By Richard Thomas Rating: B Sons of Liberty Distillery is found in Rhode Island, and in 2016 they joined the growing ranks of the brewstilleries (brewery + distillery). This combination makes sense in that beer and whiskey share common production roots. If you can make one, you can make the other with a little extra equipment. Many craft distilleries have ...

By Emma Briones Rating: B In January 2017, Diageo returned to Irish Whiskey with the launch of Roe & Co. Irish whiskey is having a renaissance and, after the selling Bushmills to Jose Cuervo, Diageo couldn’t stay out of the sector. Peter O’Connor, former Bushmills brand ambassador and current Roe & Co ambassador, is one of the minds behind this ...

Updated January 6, 2018 By Father John Rayls Average Rating: B Smooth Ambler Contradiction Straight Bourbon Whiskey was a real surprise! I wasn’t expecting much from a blend of a somewhat young 2 year old “wheater” bourbon, made in-house by Smooth Ambler in West Virginia, and a 9 year bourbon rye from MGP in Indiana.  The Smooth Ambler wheated bourbon ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B- Before the World Whiskey Boom, Slane Castle was one of several independent and sourced whiskey brands, in this case associated with the namesake estate that hosts one of Europe’s best known annual music festivals. However, after Beam Global (now Beam Suntory) bought Cooley Distillery in 2011, the sourcing for these independently bottled brands dried up. ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B- One of the late releases to come out of Islay last year was one near to my heart, at least on paper: a Kilchoman whisky matured for five years in red wine casks from the Portuguese Duoro Valley. Added to that was a high strength bottling, 50% ABV, equivalent to a Bottled in Bond American ...