At The Whiskey Reviewer, we have a more informal way of dealing with the question of annual awards. Instead of handing out medals or drawing up a conglomerated list, every member of the team who wishes to opine on the subject keeps her or his own voice, naming their personal choice in three categories. Best New Whiskey Best Whiskey To ...

Canadian whisky brand Crown Royal, the whisky in the purple velvet bag, has announced the release of its oldest expression yet. Crown Royal Aged 30 Years has an ABV of 46% and will be available for a limited time regionally in AZ, CA, DE, FL, GA, IL, LA, MI, OH, PA, TX, and Military bases beginning on November 1, 2023. ...

By Randall H. Borkus Rating: B Playboy Spirits’ brand launched its luxury Rare Hare collection in 2022, which included previous releases of a 17-year-old bourbon and 1961 vintage cognac. This latest release is Lucky Bastard 30 Year Old Canadian whisky, a single barrel finished in Pineau Des Charentes casks for 120 days. Pineau Des Charentes is a fortified wine-mistelle or ...

By Randall H. Borkus Rating: C+ Barrell Craft Spirits recently announced the release of some cask finished whiskeys and their 10th Anniversary Barrell Bourbon, but I’m still working with Barrell Rye Batch 004! This is their first rye batch since 2020. Rye Batch #004 blend consists of straight rye whiskeys from Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Canada. The Indiana rye barrels ...

By Richard Thomas Some ideas die slow, hard deaths, and as recently as last year I found myself reading yet another magazine article warning consumers that their bottle of supposedly craft whiskey really came from the big distillery in Indiana, MGP. Moreover, I continue to hear this notion virtually every time I engage with enthusiasts, and read it fairly regularly ...