in the best of ways. It ends with the slightest bit of dry oak, then I get a note that I don’t remotely get on the nose or palate. There’s a faint hint of apricot and plum that sticks to the palate at the end, which is honestly welcome for me given how fruit forward this pick is. The finish is long and sticks to the palate for minutes, leaving me to ponder all of the notes.

Thoughts: This is leaps and bounds better than any other normal Weller I’ve tried. Full Proof is one of my favorite wheated bourbons, and I was pleasantly surprised how many other notes that I don’t typically get on the normal batches were present in this pick. This is the first Party Source pick I’ve tried, and if I run across any more I know I can trust their judgement. I would easily pay MSRP for this and up to a hundred if I had the chance.

Shoutout William LaRue Weller.

Rating: 7.5/10 - t8ke scale

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average.

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.

10 | Perfect | Perfect.

My price: I can't remember exactly, but msrp says $115

Mashbill: n/a

Nose: strong medium nose. Sweet nose from the mash, cherry cola all day, oak funk, rye, graham crackers. Great nose.

Palate: medium structure. Citrus, warm vanilla, brown sugar, rye, oak char, pepper, cherry cola, wood grain. Very balanced and the sweet mash really shines. Cherry notes are a tad medicinal.

Finish: long finish. Rye, oak char, pepper, cinnamon. Cherry continues to be a theme all the way to the finish.

Overall: I like this bottle. It's very solid. It has a good balance all the way through. The cherry notes notes can be a bit much at times for me personally, but it's well balanced with the oak and darker sweet notes. It sits well at 109.4 proof as it feels like it drink a little stronger than that,...which for me is a good thing. Don't let anyone tell you you have to spend a bunch of money for good whiskey. I recommend this bottle for sure and at it's price point, I can justify it.

Rating: 7.8/10

In the glass: Old Forester Single Barrel 100 Proof “John O’s Liquors 2025”, Warehouse K, Floor 8

Distillery: Old Forester

ABV: 50%

Proof: 100

Age: Non Age Stated

Mashbill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley

Nose: The nose is perfumed sweet oak, brown sugar, definite maple syrup, and what smells like semi sweet dark chocolate chips. After further deliberation, there is a note that I’m intrigued by and it’s hubba bubba bubble gum.

Palate: Rich oak, maple syrup, brown sugar, some barrel char goodness that lends to a bit of bite. There’s some caramel chew on the end of the sip. It’s almost like a chocolate chip cookie with browned butter and semi sweet dark chocolate chips. Bubble gum tastiness again, very very intriguing.

Finish: 100 proof with this kind of hug is impressive, I could be fooled into thinking this is maybe 110 with the hug it gives and I like it! It’s desserty, but more of a brown sugar cookie, maple kind of sweet. No fruit on this sip which is fine.

Final thoughts: The palate is the best part of this pour in my opinion, it’s rich and sweet with some delightful brown sugar going on. I think this is a no brainer buy for retail like this one was for me. If you find these picks for under $100, take a chance if you like other offerings from Old Forester.

Rating: 7.5/10

{Note: You can find me on instagram @whiskeyincontext}

It’s time for one of the big guns: the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection’s own Eagle Rare 17-year. Clocking in at 101 proof and (in the case of this 2025 release) carrying an 18-year, 4-month age statement, this highly-allocated bourbon is one of the original BTAC whiskies, and still tends to be one that I hear folks speak most highly of.

Interestingly, ER17 is actually a mid-tier expression in the Eagle Rare lineup, with the 20-year-old Double Eagle Very Rare, Eagle Rare 25-year, and now Eagle Rare 30-year superseding it.

However, it’s supposed to be pretty amazing all the same, so I’m excited to see how it stacks up to the other whiskeys I’ve had the opportunity to try. Let’s see how it is!

From the Distillery: Eagle Rare 17 Year-Old is one of the distinguished bourbons in the award-winning Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. Aged in oak barrels for nearly two decades, this rare bourbon is released in very limited quantities each fall.

We have hand-selected our very best available barrels to produce the finest possible whiskey. In tribute to the original Eagle Rare brand launched in 1975, this whiskey is bottled at the original strength of 101 proof. The crystal-clear glass bottle we’ve chosen showcases the whiskey’s gorgeous amber color. The back label provides a full product description for you to read while enjoying a taste. Every bottle was hand-bottled and labeled to ensure the highest quality finish.

Mash bill: Buffalo Trace mash bill #1 (a low-rye combination of corn, rye, and malted barley)

Filtration: Chill filtered

Distilled: Spring 2007

Bottled: Fall 2025

Age Statement: 18 years, 4 months

Evaporation Loss: 89%

Entry Proof: 125

Proof: 101

Price: LOL

Appearance: Dark amber; almost mahogany. Leaves fairly nice legs on the glass

Nose: Right away is a huge burst of oak, grape, and confectionary sugar. Behind these, in much more muted fashion, are tobacco, leather, toffee, and something like cherry pie filling – it’s surprisingly bright overall. There’s also some pepper and spice. Once the glass is empty, it’s all confectionary sugar and leather, with a touch of dark chocolate.

Palate: Initially, oak and some surprising astringency. It’s also a little thin, which is to be expected given the proof, but not so much so that it’s in danger of being watery. There’s more grape (lots more grape) and confectionary sugar, but – though it may seem contradictory – the sip isn’t overly sweet, as there’s also a ton of oak on the palate. Leather and dark chocolate also serve to balance out the fruit (grape and cherry now); this is then further complemented by maple candy, brown sugar, and a slightly nutty note.

Finish: Long and drying, leaning primarily into oak with a little fruit added in. However, it pleasantly transitions from that flavor profile into a strong (and very nice) combination of maple syrup, vanilla, and caramel, with a bit of pecan praline added in. Something like that praline flavor — deep, rich caramel with a slight nuttiness — then lingers as a really, really nice aftertaste for what seems like forever. This is actually the best part for me.

Thoughts: This was very good, and seems much more complex than its 10- and 12-year-old brethren. There’s a lot of oak involved, as you might expect from an 18-year-old bourbon, but it’s largely well-balanced. The classic Buffalo Trace sweetness is there, as well, but it too is balanced out by a touch of oaky bitterness, making for a pour that’s not super sweet by any means.

Eagle Rare 17’s combination of complexity and relatively low proof was pretty remarkable, and it’s something I really appreciated given my own general proclivity for lower-proof whiskey. While there was a touch more initial astringency than I expected, I suspect that’s because this review was based on the first couple pours from the bottle. The nose and palate were very enjoyable, but for me the finish was the star of the show, transitioning through flavors before settling into a really excellent praline note that, as I said above, seemed to last forever.

Overall, this was a classically excellent bourbon that largely lived up to its hype.

Rating: Buffalo Trace’s Eagle Rare 17-Year is really good. It earns an 8.9 from me, just shy of being “Incredible – An All-Time Favorite.” I highly recommend this if you encounter it at a price that doesn’t break the bank. Good luck and happy hunting!

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Previous Ratings (updated to include decimals and adjusted for blinds & re-reviews; all reviews are available in my archive)

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
Maker’s Mark staved private selection (2.5)
Penelope Architect custom build (2.5)

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
Willett Pot Still (3)

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists
Found North SiB Oloroso finish (4.5)
Daniel Weller Emmer Wheat (4.5)
Augusta Buckner’s 10yr (4.6)
Shortbarrel Sapsquatch (4.8)

5 | Good | Good, just fine
Jack Daniel’s SBBP Rye (5)
Jack Daniel’s Heritage (5)
Four Roses SBBP OESO (5)
New Riff 4yr SBBP (5)
Four Roses SBBP OBSV (5.3)
Evan Williams America250 SiB (5.3)
New Riff Balboa Rye (5.4)
Blanton’s (5.5)
Old Forester 1924 (5.7)
Elijah Craig Toasted (5.8)

6 | Very Good | A cut above
Barrell Cigar Blend (6)
Buffalo Trace (6)
1792 BiB SiB (6)
Copper & Cask Boston Rum Party (6)
Penelope Wheated (6)
Redwood Empire Emerald Giant (6)
Peerless DO (6.1)
Copper & Cask #16 (6.3)
Stagg 25B (6.3)
Blanton’s Gold (6.4)
Augusta Buckner’s 13yr (6.5)
Green River Honey (6.5)
Pursuit United DO (6.5)
Sagamore 9yr SiB Rye (6.5)
Sazerac FP (6.5)
Green River Wheated (6.5)
Elmer T. Lee (6.5)
Copper & Cask #14 DO (6.6)
Shortbarrel Bees Knees V (6.8)
Penelope Marshmallow Toast (6.8)
Willett 4yr Rye (6.8)

7 | Great | Well above average
John J. Bowman SiB (7)
Found North 012 (7)
Peerless Toasted (7.1)
E.H. Taylor SiB (7.2)
Eagle Rare 10yr (7.4)
Weller 107 (7.5)
Old Forester 1910 (7.5)
Penelope Estate 10yr SiB (7.5)
Old Dominick Staved SiB (7.6)
Buffalo Trace Single Oak (7.6)
E.H. Taylor SmB (7.6)
Rock Hill Farms (7.6)
Eagle Rare 12yr (7.7)
Woodford DO SBBP (7.7)
Old Fitzgerald 7yr (7.7)
Willett 8yr SiB Rye (7.9)

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional
Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend 420 (8)
Blanton’s SFTB (8.3)
Lasso Motel SBBP Rye (8.4)
Mister Sam Tribute 4 (8.6)
E.H. Taylor BTAC 2025 (8.7)
Thomas H. Handy 2025 (8.7)
Eagle Rare 17yr 2025 (8.9)

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Whiskey: Ransom Rye Whiskey

Distiller: Ransom Spirits

Instagram: Barrel & Proof https://www.instagram.com/barrel_and_proof?igsh=czJ2MzhybG42MG9j&utm_source=qr 

ABV: 46.5%

Age: 6 years

Price: $30 (Kansas City, Missouri)

Tasting:  Neat in Glencairn, rested for 10 minutes. Bottle opened for three weeks.

__________________________________

Nose: Red Wine, Acetone, Oak, Baking Spices, Caramel, & Vanilla

Palate: Red Wine, Oak, Acetone, Rye Spices, & Cherry

Finish: Medium Length, Red Wine, Leather, Rye Spice, Acetone, & Charred Oak

Body: Medium

Bite: Strong

__________________________________

Summary: I purchased this bottle for a moderate price, it has a respectable age statement and an interesting background. This bottle was distilled and bottled in Sheridan Oregon, and being wine country this rye whiskey was aged for six years in Pinot Noir casks. Not finished, completely aged. The bottle notes the mashbill contains malted barley, unmalted barley, crystal malt, malted rye, unmalted rye, and malted wheat.

Surprise, the most prominent note is a red wine note. There is an acetone note, which in my experience isn’t uncommon with red wine finishes. The age statement comes through with some moderate oakiness and spice profile. Behind the strong wine character, I do pick up some caramel and vanilla.

The palate starts off with a smooth red wine note, but quickly an artificial oak note comes forward and ruins the character. After a while the rye spice notes really pierce the taste buds, it’s quite brutal. There is a slight candied cherry note behind all those strong flavors.

The finish starts off with the red wine character, but the artificial acetone note quickly replaces it. Combined with the acetone, the strong leather, spice, and burnt oak notes are really unpleasant.

While this rye whiskey has an impressive age statement and respectable proof, all for $30, it is overshadowed by the strong Pinot Noir cask profile. Pretty much all the flavors listed are strong, but they’re sharp and come off as artificial. The rye whiskey in this whiskey could be perfectly fine, but generally I feel red wine casks can create some really unpleasant notes. 

__________________________________

Rating: 

Nose (10%) - 6/10

Palate (50%) - 3/10

Finish (40%) - 3/10

3.3/10 Bad. Noticeable flaws.

Recommend: No

Rank: I created a compilation ranking list of whiskies I’ve purchased at a store or at a bar and done a formal tasting.  All whiskey ranked on the list tasted neat and rested for 10-15 minutes.  Whiskey I ranked below and above Ransom are shown for reference.

263 out of 270 whiskies tasted.

262 Johnnie Walker Red Label

264 Ammunition Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Pinot Noir Barrels

Ranking Link: 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/147h44fId0tZYmHsroGgjzcRK2xn6050P8m7mZqArGLw/edit?usp=sharing

Today we're checking out the 2nd release from Bardstown's Distillery Reserve, Hokkaido! Bardstown's Distillery Reserve series sees a blend of whiskies that have some form of finishing done to them. For Hokkaido, Bardstown blended 4 different whiskies ranging in ages between 9-18 years that were then finished for 28 months in Hokkaido wood. The full mash bill consists of:

• 15% 9 Year Indiana at 51% rye, 45% corn, 4% malted barley
• 33% 14 Year Kentucky at 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley
• 47% 15 Year Kentucky at 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley
• 5% 18 Year Tennessee at 84% corn, 8% rye, 8% malted barley

Bardstown was kind enough to send this to me when it first released where I really enjoyed it off the initial tasting! Excited to formally dive back into it and see how it is after plenty of air time.

Taken: Neat in a Glencairn, rested for 10 minutes.

Age: Blend of 9 - 18 year whiskies

Proof: 109.3

Nose: Fairly spicy on the nose. Nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar, mild apricots, and sandalwood. Giving the glass a swirl really brings out the sweetness in the way of apricots, maple, orange peel, and damp oak. The initial spice is nearly gone after a good SJ.

Palate: Rich and oily viscosity of honey, cinnamon, chocolate, and brown sugar. After a few sips, that nutmeg spice from the nose starts to shine, particularly on the mid-backend of the palate and the oak starts to come out beautifully. There's a good complexity here and it all just feels very well balanced.

Finish: Longer side of medium finish of maple, nutmeg, brown sugar, and a decently drying oak.

Bardstown's Hokkaido is really good, but the nose alone is what does it for me. I just love how spicy it starts out and after some glass swirling, it just subdues and you're left with a pour leaning on the sweeter side with an old oak note hanging around. They've released a few Distillery Reserves since Hokkaido, but this may very well end up being my favorite of the ones I've been able to try. Looking forward to what Bardstown has in store for us next!

t8ke scale: 8.1/10 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average.

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.

10 | Perfect | Perfect.

Samuel Call Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

KBF Barrel No. 1

Barrel code: 17L29

Release: 2026 Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown, KY; September 11-13

Distilled by Jacob Call, eighth-generation Master Distiller

Samuel Call began the family’s distilling tradition in 1791

Age: 8 years 7 months 13 days

Fill date: December 29, 2017

Dump date: August 11, 2026

Mashbill: 78% corn, 13% rye, 9% malted barley

This is a Warehouse H collapse survivor barrel from Owensboro in June 2019. Prior to the collapse, the barrel was in the southwest corner of the warehouse because that is where the prevailing wind and storms come from… and on that night in June 2019… the wind and storms certainly came!

Barrel manufacturer: Independent Stave (ISC)

Proof: 123.5

MSRP: $95

Nose: 7UP. Buttercream frosting. Semi-sweet chocolate. Red apples cooked w/ dark brown sugar & cinnamon. Caramel.

The 7UP is really prominent at first, but then largely fades away into the sweet buttercream frosting. As the glass sits, the nose turns much deeper as expected for the age. The chocolate note is very brief. The cooked apple/brown sugar/cinnamon note that shows up late ends up being the strongest and most dominant aspect of the overall nose. The nose is complex and constantly evolving. As I’m writing this section, the apple note turns to a strong caramel apple. Still evolving!

Palate: Lipton Brisk Lemon Iced Tea. Mouthfeel is immediately dense, making the iced tea note feel tactile as if the tea has a lot of sugar, but the tea note doesn’t taste like it has too much sugar. Nutmeg. Black walnut mild bitterness. Black pepper.

Plenty of pop! The proof is clearly felt on the palate, yet the mouthfeel consistently feels thick and oily. The proof never feels drying.

Finish: Sweet tea. Very slight mild tobacco. Light brown sugar. Mild lemon cookie.

Lemon on the finish isn’t as clear as it was on the initial palate. The finish has a texture that feels like the cakey sugar cookies the grocery carried in deli section.

As an Owensboro resident, I’ve consumed a LOT of whiskey consumed by Jacob Call… various mashbills… and a few barrels in this age range… and up to 9 years 4 months. Without doubt, this is one of the best barrels I’ve ever tasted from Jacob Call.

I love Call’s OSB 21% bourbon, but his 13% might actually be my favorite… based on numerous encounters. This bottle is special! This is the best 13% I’ve tasted from Jacob Call… and I’ve helped pick 3 barrels of his 13% in the past.

Bottle provided for review by Samuel Call Bourbon

Rating: 8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional

These two weren't born as rivals. Eagle Rare showed up in 1975 to take on Wild Turkey 101. Russell's Reserve came decades later, in 1998, as Eddie Russell's tribute to his father's 45 years at the distillery. Both launched at 101 proof, both dropped to 90 in 2005, and both settled at 10 years old and around $40. However they got here, they now sit on the shelf as near-twins on paper. So tonight I put them in front of each other blind.

Two flagship bourbons from two of the most storied houses in Kentucky, aimed at the exact same drinker. On paper they're twins. The community keeps landing on the same twist: in the glass they're opposites. The Whiskey Shelf calls them remarkably different despite the matching specs and chalks it up to yeast and barrel selection.

Both carry a $40 MSRP, and both are cheap for the age. You can't be mad at 10 years old for around $40. The catch is finding it. Eagle Rare gets the secondary tax, marked up to $80 or more in a lot of places. Russell's Reserve is the shelf staple, widely available at $35 to $45. For this writeup I'm treating both as $40 bottles.

Eagle Rare has bounced around more than the label lets on. It started at Seagram's, sold to Sazerac in 1989, and has been made at Buffalo Trace ever since. Despite that $40 sticker, it's now one of the most allocated bourbons in America.

I've had Eagle Rare on the site once before, in Blind Loyalty, where it landed a 6.9. I keep meaning to give it a full review and keep pushing it off. Consider this a step in that direction.

I hadn't poured either of these since the neck pours, back around June. I made a point of not checking my old notes so I could come in as fresh as possible. I know the community enjoys both. I also knew they were going to taste very different, so this really comes down to preference.

Sample one. Nice, pleasant nose. Sugary sweet, honey and vanilla and caramel. Honestly, a little nail polish in there too. The palate carries the same profile, though the nail polish drops away. Confectioner's sugar, glazed doughnut icing, and it ends on cinnamon and pepper oak. This one is very enjoyable. Other than that touch of nail polish on the nose, I have no real complaints. I like it a lot. It isn't blowing me away either. Nothing especially interesting or complex here, though at 90 proof I wouldn't expect it to be. I'd put it in the 6 to 7 range on quality.

Sample two. Dusty barrel right on the nose. Dark fruit and leather underneath, more oak all the way through. I can taste the 10 years here. There's sweetness early, but it steps back quickly. Overripe red fruit mixed with anise and clove, chewy and coating. Weirdly, some bubble gum too. This one feels aged and darker, more mature. But it's dusty throughout, and there's something in it I'm not taking to. Some of that is the dust. The rest is a funk I'd probably call tobacco or leather, and it's a little off-putting to me. It doesn't quite hang together. Good, maybe even very good, 5.5 to 6.

One and two could not be more different. One is a classic bourbon, simple and sweet. Two is aged and dark. My guess going in: one is the Eagle Rare, two is the Russell's Reserve. I checked. I'm right.

Going back to my neck pour notes afterward, the Russell's has opened up in the bottle. The fresh fruit I had early has turned more overripe, and it's made room for a lot more of that dusty funk. I'll say something I didn't expect: right now I'd take Wild Turkey 101 over this Russell's, which is the opposite of where I landed on the neck pour.

So for tonight, the Eagle Rare wins. Sometimes simple is better. It's coherent, sweet, and easy to sip. The knock on it is that it really doesn't taste like a 10-year bourbon, which is a shame for a bottle that leads with its age. Final scores: 6.3 for the Eagle Rare, 5.5 for the Russell's Reserve.

On value, I have to be fair about what I paid. I got my Eagle Rare at the $40 MSRP, and I think $40 is about what you should spend on it. It's not amazing, and it's not some incredible value pick even at that price, though it is giving you more than a lot of bottles at $40.

The Russell's is where I'm a little disappointed. It just didn't hold up for me in this blind. The funk was a bit much. Maybe that's where I am in my tasting journey, maybe it's that I hadn't been drinking much in the weeks before this. Tonight it read funky and dusty and just wasn't my jam. That said, if you want something very different in profile, and you want to explore whiskey for $40, this is one to grab. It's dark, it's oaky, it's the complete opposite of the Eagle Rare in most respects, and it's much easier to find.

You'll notice I'm not handing out points just because both of these are 10 years old and $40. It's a nice note. It's an interesting story. But if the juice inside doesn't hold up, I'm not bumping the value rating for it. I care about what's in my glass, not the story behind it.

I write these up at openpourwhiskey.com. Not sponsored, not gifted, bought myself at retail. Please drink responsibly.

Edit - Quick update on the history of the bottles thanks u/OrangePaperBike

This is Barrell Bourbons 12 year old age stated blend of Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee Whiskeys finished in toasted American oak casks @ 113.4 proof. It was bottled in Louisville.

First of all, don't you love the Barrell Bourbon bottles? I think that they are the most elegantly shaped and smooth bottles next to Bartons 1792s. They are unmistakable, unique and classy.

I paid $160 for this bottle at a specialty spirits store. It was the only bottle that they received. I found the same bottle a few hours later at another store for $155.

Barrell owns a simple yet classy logo and their labeling is professionally done and rear label description is eloquently written.

Onto to the review.

I poured this in a standard GC and it rested for several minutes.

The liquid has a medium copper color with decent legs on the inside of the glass. It speaks to the sophistication expected.

NOSE

The Indiana, kentucky, Tennessee stated blend cements the expectation and an Uniqueness is immediately noticeable. The classic aged ethonal vapor is present of course. Then, vanilla and butterscotch pudding, banana and candy corn pieces. BUT, and underlying aroma that sets is apart on its own. Funk may not be the right description but, I believe the blend is responsible for this nose. It approaches the distinct nose of a light whiskey without ever reaching it.

PALETTE

The syrup thickness is quickly evident and the thickness and weight speaks to the quality of a well crafted product expected of 1. A 12 year old 2. A Barrell Bourbon product.

The taste aligns excellently with the nose. The blend creates the curiosity of both the nose and palette and with it produces the Uniqueness that I believe Barrell was seeking. The taste offers a departure from the traditional 12 year otherwise kentucky straight bourbon. There is no definitive corn, wheat, rye or barley. It is a liquid defined all on its own. Uniqueness is what we are searching for and this whiskey offers it. But is it appealing? Yes. But not at a $160 bottle purchase. Comparitively as a bourbon fan it is not as appealing as a Russells Reserve 13. Perhaps not a fair comparison, but....

FINISH: sophisticated, curated, craftsmanship is unmistakable. The flavors of the blend supresses the heat more like camouflages it. The syrup does possess a sweetness that lingers

SUMMARY

We don't discuss enough how price affects our opinions. This is a bottle whose experience was unique and sensational however didn't meet a $160 experience. Perhaps I overpaid? Am I disappointed in this purchase? Absolutely not. Would I purchase again? Nah, I don't think so. No regrets. This is a unique pour whose blend seems to push the envelope of what a well crafted aged bourbon might taste like.

Apologies for the glass, the top was lost in a freak portrait mode accident.

Bottle: 44/82

Nose: medium, bold, those 12 years of barrel funk coming through, rye all day, toasted brown sugar, stone fruit notes in there

Palate: big, sweet rye immediately, lot's of sweet notes in general, but then it goes heavy herbal rye, soft bitter chocolate notes, mint notes, a little oak bite, cinnamon coming in, pepper

Finish: long, rye stays steady, oak bitterness steady, earthy, peppery, don't wanna say it, but a little black liquoricey

Overall: this is really great. What I liked about it was the complexity of the sweet dramatically changing over to the heavy rye and oak bite. I love a good sweet mash rye, and other times I like some rye that says I'm very much a heavy rye and this is definitely the latter. I paid $450 cash out the door and I wouldn't say it's worth that price point, but $250 sounds about fair.

Rating: 8.5/10

Four Roses Single Barrel OESF

Distillery: Four Roses

Age: NAS (said to be 7-9 years)

Price: $44.99

Proof: 100

Nose: It leans fruity but the flavors are pretty muted. Melon, cherry, and orange. Some vanilla. Tea leaves and some underlying pine. Nothing to hate and the flavors work fine together, but it just lacks oomph. Probably the weakest nose of all the Four Roses single barrel recipes I've tried.

Palate: Surprisingly thick, like 8/10. Definitely unexpected after the weaker nose and relatively tame 100 proof point. Powdered sugar. Vanilla. A deep cherry Tylenol note that I also found in the OESQ release. It's a little too medicinal and overpowering here and worked better in the OESQ. Needs more depth.

Finish: Slightly longer than medium length. Way more spice here. Cinnamon. Rye spice. A little bit of a green pepper thing going on. Balanced out pretty well with some easy caramel and butterscotch notes.

Score: 6.3

Summary: Feel free to check any of my older Four Roses red label single barrel reviews for a more in depth description on how exactly the 10 different recipe thing works at Four Roses if you don't already know. But in a nut shell OESF refers to a mashbill/yeast strain combo that Four Roses says will lend to a "light grain and mint" flavor profile. Sure there was some grain in there and I came across varying spices, but I think the OESF is the one I have personally found to be the most different than the intended flavor profile. And obviously it's a little gimmicky and single barrels can vary. With that being said this was good bourbon, just not close to being great. The nose was fine but left more to be desired, and the medicinal cherry in the palate was the one thing I found to be truly off putting. The score was saved by a really nice finish and mouthfeel, but not something I'll be dying to get my hands on again. 6.3 is the score.

1. Terrible | Drain pour after the first sip
2. Very Bad | Trying to choke it down but possible drain pour
3. Poor | Would drink if forced to but never under my own will
4. Below Average | Not off-putting but not my cup of tea
5. Average | I'll take it
6. Good | Enjoyable sip
7. Very Good | Well above average
8. Excellent | A drink I will remember
9. Incredible | Something truly extraordinary
10. Best of the best | Peak Bourbon

Distillery: Heaven Hill

Proof: 100

Age Statement: 7 Years

Mashbill: 68% corn 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley

Price Paid: $59.99

Availability: Moderately available

Nose: Lots of brûlée vanilla cream with some leathery notes. There is also creamy peanut butter and baking spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. More ethanol is present on the nose than expected for 100 proof.

Palate: Vanilla and peanut butter are the most prevalent up front. There is also a slight dusty note that’s almost like a peanut shell. There is a bitterness toward the back of the palate after the dusty note that is a bit off putting.

Finish: Medium with notes of pepper, oak, and vanilla

Mouthfeel: Medium, what I would expect for 100 proof

Score: 4.9

Final Thoughts: This is a bottle I felt didn’t live up to the hype surrounding it. The best attribute is definitely the nose and it suffers a bit on the palate due to that bitterness. I’d rather pay $5 more and get a Larceny Barrel Proof, as every batch I’ve had of that is better than this. I thought maybe I got a bad bottle but I tried the Spring 2026 release at a friend’s house and still picked that bitter note up. This release is my first experience with Old Fitzgerald and because of that I’ve turned down the opportunity to purchase the 10 year at MSRP and the 11 year $20 more than MSRP. I’m curious at how the extra age affects those but not enough to justify buying a bottle. I hope to find a pour of one of the decanter series to try as I don’t want to write off the Old Fitzgerald line entirely.

The t8ke Scoring Scale:

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out

2 | Poor | I wouldn't consume by choice

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things l'd rather have

5 | Good | Good, just fine

6 | Very Good | A cut above

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

NEW RIFF 6 YEAR MALTED RYE

BOTTLE STATS

Kentucky Straight Malted Rye

Bottled in Bond

100 proof

6 years old

$59.99 SRP

BACKGROUND

I grabbed this off the shelf a couple years ago after working through the standard New Riff expressions and liking what they were doing, and it's been sitting in the collection since.

New Riff was founded in 2014 by Ken Lewis in Newport, Kentucky. Lewis sold his famous liquor store "The Party Source" to his employees by way of an ESOP, and built New Riff in the same parking lot as TPS. A couple years ago, Ken stepped down from leadership at New Riff and let the other leaders who helped him grow the brand take the reins.

New Riff is special to me because it was one of the first brands I tried when I first got into the Whiskey world in 2023. It is also local to me, and even though it is across the river in Kentucky, I like to claim it as one of my favorite parts about living in the Cincinnati area. I have been a huge supporter of New Riff, I love their experiments with heirloom grains, the crazy annual Headliner blends, and now that their whiskey is getting to be above 10 years old, I think the sky is the limit for them. I am so happy to own almost every release that New Riff has ever done, and the New Riff subset is probably my favorite part of my collection. I cannot wait to review them all!

MASHBILL

100% malted rye, which is genuinely rare in American whiskey. Most ryes use a small percentage of malted grain just to get the enzymes going and leave the rest unmalted. Malting is a controlled germination and drying step, and the idea (at least in my interpretation) is that it trades some of the sharp rye spice for something rounder and more "bready".

APPEARANCE

A nice rich amber in the glass, a bit darker than you'd expect from a 6 year rye, though not as dark as some Peerless ryes, those always seem to come out looking older than they are. After a swirl the legs are middle of the road, not especially thick but not thin either, and they run down the sides of the glass at a moderate pace.

NOSE

The first things up are honey and candy corn, which is a fun way for a rye to open. Going back in, I get some light mint showing up along with a darker caramel, a sweet candied apple, and black pepper around the edges. There isn't much ethanol to speak of even at 100 proof, so the sweeter notes get room to sit there.

PALATE

The sip leads with an orange note, more fresh orange peel than juice, and it leans sweet rather than sour or acidic. The middle is the best part, a creamy malt that reads like malt powder mixed with vanilla. From there the honey comes back with rye spice behind it and a touch of red fruit, and these notes get darker and more herbal through the back palate. It's well integrated, the one odd thing is that it took me a while to land on consistent notes, the first few sips were harder to pin down than most pours.

MOUTHFEEL

Not super oily, mild to moderate viscosity, so it's around average for what I'd expect from a 6 year whiskey. There's a rye spice tingle that shows up on the back palate and carries into the finish, but no real ethanol to complain about, and it isn't drying or astringent at all. No heavy tannin either. For 100 proof it holds onto a good amount of depth without making you struggle through it.

FINISH

Medium length, and the clove and general rye spice hang around the longest. It's warm without being hot, which I appreciate. Nothing turns bitter or astringent at the tail, it just fades out slowly.

VERDICT — 65/100 (VERY GOOD)

This is a unique pour with good depth, it isn't too much proof, and it's fun to sit with. It also isn't too wild or off the rails from many bourbons/ryes out there, so I don't think it would turn away someone who mostly drinks whiskies with lower rye content, the malting really does seem to soften the edges you'd get from a big 95/5 or 100% unmalted rye. This is an awesome bottle that is both approachable and interesting, and an easy recommendation at the SRP. I have a 6 year single barrel, as well as an 8 year and a 10 year cask strength version of this same malted rye waiting to be opened, and I cannot wait to compare them all side-by-side. I will be able to try it at cask strength, and also at a higher age.

I have quite a lot of more "interesting" or "rarer" bottles coming in my review pipeline, I just wanted to get a few more standard reviews under my belt first. Stay tuned!

RATING SCALE

Modified t8ke scale. Just multiplied by 10 to be out of 100.

I use the whole scale, so a 51 is still a positive score. 60's and 70's are genuinely good

scores. I don't give out many scores in the 80+ range.

10 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

20 | Poor | I wouldn't consume by choice.

30 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

40 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

50 | Good | Good, just fine.

60 | Very Good | A cut above.

70 | Great | Well above average

80 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

90 | Incredible | An all time favorite

100 | Perfect | Perfect

Most people here use the T8ke scale, but I’m always curious how you arrive at the final number. Do you break it down by categories, compare it to past pours, or just go by overall impression?

For me, before I created my current process, most, not all, but most of my ratings ended up in the 7.5 to 9 range. Now I use a more structured approach. I rate 5 sensory components, an overall enjoyability rating, a value using my cost to MSRP, and then calculate the final score using multipliers. Those pieces guide me to a final score on the T8ke scale, and the formulas I use have been very accurate in predicting whether I’d actually buy another bottle in the future. Over my first five tastings using my new process, I have bottles that come in between 6.4 and 9.2, two rank as best values, which are bottles above a 7.5 rating. The three above 7 are bottles I would definitely purchase again and the two that rankd as best values are bottles I want to always have on the shelf. It's been a pretty interesting process.

I’m curious how everyone else does it. Do you follow the T8ke categories closely, or do you have your own system?