By Richard Thomas Rating: A- American bottle hunters should keep their eyes open this month, because Brown-Forman will be distributing a new bourbon. This one is simultaneously the first installment of a new annual series; a revival of an old brand name; and their most expensive (in terms of recommended retail price) bourbon release to date. It’s called, appropriately enough ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B- James E. Pepper has now come home to its roots, with brand owner Amir Peay having opened a new distillery in part of what used to be the Pepper distillery in Lexington, Kentucky. Production only began this past January, however, so it will be at least a few years (more likely several) before any in-house ...

By Father John Rayls Rating: A My first experience with Balmorhea Texas Straight Bourbon from Garrison Brothers Distillery was last year, as an experimental release. At that time, it was only available at the distillery and was a very limited release. Apparently, they listened to their fan base, because it’s now available as a general release. The whiskey is named ...

By Michael Cervin Rating: B When you think of Norway, you think Vikings, conquest, and perhaps their national drink aquavit. The Vikings didn’t drink whisky, which traces its origins to the late 1500’s, long after the last longship filled with Norsemen looking to trade or pillage set sail out of fjord. Yet whiskey and aquavit are both distilled from grain, ...

By Father John Rayls Rating: B+ The Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 was instituted to insure the public’s safety (and consolidate the position of big distillers vis-a-vis rectifiers, as bottlers were known then). Having the designation “bottled in bond” (BiB) on a whiskey label stood for quality, because it met the government guaranteed: The whiskey must have been produced at a ...