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 ...

Heaven Hill Distillery announced today the release of the 17th edition of the Parker’s Heritage Collection, featuring a 10-Year-Old Cask Strength Rye Whiskey. The 17th Edition is an allocated product and will be available nationally and internationally in limited quantities at the suggested retail price of $185.00. Like the previous 10 editions a portion of the proceeds will continue to support ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Released in 2010, Maker’s 46 was the first major brand extension by the distillery that essentially invented premium bourbon as we recognize it today, way back in the mid-1950s. The idea behind Maker’s 46 is one borrowed from the wine industry, and first applied in the whisk(e)y business by the Scotch Whisky negociant Compass Box: ...

Barrell Bourbon Batch 035, which struck gold at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition, is a multi-mash bill blend of six and seven-year-old spicy and earthy, high-rye, high proof oak forward barrels. They were combined with a blend of eight-year-old softer, lower-proof barrels with concentrated notes of dark cherry and butterscotch. After mingling for two months, 13-year-old barrels with dominant ...

By Richard Thomas The most recent batch, B523/May 2023, of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof brought with it two interconnected changes. Whereas prior labels (see left) have proof, ABV and batch number printed on them, the current version has proof, age statement and batch number instead. That first alteration underscores the second change: the age statement, which had previously been 12 ...