Nose: Rich molasses | Brown sugar | Spicy cinnamon | Toasted oak

Palate: Brown sugar | Molasses | Cinnamon | Oak | Sweet & bold

Finish: Ethanol | Wheat grain | Burnt caramel | Hot

Heaven Hill impressed with their inaugural batch of Larceny Batch Proof, but their second batch of 2020 comes up a little bit short compared to the previous one. It's mainly the result of its overly hot finish that is ethanol fueled, and features strong wheat graininess. Despite this, if you missed Batch A120, Batch B520 is a fine runner-up, though I’m still waiting for Larceny Barrel Proof to reach its full potential.

Nose: Leather | Vanilla custard | Summer fruits | Citrus | Cinnamon spice | Interesting & inviting with minor flaws

Palate: Werther's Original | Butterscotch | Toffee | Maple sugar candy | Clove | Aged oak | Layered flavors with a medium-bodied mouthfeel

Finish: Brown sugar | Caramel chews | Tobacco | Leather | Black pepper | Sweet to spice then back to sweet again, lingering

Inspired by music, Three Chord founder Neil Giraldo's songwriting background is applied to their "Perfectly Tuned Taste" blending process, known as pyrolysis - heating the oak to release specific flavor and aroma compounds within the whiskey. Notwithstanding the concerns of purists, the end result revealed in Three Bar Reserve is a delicious one. While the backbone of its Tennessee source is evident, this is surprisingly more complex than expected.

Nose: Toasted oak | Dulce de leche | Vanilla | Ethanol

Palate: Brown sugar | Toasted marshmallow | Rye spice | Ethanol

Finish: Sweet vanilla | Oak | Long lingering heat

The first 2020 batch of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof delivers all the classic flavors you’ve come to expect. Rich in okay and sweeter sugary flavors, Batch A120 delivers a well rounded but fiery sip. The proof shines through, especially in the long lingering heat that develops in the finish. It’s not the best showing for the brand, however it’s also far from the worst and should please most Elijah Craig and high proof bourbon fans alike.

Nose: Oak | Leather | Orange | Butterscotch

Palate: Raisins | Plum | Thick oak | Toasted sugar | Sweet

Finish: Spice | Cherry | Raisins | Dark chocolate | Light dryness & long lasting

Each Blood Oath Pact features a unique blend of different aged bourbons, and their two most recent releases have also featured barrel finishes. Overall Pact No. 6 with its Cognac finish is a flavorful barrel finished bourbon that drinks easy thanks to its sweet palate. Its Cognac finish is surprisingly inoffensive, well integrated, and long lasting. A bit more intensity all around would have made this truly shine, but nevertheless it’s a well-crafted whiskey.

Nose: Apricot | Grain | Honey | Youthful yet pleasant

Palate: Honey | Distillate | Light oak | Caramel | Young & crisp

Finish: Raw sugar | Summer fruits | Medium length with lingering sweetness

Black Button Distilling out of Rochester, NY doesn’t cut corners. This four grain straight bourbon was aged for one year in new charred oak barrels, but due to splitting wood had to be transferred to a different set of new charred oak barrels for its second year of aging. This process combined with a four grain mashbill adds depth and character, however its youth still comes through. A promising start, but more time in oak will certainly bring more of those traditional bourbon notes to the sip.

Nose: Floral | Brown sugar | Ripe green grapes | Heavey toasted barley | Delightful combination

Palate: Dry oak | Light cherry | Orange zest | Brown sugar

Finish: Leather | Dry vanilla beans | Oaky |  Floral undertone

Brownstone joins a growing American malt revolution that has slowly been developing over the last few years. Delivering a unique and well rounded flavor profile, Batch 1 was limited to only 1,000 bottles. For those who are used to bourbon or rye, Brownstone is a nice gateway into the world of malts. The sweeter flavors play well, yet there is enough oak influence, especially in the finish, to please most.

Nose: Apricot | Pear | Toffee | Grain | Barley | Light & airy

Palate: Honey dew | Barley | Walnut | Grain | Light easy sipper

Finish: Rye spice | Chewy caramel candy | Grain | Lasting heat

Four Grain whiskeys are at their best when they are able to showcase all of their individual parts. Black Button Four Grain Bourbon does this well by showcasing the corn and wheat’s sweetness, the maltiness from the barley, and the spice from the rye during its finish. Its lack of age is evident on its sip, and more aging time is needed to bring out more complexity as well as its oak component. As is, its fruit notes and maltiness make for a fun sipper.

Nose: Buttered cornbread | Candy corn | Vanilla custard | Seasoned oak

Palate: Cane sugar | Rye spice | Caramel chews | Aged oak | Very sweet with a pop of spice

Finish: Rye spice | Graham cracker | Molasses | Medium length with a focus on sweetness

This George Dickel sourced bourbon is just shy of 15 years old, and brings much of those quintessential Dickel bourbon flavors to the mix without an overbearing oak influence. The focus here is on the sweeter side of the spectrum, and at 107 proof it’s delivered with a nice but very manageable amount of heat.

Nose: Corn | Light vanilla | Grain | Hints of buttered popcorn | Youthful overall

Palate: Vanilla | Corn kernels | Oak

Finish: Green peppercorn | Light rye spice | Tannic unaged oak | Hint of vanilla

Dead Man’s Hand small batch is distilled and bottled in a small operation in Fairfield, California. The whiskey is aged in toasted French oak barrels for an undisclosed amount of time. The youthful notes pair best in a simple whiskey cocktail versus drinking neat, which highlights the need for more time in the barrel.

Nose: Corn | Oak | Toasted nuts

Palate: Popcorn | Coconut | Oak | Buttery | Sweet & straightforward

Finish: Spice | Smoke | Spearmint | Slow tapering of heat

100% corn whiskeys can be a hard sell. Breuckelen is looking to change that with a whiskey made of 100% corn that might surprise you with its sweet and savoriness. It’s not going to hit you with a ton of different and complex flavors, but is more focused on nailing what corn mashbills do best: providing a pop of cracker jack-like sweetness that makes for an easy-sipping summertime whiskey.

Nose: Buttered cornbread | Vanilla | Caramel | Light overall

Palate: Candy corn | Brown sugar | Graham cracker | Caramel  

Finish: Cinnamon spice | Toasted oak | Candied raisins | Spice turns to lingering sweetness

Getting into lower proof barrels sourced from George Dickel brings more drinkability, and few surprises. This particular barrel is no exception, playing on the aged whiskey's strengths, highlighting the sweeter notes in this case, and making for an overall easy-sipper.

Nose: Rye spice | Summer berries | Light ethanol | Classic MGP fruity profile

Palate: Oak | Vanilla | Baked bread | Dominant summer fruits

Finish: Light rye spice | Muted vanilla | Aged oak | Dash of leather

Revitalized by MGP, a distillery that mostly serves other brands, Rossville Union Rye restores a historic name to the world of rye whiskey. Its 5-6 year age comes across as surprising, since Rossville Union drinks like many other MGP ryes that were aged for less time. With a sip that plays it safe, Rossville Union will please fans of MGP’s characteristic fruit-forward ryes.

Nose: Caramel | Vanilla | Apple | Extremely potent

Palate: Vanilla | Caramel | Pepper | Dark cherry | Dark chocolate

Finish: Cinnamon | Oak | Rich & firey

This one packs a punch. Right from the start, the nose explodes from the glass like a freight train. The intensity continues in its punchy palate and hot finish. It may not feature a wealth of different or unique flavors, but it instead focuses on boisterous flavors and a cask-strength-like impact. A bold sipper.

Nose: Creme brulee | Custard | Raisin | Beautiful "dessert-like" nose

Palate: Sugar Daddy candy | Candied walnuts | Vanilla frosting | Rich with a nice body & mouthfeel

Finish: Warming spice | Seasoned oak | Tobacco | Caramel chews | Lingering sweetness

While many lower proof, high aged George Dickel barrels are just less intense versions of their higher proof counterparts, some barrels surprise you. Barrel # 182 is an exception to the rule, bringing a richer intensity than most. Sweet dessert-like flavors lead, but it transitions to more savory flavors as it progresses.

Nose: Dominant oak | Hints of leather | Vanilla | Ethanol | Cinnamon spice

Palate: Brown sugar | Oak | Rye spice | Underlying vanilla | Cinnamon stick

Finish: Wet oak | Rye spice | Leather | Light vanilla | Hint of brown sugar | Unbalanced ending

Situated on the famed original site of the Old Crow Distillery, Glenns Creek offers both sourced and inhouse distilled products. Stave & Barrel is sourced from MGP, but undergoes a double barrel process at the Glenns Creek Distillery for an undisclosed amount of time. This single barrel variant is full of woody sweet notes throughout the sip. An unbalanced finish derails what would otherwise be a well-rounded sip.

Nose: Molasses | Caramel | Vanilla | Toasted oak | Leather | Excellent intensity

Palate: Brown Sugar | Molasses | Thick oak | Dark cherry | Spice

Finish: Leather | Oak | Molasses | Hot

Where Blood Oath Pact No. 6 with its Cognac finish wasn’t as intense as it needed to be, Four Gate Batch 6 goes to the other extreme. It’s packed full of great flavor, but its heat gets in the way. Thankfully a few drops of water alleviates this and allows the whiskey to open up. The result is a great tasting finished bourbon that needs just a little help to truly shine.

Nose: Nutmeg | Cherry | Dark Fruits | Vanilla | A bit of heat masks the aromas

Palate: Brown sugar | Creme brulee | Allspice | Candied raisins | Touch of oak | Rich, sweet & delicious

Finish: Summer berries | Nutmeg | Brown sugar | Toasted nuts | Pepper | Sweet turns to spice, medium length

This cinema-inspired brand from college friends and co-founders Michael Lahalih and John Pals is surprisingly rich and sweet considering its 95 proof and unknown Kentucky source(s). While the nose requires a bit of patience to open up, the rest of the sip comes out in full force leaving you wanting more. Under the ticket-themed label is a secret message - tasting notes from the company...a fun twist on whiskey label design.

Nose: Apricot | Dried figs | Caramel corn | Seasoned oak undertone

Palate: Maple sugar candy | Summer fruit | Toasted marshmallow | Caramelized oak | Complex & balanced

Finish: Brown sugar | Tobacco | Pop of spice | Lingering with a spicy burst

For this limited edition batch, co-founders Michael Lahalih and John Pals maintained the developed sweetness found in The Jokester, the whiskey's younger 6 year old counterpart. More oak influence provides balance along with an additional 5 proof points which may contribute to its deeper spice. Those seeking additional balance between oak and sweet notes will appreciate this 12 year old bourbon.

Nose: Brown sugar | Cherry | Ripe summer berries | Dab of oak | Rich scents

Palate: Cherry pie | Vanilla | Aged oak

Finish: Rye spice | Leather | Oak | Long & lingering

George Remus is the flagship bourbon brand for MGP. This small batch bourbon is a high-rye blend of bourbons from MGP. With a predominant focus on cherry in its nose and palate, George Remus straight bourbon, delivers a rich sip from start to finish. The rye plays nicely in the finish providing just the right pop to round things out. This is an easy sipper that’s full of flavor, which will help to remind consumers that MGP is capable of more than just producing whiskey for other brands.

Nose: Distillate | Ethanol | Oak | Unbalanced

Palate: Caramel | Rye spice | Pine | More developed than Nose & Finish

Finish: Rye spice | Raisins | Distillate | Youthful with a tapering sweetness

Created by Scott Feuille, veteran and former Navy pilot, the name “Taylor Garrett” is a union of his two children’s first names and the logo a tribute to his time as a Naval Aviator, evoking images of fighter jets in formation with their jetstreams behind them. The company saying, “Accelerating Tradition,” alludes to what’s in the bottle - whiskey that has undergone a “rapid aging” process. Unfortunately, the end result is an odd mix of distillate and aged notes which doesn’t quite hit the mark.

Nose: Sweet mixed berries | Caramel | Light oak & vanilla | Ethanol

Palate: Fruit centric | Toasted marshmallow | Rye spice | Touch of vanilla | Classic MGP profile

Finish: Dry Oak | Leather | Rye grain | Dab of tobacco | Lingering rye spice

Resilient Rye exhibits a typical flavor profile that you’d come to expect from a 95% MGP rye. The fruit-centric sip is a nice balance of sweet and spice. Coming in at 116 proof, this rye carries a punch in the nose and again with a fiery finish, however neither is so overpowering to unbalance the sip. If you’re a fan of high proof MGP ryes, Resilient Rye will be sure to please.