Most folks in the bourbon world know who Elmer T. Lee is - former master distiller at Ancient Age which became Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, who revolutionized bourbon and began a bourbon renaissance when he developed Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon. After he went into semi-retirement he served as a brand ambassador for the … Continue reading Drinking with the man himself: Elmer T. Lee and Elmer T. Lee 100 Year Tribute

My love of all things Ireland started in 2001 when my college golf team took a trip over to the Emerald Isle to play three years worth of golf in ten days. I had just turned 21 and had never had a drink (hold that thought while I get struck by lightning). I played Adare … Continue reading A wee nip of the good stuff (from Ireland)

Happy St. Patrick's Day! While I would normally be sucking down pints of Guinness and drinking Green Spot or Tullamore DEW, Louisiana has closed down all bars. So, I am at home, hanging with my step son who is home from LSU, celebrating St. Patrick's Day the best way we can - with a bottle … Continue reading Happy St. Patrick’s Day: Knappogue Castle Irish Whiskey, or how a Texan restored an Irish Castle and started an iconic whiskey brand

I went to college in Middle Tennessee not far from the George Dickel distillery, now known as Cascade Hollow. I have been there; it is a beautiful place. However, I was never really impressed with their whiskey (or whisky as the spell it) and mostly mixed it with egg nog on occasion. My wife and … Continue reading George Dickel Bottled & Bond – A New Age for Dickel

Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon continues to be a sought after bourbon in today's bourbon boom. Some folks love it, some folks think it is over-hyped. But, one thing is for certain, Blanton's began a premiumization of bourbon that took hold and changed bourbon and how we consume it. Elmer T. Lee created Blanton's in 1984, … Continue reading Blanton’s – The Whiskey That Began The Bourbon Premiumization Revolution

Happy National Bottled in Bond Day! On March 3, 1897, 123 years ago, Congress passed the Bottled in Bond Act, one of the federal government's first efforts at ensuring pure consumable products and truthful labeling for those products. Col. E.H. Taylor who ran both the George T. Stagg and Castle & Key Distilleries was the … Continue reading Happy National Bottled in Bond Day! A Little History of Bottled in Bond and a review of A.D. Laws Four Grain Bottled in Bond Bourbon

While most of my blog posts are about American whiskies, and, moreover, bourbon, a good bit of scotch gets drunk at my house. I started drinking scotch in college, but it was mostly blended cheap stuff. Then, as an adult, Macallan came out with a hipster malt scotch brand, Jon Mark & Robbo's. It came … Continue reading Glen Grant 15 Year Old Batch Proof – A Wonderful High Proof Single Malt For Your Bar