By Father John Rayls Rating: A- When I ask my son about his relationship with a female, he will often respond “It’s complicated.” This is the best phrase to use when thinking about describing Alberta Rye Whisky Dark Batch. Dark Batch, a Canadian blend, has been available in Canada under a similar name since 2013 and the US since 2015. ...

By Father John Rayls Rating: B+ Let’s hear it for the United States Marines: they’ve secured another beachhead in Lewisville, Texas, and secured it with (and for) whiskey! Some former US Marines found themselves living in the Dallas area after their discharge from service and sharing a love for bourbon started the Witherspoon Distillery in 2011. In addition to Witherspoon ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: A In a move that truly bucked prevailing trends and certain pessimistic, cynical bloggers, when Tullamore Dew began winding down their much admired 10 Year Old “Four Wood” Single Malt it was not to replace it with one or more No Age Statement (NAS) whiskeys. Instead, they de facto replaced it with two older age statement ...

By Emma Briones Rating: B- Label 5 expanded its range at the end of 2014 with a new expression: Label 5 Gold Heritage. The brand, owned by the French company La Martiniquaise, launched Label 5 Gold Heritage “to delight scotch whisky lovers who are looking to explore Label 5’s character in more depth.” According to La Martiniquaise, this NAS expression ...

By Debbie Shocair Rating: B In Yellow Rose Distilling’s Premium Collection #1 Bourbon, the first in a new series, the distillery and bottler is pursuing a well-trod path in adding craft and value to a product: get good stock and finish it in good casks. I may have spent the last decade or so soaking up the California sun, but ...