Bluegrass Distillers Blue Corn High Rye

Bluegrass Distillers Blue Corn High Rye

Official bottling
Single rye - Kentucky
Amber red
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cough syrup, corn syrup, cola nuts, brown paper, oak chips, honey, hints of black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, astringent, thickens. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Black pepper, honey, corn syrup, cola nuts, leather, cherries, hints of sawdust. 
Finish: Medium. Cola nuts, cherries, cough syrup, honey, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Quite sweet and luscious, as a whisky with a high corn content would be expected to do. Some light spiciness from the rye but it’s not as prominent as one would expect.

Verdict:

I like this.

Green River Kentucky Straight Rye DSP-KY-10

Green River Kentucky Straight Rye DSP-KY-10

Official bottling
Single rye - Kentucky
Amber gold
47.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peppermint, brown paper, popcorn, toffee, blackcurrant cordial, hints of black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loosens, expands slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Peppermint, toffee, vanilla, cream, brown paper, popcorn, fresh baked bread, hints of black pepper. 
Finish: Short. Black pepper, popcorn, vanilla, cream, blackcurrant cordial. 

Comments: 

Quite minty with lots of popcorn notes. The latter is not unusual for rye, but the former is. There’s plenty of cereal and bread too, which keeps it interesting.

Verdict:

I like this.

Wilderness Trail Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Bottled in Bond

Wilderness Trail Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Bottled in Bond

Official bottling
Single rye - Kentucky
Amber gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pineapples, barley sugar, corn syrup, brown paper, vanilla, caramel, hints of coffee. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, evaporates, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Vanilla, caramel, pear drops, brown sugar, corn syrup, barley sugar, hints of evaporated milk. 
Finish: Short. Vanilla, caramel, black pepper, barley sugar. 

Comments: 

Quite strong ABV wise (or at least it tastes that way). It’s quite sweet with plenty of cereal notes coming through, with creaminess and also a hint of savoury coffee notes. Good peppery finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

1792 Full Proof Nickolls and Perks Exclusive

1792 Full Proof Nickolls and Perks Exclusive

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber
62.5%% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, toffee, magic marker, pear drops, dark chocolate, apricots. With water, magic marker, malted grains, brown paper, hints of hay. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Toffee, cola nuts, magic marker, cream, dark chocolate, vanilla. With water, malted grains, brown paper, dark chocolate. 
Finish: Short. Cream, magic marker, pear drops, toffee, hints of hay. 

Comments: 

Quite fruity and strong. The alcohol masks a lot of flavours, water brings out maltiness, a dusty papery note and dark chocolate. The finish is short, intense and fragrant.

Verdict:

I like this.

Bardstown Origin Series Straight Wheated Bourbon 6yo

Bardstown Origin Series Straight Wheated Bourbon 6yo

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber gold
53% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, white pepper, vanilla, toffee, cough mixture, blackcurrant cordial. With water, magic marker, cough mixture, cornflakes. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Blackcurrant cordial, white pepper, cola nuts, raspberry jam, cornflakes, cream. With water, cream, cough mixture, magic marker. 
Finish: Medium. Toffee, vanilla, cola nuts, blackcurrant cordial. 

Comments: 

Flinty, peppery, with big blackcurrant notes. Tastes a little like cough mixture. There’s plenty of corn in this, if I’m any judge. Water brings out even more blackcurrant.

Verdict:

I like this.

The Storyteller Bourbon Batch 1 5yo

The Storyteller Bourbon Batch 1 5yo

The Story Of
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber
54.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cooked rice, vanilla, malted grains, brown paper, white pepper, caramel. With water, malted grains, vanilla, brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, volatile, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Vanilla, malted grains, brown paper, honey, caramel, hints of nutmeg. With water, honey, white pepper, dried apricots, nutmeg. 
Finish: Short. Vanilla, nutmeg, brown paper, honey, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Bardstown distilled. Rather cereally, but also with many malty toasty vanilla and caramel notes. Water brings out some more pepper and dried apricot notes. Dried apricots seem to be a theme.

Verdict:

I like this.

The Bootzamon Wheated Bourbon Batch 1

The Bootzamon Wheated Bourbon Batch 1

The Story Of
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber brown
56.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Popcorn, dried apricots, white pepper, honey, damson jam, hints of cloves. With water, popcorn, dried apricots, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, evaporates, mouth coating, astringent. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. White pepper, vanilla, honey, ink, pear drops, hints of damson jam. With water, popcorn, dried apricots. 
Finish: Medium. Pear drops, damson jam, vanilla, honey, dried apricots. 

Comments: 

Bardstown distilled. Quite cereally, with notes of buttered popcorn. Cask strength and high intensity, makes it hard to discern the layers of flavours. Water brings out more dried apricots and pepper. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

The Roggenwolf Rye Batch 1 6yo

The Roggenwolf Rye Batch 1 6yo

The Story Of
Single rye - Kentucky
Amber copper
63.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Eucalyptus, strawberry jam, black pepper, peppermint, vanilla, lavender, foam shrimp, cream. With water, dried apricots, cream, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, volatile, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Strawberry jam, foam shrimp, black pepper, eucalyptus, dried apricots, vanilla, honey. With water, dried apricots, eucalyptus, black pepper, honey. 
Finish: Long. Black pepper, rye bread, dried apricots, honey. 

Comments: 

Bardstown distilled. A herbal, peppery rye, with a strong eucalyptus note. It’s also sweet and jammy with notes of foam shrimp and strawberry jam. Water brings out even more eucalyptus.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

New Riff 4yo 2021/2025

New Riff 4yo 2021/2025

#22, The Heart Cut
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber brown
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Walnuts, toffee, coffee, molasses, cough mixture, cherries. With water, walnuts, toffee, molasses. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, volatile, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Mint, cherries, cough mixture, blackcurrant cordial, walnuts, marmalade, hints of coffee. With water, cherries, vanilla, cough mixture, popcorn. 
Finish: Medium. Cough mixture, walnuts, cherries, marmalade. 

Comments: 

Love me a new Heart Cut when they come out. This one is like walnut praline, with lots of mint and cough mixture on the tongue. It’s quite intense, not much of the brown paper note that so many bourbons have.

Verdict:

I like this.

New Riff 8yo

New Riff 8yo

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber red
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cola nuts, strawberry jam, oak chips, milk chocolate, black pepper, vanilla, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, slightly astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honey, strawberry jam, cola nuts, milk chocolate, cream, apricots, black pepper. 
Finish: Long. Apricots, strawberry jam, brown sugar, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

I prefer bourbon to be aged a bit more than 5 years, so this is good for me. Quite chocolatey and sweet, builds to a long fruity finish. A good dram indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Yellowstone Hand Selected 2024 Release (Cognac and Brandy Cask Finish)

Yellowstone Hand Selected 2024 Release (Cognac and Brandy Cask Finish)

Official bottling 
Single bourbon - Kentucky 
Amber
50.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cooked rice, popcorn, corn syrup, prunes, pears, white pepper, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, mouth coating, cool. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Popcorn, cooked rice, corn syrup, vanilla, brown paper, nutmeg, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Medium. Prunes, popcorn, vanilla, corn syrup. 

Comments: 

Quite cereally, lots of sweet dried fruit notes and a fair bit of spices. No water, it’s quite drinkable and doesn’t even seem to have much of an alcohol burn.

Verdict:

I like this.

Yellowstone Rum Cask Finish

Yellowstone Rum Cask Finish

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Dark gold

50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Prunes, pear drops, ink, cooked rice, vanilla, cola nuts. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, tingly, astringent. 

Tasting:  Salty sweet. Cooked rice, ink, popcorn, vanilla, tarragon, prunes, pear drops, star anise, hints of molasses. 
Finish: Medium. Cola nuts, cooked rice, tarragon, star anise. 

Comments: 

A rather odd rum cask, lots of herbal notes but without much of that deep caramelly flavour. It’s instead popcorn y, with star anise and tarragon.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kentucky 6yo Brandy Finish

Kentucky 6yo Brandy Finish

Fragrant Drops, Keeble Cask Company
Single bourbon - Kentucky 
Amber gold
57% ABV
Dram

Nose: Aluminium foil, corn syrup, vanilla, sea salt, popcorn, ink, hints of white pepper. With water, popcorn, ink, corn syrup. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Blackcurrant cordial, vanilla, white grapes, white pepper, prunes, popcorn. With water, blackcurrant cordial, ink, aluminium foil. 
Finish: Medium. Blackcurrant cordial, raisins, white pepper, aluminium foil, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Quite metallic and sweet. Some of this is the corn in the mash bill of course. On the tongue, it’s quite jammy and fruity, with a hint of white pepper. Water brings out that slightly metallic character again. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Jephta Creed Bloody Butcher Corn Straight Bourbon

Jephta Creed Bloody Butcher Corn Straight Bourbon

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber gold
49% ABV
Dram

Nose: Ink, pear drops, honey, vanilla, toast, magic marker, popcorn. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Popcorn, fresh baked bread, honey, vanilla, caramel, toast, hints of iron filings. 
Finish: Short. Caramel, toast, iron filings, vanilla, corn syrup. 

Comments: 

Caramelly and sweet, lots of popcorn and toast. There’s a lot of corn in this indeed, as it says on the bottle. There’s also something slightly metallic on the tongue and the finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Four Roses Limited Edition 2025

Four Roses Limited Edition 2025

Official bottling 
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber 
54.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Caramel, toast, pear drops, ink, popcorn, honey. With water, blueberries, acetone, black tea. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, mouth coating, oily, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Toast, pear drops, ink, acetone, popcorn, blueberries, mint, toast. With water, blueberries, acetone, popcorn. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, mint, acetone, ink. 

Comments: 

Interesting bourbon, with a blueberries and nail varnish vibe that’s really quite alluring. There’s mint, and even toast, and it takes water rather well.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Barton 1792 Sazerac Barrel Select for Milroy’s

Barton 1792 Sazerac Barrel Select for Milroy’s 

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber gold
62.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Desiccated coconut, oak chips, vanilla, maple syrup, vanilla, white pepper. With water, white pepper, acetone, oak chips, pear drops. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Eucalyptus, oak chips, vanilla, desiccated coconut, orange peel, honey, oak chips, white pepper. With water, white pepper, honey, acetone, maple syrup. 
Finish: Long. Black pepper, oak chips, cookie dough, orange peel. 

Comments: 

Quite fragrant, lots of nail varnish and pear drops notes. There’s also some coconut, which reminds me of grain rather than bourbon. Water brings out even more acetone.

Verdict:

I like this.

New Riff Single Barrel B16-3518

New Riff Single Barrel B16-3518

Official bottling
Single rye - Kentucky
Amber gold
52.15% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black pepper, rye bread, leather, vanilla, photocopy paper, dried apples, hints of dark chocolate. With water, black pepper, vanilla, coffee. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Black pepper, cherries, honey, cough syrup, cooked rice, dried apples, dark chocolate. With water, sea salt, rye bread, coffee. 
Finish: Short. Dark chocolate, cherries, honey, black pepper. 

Comments: 

A rather sweet rye, but with that black pepper spiciness. Water brings out more of the rye cereal flavour, and a coffee bitterness. Other than that, lots of dried apple notes.

Verdict:

I like this.

Old Forester Straight Bourbon

Old Forester Straight Bourbon

Official bottling 
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Light amber 
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cooked rice, honey, molasses, bananas, vanilla, oak chips. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Molasses, oak chips, bananas, honey, vanilla, dark chocolate. 
Finish: Short. Coffee, dark chocolate, vanilla, molasses. 

Comments: 

A straightforward bourbon, lots of vanilla and banana notes. On the tongue, it’s a little more bitter than usual perhaps, and that bitterness continues onto the finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

The Story Of Bourbon

The Story Of Bourbon

The Story Of
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Copper
42% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, peanuts, vanilla, caramel, oak chips, orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Orange peel, vanilla, honey, chocolate, oak chips, hints of bananas. 
Finish: Medium. Oak chips, black tea, vanilla, caramel, hints of orange peel. 

Comments: 

A lower proof version of an earlier bottle. It’s still rather orangey but maybe more chocolate, and the wood is more prominent. Still rather good.

Verdict:

I like this.

Old Fitzgerald 1849 NAS

Old Fitzgerald 1849 NAS

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber gold
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toffee, popcorn, sea salt, magic marker, orange peel, vitamin C tablets. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, cool, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemongrass, sea salt, popcorn, lemon zest, magic marker, toffee, apple juice. 
Finish: Short. Lemon zest, lemongrass, white pepper, vitamin C tablets. 

Comments: 

Complex, still quite intense, with slightly chalky citrusy notes. Some of it is more like lemon grass, with a bitter herbal edge, than citrus. Lovely to get another chance to taste whisky from this long gone distillery.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.