By Richard Thomas Rating: B- Uncle Nearest is named for one Nathan “Nearest” Green, a slave emancipated by the Civil War who is, at present, the first documented African-American distiller. He became the focus of some media buzz a couple of years ago, when research connected Green during the 1850s, when Jack Daniel was just a boy and doing odd ...

By Emily Mullis Rating: B+ Booker’s new bourbon release is a nostalgic nod to the old days when rickhouse workers would sneak a few sips of whiskey from the barrels through the use of hidden, plastic tubes carried in their overalls called “mules.” When these surreptitious sips were taken, the workers’ overalls would rub against the barrels, buffing away the ...

The second 2019 batch of Booker’s, the unfiltered and uncut bourbon that has been a staple of enthusiasts for a quarter-century, has been announced as “Shiny Barrel.” Jim Beam began giving individual batches of Booker’s names, often drawn from anecdotes or features of the man who created the expression, legendary Master Distiller Booker Noe. This installment pays a nod to ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Earlier this month, Four Roses launched its first permanent brand extension (i.e. added a new whiskey into regular release) in 12 years, Four Roses Small Batch Select. It went on sale at the distillery on April 17th, although it may not have reached bar and store shelves in your area yet. Small Batch Select draws ...

Four Roses Distillery has chosen to mark the culmination of its $55 million expansion project with the release of a new bourbon and permanent brand extension of their line with Small Batch Select. The Distillery’s expansion project began in 2015 and is doubling production capacity to accommodate for growing industry demand, while the Four Roses regular line-up hasn’t seen a ...