By Father John Rayls Rating: A- This is a very unusual and very limited bottling of a 19 year old single malt scotch from an undisclosed distillery in Scotland for Chapter 7 in Switzerland. Did you get all of that?  Yeah, it’s a little confusing if you are an American, but not all that uncommon over in Europe.  In addition, ...

By Father John Rayls Rating: A- Although first and foremost a Bourbon drinker, I have found a really interesting Irish Whiskey to be a very satisfying trip down a different trail. It’s the whiskey I use to offer a softer, diverse perspective on life. Irish Whiskey has a very different flavor profile from Bourbon, which gives a much more “in ...

Updated February 19, 2020 By Richard Thomas Rating: B Virginia’s A. Smith Bowman Distillery is best known these days for its prolific releases of experimental and one-shot whiskeys. So, it’s eye-catching when they make a permanent addition to the line, as with the new Isaac Bowman Port-Finished Bourbon. Isaac Bowman Bourbon builds on the success of one of those one-shot ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ As aged whisky expressions go these days, Bowmore 18 Year Old is an exception to the rule, bucking the trends if you will. That is because it represents taking in a statement up, rather than down or eliminating it altogether. A decade ago, it was decided to replace Bowmore’s 17 Year Old with this slightly ...

By April Manning Rating: C The Hirsch brand roots extend back to a distillery that is a now both a ruin and a National Historical Landmark in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania. “Schaefferstown Distillery,” or Bomberger’s, has roots that run deep and it claims to be the first distillery established in the United States. It operated for more than two centuries in various ...