"Science, my lad, is made up of mistakes, but they are mistakes which it is useful to make, because they lead little by little to the truth." ~Jules Verne Bradley Drell wrote a wonderful review last night that got me thinking this morning. It's 6:29am on a Saturday and bourbon is the first thing on … Continue reading Pinhook and a glimpse across the horizon

"Trying to predict the future is a discouraging and hazardous occupation… if by some miracle a prophet could describe the future exactly as it was going to take place, his predictions would sound so absurd, so farfetched, that everybody would laugh him to scorn. So if what I say now seems to be very reasonable, … Continue reading The Bourbon Future, Part I

I have never tried Old Grand-Dad until tonight. I really can't explain why. This was a bourbon that never struck my fancy. Not in college, not as a struggling young lawyer, and for some reason not until now even though I buy just about every high proof release I can get my hands on. I … Continue reading Old Grand-Dad 114; $30?

“Give an Irishman lager for a month, and he’s a dead man. An Irishman is lined with copper, and the beer corrodes it. But whiskey polishes the copper and is the saving of him.” ~Mark Twain   Alright, I know what you're going to say. Gibby's lost his fucking mind. Everyone knows I love all … Continue reading Redbreast Lustau Edition (Sherry Finish)

Last November Hokus Pokus bought a barrel of 14 year old Barrell Bourbon Single Barrel. Since then, Barrell has released their last three batches of bourbon all with 14 year old Cascade Hollow bourbon from Tennessee as a component. Last year's and this year's Single Barrel picks from Hokus are this wonderful juice. Tasting it … Continue reading Barrell Bourbon 14 year old Hokus Pokus Pick: Why The Latest Barrell Bourbon Batches Have Been So Good

I had a long chat with one of my close friends about the merits of port barrel finished bourbon and we determined that if done correctly they are excellent, but even done correctly they do have a fairly unique quality to them that honestly isn’t for everyone. This brings me back to an earlier point … Continue reading Boondocks 8 Year Port Barrel Finish American Whiskey

Campari Group, the owners of Wild Turkey, last year started their whiskey barons series, releasing pint sized bottles of bourbon with pre-prohibition brand names. Hokus Pokus has has these, and while I have no problem shelling out $100 for a good bottle of bourbon, $50 for a pint was somehow a problem for me mentally. … Continue reading W.B.Saffell Kentucky Straight Bourbon: Yes, it is worth $50 a pint

Barrell Bourbon Batch 18 and Batch 19 have both been great. I think this is due to the use of Four Roses bourbons of different recipes with their wonderful 14 year old Cascade Hollow bourbon from Tennessee. Batch 20 is another wonderful blend along the same lines; I am less sure of the provenance of … Continue reading Barrell Batch 20: It’s Like Food Network Sourced A Bourbon

I was thrilled with Barrell Bourbon Batch 18. So much so I actually put off reviewing Batch 19, thinking they would use Heaven Hill bourbon in the next batch, which is good, but not as good as when they blend Four Roses or MGP bourbon in the mix. But when Batch 20 came out recently … Continue reading Barrell Bourbon Batch 19: A Close To Perfect Bourbon

So it's been a little while since I've had enough time to properly sit down and write for the Whiskey Jar Blog and one of the things that I've noticed and been able to taste on a great number of occasions in the past few years is products produced by an upstart company in Lawrenceburg, … Continue reading The rise of MGP and sourced juice!