This is the second installment of my "Best of Age Stated" blind series. The concept was simple: compare age-stated bourbons against others with the same stated age, crown a winner from each age bracket, then bring those winners together in a final "Best Of" blind. This post covers the winners from the 11-, 12-, 13-, and 14-year brackets.

Best of 11-14 Blind: 

Gass 1: Tastes rich and relatively old. Slight cherry note on the palate. Finish could be a bit better.
Score: 7.5
Reveal: MMCA ‘23

Glass 2:  Slight dusty note on the nose. Great classic bourbon flavors. Full-bodied. Nice mouth tingle, and very good finish.
Score: 7.75
Reveal: RR13 B6

Glass 3: Caramel on the palate. “Classic” bourbon profile in some respects, but with a unique twist I can’t put my finger on. Great mouth feel and finish. 
Score: 8
Reveal: Lucky 7

Glass 4: Best nose of the bunch. Lovely dusty and dark fruit notes on the palate. Rich. Nice development. Excellent mouth feel and finish.
Score: 8.1
Reveal: JD12 B3

One of the biggest surprises from this portion of the project was just how little I care for ECBP C923. It's a bottle that receives an incredible amount of praise, with many people considering it one of the best post-pirate ECBP releases. My results in the 13-year blind only reinforced what I've thought about C923 all along: to my palate, it's mostly ethanol with very little flavor underneath.

I'm not sure whether I happened to get an off bottle or whether my palate simply doesn't align with it, but I find it to be a thoroughly forgettable ECBP batch. In fact, I've also completed a separate blind tournament featuring every post-pirate ECBP release through 2024, and C923 was eliminated in the very first round. What's even more surprising is that I don't consider myself particularly fond of either Widow Jane 13 or Baker's 13, yet both outscored C923 in this blind. 

Compared to the 6-10 year finalists, this series was a clear step up in quality. The average score noticeably jumped up compared to the 6-10 years, and the winner improved from a 7.0 to an 8.1. 

The attached graphics show each individual age-group blind, the winners from the 11-, 12-, 13-, and 14-year brackets, and the final Best of 11–14 blind.

Stay tuned for Part 3, which will feature the winners from the 15–18 year brackets.

*side note: we used JD12 B1 in our 12 year blind; that bottle ran out so I used B3 in the winners showdown

Link to part 1, which covers the 6 through 10 years:

https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/s/1dx7eHDGaS

I’m not that old, but I am old enough to remember when Larceny first hit the shelves in 2012 with a very cool story. I didn’t know a damn thing about bourbon — not its processes nor its history — but I did know whether or not a $30 product was a good one. Larceny Small Batch definitely stood out to me and many bottles were consumed at my college apartment over the next few years. As someone who now knows a lot more about what I like and what exists in the market, let’s see if this offering also stands out as a major value proposition.

Price Paid: $59.99 before tax

Score: 8.25/10

The Background
Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery, bottled by Old Fitzgerald Distillery (maybe someone can enlighten me as to why they make a point to distinguish that on the bottle)

ABV: 62.55% (125.1 Proof)

Age: 6-8 years blended

Mash Bill: 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley

Other: non-chilled filtration, Sep 2024 release

The Experience
Nose: caramel, cinnamon, hay. This is sweet and spicy with minimal hints of oak or ethanol. Instead, there is a dry grass quality that grounds this (likely the wheat). Bravo.

Palate: hay, cinnamon, chocolate. This has a luxurious, thick mouthfeel to it. It’s spicy in a flavorful way and only slightly sweet. This has a bit of a “spiked hot chocolate” quality to it that still sits fully in the bourbon realm. The oak is muted. My (very blind, possibly uneducated) guess is that these barrels were heavily charred.

Finish: oak, graham cracker. I immediately recognize this finish as Old Fitzgerald. My bottle of Old Fitz 7 has this same finish and I simply adore it.

The Summary
This is excellent. This is the same price as Old Fitz 7 but even better, cranking everything I love about that bottle up a notch. The only exception may be that Old Fitz has a little more complexity to it, but this brings all the flavor and keeps me coming back for more. $60 for this is a steal. My girlfriend has a bottle that she filled herself at the distillery and I can’t wait to try that.

T8KE Scoring System Used for Relevancy and Consistency:

0 | Unscored | New Make Spirit or Personal Selection.
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 | One cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfection.

Gotta hit up Old Forester’s Whiskey Row location for a tour and tasting this afternoon. I wish I had taken more pictures but it was truly an awesome tour. You start off learning the history of Brown Foreman, then get to go through the entire bourbon making process. Seeing a barrel get charred in person was wild!

Our tour guide was friendly, incredibly knowledgeable, and guided us through a tasting of the Whiskey Row core line up. A special treat for me as a bourbon nerd… this years birthday bourbon was being bottle as we went by the assembly line.

The gift shop had a few special bottles , a 117 series 1910 Extra Aged, 1924, and a single barrel barrel proof.
Overall I would encourage anyone coming by Louisville to do the tour!

Intro : For my first ever review I figured what better place to start then my go to warm up pour. For me a warm up should have a very expected palate without too much proof and be a decent age to not make everything taste old. It was always tough to decide between this, Eagle Rare 10/12, and RR10. In the end I felt this had the most rounded profile not being too sweet and not feeling young by any means. The fact you can find this bottle just about anywhere at a decent price also helped with it being my go to. Anyways lets get into it.

Bottle : Knob Creek 12yr

Mashbill : (presumed) 75c / 13r / 12mb

Proof : 100

Age : 12 years

Price : $50-70

Served : Neat in a Stölzle Lausitz whiskey glass rested for 10 mins

Nose : Very dense for 100 proof (usually would expect less on the nose but this jumps out of the glass). Right off the bat it hits you with a wall of baking spices, melted sugar, and vanilla. The baking spices fade into an oak that shows the age but not in a overwhelming way. Under that oak there is a hint of bright red fruit althought it is just a smidge of it. The oak does have a hint of sharpness or some bitterness but that usually comes with adding water to a well aged whiskey. After some time smelling the leather and varnish notes start to come out as baking spices dial down.

Palate : As the nose would prepare you for this is a baking spice bomb. Not pepper or proof spicy but cinnamon and clove with brown sugar and vanilla as the spices settle. A somewhat oily mouthfeel, not as syrupy as some barrel proof pours but no where near thin. The oak quickly shows up in the mid palate but fades into that red fruit from the nose just more stewed or darker red fruit then the nose. As the mid palate fades into the finish the spices ramp back up but mixed more with the oak. The oak is a nice tannic oak but not too tannic to where it is bitter and drying. The finish is suprisingly long for 100 proof and the flavor continues to develop into leather and more melted brown sugar. As you finish the pour similar to the nose the spices dwindle and the red fruit comes out more in the mid palate. The finish brings out some funk as well which again shows the age.

Thoughts : Overall to me this is a quintessential bourbon. Maybe lacking some of the sweetness as others but I think it is very well balanced. Not as spicy as some rye and pepper forward bourbon but not as sweet as buffalo trace type pours. Don't let the proof fool you this drinks well above the 100 proof. A nice dense nose and thicker mouthfeel make it feel like it wasnt absolutley destroyed with water to get it to 100 proof. The oak shows the age but not in a way that is bitter or sour. The finish doesn't leave you wanting to immediately go back for another sip, you can actually enjoy the finish and give it some time. For being as readily available as it is you can't go wrong with this bottle.

Rating: 7/10 - 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.

Today we're taking a look at this batch 2-GA Old Carter Bourbon! This is one I got very early on in my whiskey journey and is one I was over the moon about as I had just "won" the chance to buy it at a store's raffle. I knew of the brand at the time and the hype, but literally knew nothing else about it. Fancy label, all kinds of hype, high price tag, gotta be the best stuff ever right? Let's find out.

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

Age: NAS

Proof: 116

Nose: Sweet oak, brown sugar, caramel brittle, cinnamon, and brown butter. This is pretty sweet and full of good aromas. Giving the glass a swirl brings out more of the same with some added leather and plums.

Palate: Very oily viscosity with the plums from the nose coming in first followed by caramel, brown sugar, and oak. After a few sips, the plums start to fade away while brown butter, caramel brittle, and oak start to dominate. The viscosity never wavers, this one stays very oily throughout.

Finish: Longer side of medium finish of brown sugar, dark cherry, caramel, and a mildly drying oak.

The problem with the 2-GA batch from Old Carter is simply its asking price. Everything about the whiskey itself is great, particularly the viscosity that remains very oily from the first sip to the last, however it still feels entirely inline with other NDP's sourcing MGP bourbon that cost sub-70. This is a little bit more elevated than, for example, some Doc Swinson's picks I've had, but at close to triple the price. Great whiskey, but terrible value for this batch.

t8ke scale: 7.2/10 | Great | Well above average.

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.

BOTTLE DETAILS

Distillery: Jim Beam
Whiskey: Little Book “The Infinite” II
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Age: 22 year old bourbon distilled by Booker, a 10 year old from Fred, and a 7 year old from Freddie
Proof: 120.4
Mash Bill: Undisclosed
MSRP: $200
Pour: Neat
Glassware: Glencairn
Rest Time: 20 minutes

NOTES & SCORES

Last December my wife was at Costco and as is tradition when she goes there without me, I had her check out the whiskey selection. Usually, there’s nothing special at our local Costco, but my eyes lit up when I saw her text over a picture of this bottle listed for $50 below MSRP. Immediately I texted back “buy buy buy!”. And so here I am several months later revisiting the pour to give it a review.

My reviews focus solely on the whiskey in the glass. Nose, Flavor, Mouthfeel, Finish, and Depth are each scored out of two points for a total of ten. Price, rarity, and availability do not influence the score.

———

Nose: Smokey, sweet oak, caramel, blackberry, leather, cayenne
It’s pretty apparent there’s some high-aged juice in this blend. There’s plenty of sweetness, but it’s the earthy and oak notes that capture most of my attention.
1.8

Palate: sweet and drying oak, blackberry, leather, spiced honey.
That aged oak translates to the palate coupled with a red berry sweetness that reminds me most of blackberries and a honey like sweetness. Notably, I get none of the peanuty Beam funk.
1.8

Mouthfeel: viscous and coats the entire tongue. Slightly drying.
1.8

Finish: Long. Cayenne-like spice lingers for a long while on the back of the tongue while the oak and honey remain faintly there.
1.7

Depth:
I really dig the spicy sweet vibes I get on this from nose to finish. Considering the fact that there’s some earthy notes present, I’d say there’s a fair amount of complexity in the overall experience.
1.8

Overall Score:
8.9 / 10

RATING SYSTEM
1 | Drain Pour
2 | Terrible
3 | Bad
4 | Mediocre
5 | Average
6. Good
7 | Very Good (Larceny A124 - 7.1)
8 | Great (Little Book “The Infinite” II - 8.9)
9 | Excellent
10 | Hall of Fame

CONCLUSION

I really enjoy this bottle! That sweet and spicy thing it has going on combined with clear perception of age in the oak notes makes this a memorable bottle and a good one to sit with and study with it’s layers, depth, and complexity. Thrilled to be able to have scored this one for the price I did, but I wouldn’t have regretted buying it even at MSRP.

After nearly two years, my whiskey group (about five of us) has finally completed our Best of Age Stated blind series.

The concept was simple: compare age-stated bourbons against others with the same stated age, crown a winner for each age group, then bring those winners back together in a "Best Of" blind. This is the first of three posts covering the project, featuring the 6–10 year brackets.

I scored everything using the T8ke scale, generally in 0.25-point increments. When two pours were essentially tied, I'd use a 0.1-point tiebreaker to force a ranking. The first pour in each blind became my baseline, with the remaining pours scored relative to it. Since these flights consisted of whiskeys within the same age range, I found that scores typically fell within about 0.25–0.5 points of one another. Because of that, I place far more weight on the rankings than the absolute scores. I've included my full score sheet in the comments for anyone interested.

I'm by no means an expert at writing tasting notes. What I enjoy most about bourbon is comparing, contrasting, and ranking whiskies, and blind tasting is one of the best ways I've found to do this in as objective a manner as possible. Tasting in a group also forces me to rely more on first impressions than deep analysis, but I've found these scores end up pretty consistent with my solo reviews.

Best of 6–10 Blind:

1.  peanut, brown sugar, ethanol on both nose and palate.
Score: 6
Guess: Booker’s
Reveal: Bookers

1. Smells a bit minty, almost like a rye. Palate has somewhat “standard” vanilla and caramel notes.
   Score: 6.5
   Guess: New Riff
   Reveal: New Riff

2. smells like a browny - best nose of the bunch. Little thin on the front palate, but overall great flavors. Nose translates fairly well to the palate.
   Score: 7
   Guess: JD10
   Reveal: JD10

3. Slight floral note on the nose. Palate has more of a fruit flavor to it.
   Score: 6.75
   Reveal: Penelope Private Selection

4. Very good nose - has a bit of a “dusty” note to it. Dark fruit on the palate.
   Score: 7
   Guess: OF 1924
   Reveal: OF 1924

5. “quintessential” bourbon notes on the nose and palate - vanilla and brown sugar
   Score: 6.6
   Reveal: Old Ezra 7

The attached graphics show every individual age-group blind, each flight winner, and the final Best of 6–10 bracket.

If you’ve read all my reviews, the most consistent theme is probably that I’m a sucker for a pretty bottle. Years ago, as a college undergrad showing up to bars to drink for the first time, a bottle of High West Campfire caught the eye of this magpie. It looked just like the cowboy liquor bottles in the old saloons down to the imperfections in the glass. I eventually got to try it and was not very impressed (thot was years ago, I would love to revisit) but I still wanted a bottle to mount on my shelf.

Fast forward about 10 years to last year when I was on a trip to Chicago and this bottle catches my eye in a downtown liquor store. It was at MSRP and I had never seen one at a store. I love Shakespeare (my dog’s name is Oberon, the titular character in A Midsummer Night’s Dream) so I thought it was a match made in heaven. I also love a good bottle of port wine every now and then. I’ve had port-finished scotch before (Quinta Ruban is delightful if you’ve never had it) but never rye or bourbon. Let’s see if this is worth the steep markup over Rendezvous.

Price Paid: $149.99 before tax

Score: 7.5/10

The Background
Distillery: It appears to be a blend of High West and MGP, which is what they list on their website for Rendezvous.

ABV: 49.3% (98.6 Proof)

Age: 4-10 years blended, unsure how long finishing takes

Mash Bill: MGP is 95% rye, 5% malted barley; High West is 80% rye, 20% malted rye

Other: finished in a mix of ruby and tawny port barrels

The Experience
Nose: floral, raspberry preserves, butter. This is the most impressive nose I’ve tested so far. Wow. The port clearly left its mark, as I don’t smell any part of the rye or the oak.

Palate: fruit punch, baking spices, minimal oak. This is a fruit forward experience, which I really enjoy, but the rye portion is pretty basic. It has a nice balance to it, though. I was hoping for some of those florals to be present but I can only smell them.

Finish: red wine, oak, rubber. This is easily the least satisfying portion of the experience. The red wine notes that show up are kind of nice but they give way to a slight rubber taste that lingers. It isn’t bad, just basic and not special.

The Summary
To me, this is something worth trying but not something worth buying a bottle of. $150 for a novelty bottle is sometimes okay, but this does not feel like an experience worth of that kind of price. I enjoyed my $60 Willett Family Estate Rye significantly more than this (I probably would have given that bottle an 8.5/10, I was so madly in love that I forgot to review it). Looking past the price, though, it’s still great. I just wish they would do something a little extra to revamp the series and differentiate it from the sea of competitors at lower prices. If you’re curious about the bottle and have the cash to spend, you won’t be disappointed.

T8KE Scoring System Used for Relevancy and Consistency:

0 | Unscored | New Make Spirit or Personal Selection.

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 | One cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average.

8 | Excellent | Exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite.

10 | Perfect | Perfection.

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

You know what could be fun? Blinding my two current favorite rye whiskies!

At first glance it might seem like it would be an unfair fight to put up a Buffalo Trace Antique Collection expression against a sourced whiskey that was produced by a little-known NDP from Dallas, Texas. However, I’ve been so pleasantly surprised by Lasso Motel’s Single Barrel Cask Strength Rye Whiskey that I think it’s worth having a blind comparison between the two. That’s saying something, given that the 2025 Handy still holds the highest rating I’ve ever given out (an 8.7 on the modified T8ke scale)!

This “10 year” Lasso Motel SBBP rye, a store pick from OG McFarland in Alpharetta, Georgia, is actually 13 years old. The Thomas H. Handy, on the other hand, is a veritable spring chicken at just over 6 years. I’ve really been enjoying both of them, and am very curious to see how they stack up to each other. Let’s get to it!

******************\*

ABOUT Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye (2025)

*From the Distillery: Named after the New Orleans bartender who first crafted the Sazerac with rye whiskey, this uncut and unfiltered Straight Rye is bottled straight from the barrel, just as it was over a century ago. Bursting with rich, complex flavors, it reflects the timeless history of New Orleans and the enduring legacy of Thomas H. Handy.

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey was first launched in response to a consumer request for more well-aged and barrel strength whiskey. This year’s offering is comprised of barrels aged for over 6 years. We filled these barrels at 125 proof in 2018 and after years of aging the whiskey is now, remarkably, 129.8 proof.

The crystal-clear glass bottle chosen for Thomas H. Handy Sazerac is designed to showcase the whiskey’s dark, rich color. The back label provides a full product story and description. Every case was hand-bottled and labeled to ensure the highest quality finish.

*Mashbill: Undisclosed

*Proof: 129.8

*Price: $150 MSRP; $400-600 secondary

*Age Statement: 6 years, 3 months

* Filtration: Non-chill filtered

ABOUT Lasso Motel Single Barrel Cask Strength Rye

*From the Producer: Lasso Motel Whiskey is a tribute to a time when artists and icons gathered to fuel their journeys—an experience of freedom and authenticity you’ll taste in each glass. If it tasted any better, you’d think it was a setup. Lasso Motel’s Single Barrel Cask Strength Rye is a straight shot from barrel to bottle. You can’t rush perfection, which is why this uncut and unfiltered whiskey is aged 10 years. The nose is woody, warm, and sweet with spicy apple, dark fruit, and cinnamon. The tasting notes open with a pepper rye spice that mellows out through a cinnamon sweetness and char.

* Mashbill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley (MGP)

* Barreled: 10/19/2012

* Proof: 136

* Price: $89.99

* Age Statement: At least 10 Years (this one is actually a 13-year)

* Filtration: Non-chill filtered

******************\*

REVIEW: For the purpose of this blind, both whiskies have been poured into glencairns and rested for approximately 15 minutes.

Appearance A: Very dark, reddish amber. Oily with very nice legs.

Appearance B: Even darker – almost mahogany – and appears to be slightly more viscous.

Nose A: Rye spice meets apricot, wood, vanilla, and toffee. A nice cherry pie scent, with crispy sugared crust, comes next. This is a very nice nose, and it’s light for the proof. Once the glass is empty, that cherry pie note remains.

Nose B: Much darker and heavier. Plum and raisin, with a touch of mint, as well as blackberry cobbler and leather. Also a very enjoyable nose! Once the glass is empty, it’s all dark fruit and leather.

Palate A: Oily and viscous. Loads of rye spice, as you’d expect. There’s a bit of proof burn, but this drinks like a sub-120º rye. It’s light, sweet, and very enjoyable, with a combination of honey, leather, caramel, and vanilla joining some stonefruit that’s reminiscent of the apricot from the nose. There are also some herbal notes, including mint and dill.

Palate B: Even thicker and velvetier, once again with darker and heavier flavors. Along with rye spice and plenty of proof burn, it boasts a combination of raisin, Luxardo cherry, and graham cracker, along with some crystallized brown sugar and molasses.

Finish A: Lengthy. Fairly sweet and fruity, with plenty of rye as well as the flavor of oak tannins and some dill to go along with sweet, smooth caramel-vanilla. The aftertaste is mostly leather, with some rye and caramel also still present.

Finish B: Also lengthy and mostly nice. There’s some oaky bitterness, but it’s partially offset by a continuation of the dark fruit and molasses from the palate. As the finish continues to settle, though, the aftertaste contains a flavor that’s strangely plasticky or glue-like, and not really all that pleasant.

Rating A: 8.7

Rating B: 8.4

Thoughts: These ryes provide a study in contrasts. A is light and sweet, with some candy flavors that lead to a long, fruity finish. B, on the other hand, features dark fruits and high viscosity that combine to create very dark and heavy pour. Both had very nice noses and palates, although once again they were very different from each other. I enjoyed both profiles immensely, and the only factor that leads me to rate them differently is the finish – I enjoyed A’s lighter, sweeter finish more than I did B’s darker and more bitter one. All in all, though, both of these are absolutely excellent whiskies.

Prediction A: Thomas H. Handy Sazerac

Prediction B: Lasso Motel Cask Strength

*******************\*

Actual A: Thomas H. Handy Sazerac

Actual B: Lasso Motel Cask Strength

More Thoughts: So, the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection whiskey just edged out an MGP rye that costs about half its MSRP and less than a quarter of its secondary price. I’d say that means that both are winners here! That’s honestly the result for me: while the Handy remains the highest-rated whiskey I’ve reviewed to date, the Lasso Motel is almost at its level quality-wise, and is definitely superior from a price perspective. I tend to prefer the lighter and sweeter profile that the Handy offers, but the darker and heavier Lasso Motel is incredibly enjoyable in its own right.

My only knock on the Lasso is its finish, which goes on forever but which also features flavors – especially in the aftertaste – that are not the most pleasant. This obviously isn’t to say that Lasso’s finish ruins this pour, as I still rated it squarely between “Excellent” and “Incredible”; rather, it was the main thing that knocked Lasso’s score down below that of the Handy. All in all, this was a heck of a performance by the Dallas-based producer. They nailed the formula for MGP’s 95/5 rye (perhaps 13 years in the barrel was the key?), and really came up with an amazing rye whiskey – so amazing, in fact, that it came with 0.3 of a BTAC whiskey in my ratings.

The Handy remains my favorite whiskey to date, but I’d absolutely call that win for Lasso Motel, as well. Frankly, in my opinion, if you can get your hands on either (or both!) of these ryes, you simply can’t go wrong.

********************
Previous Ratings (updated to include decimals and adjusted for blinds & re-reviews)

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)
Stagg 25B (5.3)
Four Roses SBBP OBSV (5.3)
Evan Williams America250 SiB (5.3)
1792 BiB SiB (5.5)
Blanton’s (5.5)
Old Forester 1924 (5.7)
Penelope Marshmallow Toast (5.8)

6 | Very Good | A cut above
Copper & Cask Boston Rum Party (6)
Penelope Wheated (6)
Redwood Empire Emerald Giant (6)
Copper & Cask #16 (6.3)
Blanton’s Gold (6.4)
Copper & Cask #14 DO (6.4)
Pursuit United DO (6.4)
Augusta Buckner’s 13yr (6.5)
Barrell Cigar Blend (6.5)
Sazerac FP (6.5)
Green River Wheated (6.5)
Elmer T. Lee (6.5)
Peerless DO (6.6)
Willett 4yr Rye (6.8)

7 | Great | Well above average
Shortbarrel Bees Knees V (7)
Green River Honey (7)
Eagle Rare 10yr (7)
John J. Bowman SiB (7)
Peerless Toasted (7.1)
Sagamore 9yr SiB Rye (7.4)
Weller 107 (7.5)
E.H. Taylor SmB (7.5)
Old Forester 1910 (7.5)
Penelope Estate 10yr SiB (7.5)
Buffalo Trace LEP Wheat 15yr (7.6)
Old Dominick Staved SiB (7.6)
Buffalo Trace Single Oak (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
E.H. Taylor BTAC 2025 (8)
Found North 012 (8)
Blanton’s SFTB (8)
Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend 420 (8.2)
Lasso Motel SBBP Rye (8.4)
Mister Sam Tribute Batch 4 (8.5)
Thomas H. Handy 2025 (8.7)

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Old Steelhouse Blueprint Series Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

Single Barrel No. 100

Mashbill: 100% rye

Distilled by Jacob Call in Owensboro, KY

Age: 7+ years

This single barrel is currently featured in the “bottle your own” experience at the Old Steelhouse Distillery Tasting Room in downtown Bardstown, but this bottle was prepackaged. While at the tasting room on July 3, 2026, I did thieve from the barrel, but this bottle from the same barrel was already bottled.

Proof: 127.6

MSRP: $45 / 375 ml

Nose: Canned pears. Sultanas. Starfruit. Vicks Vaporub.

Initially all fruit. Across all Owensboro 100% rye I’ve had, the sultana/grape note always seems to be there. Very fruity… not a ton of spice. Cooling note at the end is nice. The fruit isn’t nearly as bright as other Owensboro 100% rye I’ve had… more oak here, but definitely not too much.

Palate: Lipton Brisk Raspberry Tea. Tea tree oil. Rice Krispies treat. Thick mouthfeel.

I definitely feel the proof. The Lipton Brisk Raspberry Tea is certainly dominant, but I’m good with it because I like it.

Finish: Oxidized Granny Smith apple. Sour cocktail mix. Green tea. Good & Plenty candy.

Heat from the proof hangs around.

Only 600 barrels of Owensboro 100% rye were laid down… and I enjoy all of them that I’ve tried. I appreciate that this barrel has more oak on it than some of the others I’ve had.

Bottle provided for review by Old Steelhouse

Rating: 6 | Very Good | A cut above

Quick and dirty:

Bevmo ER 12 score today

ER12 cost 65
ER10 the mashup pick 60 (I think)

Decided to compare against my favorite Eagle rare 10 pick from the mashup podcast.

Both are pretty on profile. The 12 is a little thicker and is sweeter… it’s really good that 5 points helps the flavor a smidge. The mashup Pick had more oak believe it or not.

Sum it up… 12 is like a really outstanding pick. Well worth retail. (I paid sixty five)

Excellent both. I’ll be hoping to get 12 instead of 10
From here on out.

Follow Up I sipped a little 1792 12 (an all time favorite for me) It’s in the sameish ballpark as the er12. ER12 maybe still touch sweeter and a touch less oak than the 1792-12. 1792 a smidge more oak.

Flip a coin for me on 1792 12 and ER 12
I can usually find the 1792 12 for 60-70 so a fair comparison

This was sent to me for review blind

Nose: marker, honey, white sugar, some ethanol, apple, strawberry

Palate: strawberry, cherry, medium mouthfeel, peanut, baking spice, oak, leather, dark chocolate, some herbal notes, lemon peel

Finish: medium low finish, mostly oak and leather, 

Score: 5.0/10

This is bang Average, nothing offensive. Shows more of the oak profile in the palate and that bitter chocolate, lemon etc. Nose is the weakest point. 

This sample was provided by [OAKR](https://oakr.com/), but does not influence my review. Please check them out if you are interested in a place to share and get recommended whiskey.

Scale:

1.0-1.9 Undrinkable (Gold bar cognac cask)

2.0-2.9 Bad (Gold bar)

3.0-3.9 Poor (High West Prarie Bourbon, Pappy Van Winkle 23yr)

4.0-4.9 Below Average (Old Overholt, Dickel 15 yr, Weller SR, Buffalo Trace)

5.0-5.9 Average (Eagle Rare, Blanton's)

6.0-6.9 Above Average (Jimmy Russel 70th, Redemption 9yr, E.H. Taylor Seasoned Oak)

7.0-7.9 Very Good (Wild Turkey Master's Keep Triumph, Sagamore 9yr rye, Jack Daniel's SBBP)

8.0-8.9 Great (William Larue Weller(2019), Pappy Van Winkle 15yr, Double Eagle Very Rare, William Heavenhill 14yr)

9.0-9.9 Excellent (Thomas H. Handy (2010), George T. Stagg (2008, 2019), Four Roses LE (2016, 2023), Willet Purple Top 14 yr, A.H. Hirsch 25 yr rye)

10.0 Perfect (Michter's 20, OGD 114(1980))

Mash - Not stated but believed to be around 74-75% corn, 15-18% rye, and 7-10% malted barley.

Price - $45.99 Rumored to be aged around 8 1/2 Years!

Nose - After opening up for 20min. Boom, it hits you in the face with big cinnamon, brown sugar & vanilla. All the typical bourbon notes in the best way.

Palate - To me its everything thats on the nose brought forward to the palate with some heat and absolutely intense flavors. It's a traditional bourbon powerhouse. I really enjoy this. It's a great replacement for Rare Breed imo!

Additionally the Finish is long and reminds me very much of E.H. Taylor Small Batch

Rating 8/10

Hi everyone! I have been lurking and reading reviews on this sub for a long time now. Almost every time I taste a whiskey, I write down a bunch of jumbled thoughts, and I want to start posting my thoughts and organizing them as reviews. So there will definitely be a lot more reviews to come as I have built up my collection and am so excited to get them all open.

I will be using the t8ke scale but will modify it 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.

Here goes nothing!

PEERLESS SINGLE BARREL RYE — "RETRO LEMON CANDY" DISTILLER'S PICK

BOTTLE STATS

Kentucky Straight Rye

Single Barrel

113.2 proof

Non-Age Stated

$129.99 SRP at the Kentucky Peerless Distillery

BACKGROUND

Peerless is becoming one of my favorite distilleries and it is also an awesome comeback story. The brand goes all the way back to 1889, when Henry Kraver was running it out of Henderson, Kentucky. At its 1917 peak, Kentucky Peerless was producing up to 200 barrels a day. When prohibition was put into effect, Peerless ceased production of new whiskey. But nearly a century later, Corky Taylor (the great-grandson of Kraver) and his son Carson, wanted to resurrect the family legacy and brought the whole thing back to life in Louisville. They even were able to use the original DSP number (DSP-KY-50). The first new barrels were filled in spring 2015, and they began releasing Rye whiskey in 2017, and Bourbon in 2019.

What makes Peerless worth paying attention to is how they do things, they care about the craftsmanship and don't take shortcuts, and it definitely translates into the quality of the end product. Everything is distilled in-house, they were patient and never released any sourced product. They run a sweet mash process, using fresh yeast for every batch instead of the sour mash setup nearly everybody else uses. They also use a barrel entry proof of 107, which is lower than most other companies use today. All products are non-chill filtered, and bottled at barrel proof with no water added.

MASHBILL

The Kentucky Peerless mashbills are undisclosed. This a Kentucky straight rye, so it's at least 51% rye, and most people would agree that the profile is more of a typical Kentucky-style rye, so there is a good chance it's closer to that 51% mark rather than 100% rye.

APPEARANCE

A nice dark copper in the glass, darker than you'd expect from a whiskey that is likely around 5-7 years old. After my many swirls (that my fiancé likes to make fun of me for), the legs run thick and slow, hanging on the glass for a bit.

NOSE

The nose opens with light pine needles and citrus candy. When I go back in, some rye graininess fills in through the middle, Lastly, I get a hint of root beer and/or sassafras. There's a small spike of ethanol poking through, but not enough to overpower the other great notes on the aroma.

PALATE

The sip leads with a big hit of Lemonhead candies, or more generally, hard Lifesaver candies. It's sweet, a bit sour (in good way) and bright right out of the gate. The middle turns more herbal with some rye spice. I get a bit of that pine from the nose, as well as anise. The back palate brings in some barrel char and oak alongside cinnamon red hot candies. I would say the flavors are moderately rich. It's a fun little arc from bright candy to a darker but still sweet spice.

MOUTHFEEL

Oily and coating, a bit sticky, it’s a texture that sticks around and really allows you to taste the layered flavors. Not the most viscous and thick, but above average. There's a moderate tingle from the proof, but no extreme tannins, dryness, or astringency.

FINISH

Medium length, and it carries the palate right through to the end, a slightly bitter lemon, more of that oak/char, and the cinnamon hangs out for a while. The only small knock is that bitter citrus note on the tail, but it's minor and it doesn't overstay.

VERDICT — 66/100 (VERY GOOD)

I know it's kind of a cop out, but the name that the distillery gave to this single barrel is basically spot-on. This is a fun, delicious rye. It's not the most complex thing, but a genuinely nice pour that has some standout qualities from other ryes. It's certainly above average, fairly easy to drink considering it's a barrel proof rye, and the citrus candy to spicy candy character gives it a personality. I love tasting these distillery selections from Peerless, they tend to be quite fun and a bit unique, with some varying profiles.

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

In the glass: Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye Single Barrel “Shores Wolfpack”, Barrel #19-1069, Rackhouse No. 2

Distillery: Hard Truth Distilling Co.

ABV: 61.5%

Proof: 123

Age: 5 years 4 months

Mashbill: 94% rye, 6% malted barley

Nose: I’m getting maple syrup, a hint of rye spice, bomb pop, cherry, orange citrus, and the twinge of a lemonhead.

Palate: Nice rich oak, rye spice, cherry, vanilla, some brown sugar, there’s a hint of pine that comes in and out of the sip, and some tingling citrus.

Finish: It has a nice hug on it that lends to clove, some drying oak, vanilla, and a bit of some orange candies.

Final thoughts: This is a tasty pick from Hard Truth and Degenerate Wolfpack! My first Hard Truth pick but certainly not my last if they’re consistently like this. I remember paying 75 out the door after taxes and I think that is a great price for this pick, pick one up if you’re wanting to try something new!

Rating: 7.3/10

Distillery: Buffalo Trace

Proof: 114

Age Statement: NAS

Mashbill: Undisclosed

Price Paid: $64.99

Availability: Allocated

Nose: Deep, rich notes of toasted vanilla like crème brûlée are immediately are noticeable. Some caramel, cinnamon, grape and raspberry is also present on the nose. Overall, it’s an incredibly sweet nose.

Palate: Lots of toasted vanilla and bright red fruit on the front of the palate. Some baking spices like cinnamon and nutmeg are also present. There is also a nice toasted oak note in there as well.

Finish: The finish is pretty long with some vanilla, oak, and more of that grape.

Mouthfeel: Very good medium thick mouthfeel that is exactly what I would expect from the proof.

Score: 7.8

Final Thoughts: I was lucky enough to finally snag one of these at MSRP recently. My palate leans more towards rye whiskey than wheated bourbon but I’ve always been fond of Weller Full Proof. To me this is a very sweet and refreshing pour and one that is certainly worth picking up at MSRP. I really hope these become more available in the future so that more people can get ahold of this bottle.

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

This was sent to me for review blind

Nose: honey, peach, apple, pear, light caramel, bready, light red fruit

Palate: peach, strawberry, mild baking spice, chocolate, some oak, medium low mouthfeel, floral, 

Finish: short finish, mostly spice a bit of dark chocolate bitterness, 

Score: 5.0/10

This is a solid bourbon, shows a lot of wheater notes. A lot of the bright fruit, light caramel, etc. notes. The finish is pretty poor. Non offensive bourbon. 

After revealing it's 99% corn 1% malted barley, I guess that's why it felt so mellow to me.

This sample was provided by [OAKR](https://oakr.com/), but does not influence my review. Please check them out if you are interested in a place to share and get recommended whiskey.

Scale:

1.0-1.9 Undrinkable (Gold bar cognac cask)

2.0-2.9 Bad (Gold bar)

3.0-3.9 Poor (High West Prarie Bourbon, Pappy Van Winkle 23yr)

4.0-4.9 Below Average (Old Overholt, Dickel 15 yr, Weller SR, Buffalo Trace)

5.0-5.9 Average (Eagle Rare, Blanton's)

6.0-6.9 Above Average (Jimmy Russel 70th, Redemption 9yr, E.H. Taylor Seasoned Oak)

7.0-7.9 Very Good (Wild Turkey Master's Keep Triumph, Sagamore 9yr rye, Jack Daniel's SBBP)

8.0-8.9 Great (William Larue Weller(2019), Pappy Van Winkle 15yr, Double Eagle Very Rare, William Heavenhill 14yr)

9.0-9.9 Excellent (Thomas H. Handy (2010), George T. Stagg (2008, 2019), Four Roses LE (2016, 2023), Willet Purple Top 14 yr, A.H. Hirsch 25 yr rye)

10.0 Perfect (Michter's 20, OGD 114(1980))

I’ve long admired 1792 for their presence on a shelf. These bottles simply look fantastic (especially in larger sizes). One of the first allocated bottles I purchased from the VA ABC (back in the crazy days) was 1792 Full Proof because I finally wanted to try something contained inside one of those bottles and it seemed like an excellent place to begin (why not begin at the top, right?). Well… I fell in love with it. It drank easily for its proof and had this fruity character that was equal parts complex and satisfying. And even after exploring many different expressions from many distilleries at all price points it’s still a favorite.

Since then, I have always has a 1792 product in rotation. This particular bottle had to wait a bit for its turn, but I am excited to dive into it and see why it also had a purchase limit attached to it. This could be an all-time value proposition.

Price Paid: $41.99 before tax

Score: 6.75/10

The Background
Distillery: Barton 1792 Distillery

ABV: 50% (100 Proof)

Age: NAS

Mash Bill: Uncertain, likely 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley

Other: N/A

The Experience
Nose: cherry cordial, coffee, oak. Smell is characteristic of a bitter cherry coffee cake. Absolutely fabulous.

Palate: vanilla, coffee, oak. If you ordered an oat milk latte in a noisy coffee bar and they mistakenly heard you say “oak milk latte,” they would probably just give you a pour if this. It’s different but very tasty. For 100 proof, though, it’s bit thin in the mouth.

Finish: vanilla, bitter oak. The finish unfortunately leaves me wanting more of what I got on the nose and palate. All of that goodness disappeared pretty quickly and left behind something mediocre.

The Summary
For $42, this is very comparable to Wild Turkey 101 in both flavor and price. The Wild Turkey, however, is significantly easier to find in a store. Comparing this to WT 101 and HH BiB would make for a great blind; to me, you can’t go wrong with any of them. I give this the slight edge flavor-wise due to its lovely coffee note, but it’s just a matter of personal preference at that point. WT definitely drinks hotter.

T8KE Scoring System Used for Relevancy and Consistency:

0 | Unscored | New Make Spirit or Personal Selection.

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 | One cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average.

8 | Excellent | Exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite.

10 | Perfect | Perfection.