I am typically not a huge fan of Oak & Eden. The wood spire business is kind of gimmicky and their MGP whiskey, while good, is often bottled to young for my taste. But Hokus Pokus really picked something really different that turns out (to my palate anyway) to be very good. This particular Oak … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Hokus Pokus Pick – Oak and Eden Wheat & Spire with Amburana

Earlier this month I reviewed Wines Unlimited's Willett barrel picks, and low and behold there is now as seven year Wines Unlimited Bourbon pick and a six year old New Orleans Bourbon Festival Bourbon pick. At $250 a bottle, I decided just to get one, NOBF pick. There have been quite a few postings on … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Willett Family Estate Single Barrel Bourbon New Orleans Bourbon Festival Pick

Unlike 2020 when the Van Winkle allocations were so good I was able to get a bottle of Van Winkle Rye, 2021's allocations were awful. There were hardly any Pappy to be had in most places. Hokus Pokus who always previously got great allocations, only received Van Winkle 12 and Old Rip 10. Prices remained … Continue reading Tasting Notes: 2021 Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Years Old and Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Years Old Bourbons

For so long I have been trying to find one of the much hyped Willett Family Estate Bottled Bourbons, with the cool purple label and the purple foil. When Willett restarted in 2012 they were bottling whiskies sourced elsewhere but now all of their bottles contain Willett distillate. What I discovered is that the Willett … Continue reading Willett Family Estate Bottled Single Barrel Double Header: Bourbon and Rye Wines Unlimited Picks

I just picked up my bottle of Calumet Farm 16 Year Old bourbon yesterday, and then I saw Mike Veach's review of the 15 year old today. In his review of this bourbon, he states: "Another year in the wood would have made this whiskey bitter." While Mike has an excellent palate and has forgotten … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Calumet Farm 16 Year Old Single Rack Black Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Hokus Pokus will sometimes let me try something before I buy it, and I have passed on previous releases of Penelope Toasted Series Barrel Strength Bourbon after tasting samples of them, albiet in a disposable cough syrup plastic cup. But when I tried Louisiana Select Number 5 I decided to pick up a bottle. It … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Penelope Barrel Strength Bourbon Toasted Series Louisiana Select Number 5

Still Austin is a craft distillery in Austin, Texas, that uses locally sourced grains for their bourbon and their gin. Austin, Texas is one of those places that is, well, different. It's the state capital of Texas, home to the University of Texas, and because of that a hippie town where the marijuana smoke is … Continue reading Still Austin Cask Strength Bourbon

Old Carter has come out with Batches 11 and 12, with these small batches being sourced from Cascade Hollow in Tennessee. This straight bourbon is not aged stated, but is likely a blend of older barrels that were then re-barrelled at Old Carter. It is bottled at 110.8 proof, and my bottle cost $150. The … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Old Carter Straight Bourbon Batch 12

My lovely wife bought me the Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 2022 Release, which is a 17 year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, bottled at barrel proof of 118.2 The mashbill is distinctively low rye - 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% barley malt. The age statement reflects the youngest whiskey in the mashbill. Only 27% … Continue reading Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 2022 Release – 17 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Barrel Proof

I finally got to try Nulu, a bourbon bottled by Prohibition Craft Spirits in Louisville, Kentucky. Hokus Pokus got some of the LA-1 special release. This is a blend of four and six year old MGP bourbon distilled in Indiana, non-chill filtered before bottling at 118 proof. This bottle cost $64. The color is a … Continue reading Tasting Notes: Nulu Straight Bourbon Whiskey Batch LA-1