By Richard Thomas Rating: A- One of the peculiar things about the annual release of the Michter’s 10 Year Old Bourbon and 10 Year Old Rye is that they are both annual, limited releases and both are single barrels. It’s a formula designed to, potentially at any rate, present a fairly variable flavor profile. The only thing consistent about it ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Every year since 2014, that fabled and peaty Scottish island of Islay has seen Ardbeg Day sometime at the end of May or beginning of June. Usually a festival held at the distillery, this year it was a virtual celebration due to the pandemic. However, Ardbeg Day was still marked by the release of The ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Whenever Bardstown Bourbon Company (BBCo) releases a new cask-finished, collaborative bourbon, I await the sample eagerly in hopes it will be another Phifer Pavitt Reserve Bourbon, which was a lovely expression. The latest is their collaboration with Chateau de Laubade, a double first for BBCo in being both international and drawing on Armagnac casks. The ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: A- ImpexBev has recently imported a slate of Scottish bottlings from Elixir Distillers, among them a Ledaig 14 Year Old single malt. The distillery it comes from is one of the oldest in Scotland, predating the broader legalization of whisky distilling in Scotland in the 1830s. Erected in 1798, Ledaig’s name was changed to Tobermory in ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: A- At an early stage this year, Woodford Reserve released a third round of its whiskey at batch proof as part of its annual Master’s Collection. So, doing a batch proof release is now an annual, limited edition thing and part of the continuing Master’s Collection. In all respects except the proof statement and the bottle ...