By Richard Thomas Although I do make cocktails at home, I am not endowed with a well-equipped bar cart of all the odds and ends to truly call one’s self a home mixologist. However, what I am is a fan of the eternal queen of the whodunnit, Agatha Christie. I am such a sucker for her work that even though ...

The makers of Barrell Bourbon have embarked upon a new limited-edition series that utilizes the company’s blending and finishing expertise to make bespoke blends of straight bourbon whiskeys with unique finishes. The Cask Finish Series will introduce two blends each year, beginning with the launch of the first two blends this Fall: Amburana and A Tale of Two Islands. Amburana ...

By Randall H. Borkus Rating: B+ Barrell Craft Spirits has two new expressions: Barrell Bourbon Batch 035 and Rye Batch 004.  The latter has been a few years in coming, since Barrell Rye Batch 003 was released back in 2020, but I’ll start with the bourbon. Barrell Bourbon Batch 035 is a blend that consists of sourced bourbon whiskey consisting ...

September has arrived, and with it comes a new batch of the ultra-aged version of Blade & Bow Bourbon, the 22 Year Old. “An ultra-premium bourbon, Blade and Bow 22-Year-Old is complex and enticing. I liken 22-Year-Old’s tasting notes to a freshly baked apple pie, fragrant and delicious,” said Doug Kragel, Lead Educator for Blade and Bow. “With an aroma ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: A- For its 16th release of the annual limited edition of Four Roses Small Batch, the Lawrenceburg, Kentucky distillery is also marking its 135th brand anniversary. That’s right: although the distillery dates to 1910 (and is thus a historic site in its own right), the brand goes all the way back to 1888. For this noteworthy ...