Recently, I was contacted by a marketing firm that works for Virginia Distilling Company, letting me know that Courage & Conviction, an American Single Malt Whiskey, was now available for purchase by mail order in my home state of Louisiana, and would I be interested in a sample bottle to review for this blog. The … Continue reading Courage & Conviction – An American Single Malt Whisky True To Old World Single Malt

I received a bottle of Rabbit Hole Derringer for Christmas, which is a Kentucky Straight wheated bourbon aged for four to five years in alligator char new oak casks and then finished in Pedro Ximenez Spanish Sherry casks for six months. I am a huge fan of sherry aged and sherry finished scotches. But, for … Continue reading Rabbit Hole Derringer-an interesting but expensive take on cask finished bourbon

For my final bourbon review of 2020, I decided to crack open a bottle I picked up at Hokus Pokus after Christmas, from their last barrel of the year. This is fitting of course as my own discovery of Sugarfield Spirits in Gonzales, Louisiana, has been one of the good highlights of this most messed … Continue reading Last Call 2020 – Sugarfield Spirit’s Cask Strength Bourbon Hokus Pokus HP2 Gold Select

Back in 2015, Buffalo Trace created a website and phone app that allowed users to "Craft Your Perfect Bourbon", by picking the mashbill used, the amount of aging, the placement of the barrel in the warehouse, and the bottling proof. After the first year, and the trend indeed continues, most users of the website pick … Continue reading Weller CYPB 2020-Everything Great but the Proof

I am a big fan of Barrell Bourbon but also their whiskies, including their rum, brandy, and amaro cask finished "light" or "Carondolet"whiskies (Bourbon on the wrong side of Canal Street), which are bourbon mashbill whiskies that are aged in used cooperage. Fairly long aged light whiskies are plentiful with MGP in Indiana, and Smooth … Continue reading My Christmas Whiskey: Barrell Armida- Bourbon Finished in Pear Brandy, Rum, and Sicilian Amaro Casks

I remember when I first tried George T. Stagg seven years ago. I was amazed at how great this whiskey was. I actually got this bottle by chance at Hokus Pokus. At the time, Hokus sold their Pappy and BTAC bottles by drawing. That year I picked Pappy 20, and a lady who picked George … Continue reading Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2020: George T. Stagg and William LaRue Weller

The Fall 2020 BTAC/Van Winkle releases happened at Hokus Pokus today. I look forward to this day the way most kids look forward to Christmas. Given my spend, this blog, etc., Hokus generally lets me pick three bottles from their allocation. I always pick William LaRue Weller and George T. Stagg - those are a … Continue reading I completed my Van Winkle Collection today, so I thought I might have a few drinks- Rye not? Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye (2020), Sazerac Rye 18 years old (2016), and Thomas Handy Sazerac Rye Cask Strength (2014)

While I was recovering from knee surgery in August or early September my buddy Hudson from Hokus Pokus came over with three pints of cask strength rye whiskey for me to participate in a barrel pick. We sampled them and picked one, and it is now bottled. I was pretty excited about this one, given … Continue reading Sneak Preview: Old Pepper Straight Rye Whiskey 110 Proof Hokus Pokus Barrel Selection

It is amazing how far Sugarfield Spirits has come in the eleven months since I visited there. They are creating new spirits and are upping their bourbon game. As soon as this pandemic business is over I will definitely take another trip down there. They are now sourcing bourbon barrels from Midwest Grain Products (MGP) … Continue reading Sugarfield Spirits Straight Bourbon Cask Strength Batch HP1 – Hokus Pokus “Local Bourbon Trail” Barrel Pick

For Thanksgiving yesterday I decided to pop the bottle of Barrell Craft Spirits 15 Year Old Bourbon, the 2020 release. While I have reviewed many Barrell releases, this one is a premium fifteen year old release, which includes their amazing 15 year old Cascade Hollow bourbon coupled with 15 year old bourbons from Kentucky and … Continue reading More Fall Limited Release Goodness: Barrell Craft Spirits 15 Year Old Bourbon – 2020 Release