Cinnamon stick | Oak | Light peaches and cream | Vanilla | Light

Vanilla cream | Baking spices | Creamy caramel | White peppercorn spice

Light dry oak | Dash of vanilla | White peppercorn spice | Touch of rye spice | Short

Musician Neil Giraldo founded Three Chord Bourbon, and the company’s Backstage Series takes his background and fuses the two. According to the company, the series brings together iconic bands with each of their unique bourbon blends in bottles adorned with the band’s artwork. The series was originally released in 2023, and their 2024 follow-up included 11 new releases, with additional bottles being slowly announced for their 2025 series.

Taking Back Sunday is an American rock band that was formed in 1999. The band has released eight studio albums and is best known for their song “Cute Without the ‘E.” For this Three Chord Backstage Series release, the company took a blend of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee bourbon and finished it in used cherry bounce barrels. This unusual finishing barrel once held a spirit made with cherries, whiskey, and baking spices.

A multi-state blend that is finished in a unique finishing barrel can go one of two ways: stand out hit, or the sum doesn’t equal the parts. In Three Chord Backstage Series: Taking Back Sunday’s case, it’s the latter. The sip is light and short and starts with a straightforward no nonesnse aroma. The palate piques your interest, delivering a more creamy, sweet note that blends well with light spices; however, the finish reverts back to how it started. Containing light, dry oak, and spices, it’s short overall and straight to the point. I would have liked to see more punchiness from this blend, which really leaned into its multiple mashbills and time finishing in cherry bounce barrels.