By Richard Thomas Rating: B- Before the World Whiskey Boom, Slane Castle was one of several independent and sourced whiskey brands, in this case associated with the namesake estate that hosts one of Europe’s best known annual music festivals. However, after Beam Global (now Beam Suntory) bought Cooley Distillery in 2011, the sourcing for these independently bottled brands dried up. ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B- One of the late releases to come out of Islay last year was one near to my heart, at least on paper: a Kilchoman whisky matured for five years in red wine casks from the Portuguese Duoro Valley. Added to that was a high strength bottling, 50% ABV, equivalent to a Bottled in Bond American ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ In terms of its peculiarity, I don’t think there is any bourbon on the market right now that outdoes Barrell Bourbon’s New Year 2018 release. The sourcing for this blend speaks for itself: seven distilleries from five states. A decade ago, you would have been hard pressed to scrape up stock bourbon from more than ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B Yellowstone Limited Edition Bourbon, sourced with Luxco stock and released through Limestone Branch Distillery, is now in its third edition. Since the brand is jockeying for a place in the annual slate of exciting autumnal American Whiskey releases, it’s worth pausing to do a recap of the series so far and the people who make ...

By Debbie Shocair Rating: B American Craft distilling’s spirit seems to come up with new twists, methods and gimmicks, so it is both fascinating and amusing that a former prison 20 minutes northeast of Charlotte, NC has been rehabilitated and reborn as the home of Southern Grace Distilleries. Thus their Conviction Bourbon is touted as “the first bourbon to ever ...