By Richard Thomas Rating: B What to write about Elijah Craig Barrel Proof that I either haven’t written before or merits restatement? It’s worth looking back and recalling that 2023 kicks off the 11th year for the expression, and this is the second strongest bourbon in the entire series at 125.6 proof. Also, Heaven Hill is following the times (i.e. ...

By Kenrick Thurston-Wilcox Rating: B Situated at the base of Mt. Fuji, 7.5 miles from it’s peak, the Fuji Distillery has been making whisky in the shadow of Japan’s most famous mountain since 1973. Despite that, their first US release came only in 2021. The location was most likely chosen for a few different reasons. The first is the glacial ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B- Uncle Nearest almost instantly became a well-known whiskey brand thanks to two points. First, it’s named for and honors the legacy of Nathan “Nearest” Green, the slave who is known to have worked as distiller and taught Jack Daniels the whiskey-making trade in the 1850s. Second and related, it’s a company founded by noted African-American ...

By Kenrick Thurston-Wilcox Rating: C In Fuji Distillery’s 50 year history, the whisky-maker has only employed two master blenders, with Jota Tanaka currently filling the position. Jota has the distinction of recently been admitted into the World Whisky Awards Hall of Fame for his contributions to helping the image and transparency of Japanese Whisky as well as his vast knowledge ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B- Following their branding and custom, California’s Redwood Empire named their blend of whiskeys after a very old, very tall redwood tree. The tallest coastal redwood, Lost Monarch the tree is 157 feet high and found in Jedediah Smith State Park. Lost Monarch the whiskey is a blend of (presumably MGP-sourced) bourbon and rye. I think ...