The Bardstown Bourbon Company is one of the country's largest and most sophisticated distilleries. It released its first estate-distilled collection of whiskies in early 2023. Bardstown Bourbon Company finally has its in-house distilled Rye. The company uses custom barrels of alternating toasted American oak and cherry wood staves to create their new Origin Series Rye.  Described as a "zebra barrel," the finishing casks from West Virginia Great Barrel Company comprise one light-toasted cherry wood stave, one medium-toasted cherry wood stave, and one American oak stave repeated until they form a complete vessel. Precise infrared light is used in place of fire for the toasting period, taking more time (about 15 minutes as opposed to several seconds) while imparting fewer tannins and a more even toast for each stave.  The finishing period varies greatly, anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months, before being bottled at 48% ABV.

Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series Wheated Bottled in Bond is a Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey that's aged for six years. It's made with 20% wheat in the mash bill, along with corn and malted barley. 

Today, I'll explore the Penelope Estate Single Barrel, which has a mash bill of 60% Corn, 4% Barley Malt, and 36% rye. The Single Barrel Bourbon has a 10-year age statement and is bottled at 52.5% ABV (105°). The Single Barrel has a suggested price of $89.99 for 750ml.

First introduced in 1991, Wild Turkey Rare Breed is a more substantial, barrel-proof alternative to Wild Turkey 101. Since its introduction, the distillery has released a handful of batches with slightly different flavor profiles and strengths. Wild Turkey uses only one mash bill for all its bourbons, so Rare Breed comes from the same mix of 75 percent corn, 13 percent rye, and 12 percent malted barley. This is blended with 6-year-old, 8-year-old, and 12-year-old bourbons; numerous batches have been released since its inception. The aging, blending, and, most importantly, the proof point make Rare Breed a unique whiskey.

I think everyone should drink their whiskey however they like it. I drink plenty of cocktails and whiskey neat, occasionally with some limestone water and, at times, on the rocks. Some people prefer the complex experience of a cocktail, while others enjoy whiskey's pure, unadulterated taste when drinking it neat.

The Wild Turkey Jimmy Russell's 70th Anniversary 8-Year-Old Bourbon is a special limited-edition release to commemorate master distiller Jimmy Russell's 70 years at Wild Turkey.

Baker's Bourbon 7-Year Single Barrel is a single-barrel bourbon with a minimum age of seven years, known for its sweet notes and full-bodied flavor. It is bottled at 107 proof (53.5% ABV). Reviewers highlight its balance, oakiness, and unique characteristics compared to other bourbons in Jim Beam's Small Batch collection.

Repeal Day is celebrated annually on December 5, and 2024 will mark the 91st anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition in the United States.

The Penelope Estate Collection 9-Year Private Select Bourbon is a meticulously crafted blend representing the pinnacle of Penelope’s whiskey artistry. The mash bill consists of 74% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley, and 1% wheat. It is non-chill filtered to preserve its full flavor and mouthfeel, and has a proof of 101.2 (50.6% ABV). The suggested retail price for the 750mL bottle was $80 in 2024. The release consisted of 36,000 bottles

Weller 12-Year, the bottle I’ll be reviewing today, first hit the market in 2001 as a $20 bottle. A wheated bourbon with an undisclosed mash bill, it’s produced at the ever-popular Buffalo Trace distillery and is bottled at 45% ABV. Although the MSRP is around $49, actual sightings of a bottle more commonly come with price tags hovering around the $200-$300 range.

Master Distiller Brent Elliott selected and mingled six of Four Roses’ 10 Bourbon recipes, aged at least 6 years, to handcraft Small Batch Select. Non-chill filtered and 104 proof, 52% alcohol/volume.

Dickel recently released its second batch of Bottled In Bond, which carries an 11 year age statement rather than 13 and a promise from the distillery that the flavor profile would be decidedly different from its predecessor. Made from a mash bill that is 84% corn, 8% rye and 8% malted barley, the whiskey is chill charcoal mellowed like most made in Tennessee.

Colonel E. H. Taylor Small Batch is often described as a well-balanced bourbon with prominent notes of caramel, butterscotch, vanilla, and a hint of spice, offering a sweet aroma with a smooth palate and a medium-length finish, making it a great choice for both bourbon enthusiasts and newcomers.

The bottled-in-bond designation requires brands to meet several strict criteria. The spirit must be aged for at least four years and bottled at precisely 100 proof (50% ABV). It must be produced by a single distiller at one distillery during one season and then aged in a bonded warehouse.

September is National Bourbon Heritage Month when bourbon lovers worldwide toast the craftsmanship and contributions of America's Native Spirit. Culturally, economically, and socially sourced in America, Bourbon is an authentic all-American beverage. The month-long celebration encourages people to appreciate and responsibly enjoy bourbon throughout September.

More bourbon distillers have turned to sweet mash instead of a sour mash process. A sweet mash process results in a potentially smoother bourbon with different flavor profiles. Sweet mash distillers must carefully control bacterial contamination and propagate the yeast correctly to make a great and safe whiskey.

I’m sure you’ve sipped the brown stuff with friends at a BBQ or a steakhouse, but how much do you know about Bourbon? Anyone can order Bourbon at a bar, but very few can tell you much about it.